Pittsburgh Catholic,
Friday, October 21, 1977
VATICAN CITY (NC) — Pope Paul VI has appointed Ukrainian-rite Bishop Joseph Schmondiuk to head the Ukrainian archdiocese of Philadelphia.
Bishop Schmondiuk, 65, has been head of the Ukrainian diocese of Stamford, Conn., since 1961.
He will be succeeded in Stamford by Bishop Basil Losten, currently apostolic administrator of the Ukrainian archdiocese of Philadelphia.
Bishop Schmondiuk, born in Wall, Pa., served as auxiliary bishop in Philadelphia after his episcopal ordination in 1956.
He was the son of immigrant Czechoslovakian parents* Michael and Mary (Bozia) Schmondiuk, both of whom died in the influenza epidemic of 1919, orphaning him at the age of 7. The young boy was raised in St. Basil Orphanage in Philadelphia and later studied at St. Joseph Prep College there and at the Pontifical Seminary of St. Josaphat, the Angelicum College and the University for the Propagation of the Faith, in Rome.
Among his many pastoral assignment was one at SS. Peter and Paul Church in Aliquippa.
Bishop Losten, 47, has been apostolic administrator of Philadelphia since June, 1976.
A native of Chesapeake City, Md., Bishop Losten was ordained bishop in 1971 and served as auxiliary to the late Ukrainian-rite Philadelphia Archbishop Ambrose Senyshyn.
Bishop Schmondiuk is currently attending the world synod of bishops in Rome as papally appointed member. Normally, the Ukrainian archbishop of Philadelphia attends the synod as a member by right.
According to Vatican sources, Bishop Schmondiuk’s appointment was made after the Vatican received a letter from Bishop Losten asking if he was to attend the synod in his capacity as apostolic administrator of Philadelphia.
Reportedly in response to the letter, the Pope named Bishop Schmondiuk as a representative of the American Ukrainian Church.
* it is not true
