Sister Emellia Prokopik

1920 - 2015

Sister Emellia Prokopik, OSBM, former educator, administrator and author, died Thursday, Dec. 17, 2015, at the Sisters of the Order of St. Basil the Great Monastery, Fox Chase Manor. She was 95. Mildred Prokopik was born May 11, 1920, in Arnold, one of nine children of Wasyl and Anna (Kilar) Prokopik. She was a member of St. Vladimir Ukrainian Catholic Church in Arnold. Mildred graduated from St. Basil Academy and entered the monastery July 13, 1936. She pronounced her first profession of vows Aug. 27, 1939, and her final profession of her vows, received by Most Rev. Constantine Bohachevsky, on Aug. 28, 1945. Sister Emellia earned her BA with a major in Latin from Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., and her MA majoring in Latin from Villanova University. She completed courses toward her Ph.D. in school administration at Fordham University. Sister was principal at St. Basil Academy, St. Nicholas School in Chicago, Ill., St. George Elementary School in New York City, N.Y., Immaculate Conception High School in Hamtramck, Mich., and St. George Academy in New York City, N.Y. She also served as academic dean at Manor College in Jenkintown, Pa. Sister's duties with the Basilian Order were extensive: she was provincial councilor; superior general in Rome, Italy, from 1971 to 1983; general councilor in Rome, Italy, from 1983 to 1989; appointed by the Holy See as a special delegate for the purpose of reinstating the Ukraine Province to normal status in 1993 through 1994. In 1995, Sister worked for the cause of the Beatification of Metropolitan Andrew Sheptytsky. Sister Emellia as province historian authored the Province's history "Keepers of the Flame: 90 Year Province History." Sister belonged to the following organizations: Foreign Language Organization; National Pro Life Alliance; and Church in Need. She is survived by her sister, Olga Zarichnak; and many nephews, nieces and cousins. Sister was predeceased by her parents; her brothers, Michael, Walter, Tony and John; and her sisters, Julie Bonitsky, Mary Prokopik and Helen Ciarelli.
Sister Emellia's viewing will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday at the Monastery of the Sisters of St. Basil the Great, Holy Trinity Chapel, 710 Fox Chase Road, Jenkintown. Parastas services will be sung at 6 p.m. There will be a viewing starting at 9:30 a.m. Monday. Requiem Liturgy will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Monday. Burial will follow at the convent cemetery.