Michael Fedorowich

DANVILLE — The Right Reverend Monsignor Michael Fedorowich, 81, fell asleep in the Lord, Bright Monday afternoon, April 25, 2011. He had been a resident of the Villa at Maria Joseph Manor.

Monsignor Fedorowich served God and the faithful of the Ukrainian Catholic Church as a priest incardinated in the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia for over 50 years. Most recently, he was the pastor of Transfiguration of Our Lord Church in Shamokin, serving from 1993 until his retirement in 2006.

One of seven children, he was born Jan. 19, 1930, in Mahanoy Plane, to the late Michael and Anastasia (Wolos) Fedorowich.

He attended St. Basil Preparatory School in Stamford, Conn., where he graduated as class valedictorian in 1947. He then enrolled in St. Basil's College Seminary, Stamford, Conn., and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in philosophy in 1951.

As a major seminarian at St. Josaphat Ukrainian Catholic Seminary, Washington, D.C., he matriculated at The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C., where he completed his theological studies required for priestly ordination in 1955, and earned his Licentiate in Sacred Theology.

He was ordained to the holy priesthood June 11, 1955, by the late Archbishop Constantine Bohachevsky in the old Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Philadelphia. The newly-ordained Father Michael celebrated his Divine Liturgy of Thanksgiving in his home parish, St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church, Maizeville.

He served as assistant pastor of SS Peter and Paul, Ansonia, Conn., St. Michael the Archangel, Hartford, Conn., and St. Nicholas, Philadelphia.

He served as pastor of St. Pius X, Houston, Texas, where he was founding pastor; Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Bristol; Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Perth Amboy, N.J., Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Melrose Park; St. Josaphat, Parma, Ohio, where he provided the leadership for the construction of the cathedral of the Parma Eparchy of St. Josaphat, and Transfiguration of Our Lord, Shamokin.

From 1962 to 1974 and from 1983 to 1993, he served as rector of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Philadelphia. During his tenure as rector, the new cathedral was constructed in the 1960s.

Because of his administrative talents and organizational skills, Fedorowich also served the Archeparchy of Philadelphia as vicar general, a member of the college of consulters, a member of the archieparchial corporation, director of the Office of Religious Education, member of the board of the Catholic Apostolate, editor of The Way, member of the Tribunal and member of the seminary advisory board.

He also served as Protopresbyter of the South Anthracite Deanery and Spiritual Director of the South Anthracite Deanery Holy Name Society.

On May 31, 1968, Pope Paul VI elevated him to the rank of papal chamberlain with the title of Very Reverend Monsignor. He received another papal ecclesiastical honor when Pope John Paul II elevated him to the rank of domestic prelate with the title of Right Reverend.

He is survived by a sister, Olga Cleary, of North Miami, Fla., and several nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a sister, Anna Maclean, and four brothers Peter, Walter, John and Raymond Fedorowich.

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FEDEROWICH — The Right Reverend Monsignor Michael Fedorowich, 81, of Danville. Divine Liturgy will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Tuesday, in St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church, Maizeville, by Metropolitan-Archbishop Stefan Soroka, Bishop Basil H. Losten, and his brother priests. His body will lie in repose in the church from 8:30 a.m. until time of the Liturgy. Interment will follow in Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery, Reading. His body will also lie in repose in Transfiguration of Our Lord Ukrainian Catholic Church, Shamokin, from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday with Priestly Parastas being sung at 7 p.m. It was Msgr. Fedorowich's desire that those wishing to do so, may offer contributions in his memory for the Poor and Hungry in Ukraine, c/o Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia, 827 North Franklin St., Philadelphia 19123-2097.