Archbishop Schott dies after 7-year battle with cancer
Metropolitan Archbishop Basil Myron Schott died Thursday in UPMC-Passavant Hospital in suburban Pittsburgh after a seven-month battle with cancer. The highest-ranking Catholic prelate in the United States, he was the metropolitan of the Byzantine-Ruthenian Catholic Church in America, and the archbishop of Pittsburgh.
Schott was born in Freeland, on July 21, 1939, the youngest of the five children of the late Michael and Mary Krusko Schott. His early education was at St. Mary Byzantine Catholic School in Freeland and a St. Gabriel High School in Hazleton.
He entered the Byzantine Franciscans at Holy Dormition Monastery in Sybertsville on Aug. 3, 1958, and made the profession of his religious vows there a year later. On Aug. 29, 1965, he was ordained to the holy priesthood by Bishop (later Archbishop) Stephen J. Kocisko at the Franciscan Monastery in New Canaan, Conn. He held bachelor’s degrees in philosophy, theology, and a master’s degree in theology and pastoral counseling.
Schott served in many areas of monastic, pastoral, parochial, and academic life. Within his Franciscan community, he held the offices of superior, councilor, treasurer and director of formation on every level. He was the spiritual assistant for the Secular Franciscans and the chaplain to several communities of women religious.
His experience in giving retreats, workshops and renewal programs for clergy, religious, seminarians, and laity was extensive. He worked in parishes throughout the Byzantine Catholic Metropolia and in the Ukrainian and Melkite Eparchies as well. He taught in the religious education departments of Byzantine Catholic High School in Parma, Ohio, and of Bishop Hafey High School in Hazleton.
The metropolitan was ordained a bishop and enthroned as the third bishop of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma on July 11, 1996. On May 3, 2002, Pope John Paul II appointed him metropolitan archbishop of Pittsburgh, and he was enthroned at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Munhall on July 9, 2002.
The metropolitan chose as his hierarchical logo, “In the name of the Lord,” and in that Name he cited evangelization, ecumenism and renewal of the Gospel life as the hope and focus for his ministry of leadership. During his eight years as metropolitan archbishop, Schott instituted programs for renewal and revitalization on different levels throughout the archeparchy, established a communications office, and accomplished all of the components necessary for the ongoing Protection of Children and Youth in accord with the charter published by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
He also increased the number of members in the various boards, commissions and offices of the archeparchy while expanding their responsibilities and involvement as well. Under his direction, significant improvements were made to the Byzantine Catholic World, the official newspaper of the archeparchy. The accreditation of the Ss. Cyril and Methodius Seminary by the Association of Theological Schools was completed during his tenure as president of the seminary’s board of directors.
Recently, the pope appointed Schott a member of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches. He served as the president of the Eastern Christian Associates whose membership is comprised of all of the Eastern Catholic bishops in the United States, and he was influential in the organization for the Eastern bishops into the new Region XV of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. At the time of his death, he was serving on the committees for Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations and for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs; the subcommittees on Marriage and Family Life and on Catholic Home Missions; and on the Task Force on Promotion of Vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life.
In the Pittsburgh area, the metropolitan was an active member of the Christian Leaders of the Christian Associates of Southwest Pennsylvania, an ecumenical group comprised of the heads of the Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox judicatories.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother Paul. Survivors include his brother Michael Schott of Pen Argyl; his sisters Mary Ann Peterson of Pottstown, Pa. and Sister Helen Schott, O.S.B.M. of the Sisters of St. Basil, Uniontown; and nieces and nephews and their families. Schott’s body will be received at his Cathedral of St. John the Baptist on Greentree Road, Munhall at 1 to 9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, with prayer services for a priest in the evenings at 7 p.m. The funeral Divine Liturgy will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Friday, June 18, at the cathedral, with interment to follow in Mount Macrina Cemetery in Uniontown.