Remembering the late Metropolitan-Archbishop Emeritus +Stephen Sulyk on His 96th Birthday
The late Metropolitan-Archbishop Stephen Sulyk served as the spiritual shepherd of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia and Metropolitan of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in the United States from March, 1981 until his retirement in November, 2000.
Ninety-six years ago Stephen Sulyk was born in Balnycia, Ukraine on October 2, 1924.
He emigrated to the United States in 1948 and studied at The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. from 1948 to 1952 while a seminarian at St. Josaphat Ukrainian Catholic Seminary.
He was ordained a priest by the late Archbishop Constantine Bohachevsky in Philadelphia on June 14, 1952.
As an assistant priest from 1952 to 1955, he served in parishes located in Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska, Brooklyn, NY, Minersville, PA, and Youngstown, OH.
From 1955 to 1980, he served as pastor in Phoenixville, PA, Frackville, PA, St. Nicholas in Philadelphia, and Perth Amboy, NJ where he served for 18 years.
He was appointed by the Holy Father, St. John Paul II as Metropolitan Archbishop of Philadelphia on December 29th, 1980, and was consecrated by Patriarch Josyp Slipyj in Rome on March 1, 1981. He retired on November 29th, 2000.
On April 6, 2020 he was born into eternal life, succumbing to the complications of the Covid-19 pandemic and was interred in the crypt of the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Philadelphia, Pa.
May Almighty God grant his servant +Stephen rest in the bosom of Abraham, number him among the saints and may his memory be eternal! Vichnaya pamyat!
