Most Reverend Richard Stephen Seminack
Most Reverend Bishop Richard Stephen Seminack was born on March 3, 1942 to Raymond and Anna Cwiek Seminack in Philadelphia, PA. His paternal grandparents emigrated from Ternopil, Ukraine while his maternal grandparents came from Peremshil, Ukraine. The oldest of seven children, Richard attended St. Martin of Tours Catholic Elementary School and Father Judge Catholic High School in Philadelphia, PA. The call to the priesthood motivated his transfer to St. Basil's Seminary Preparatory High School, Stamford, CT in his senior year.
Upon graduation from St. Basil's College in 1963, he attended Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C for Theology. Bishop Seminack's major was Eastern and Western Canon law. He was ordained by Metropolitan Archbishop Ambrose Senyshyn for the Archeparchy of Philadelphia on May 25, 1967. After an interim assignment at St. Josaphat Church, Philadelphia, PA. he was sent to Rome, Italy to study at the Oriental Institute. He was awarded a degree in Eastern Canon Law in June, 1968.
Upon returning to the USA, he was assigned to Holy Ghost Church, Chester, PA. as parochial vicar with duties as religion teacher and Youth Minister to the large parish community. On July 1, 1971, Msgr. Seminack was transferred to Presentation Church, Lansdale, PA, a newly organized parish that needed land, he was then transferred to St. Anne Church, Warrington, PA on July 18, 1972. Fr. Seminack experienced a variety of ministerial activity in this suburban parish that had an active catechetical program. A fire in the Church hall, the major fund raising site, challenged both pastor and people to further rally together to build a new more modern facility that was dedicated in June, 1977.
On September 19, 1977, he followed Fr. Myroslaw Ivan Lubachiwsky, later to become Cardinal Major Archbishop Myroslaw Ivan Lubachiwsky, as Chaplain for the Srs. of St. Basil the Great, Philadelphia, PA. Besides being chaplain at the Motherhouse, Fr. Seminack was also chaplain and religion teacher at St. Basil Academy, Campus Minister at Manor College, Jenkintown, PA as well as administrator of Sacred Heart Mission, Fox Chase, PA. This collage of pastoral ministries was rigorous enough, however, it was during this time that he trained and became a commissioned officer (Lieutenant) in the U.S. Navy Chaplain Corps in August, 1979.
Transferred to Assumption of the BVM Church, Miami, Fl on June 22, 1982, Bishop Seminack encountered a bi-lingual transient parish community that had various substitute retired pastors. The parishioners bonded with their new young pastor and restored the neglected Church building and community in the name Christ. Much of his time was caring for the needs on the elderly and sick. While on assignment in Florida, the Archeparchy was split and Msgr. Seminack found himself as a priest in the Eparchy of St. Josaphat in Parma.
Bishop Robert Moskal appointed Msgr. Seminack to the Office of Pastor to the Holy Trinity Church, Carnegie PA on June 8, 1984 where he has worked to the present time. He has held the following offices: Eparchial Director of Religious Education, Eparchial Consultor, Executive Board Member of the Priests Pension Program, Chairman of the Eparchial Presbyteral Council, member of the Examiners for Junior Clergy. Other duties and assignments included being Protopresbyter on the Southern Deanery, member of the Archeparchial Administrative Council, Spiritual Director of the Philadelphia Council of the League of Ukrainian Catholics, regional Spiritual Director of the League of Ukrainian Catholics, Vice dean of the Philadelphia Deanery, Executive Board Member of Ascension Manor 11.
As Director of Religious Education, he implemented a Catechist Certificate Program, helped develop and taught in the Diaconal Training Program and coordinated various projects that produced catechetical tools for the Eparchy - the most recent being "New Life in the Trinity: An Introduction to the Mysteries of Christian Initiation". Bishop Seminack is known for the formation of many of the junior priests who were placed under his care as assistants. For his many contributions to the Eparchy, he was given the rank of Reverend Monsignor by His Holiness John Paul II on October 5, 1984.
Funeral Services for Bishop Richard S. Seminack
