REV. MSGR. BASIL SMOCHKO

Vichnaya Pamjat! I am an associate cantor in Western PA. I was looking for the old brown Office of Christian Burial book to no avail. I found the 1975 edition online from Rare Books; it was Father's! The words and music are essentially the same, and feel blessed to have Father's own book and put it to good use. Father Smochko, pray for us!

In loving memory of a wonderful person. We will love you and miss you always.

I believe I met Msgr. Smochko when our own Priest Fr. Peter Leskiw lived in Desert Hot Springs when he retired. Msgr. Smochko used to say Litiurgy in a home that was converted to a Chapel . I used to go there with my sister, who lives in Redlands. Even though Fr. Smochko was retired he continued to serve God. My sister and I became good friends with Fr. and would always invite him out to breakfast. He was a very kind and gentle Priest. Sometimes we would visit him at his home. He was...

Back in the Fall of 2008 or the Spring of 2009, I had gotten to know Father Smochko pretty well, and was solely responsible for introducing him to the now deceased Mykola Smetaniuk. I personally drove Mr. Smetaniuk to Father Smochko's old house in Desert Hot Springs on one ocassion (all the way from his house in Whittier), and I was effectively serving as the "younger Ukrainian business liaison" between Smochko and Smetaniuk, as there were serious business talks at this meeting of "importing...

It was with great sadness that I learned this evening of the repose of +Msgr Smochko. I have known him since I was a seminarian at SS Cyril & Methodius Seminary, Pittsburg starting in 1959. Two years ago I spent a most delightful day with Msgr Smochko in his Desert Hot Springs home with my wife. He was a most genial host in showing us all around his house and took special delight in sharing with us all the family photos especially the ones of his parents back in "the old country." He treated...

thank you to msgr smochko who taught me to love and respect the lord

Wow. I just came across this. Msgr. Smochko was a total gentleman. I was an altar boy, and also attended St. Mary's Byzantine in Cleveland, where he was for a long time. He was truly a man of God.

Our family was very close to Monseignor and his family for a long time when he was in Pittsburgh. We were most likely one of his earliest churches and the families were very close personally also.
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The Suss family, Pittsburgh, PA

My condolences to the Smochko family.
I enjoyed his sermons at his chapel in Desert Hot Springs. He will be missed.
M. Magee