Rev. Fr. Stephen J. Drab
Rev. Fr. Stephen J. Drab, a retired diocesan Priest of the Greensburg Diocese, and a resident of West Pennsville Street, Pennsville, Pa., died unexpectedly Friday evening, May 16, 2003 in his residence at the age of 88. He was born in Usovsky Salgov, Sarisska Zupa, Slovakia, on August 20, 1914 where he spent his boyhood.
He is the son of the late Andrew Drab and Helen Hanudel Drab.
Father Drab was ordained June 20, 1937 in the Diocese of Kosice, and served as Assistant Pastor and Pastor in his homeland Vranov nad/Toplou, Budkovce and Presov. He was Pastor in Jankovce and at Radoma before going into hiding from the Communists.
Father Drab knew the meaning of Communists persecution. Three times he was jailed by the Reds in his native Slovakia following World War II and sentenced to forced labor for two years, spending six months in a concentration camp. He had to go in hiding-“in communicado” for nearly two years, during which time he was sought by the Communists, who held an order for his execution dating from July 31, 1950.
After hiding in different areas of Slovakia, and his health was failing, Father Drab was advised to escape from behind the Iron Curtain to Freedom in America.
Secretly with a group of 24 people he escaped to Vienna, Austria, May 1, 1952 where he spent two months in the American Camp at Wells, Austria.
Through Father Dominik Hrusovsky, now Bishop of All Slovaks Refugees Dispersed in the World and Rector of Ss. Cyril and Methodius Institute in Rome, he was given shelter by Archpriest Bernardo Tomaselli in his parish at Pieve D’Alpago, Province of Belluno, in the Northern Italian Mountains.
From October 1952 until March 1954 Father Drab lived in Rome as a guest of the Rumanian College where he lectured over Vatican Radio giving religious instructions to his native Slovakia and at the same time helping the editor of the Slovak Monthly Periodical “Voices of Rome”, Monsignor Anton C. Botek.
Father Drab came to the United States as a displaced person on the ship “Volcania” April 1, 1954 and was assigned to the Dallas-Fort Worth Diocese, Texas, as an Assistant at St. Thomas Church, Fort Worth, and at St. John Nepomucene in Ennis, Texas.
Due to health reasons, the extremely hot summer (106 degrees), and after being cured of stomach problems, Father was released from the Dallas-Fort Worth Diocese.
Through Father Joseph Gajdosik, the late Bishop Hugh L. Lamb accepted Father Drab into the Greensburg Diocese. He was appointed Assistant Pastor at Holy Name Church in Monessen, Pa., where he served with the late Rev. Joseph Gajdosik for two years.
Father became a citizen of the United States of America in the Fayette County Courthouse, Uniontown, Pa., on June 22, 1960.
Thanks to the late Bishop William G. Connare, after five years, with the permission from Rome, he was officially accepted-incardinated-into the Greensburg Diocese.
After serving as Assistant Pastor at Holy Name Church and also St. Mary (Nativity) Church, Uniontown, Pa., Father was named Pastor of St. Michael Church, Glen Campbell, and its Mission, Ss. Peter and Paul Church, Arcadia, in Indiana County, Pa., on June 3, 1965.
He subsequently served pastorates at Holy Spirit Church, Fayette City, Pa., December 10, 1971, and St. Procopius Church, New Salem, Pa., February 3, 1975, before receiving his assignment at All Saints Church, Arnold, Pa., May 20, 1979, from where he retired June of 1990.
Father was a member of St. John The Baptist Roman Catholic Church in Scottdale. His other memberships consisted of First Catholic Slovak Union, Slovak Catholic Sokol, and The Knights of Columbus Council 1275 in Uniontown, Pa.
Father Drab’s Spirit, Integrity, unconditional love will be forever held in the hearts of those who knew and loved him, especially his family: his Sister, Anna Drab Novak and her husband, Joseph Novak, of Kosice, Slovakia; his two Nephews: Dr. Cyril Novak of Slovakia and Eng. Method Novak of Slovakia; his two Cousins: Mary Liptak of Johnstown, Pa., and Mary Keilp of Bradenton, Florida; and his housekeeper and cook since 1977, Barbara Ann Shemo of Pennsville, Pa.
Father Drab’s Family will greet Friends in the FRANK KAPR FUNERAL HOME INC., 417 West Pittsburgh Street, Scottdale, Pa., today from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. and Monday, May 19, from 2 to 4 p.m.
A Blessing will be held Monday at 6 p.m. in the Funeral Home.
The Five Glorious Mysteries of the Holy Rosary will be prayed at 6:30 p.m. in St. John The Baptist Roman Catholic Church, South Broadway, Scottdale, Pa., followed by his Concelebrated Translation Mass at 7 p.m. with Rev. Fr. John R. Cindric, V. F., as Principal Celebrant and Homilist.
Following his Mass, visitation will resume in the Church until 9 p.m.
A Concelebrated Funeral Mass will be celebrated for Father Drab on Tuesday, May 20, at 11 a.m. in St. John The Baptist Roman Catholic Church, South Broadway, Scottdale, with His Excellency, Bishop Anthony G. Bosco, as Principal Celebrant and Rev. Fr. Francis Lesniowski as Homilist.
Committal Service and interment will follow in Visitation Of The Blessed Virgin Mary Cemetery, Mount Pleasant, Pa.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made to St. John The Baptist Parochial School, South Broadway, Scottdale, PA 15683 in Memory of Rev. Fr. Stephen J. Drab.
To view online obituary, sign guest registry or send condolences, please visit www.kapr.com