Pavel Havlát

**Note: Father Pavel is currently living and serving temporarily in his brother’s parish in Velké Němčice.**

Father Pavel is from Soběšice, which is just a short distance from Vranov u Brna. He grew up in a religious family that held their faith close to their hearts despite the challenges of the times (keep in mind that this was in communist Czechoslovakia). He served as an altar boy from childhood, and the Vranov parish gradually became a second home to him. He was strongly influenced by the parish priest at the time and by the sisters who were serving in Vranov u Brna back then. He was also deeply moved by Father Holeček’s stories about the Order of Minims and Saint Francis of Paola. Last but not least, his own pilgrimage to Paola, Italy, also shaped him. All of this had a profound impact on his journey toward the spiritual world. He knew that his older brother had already decided to study theology. But it was not until much later, from family photographs, that he learned his father had also studied theology—his father had, moreover, been a political prisoner, though this was not often discussed at home. Perhaps this was because they wanted to give him the freedom to decide for himself how to live his own life.

In high school, he decided to pursue a culinary and waitstaff certification, but even then he knew he belonged to God. At the age of 16, he definitively recognized within himself a desire for a spiritual vocation. Although the school principal and his classmates tried to dissuade him, he applied to the faculty of theology and entered the seminary in 1986.

When the Minims returned to Vranov near Brno after the revolution, he felt even more at home there. And in 1992, he finally heeded God’s frequent call, and Pavel entered the Order of Minims. He experienced religious life during his postulancy right here in Vranov—at the site of Our Lady of Miracles. After taking his first vows, he continued his studies in Rome and made his perpetual vows in 1997. A year later, he was ordained a priest.

For him, being the Minim means being a disciple and follower of a saint who loved solitude and silence, yet spent his entire life drawing others to God. He views the Order as contemplatively active. Perhaps this is precisely why he is interested in working with the Minim Tertiaries: a lay community who live in the world but are inspired by the Order’s spirituality and wish to live according to its values in their daily lives.

As a religious and spiritual director, he embraces the Order’s community life while also serving others. And perhaps that is precisely why, for him, the Vranov u Brna Spiritual Center is always a welcoming space for anyone seeking stillness, renewal, and closeness to God. The mission of this center is, in essence, an invitation. An invitation to find God and oneself. It is a space steeped in prayer, suitable for personal reflection.

Father Pavel finds joy in life when he sees that his prayer, conversation, or the sacraments help others find the light. And to this he devotes his time diligently. Each of his days follows a rhythm of prayer, work, pastoral care, and moments of rest. In his free time, he enjoys wandering through nature—often with a camera in hand to capture “God’s work,” as he says with a smile.

And his life’s mission?
Love, humility, and repentance. Three words that, in his view, encapsulate the entire Gospel—and are a beautiful lifelong task. It is about striving for a living faith, for therein lies the fullness and joy of life.

Whether you meet Father Pavel in prayer, in conversation, or in the silence among the trees with his camera, he always carries within him a sense of peace and a willingness to be close to others. His life is proof that the path to God is possible even today—quiet, true, and joyful. And if you, too, hear a quiet call within yourself, do not be afraid. Come. Stop by. Vranov will welcome you with an open heart.

“Listen attentively to God’s voice in your heart, and do not be afraid to place your life fully in the Lord’s hands.”