Priest remembered for love of ministry and devotion to pro-life movement and Polish heritage
In his 45 years as a priest in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Greensburg, the Rev. Joseph L. Sredzinski became known for his commitment to the pro-life cause and promotion of Polish heritage as well as his love for the ministry.
Sredzinski, 71, died unexpectedly in his sleep Oct. 10 while vacationing in Krakow, Poland. His funeral is at 11 a.m today at St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church in Uniontown with Bishop Edward Malesic as celebrant.
“He was passionately committed to the pro-life cause. He traveled to Washington, D.C., for the March for Life almost every year,” Jerry Zufelt, diocesan spokesman, said of Sredzinski, who retired in July and was living in German Township. “He loved his family and was very proud of his Polish heritage. And he loved being a priest — absolutely loved being a priest.”
Sredzinski was born in 1944 in Connellsville to the late Louis and Josephine Ann (Kois) Sredzinski. One of five children, he grew up near Uniontown where he belonged to St. Joseph Parish and would become the first parishioner from the church to enter the priesthood, followed by seven others. Today, five men from St. Joseph are still in active ministry, the most of any parish in the Greensburg diocese.
Sister Jolenta Sredzinski, Sredzinski’s sister and a Catholic nun in Pittsburgh, said, “That’s the way we were raised. Vocations were important. People talked to their children about giving their lives in service to the Church.”
The Rev. Thaddeus J. Kaczmarek, who is also from St. Joseph and attended college and seminary with Sredzinski, said “He came from a good, solid Catholic family. They instilled values in him and he tried to share those with others.”
Sredzinski attended the former St. Joseph School in Uniontown and St. Anthony of Padua High School in Watkins Glen, N.Y. He earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from St. Mary College and a master of divinity degree form Ss. Cyril and Methodius Seminary, both in Orchard Lake, Mich. He did graduate work at Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C., and the Pontifical North American College in Rome.
Sredzinski was ordained in 1970 in Greensburg, serving as an associate pastor in a number of churches, including the former Holy Rosary in Republic (1972-74), St. Peter in Brownsville and its former mission, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, in Newell (1979-84). He became a pastor with local assignments at St. Joseph Parish in Everson (1989-99) and St. Hubert in Point Marion (1999-2007).
Since then, Sredzinski served as chaplain at State Correctional Institute in Greensburg and nursing homes in Greensburg in addition to pastoral assignments in Jeanette. For many years, he hosted a radio program “That You May Believe.”
Sister Jolenta said she’s heard many stories from people about how her brother touched their lives.
“He visited their houses, prayed with them, comforted them, celebrated with them and kept in touch with them,” she said.
“He was dedicated to the Catholic faith,” Kaczmarek said. “With the prison ministry, he was overjoyed to be able to bring people back to the Church and the sacraments. He gave non-Catholics instruction in the Catholic faith. He was a pastor in a number of parishes and enjoyed working in parishes.”
The Rev. Lawrence L. Hoppe, a retired priest and friend who is delivering the sermon at Sredzinski’s funeral, said, “He was a priest for all people, all the time. He never held back. If he could do it, he would do it. He put many miles on his car every year.”
Jim Nuccetelli, of St. Therese in Uniontown, became friends with Sredzinski when they both taught at Holy Rosary’s school. Later, Sredzinski helped when St. Therese’s youth group planned retreats at Mount St. Macrina and encouraged youths to consider religious vocations.
“He talked to them about every aspect of their faith,” said Nuccetelli.
In his retirement, Sredzinski offered assistance to St. Francis Parish of Western Fayette County.
The Rev. William Berkey, pastor of St. Francis, said, “He was extremely delighted to help Father Jim (Petrovsky) and me. He connected to the people and they are mourning his loss.”
Through the years, Sredzinski became known for his work in the pro-life movement, encouraging participation in the annual March for Life that protests the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion. He organized a Life Chain, a nationwide pro-life protest held in October, while he was in Everson and attended other Life Chains wherever he was living. He regularly wrote letters to the editor of the Herald-Standard. His sister said Sredzinski also participated in a prayer vigil in Pittsburgh as part of an international campaign called Forty Days of Life.
Chuck Kosco, co-chairman of the Great Fayette Respect for Life Committee, said, “He was always pro-life – anything that would help the cause. He inspired others by his devotion.”
Whatever work he was involved with, Sredzinski gave it his full attention.
“He had a lot of zeal for things he knew and loved – his faith and Polish culture,” said Kaczmarek.
Sredzinski interest in Polish culture led him to serve as national chaplain to the Polish Falcons of America and on the board of the Polish American Priests Association. He was also chaplain for the Polish Heritage Club in Uniontown. He made nearly 20 trips to Poland in his lifetime and was named an honorary canon of Lublin Cathedral in 2007.
Hoppe pointed to a priest who taught at the seminary in Orchard Lake and took students on trips to Poland with motivating Sredzinski’s love of Polish culture, but added, “I think it was deep in him already.”
Sister Jolenta said, “He took part in cultural ways and he encouraged people to identify with their own culture.”
She noted of her brother’s death in Poland, “Bishop Malesic told me he went to heaven by way of the homeland of his family. That’s what everybody said.”