Career
Nowak was born in Nowy Żmigród, and ordained to the priesthood on 6 January 1963 for the diocese of Przemyśl. In 1990, he was appointed Secretary of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints and was ordained Titular Archbishop of Luni. He received his episcopal consecration on 5 April 1990 from Pope John Paul II, with Archbishops Giovanni Battista Re and Justin Francis Rigali serving as co-consecrators.