OBITUARY
Rev. Marcin Andrzej Zahuta
November 23, 1977 – March 1, 2020
COLUMBIA—Father Marcin Zahuta, 42, pastor of St. Thomas More Church at the University of South Carolina, died Sunday, March 1, 2020.
A Mass of Christian burial will be held on Thursday, March 12, at 11 a.m. in the Basilica of St. Peter in Columbia. Burial will be at Communal Cemetery Golabkowice in Nowy Sacz, Poland.
Father Zahuta was born Nov. 23, 1977, the fifth child of the late Jozef Zahuta and Emilia Szymanska in Nowy Sacz, Poland. He attended Major Seminary in Tarnow, Poland; and graduated from SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary in Orchard Lake, Mich., where he earned master’s degrees in divinity and theology. He also holds a license in theology from the University of Cardinal Stephan Wyszynski, Poland. He was ordained and incardinated for the Diocese of Charleston in June 3, 2006. His assignments included serving as parochial vicar at St. Mary Help of Christians, Aiken (2006-2007) and St Gregory the Great, Bluffton (2007-2008). He was appointed as chaplain for the St. Thomas More Center at the University of South Carolina in 2008, and elevated to pastor in 2015.
He is preceded in death by his father, Jozef, and brother, Tadeusz Zahuta. He is survived by his mother, Emilia, and three sisters, Iwona Dabrowska, Teresa Zahuta and Kristina Zahuta, all of Poland.
Services
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Viewing
Thursday, March 5, 2020
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Christian Wake Service
Thursday, March 5, 2020
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Visitation
Friday, March 6, 2020
Memories
Rev. Marcin Andrzej Zahuta
have a memory or condolence to add?
ADD A MEMORYLisa Dosev
March 12, 2020
Thank you Fr. Marcin for pastoring the young souls of St Thomas More. So grateful we got to meet you when we visited Carmen last fall. Rest in Eternal Peace. Prayers for your mom and sisters and all who love you!
Jessica Escobar Alegria
March 9, 2020
It took me time to write this, I am still trying to grasp the sudden death of Father Marcin. Everything that has been said about him, I witnessed it during my 7 years at USC in Columbia from 2011-2017, and I am forever thankful. Father Marcin was unapologetic at evangelizing under our Catholic Faith, I saw how he helped students in their journey through life to get to Heaven. I have my own memories: once I came late to daily Mass, nobody else came and he was there alone saying Mass as scheduled; I asked him to recommend a book about Saint Thomas More, our chapel’s patron Saint, right there he walked to his bookshelf and gave me his own book; my dear nephew came to visit from El Salvador and Father Marcin was available for him to have confession and gave him a card about the Devine Mercy and Saint Faustina. I could list a lot more but want to end up by sharing that Father Marcin always gave me the impression to be in a hurry, always walking fast and acting immediately; now I understand that he had a short life to live and had a mission (we all do), well done Father Marcin (as said by Father Jeffrey F. Kirby
https://cruxnow.com/commentary/2020/03/a-tribute-to-a-priest-who-kept-the-schedule-of-someone-who-believes-in-heaven/ from Crux!
May God help us, his beloved students, family and close friends, to get to God's presence and hear Him too saying " “Well done good and faithful servant.” Forever, thank you Father Marcin.
Patti Giomi
March 9, 2020
Fr. Marcin was a blessing to my family. He came into my life when I was having difficulty with the church. With his guidance and sense of humor I made it past that time. I truly feel that he has made me want to be a better Catholic. God Bless you my friend & thanks for the memories.
Patty Zander
March 8, 2020
An amazing priest who connected with all ages. I looked forward to his homilies and enjoyed seeing all the young people who packed the church each Sunday. He’ll be truly missed but he’s left his presence on all of us. Good job my good and faithful servant.
John Palms
March 8, 2020
Father Marcin,
Thank you for all you did for the University of South Carolina and Columbia. Your faithful voice, influential Christian deeds and ceaseless sense of humor will be heard and carried forward across the Community, State and Country. Thank you also for the times you shared with my parents, John & Norma Palms. They so loved and enjoyed those precious moments together and will never forget them. Your friends and family are in our prayers. God rest your soul in the hands of our Almighty Lord.
Love,
John M. Palms, Jr.
Cheryl Nail
March 7, 2020
Father Marcin was a beloved part of our Carolina Faith Communities and UofSC Religious Workers Council. He brought many gifts to our group, but perhaps the greatest and most appreciated of them was his ability to make us laugh and laugh. He will be dearly missed.
Zichron tzadik livracha (may the memory of this righteous man be a blessing)
Andrew Tarbet
March 6, 2020
I just wanted to say best prayers for father Marcin🙏🙏🙏
Jeremy Coliton
March 6, 2020
Father Marcin made an everlasting impact on myself and so many other students at USC. He was relatable and understood us so well, and always knew how to make us laugh. I miss him dearly already. May he rest peacefully and forever look down upon us.
Geordy Hallman
March 6, 2020
What a wonderful Priest and Man. My Wife and are are so Glad to have know him And to learn through his homilies and his prayerful
Life . A Godly Man—
Indeed —
Rest In Peace Fr. Zahuta
Jerry Carroll
March 6, 2020
Fr. Marcin officiated at the burial of my dear wife in 2007. Four year later, my daughter was a student at the University of South Carolina and Fr. Marcin was now there. Fr. Marcin made it a point to offer Holy Mass for my wife on her birthday every year my daughter was there. We are so very grateful. May Fr. Marcin rest in Christ's peace.
Gwen Evans
March 5, 2020
Our family joins the family of Fr. Marcin and the Community of St Thomas More in grief, prayer, and gratitude for the life and ministry of Fr. Marcin among us. We have wept over the loss of this heroic priest. Our prayers are with you all. If God is close to the broken hearted, He certainly has His arms around us all at this time. May God give us the same sincere love, courageous faith, and holy wisdom that was in him. "Imitate me then, just as I imitate Christ."
1 Cor. 11:1
Brett Groller
March 5, 2020
O Lord, we pray Thee that the soul of Thy priest, Thy servant Father Marcin Zahuta, which, while he abode in this world, Thou didst adorn with sacred gifts, may ever rejoice in a glorious place in heaven. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Maja Grzejdziak
March 4, 2020
Father Marcin made a great impact on our family and our community. Especially notable was his determination to ensure that a Polish Mass was available and serviced every month for the Polish community in the Upstate in Greenville. He brought home a lasting sense of normalcy and familiarity for many people who had been longing and missing in their hearts a piece which they left behind. The Catholic church and faith is a beautiful thing. Even though it was absurdly inconvenient I'm sure for Father Marcin to make this trip for one service, he saw the importance of bringing this faith and beauty to all people, even those who could perhaps only practice in their native tongue few and far as they may be. Father Marcin saw no distance too long and no boarder too great to be overcome. In this ideal, he not only helped bring people from other cultures back to a sense of home in mass, but he propagated the cycle and engaged in teaching the youth and newcomers of many Polish Catholic traditions. His commitment in celebrating faith without inhibitions led to familiarizing many people with their faith and heritage. Father Marcin was a personable man. He was engaged in his communities and engaged in people. He would always try and make an appearance at family gatherings, such as he did to our family, and enjoy the holidays on a personal note. His kindness has no limits and we will always remember the laughing light that shined through him. May this great man rest in Peace as he is with the Lord, and we await until the day we hear his laugh again. His body may have descended, but the impact of his actions are alive for many generations to come.
Curt Czajkoski
March 4, 2020
Whenever we visited our daughter at school we looked forward to attending mass at St Thomas More mainly because we felt so welcomed by Father Marcin. I felt a special bond with him because he was Polish or as he would say it he was from the “Holy Land”. His passion for the faith and his charisma was unique. May he Rest In Peace.
Carrollee Hevener
March 3, 2020
I am so greatly saddened to hear of Fr. Marcin’s passing. He baptized all three of my children, and will be greatly missed by our entire community.
Oscar Borda
March 3, 2020
Prepare a place for us there my dear friend. I wil miss you forever