One of our diocesan priests died today. He was pastor of The Church of the Most Holy Trinity in Augusta, where I served as pastor from 1991 to 2004, some of my happiest days as a priest.
This is our diocesan announcement:
Dear Father,
Sadly, Father Jacek Szuster, pastor of Most Holy Trinity Church in Augusta, died in Augusta this afternoon (Tuesday, September 4) after a battle with colon cancer.
Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. with a Vigil Service at 7 p.m. on Friday, September 7, at Holy Trinity Church.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Saturday, September 8, at Holy Trinity.
Father Szuster’s body will be cremated and Fathers Daniel Firmin, Mariusz Fuks and Adam Kasela will accompany his remains to Poland for additional services.
Please keep the happy repose of the soul of Father Jacek and the consolation of his family in your prayers.
18 comments:
Requiescat in pace, Pater
Thanks Fr. Allan
Such a good and holy priest. Safe now in the Blessed Mother’s arms. May the angels guard his remains transport back to his earthly mother and keep his priestly friends safe on their journey.
May he rest in Peace.
I had been told that he was going through much suffering. There are things we do not understand but which serve God's purpose in some way.
Father Jacek came over here and gave his life to serve the people of the diocese, and I know I am much thankful for that.
Poland's loss is now our loss.
While in our temporal existence there is ever a passing, our faith is in a beyond where there is never an ending, and our hope is in our one day meeting in the Eternal Heaven.
May God grant eternal rest unto Father Jacek Szuster.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
Cremation prior to Vatican II was allowed in cultures like Japan, just as long as that cultural norm was baptized, purified if you will, of any pagan or unCatholic beliefs and the remains given a proper Christian interment or inurnment.
I suspect if there are SSPX in Japan they still follow this norm.
Cremation is allowed by canon law today in general for clergy or laity, as long as the "cremains" are given a canonical Christian burial or inurnment.
Marc, what shocks me is your insensitive, uninformed comment.
I knew Fr. Jacek, and he would have never requested anything not in keeping with Church teaching. He was a very serious Catholic, a reserved man, and not given to disobedience or flights of fancy.
May the memory of the newly departed priest, Jacek, be eternal!
What is amazing is what people choose to be "shocked" by.
There us nothing bizarre about a priest choosing cremation, what the Church may have considered contrary to the faith throughout history notwithstanding.
Not being a matter of revelation/doctrine, the policy against cremation was certainly changeable.
People chose to be shocked when Rhett Butler said he didn't give a damn. That they chose to be shocked was an act, since they themselves had not given a damn about things in their own lives. They were unnerved by seeing their own experiences portrayed honestly on the silver screen.
They got over it.
Fr. Szuster made the choice to be cremated and his cremains returned to Poland.
I am still always amazed at people‘s lack of sensitivity, respect, and general common sense. To the person who was inquiring about the cremation process, and was “shocked”, could you not realize that the nature of this post was for remarks related to the passing of this wonderful priest, and not to bring up anything controversial? If you had an issue, you should have messaged Father McDonald privately. Many people come to such posts not only to leave condolences, but to read those remembrances by other people. This can include close family and friends. No one wants to read something that’s of the nature that you posted. This is not the time and place to debate Catholic teaching. Father, perhaps you can delete out these remarks, or repost them elsewhere, and you could include mine as well. This way, those of us who want to remember Father Jacek can do so peacefully.
Father Jacek was a priest who held firmly to the traditional way of saying mass and maintaining its sacred mysteries, while at the same time reminding all of us every week , practically , how important it was to show no prejudice towards anyone regardless of their race, creed, gender, or national origin. He stressed the importance of judging no one, while in these times where controversy is abounding in our daily news, he reminded us to love one another as we go about our lives. He will be missed, and I hope that he continues to pray for us all.
I deleted my comments for you, Anonymous, so you can have your own little safe space.
Marc - It's not about your giving someone a "safe space." How generous of you, by the way.
It's about your heartless and, in terms of Catholic doctrine, baseless accusation 1) that cremation is contrary to Catholic practice - it is not, and 2) that cremation that of a priest is something that people should be "shocked" about.
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