Born to Raymond and Anna Cwiek Seminack in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Msgr. Richard Stehen Seminack was the oldest of seven children. Attending St. Martin of Tours Catholic Elementary School and Father Judge Catholic High School in Philadelphia, he entered St. Basil's Seminary Preparatory High School, Stamford, Connecticut in his senior year. Upon graduation from St. Basil's College in 1963, he attended the Catholic University of America, Washington D.C., and was ordained priest by Metropolitan Archbishop Ambrose Senyshyn for the Archeparchy of Philadelphia on May 25, 1967.
After an interim assignment at St. Josaphat church, Philadelphia, he was sent to Rome to study at the Oriental Institute, from which he earned a degree in Eastern canon law in June, 1968. Upon returning to the United States, he was assigned to Holy Ghost church, Chester, Pennsylvania, as parochial vicar with duties as the religious studies teacher and youth minister to the large parish community. On July 1, 1971, Seminack was transferred to Presentation church, Lansdale, Pennsylvania, a newly-organized parish that needed land, he was then transferred to St. Anne church, Warrington, Pennsylvania on July 18, 1972. Experiencing 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. Lubachiwsky, later to become Cardinal Major Archbishop, as chaplain for the Sisters of St. Basil the Great. Besides being chaplain at the Motherhouse, in Fox Chase, Seminack was also chaplain and religion teacher at St. Basil Academy, campus minister at Manor College in Jenkintown as well as administrator of Sacred Heart Mission in Fox Chase. This collage of pastoral ministries was rigorous enough, however, it was during this time that he trained and became a commissioned officer in the United States Navy Chaplain Corps in August, 1979.
Transferred to Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary church, Miami, Florida, on June 22, 1982, Seminack encountered a bilingual 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 of the elderly sick or infirm members of the congregation.
While on assignment in Florida, part of the territory of the Archeparchy became the Eparchy of Saint Josaphat, in Parma, Ohio. Seminack was soon appointed by Bishop Robert Moskal, pastor to Holy Trinity church, Carnegie, Pennsylvania on June 8, 1984. Here he worked until his announced nomination to the episcopal see of Chicago, as eparch. For his many contributions to the eparchy, he was given the rank of Monsignor by John Paul II on October 5, 1984.
Enthroned as fourth Eparch of Saint Nicholas Ukrainian Eparchy in Chicago June 4, 2003 by Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, over the years, Bishop Seminack oversaw parish activities. He was invited to observe milestone anniversaries, bless new buildings, baptize new Christians and bless weddings. He passed away aged 74 after a protracted battle with cancer at Alden Poplar Creek Rehabilitation Center in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, on August 16, 2016 at 3:33 pm.
After an interim assignment at St. Josaphat church, Philadelphia, he was sent to Rome to study at the Oriental Institute, from which he earned a degree in Eastern canon law in June, 1968. Upon returning to the United States, he was assigned to Holy Ghost church, Chester, Pennsylvania, as parochial vicar with duties as the religious studies teacher and youth minister to the large parish community. On July 1, 1971, Seminack was transferred to Presentation church, Lansdale, Pennsylvania, a newly-organized parish that needed land, he was then transferred to St. Anne church, Warrington, Pennsylvania on July 18, 1972. Experiencing 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. Lubachiwsky, later to become Cardinal Major Archbishop, as chaplain for the Sisters of St. Basil the Great. Besides being chaplain at the Motherhouse, in Fox Chase, Seminack was also chaplain and religion teacher at St. Basil Academy, campus minister at Manor College in Jenkintown as well as administrator of Sacred Heart Mission in Fox Chase. This collage of pastoral ministries was rigorous enough, however, it was during this time that he trained and became a commissioned officer in the United States Navy Chaplain Corps in August, 1979.
Transferred to Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary church, Miami, Florida, on June 22, 1982, Seminack encountered a bilingual 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 of the elderly sick or infirm members of the congregation.
While on assignment in Florida, part of the territory of the Archeparchy became the Eparchy of Saint Josaphat, in Parma, Ohio. Seminack was soon appointed by Bishop Robert Moskal, pastor to Holy Trinity church, Carnegie, Pennsylvania on June 8, 1984. Here he worked until his announced nomination to the episcopal see of Chicago, as eparch. For his many contributions to the eparchy, he was given the rank of Monsignor by John Paul II on October 5, 1984.
Enthroned as fourth Eparch of Saint Nicholas Ukrainian Eparchy in Chicago June 4, 2003 by Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, over the years, Bishop Seminack oversaw parish activities. He was invited to observe milestone anniversaries, bless new buildings, baptize new Christians and bless weddings. He passed away aged 74 after a protracted battle with cancer at Alden Poplar Creek Rehabilitation Center in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, on August 16, 2016 at 3:33 pm.
Born to Raymond and Anna Cwiek Seminack in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Msgr. Richard Stehen Seminack was the oldest of seven children. Attending St. Martin of Tours Catholic Elementary School and Father Judge Catholic High School in Philadelphia, he entered St. Basil's Seminary Preparatory High School, Stamford, Connecticut in his senior year. Upon graduation from St. Basil's College in 1963, he attended the Catholic University of America, Washington D.C., and was ordained priest by Metropolitan Archbishop Ambrose Senyshyn for the Archeparchy of Philadelphia on May 25, 1967.
After an interim assignment at St. Josaphat church, Philadelphia, he was sent to Rome to study at the Oriental Institute, from which he earned a degree in Eastern canon law in June, 1968. Upon returning to the United States, he was assigned to Holy Ghost church, Chester, Pennsylvania, as parochial vicar with duties as the religious studies teacher and youth minister to the large parish community. On July 1, 1971, Seminack was transferred to Presentation church, Lansdale, Pennsylvania, a newly-organized parish that needed land, he was then transferred to St. Anne church, Warrington, Pennsylvania on July 18, 1972. Experiencing 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. Lubachiwsky, later to become Cardinal Major Archbishop, as chaplain for the Sisters of St. Basil the Great. Besides being chaplain at the Motherhouse, in Fox Chase, Seminack was also chaplain and religion teacher at St. Basil Academy, campus minister at Manor College in Jenkintown as well as administrator of Sacred Heart Mission in Fox Chase. This collage of pastoral ministries was rigorous enough, however, it was during this time that he trained and became a commissioned officer in the United States Navy Chaplain Corps in August, 1979.
Transferred to Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary church, Miami, Florida, on June 22, 1982, Seminack encountered a bilingual 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 of the elderly sick or infirm members of the congregation.
While on assignment in Florida, part of the territory of the Archeparchy became the Eparchy of Saint Josaphat, in Parma, Ohio. Seminack was soon appointed by Bishop Robert Moskal, pastor to Holy Trinity church, Carnegie, Pennsylvania on June 8, 1984. Here he worked until his announced nomination to the episcopal see of Chicago, as eparch. For his many contributions to the eparchy, he was given the rank of Monsignor by John Paul II on October 5, 1984.
Enthroned as fourth Eparch of Saint Nicholas Ukrainian Eparchy in Chicago June 4, 2003 by Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, over the years, Bishop Seminack oversaw parish activities. He was invited to observe milestone anniversaries, bless new buildings, baptize new Christians and bless weddings. He passed away aged 74 after a protracted battle with cancer at Alden Poplar Creek Rehabilitation Center in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, on August 16, 2016 at 3:33 pm.
After an interim assignment at St. Josaphat church, Philadelphia, he was sent to Rome to study at the Oriental Institute, from which he earned a degree in Eastern canon law in June, 1968. Upon returning to the United States, he was assigned to Holy Ghost church, Chester, Pennsylvania, as parochial vicar with duties as the religious studies teacher and youth minister to the large parish community. On July 1, 1971, Seminack was transferred to Presentation church, Lansdale, Pennsylvania, a newly-organized parish that needed land, he was then transferred to St. Anne church, Warrington, Pennsylvania on July 18, 1972. Experiencing 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. Lubachiwsky, later to become Cardinal Major Archbishop, as chaplain for the Sisters of St. Basil the Great. Besides being chaplain at the Motherhouse, in Fox Chase, Seminack was also chaplain and religion teacher at St. Basil Academy, campus minister at Manor College in Jenkintown as well as administrator of Sacred Heart Mission in Fox Chase. This collage of pastoral ministries was rigorous enough, however, it was during this time that he trained and became a commissioned officer in the United States Navy Chaplain Corps in August, 1979.
Transferred to Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary church, Miami, Florida, on June 22, 1982, Seminack encountered a bilingual 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 of the elderly sick or infirm members of the congregation.
While on assignment in Florida, part of the territory of the Archeparchy became the Eparchy of Saint Josaphat, in Parma, Ohio. Seminack was soon appointed by Bishop Robert Moskal, pastor to Holy Trinity church, Carnegie, Pennsylvania on June 8, 1984. Here he worked until his announced nomination to the episcopal see of Chicago, as eparch. For his many contributions to the eparchy, he was given the rank of Monsignor by John Paul II on October 5, 1984.
Enthroned as fourth Eparch of Saint Nicholas Ukrainian Eparchy in Chicago June 4, 2003 by Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, over the years, Bishop Seminack oversaw parish activities. He was invited to observe milestone anniversaries, bless new buildings, baptize new Christians and bless weddings. He passed away aged 74 after a protracted battle with cancer at Alden Poplar Creek Rehabilitation Center in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, on August 16, 2016 at 3:33 pm.
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