Deacon Witold Engel, a devoted deacon, passed away on October 19, 2023, at the age of 90. His life was a testament to faith, perseverance and humble service.
Born on April 1, 1933, in Stryj, Poland, Deacon Engel endured unimaginable hardships as a child, surviving imprisonments in Siberia, Auschwitz and Dachau. In 1951, he and his family immigrated to the United States, where he built a new life rooted in faith and gratitude. He served in the U.S. Army for six years before settling in California, where he met and married the love of his life, Carmen, on September 21, 1968. They shared 52 years of marriage until her passing in 2021.
Feeling a deep calling to serve the Lord, Deacon Witold was ordained in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles on June 12, 1999. In 2005, he and Carmen relocated to Colorado to be closer to their daughter, Jennifer, son-in-law, Tim, and grandson, Dylan. In the Archdiocese of Denver, he ministered at St. Frances Cabrini Parish in Littleton, bringing Christ’s love and mercy to the poor, the sick and the imprisoned.
Reflecting on his vocation, Deacon Engel once said, “I had a calling, I know. I said, ‘God is there. God saved my life. I want to serve God.’”
“Deacon Witold believed God had spared him time and time again so he could dedicate his life to ministry, touching countless lives with compassion and faith,” said Deacon Ernest Martinez, Director of Deacons for the Archdiocese of Denver.
A Funeral Vigil was held at Horan & McConaty Funeral Home in Centennial on October 29, 2023. Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila celebrated a Mass of Christian Burial on October 30, 2023, at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception.
“Deacon Witold’ s life was a profound witness to God’s grace and mercy. May he now find eternal peace in the presence of the Lord he so faithfully served,” added Deacon Martinez.
