Archbishop-Metropolitan Schmondiuk dies (12/31/78)

Archbishop-Metropolitan Schmondiuk dies

Headed Ukrainian Catholic Church in U.S. for one year

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Archbishop-Metropolitan Joseph Schmondiuk, head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in the United States, died here at Einstein Hospital after suffering a massive heart attack Monday, December 25, just one year after being installed as archbishop-metropolitan. He was 66 years old.

Metropolitan Schmondiuk died at 9:37 p.m. The archdiocesan chancery reported that Metropolitan Schmondiuk had returned from an after-dinner walk at about 8:45 p.m. when he collapsed in the presence of his secretary, the Rev. Andrew Baunchalk. He was taken to Einstein Hospital, where he was pronounced dead after unsuccessful attempts by the doctors to revive him.

Earlier that day, Metropolitan Schmondiuk had celebrated the Christimas Divine Liturgy at 10 a.m. at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and then had breakfast with the members of the cathedral's choir.

Metropolitan Schmondiuk was nominated to head the Ukrainian Catholic Church in the United States by Pope Paul VI in October 1977. He succeeded Archbishop-Metropolitan Ambrose Senyshyn, who died on September 11, 1976. Metropolitan Schmondiuk was the third Ukrainian Catholic metropolitan in the United States.

He was installed as metropolitan in a ceremony at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral on December 1, 1977, presided over by Archbishop Jean Jadot, Apostolic Delegate to the United States.

Metropolitan Schmondiuk formerly headed the Ukrainian Catholic Diocese of Stamford, Conn. Its current eparch, Bishop Basil H. Losten, told Svoboda on December 26 that he was "saddened by the death" of Metropolitan Schmondiuk.

Bishop Losten said that the news was "unexpected" and he "couldn't believe it." He said that he had called Metropolitan Schmondiuk earlier that day to extend Christmas greetings to him.

The funeral was held Saturday, December 30, at 10 a.m. from the Immaculate Conception Cathedral to the Holy Ghost Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery in Hamptonburgh, N.Y.

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