St. John's Parish in Newark celebrates jubilees of two priests (02/07/99)

St. John's Parish in Newark celebrates jubilees of two priests

NEWARK, N.J. - St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church hosted an anniversary celebration on Sunday, October 4, 1998, to honor the 25th anniversary of the priesthood of its pastor, the Rev. Frank Szadiak CSsR, and the 40th anniversary of the priesthood of the Rev. John Stuchlak CSsR.

Festivities began with a liturgy of thanksgiving. The trustees of the parish, Andrew Keybida and George Dolinsky, greeted Metropolitan Stephen Sulyk and Bishop Michael Wiwchar with the traditional bread and salt.

The Rev. Szadiak welcomed all parishioners, visiting bishops and priests and families who had come to celebrate this occasion with him and the Rev. Stuchlak. Metropolitan Sulyk delivered an inspiring sermon praising the dedication with which the Revs. Szadiak and Stuchlak served God's people, and wished them many more such years.

Later, at the Ramada Hotel in East Hanover, N.J., the jubilee celebration continued with a banquet. Photo collages of the lives of both priests were on display and over 300 guests attended. Ihor Rakowsky, the master of ceremonies, opened the banquet program and children of St. John's School recited greetings.

Among the honored guests were: Metropolitan Sulyk, Bishop Wiwchar, the Rev. Leonid Malkov, the Rev. Volodymyr Baran, the Very Rev. Thaddeus Krawchuk, the Rev. George Peredja, Msgr. Joseph Fedorek, the Rev. Petro Semenych, the Very Rev. Yuri Markewych and the Rev. Deacon Michael Waak.

Mr. Keybida delivered greetings, expressed his thanks and commended the jubilarians for their years of dedicated service. Mr. Dolinsky presented papal blessings to both priests and read excerpts of greetings from Bishop Michael Kuchmiak of England and Bishop Walter Paska of Philadelphia.

The Rev. Szadiak's two sisters from Manitoba, Mary Hamm and Anne Colgan, read greetings from the entire Szadiak family. Msgr. Fedorek followed with his personal best wishes and recounted a few humorous anectodes.

A sextet of the parish's Young Adults Group performed musical numbers, including the favorite song of the Rev. Szadiak's mother, "Tam De V Nebi Bozha Maty," and the Redemptorist rosary hymn "Slava Mariyi."

The keynote address was given by the Bishop Wiwchar. He recalled the student days of the Rev. Szadiak and the school days he shared with the Rev. Stuchlak. He congratulated both on their anniversaries and reminded them that the greatest gift a priest has is serving his people.

At the end of the program, both honorees thanked the guests and speakers, and the Rev. Szadiak also thanked Sister Damien OSBM, one of the teachers at St. John's School, for her 60 years of service and awarded her a special plaque of recognition.

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