REVERAND FATHER JOSEPH CHORNYAK

CHORNYAK REVERAND FATHER JOSEPH
Age 83, of Uniontown, formerly of New Salem, passed away Thursday, April 8, 2010, in Uniontown Hospital. He was born March 13, 1927, in Pittsburgh, son of the late Basil and Anna Kovacs Chornyak. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Mary Chornyak Cvercko, his brothers, John Chornyak, William Chornyak and Michael Chornyak; and a brother, Peter and sister, Anna, both in infancy. Father Chornyak was the Parish Priest at St. Mary's Byzantine Catholic Church in New Salem for thirty-five years. He retired February 29, 1998. He graduated from St. Procopius, Lisle, Ill. & Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, 1946-1950, with a B.A. in Philosophy from St. Procopius, first year theology at St. Procopius and three years of theology at SS. Cyril & Methodius Seminary, Pittsburgh, PA. He was ordained June 6, 1953, by the Most Rev. Daniel Ivancho, D.D. He was appointed Administrator June 15, 1953 at Holy Ghost, Charleroi and St. Nicholas, Perryopolis, PA, August 26, 1953, Temporary Administrator St. Mary's Monesson, PA, September 15, 1953, Associate at St. John Baptist, Hazelton, PA (Bishop Scholl of M.D.D. was his altar boy), March 1, 1954, Administrator of Holy Ghost, Mahwah, NJ and assisted at St. Michael (today, the Cathedral) in Passaic, NJ, First Pastorate February 1, 1955, to St. Mary's (Patronage) Bradenville (Snydertown), PA, appointed by Westmoreland County Juvenile Court as Chairman of the Derry Area Youth Commission under Judge David H. Weiss and became Chaplain of Blairsville K. of C. Council #3624 as a 111 RD Degree Knight. On February 7, 1961, he was assigned to teaching staff at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Junior High School in Youngstown, Ohio. He was appointed to seminary faculty as Professor of Church Slavonic and Ruthenian Language August 20, 1982, relieved on August 14, 1990, appointed on June 1, 1987 as Defender of the Bond & a notary of Our Archdiocesan Tribunal, appointed on June 28, 1988, as a Director of Our Archdiocesan Museum. All these appointments were made by the Late Archbishop Metropolitan Stephen J. Kocisko, D.D. He was appointed August 18, 1992, as a member of the Board of Directors of Our Archdiocesan Finance Institute by the late Archbishop Metropolitan Thomas V. Dollnay, D.D. He is survived by many nieces and nephews. Visitation was held Friday, April 9, 2010, from 6 to 9 p.m. in St. Mary's Byzantine Catholic Church in New Salem with Parastas Service for a Priest at 7:00 p.m. A Divine Liturgy of Christian Burial for a Priest will be on Saturday, April 10, 2010, at 10:00 a.m. in St. Mary's Byzantine Catholic Church in New Salem with Rev. Fr. Jerome Botsko officiating. Interment will follow in Calvary Cemetery, Greenfield Ave., Pittsburgh, PA. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Mary's Byzantine Catholic Church Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 487, New Salem, PA 15468.
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