By Connie Berry
Sun editor

Sister Katie Eiffe, CSJ, said whenever she is faced with a major decision, she usually requires weeks to think it over and then asks for advice from dozens of people —and then she asks for a few more weeks to think it over. This time, however, she answered right away.

Sister Katie will leave her position as diocesan director of the Office of Faith Formation, one she has held for nearly a decade, to join her community in Latham, N.Y. as assistant coordinator of the Sisters’ hospitality and retreat center at the Provincial House outside of Albany. Sister Pat Conran is the coordinator of the Carondelet Hospitality Center and she asked Sister Katie to join her at the sisters’ relatively new endeavor. The center offers space for meetings and retreats, as well as overnight accommodations and food service to parish, diocesan and community groups.

“When Sister Pat called there was something that felt right about it. It was an unexpected invitation but I knew it was right,” she said.

Sister Pat also knew Sister Katie would not be joining her in Latham until after the diocese’s annual Journey of Faith event. She plans to begin her new position Nov. 1. Hosting groups and organizing presentations is nothing new for Sister Katie. She has coordinated the annual Journey of Faith event for the diocese for years. Every year, Sister Katie said, she wonders if her office could possibly pull off the event “one more year.” And then, when she sees the large groups, usually around 400 or 500 people, gathered each year to hear presenters it is an “adrenaline rush.”

“It [Journey of Faith] is a huge undertaking  and I always think to myself, ‘Can we keep doing this?’” Sister Katie said. “Then you look at that group sitting out in front of you... it touches peoples’ faith, their lives and that’s incredibly enriching.”

Journey of Faith is one highlight of Sister Katie’s work in the diocese’s Office of Faith Formation. The close relationships she has with all the catechists is what Sister Katie said she will miss most. She began work in the ministry more than 20 years ago serving as regional director for the Northern and Southern Offices of Faith Formation before being named diocesan director by then Bishop James Moynihan.

Before forming lifelong learners in catechesis, however, Sister Katie did the same in Catholic school classrooms teaching at her alma mater, Rome Catholic, Notre Dame High School in Utica, Bishop Scully High School in Amsterdam and Catholic High in Troy, N.Y. She has been a Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet for 33 years.

By Father Mark Pasik
Sun contributing writer

Recently, Father Richard J. Stuczko died at his retirement home in Florida. It was a residence in a condominium village of people from around the nation.

His presence was that of a priest, who without duties of pastoral administration, breathed a unique awareness of God and the church in the charisms of a so-called retirement.

Father Stuczko was born in East Utica, in the parish of St. Stanislaus, bishop and martyr, on April 22, 1929.

It was the apex of the “Roaring Twenties.” Yet, the clear lessons of the economic depression that followed, chyrstalized his  generation into recognizing what is, as St. Augustine stated, “Ever ancient, ever new,” i.e., God sustains us and strengthens our faith in every age. With the guidance of his late uncle, Father Charles Stuczko, his youth yielded to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Father Richard entered studies for the priesthood beginning at Niagara University and ending at Ss. Cyril and Methodius Seminary near Detroit.

This prepared him well for the challenges of the “Roaring Fifties.”

On June 5, 1954, Father Stuczko was was ordained “a priest forever” in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. It was a time of great hope and recovery from a world that had been at war.

Parishes and vocations to the priesthood and religious life were flourishing, yet, the lessons of a simple Catholic catechetical training, the death of his mother in his youth, the economic challenges of a community and indeed of a nation, World War II, the Korean Conflict, together with a sparkling wit, would indicate his preparedness to simply preach, teach, sanctify and heal in the midst of a society at relative peace. Nevertheless, the social turmoils of the 1960s and 1970s, together with the challenges of a technocratic generation and constant change, did not alter the calm and consistent approach of this priest “in season and out of season.”

Father Stuczko’s assignments starting in Rome at St. Mary’s Parish with follow-up communities in Binghamton, Johnson City, Utica, Oxford and finally Oriskany, all provided the unique perspective of a priest who had an appreciation of the greater diocese. Whether it was as chaplain at the New York State Veteran’s Home in Oxford or chaplaincy at the Oneida County Jail in Oriskany, Father Stuczko brought, as everyone experienced, an empathetic  and pastoral presence. His sense of realism, intelligence and humor was a sign of contradiction in environments challenged by despair.

Father Stuczko would travel seasonally back to New York State to a small residence near Lake Pleasant. His friends looked forward to his return and they were loyal. Though his health had been failing, his mind and humor were always nourished by the priesthood and God’s never-failing presence.

Father Stuczko was a friend and mentor. His priesthood and humanity were uniquely placed for all seasons until the Lord came at an unexpected time.

His sparkling and humorous personality will have a rippling effect in the lives of those he served. For his friends, we are graced and rewarded for having known him. Father Richard would frequently say, “Put it all in the hands of our Blessed Mother!”

At this time, we place this time, we place this beloved priest of God in the hands of this same Lady!
(Father Pasik is pastor of St. Mark’s Church in Utica.)

Father Bassano writes from Tanzania

By Father Mike Bassano, MM
Sun contributing writer

God comes to visit us in so many unexpected moments and disguised ways. All we need to do is be aware and open to the divine surprise in the ordinary events of every day.

Samueli came to our home of compassion nine years ago. He was a pushcart worker loading bags of sugar, rice or wood to be carried to local stores or homes in the town of Musoma. At the end of a hard working day Samueli would sit down for a drink with his fellow pushcart friends. He began to drink heavily every day consuming 1.5 litre bottles called “Bombonya” which  was filled with a village distilled homemade liquor called “gongo.” Because he drank that whole bottle of liquor daily his friends gave him the nickname “Bombonya.”

Samueli’s family abandoned him and told him to leave the house because they were ashamed of his alcoholic behavior. As a result, he would sleep in the streets after his nights of heavy drinking. One night his friends found him lying in the street unconscious and brought him to the local hospital. Samueli lay unconscious on the hospital ward floor for three days because of the lack of beds. Afterward our servants of love (watumishi wa upendo in Kiswahili) who care for our poor people at our home, came to visit one of our sick people and happened to notice Samueli lying on the floor completely naked. He must have soiled his clothes and there was nothing to replace them as the hospital does not provide clothing, only families do. They immediately told Father Godfried Biseko, the founder of our home, and he received permission from the hospital for Samueli to come and live with us.

As Samueli felt welcomed in his new home, he was becoming more conscious and aware of where he was. When someone called him by the name of “Bombonya,” he responded, “My name is not Bombonya, my name is Samueli.”

Each day, I have the responsibility of getting Samueli out of bed to give him his daily bath. I then help him to exercise and walk because, at age 69, his legs and body are getting more weak and feeble. Recently, he became too weak to walk and is now confined to a wheelchair. But after his bath he loves to go outside in his wheelchair to greet the sun (or “jua” as he tells me in Kiswahili). I also help in bringing him his food and drink. At the end of the day I get him ready for bed, covering him with a sheet, blanket and mosquito net, telling Samueli that I’ll see him tomorrow.

On the breastplate prayer of St. Patrick of Ireland it is written: “Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ all around me, Christ within me.” I cannot help but rejoice in the presence of Jesus shining through a man called Samueli.

(Samueli died recently and I had the honor of presiding at his funeral liturgy and burial. I got a bit emotional at the liturgy by this man who touched my life. I know he is at home in the Beloved God and with us in spirit! — Father Mike)