JOHNSTOWN, PA - [Diocesan Chancery] -- With profound sadness the Diocesan Chancery announces that Pani Helen Shutack, 96, of Phoenixville, PA, passed away peacefully on Saturday December 16, 2023 with family at her side.

Pani Helen was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania on March 17, 1927, to George and Anna Selepetz. She was a long-time resident of Scranton, Phoenixville, PA and Stratford CT. She served as Pani at the Holy Ghost Orthodox Church from 1951 to 1975 and she continued to serve as Pani at St. John’s Orthodox Church in Stratford from 1978 to 2006. Read more...

JOHNSTOWN, PA - [Diocesan Chancery] -- With profound sadness the Diocesan Chancery announces that Very Rev. Fr. Robert Lucas, pastor of Saint Paul the Apostle Orthodox Church in Freehold, NJ,  after over 64 years of service in the active priesthood, reposed in the Lord peacefully on Wed December 6, 2023 at the age of 86.

The Very Reverend Robert E Lucas was born to Anna (Rjabec) and John Lucas (Lukacs) on December 2, 1937, in Scranton, PA. From his very early childhood, he felt a calling to the priesthood and committed his young life to his budding vocation by first serving Our Lord on the altar as an acolyte at Saint Nicholas Church, his home parish. Fr. John worked for many years as a plant manager for Orgo-Thermit, Inc. metal manufacturing in Manchester Township and was a member of the local Rotary Club Read more...

JOHNSTOWN, PA - [Diocesan Chancery] -- With profound sadness the Diocesan Chancery announces that Pani Mary Jaczina Buletza, 96, of Point Pleasant Beach, passed away peacefully on Sunday, October 8, 2023 in the comfort of her home where she retired 23 years ago.

Born in Fords, NJ, Pani Mary resided in Rankin, PA for 30 years before retirement. Pani Mary was a dedicated and loving wife for 64 years. During that time, she was the consummate Orthodox Christian priest’s wife in public life, the right-hand woman supporting her husband in all facets of parish life. She taught Sunday School, baked for bake sales, arranged altar flowers, hand crafted vestments and winding sheets, removed wax from altar covers, baked Prosfora, replaced vigil lights, delivered flowers and meals to shut-ins, visited hospital bound parishioners and friends, took thousands of messages, attended hundreds of church banquets, folded bulletins, counseled parishioners, and on and on. Read more...

JOHNSTOWN, PA - [Diocesan Chancery] -- With profound sadness the Diocesan Chancery announces that +Archon Robert "Dal" Cosgrove, fell asleep in the Lord on Friday April 14, 2023. Prior to his retirement in Florida, he was a faithful parishioner of St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Monongahela, PA. In retirement he attended Holy Cross Eastern Orthodox Church in Ormond Beach, FL. Born November 19, 1942, in Hazelwood, he was the son of the late Frederick E. and Mary Virginia (Tompkins) Cosgrove. Following his graduation in 1960 from Charleroi High School, Dal earned his Bachelor's degree and two Masters Degrees in Education and Science from California University of Pennsylvania. He began working as a teacher and a coach in the Elizabeth Forward School District and retired after 37 years as their assistant principal. Read more...

JOHNSTOWN, PA - [Diocesan Chancery] -- With profound sadness the Diocesan Chancery announces that + Rev. Fr. John Cmur , age 90,  reposed in the Lord peacefully on Thursday, March 30, 2023 at Community Medical Center in Toms River, NJ. 

Fr. John was born and raised in Dunmore, PA. He married his wife, Mary, in 1954 and moved to Brick, NJ to raise their family. He retired to Whiting in the early ‘90’s.

Fr. John worked for many years as a plant manager for Orgo-Thermit, Inc. metal manufacturing in Manchester Township and was a member of the local Rotary Club Read more...