Extensions of Remarks 6753 ! Extensions of Remarks in Memoriam to the Rt
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J March 8, 1977 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 6753 ! EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS IN MEMORIAM TO THE RT. REV. day on November 30th, 1976 delivered the spect, goodwill, and communion among MSGR. ANDREW J. ROMANAK, P.A. funeral eulogy in Slovak. all mankind. We memorialize Monsignor PASTOR-EMERITUS OF ST. MARY'S Father Francis Bischof of Ogdensburg, Romanak and the spiritual and humane New Jersey, who spent 12 years with him as legacy that his leadership has inspired ROMAN CATHOLIC SLOVAK his assistant and also as his successor-direc CHURCH OF PASSAIC, N.J. tor of the Pope Pius XU Diocesan High among our people throughout the many School, delivered the eulogy in English. congregations he has served. May he rest Other newspapermen paid him deserved in peace. HON. ROBERT A. ROE tribute, including the local publications, OF NEW JERSEY namely, The Herald-News of Passaic-Clifton, PROTECTION FOR VETERANS' AND IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES The Morning and Evening Paterson News, the Beacon, The Monitor of Trenton, The Jed WIDOWS' PENSIONS Tuesday, March 8, 1977 nota (Union) of Middletown, Pa., the Czech Mr. ROE. Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, and Slovak Radio in New York City reported his passing and reviewed his prolific life as HON. PHILIP R. SHARP March 13, residents of my Congressional a priest, educator, fraternallst and leader. I OF INDIANA District, State of New Jersey will gather joined them by paying tribute to him and IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES at St. Mary's Parish Hall, Passaic, N.J., may his life be an inspiration to us all. with the Holy Name Society in memo Msgr. Romanak, a priest for 54 years, had Tuesday, March 8, 1977 riam to one of our most distinguished taken part in the establishment of the newly Mr. SHARP. Mr. Speaker, today I join members of the clergy and good friend of created Diocese of Paterson. He was the Dio my colleague from Indiana (Mr. HAMIL all of our people, Rt. Rev. Msgr. Andrew cesan Director o! Catholic Youth, examiner TON) in sponsoring a bill to help 4.4 mil J. Romanak, P.A., pastor emeritus of St. of the clergy and a member of the Bishop's lion older Americans. This legislation Board of Consulators. Mary's Roman Catholic Slovak Church In 1949, Pope Plus XII elevated him to Do would prevent the Veterans' Administra who went to his eternal rest on Febru mestic Prelate, with the title o! Right Rev tion from reducing pension benefits as a ary 7, 1977. He passed away peacefully erend Monsignor, and to Prothonatary Apos result of cost-of-living increases in social and serenely, as he lived, in the rectory tolic in 1958. security benefits. were he resided since his resignation as Born in Newark, November 30, 1896, Msgr. The Veterans' Administration present active pastor 5 years ago at the manda Romanak attended St. James R. C. School ly bases a veteran's benefit amount on tory age of 75. and was a graduate of St. Benedi~t Prepara his current income minus certain deduc tory School, Seton Hall College and Immacu Monsignor Romanak was ordained to late Conception Seminary at Darlington. He tions. The income that remains, "counta the holy order of the priesthood on was ordained a priest on May 26, 1923, ln St. ble income," is then used to place the May 26, 1923, and has served as spiritual Patrick Cathedral, Newark. veteran in an income bracket with an adviser and reverend father dedicated to His first assignment was to Assumption assigned pension amount. As his count the well-being and happiness of each and of the Blessed Virgin Mary R. C. Church, able income increases, his benefits may every member of the many parishes he known as St. Mary Roman Catholic Slovak decrease if he enters a new income has served throughout the State of New Church. He was involved in many diverse bracket. Jersey. activities at the parish, including directing Because social security increases are Slovak plays, in addition to caring for the Mr. Speaker, the quality of his leader spirt tual needs of his parishioners. After considered countable income by the ship, the richness of his wisdom, and the serving for four years, Msgr. Romanak was Veterans' Administration, even these abundance of his caring and dedication assigned to Sacred Heart R. C. Church, Rock minimal amounts lift many veterans into to our young people and adults alike have away, New Jersey. the next highest income bracket, causing been warmly expressed on a number of He spent 18 years at Sacred Heart parish, a substantial reduction in their veterans occasions during his lifetime by the during which time he established mission pensions. The veterans or their survivors Honorable John C. Sciranka, editor of churches at Green Pond, Oak Ridge, Cozy find that while receiving a social security the Slovak Catholic Sokol and the Slovak Lake and Marcella. increase intended to allow them to keep Catholic Federation, and president of the Msgr. Romanak returned to St. Mary up with the cost of living, their veterans Church as pastor in 1945. Slovak Newspapermen's Association of While at St. Mary, Msgr. Romanak also pensions are reduced or cut off entirely. America. With your permission, I would served as director of Pope Plus XII Diocesan Such reduction often results in a net loss like to insert at this point in our histor High School. He served as director and chair of income. For example, it is estimated ical journal of Congress a copy of Editor man of the Passaic Local Assistance Board, that the recent social security increase Sciranka's statement memorializing chairman of the Board of Governors of St. effective on January 1 of this year is re Monsignor Romanak's lifetime of good Mary Hospital, chaplain of the Passaic po sulting in a $76 average monthly loss in works on behalf of his fellowman, as lice and the fire departments. Also honorary total income to recipients of veterans follows: national chaplain of the Slovak Catholic pensions. Instead of receiving extra in Federation of America. and its Eastern re come because prices are rising, they re MSGR. ANDREW J. ROMANAK, P.A. gion, and chaplain of Assembly 1, Slovak (By John C. SCiranka) Catholic Sokol. The intersection of First and ceive less. Catholics in the diocese of Paterson, New Monroe Streets in Passaic was named Msgr. I believe in the principle that Federal Jersey and the people in general have lost Romanak Plaza in his honor by the city of benefit programs should not duplicate a great friend in Msgr. Andrew J. Romanak, Passaic. each other, thus costing more than P .A., who served as a dedicated priest for More than 600 parishioners and other necessary or providing recipients with 54 years. friends attended a. dinner in his honor after undeserved benefits. But we must not al His funeral on Thursday, February 10, he retired and became pastor-emeritus in low the application of this principle to 1977 was the best testimony of his popular November 1971. permit lowering the standard of living ity and admiration. Bishop Lawrence B. Casey was the principal concelebrant of Mass of Mr. Speaker, it is indeed a privilege for 4.4 million veterans pension recip Christian Burial with 150 priests. Also the to call to your attention this exemplary ients during a time of inflation and Most Rev. Archbishop Thomas Boland, his profile of an outstanding member of our hardship. classmate, and Bishop Michael J. Dudick o! clergy. I respectfully request that you The present method of benefit deter his neighboring Byzantine Catholic Eparchy and our colleagues join with me in a mination fails to allow these people to and representatives of other denominations moment of silent prayer to the memory maintain an already meager standard of paid him tribute. of a great American, the Right Reverend living. Representatives o! various fraternal orga Monsignor Andrew J. Romanak, in ap This legislation would instruct the nizations, including the Knights of Colum Veterans Administration to disregard bus, the Holy Name Society and the Slovak preciation for all of his good works in Catholic Sokol, came from near and far to service to God through the acts of faith, cost-of-living increases in social security join the throng of mourners. His successor, hope and charity-instilling within the benefits when calculating a veteran's Father John J. Demkovtch, who with his hearts of all the noble bonds of brother pension. If passed, this bill will be retro parishioners honored him on his 80th birth- hood enriched with understanding, re- actively effective to January 1, 1973. 6754 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS March 8, 1977 I realize that legislation to do this has creasing oil consumption. It is not true that RELIGIOUS FREEDOM FIGHTER been introduced many times in the past if proper policies are followed enough new without success. It is my hope that those oil fields can be located and tapped so that -:>f us in Congress will act this year so the world can go on consuming oil as at HON. NEWTON I. STEERS, JR. that these older veterans and survivors present-an annual rate of increase of about OF MARYLAND 7 percent in the United States, for the will no longer be deprived of the finan worst example in the world. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES cial assistance that they have earned, World capacity to sustain such expansion Tuesday, March 8, 1977 that they need, and that they so greatly will flatten out in the 1980's; if consumption deserve. then continued at the same level, the world's Mr.