Reverend Stephen A. Krawontka

Rev. Stephen A. Krawontka, pastor of Ascension Parish, Forest City, and St. Katharine Drexel Parish, Pleasant Mount, died Tuesday, July 19, 2022, in Wayne Memorial Hospital, Honesdale.

The Rev. Krawontka, son of the late Jan and Julia Nowobilska Krawontka, was born in Lapsze Nizne, Poland, on March 27, 1950. He received his early education at Lapsze Nizne grammar school and graduated from Zakopane High School, Poland. The Rev. Krawontka attended the Papal Faculty of Theology in Krakow, where he completed his studies for the priesthood with a Master in Theology. He was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Krakow on May 22, 1977, by then Karol Cardinal Wojtyla, Pope St. John Paul II.

The Rev. Krawontka ministered in Poland for 13 years. He moved to the Diocese of Scranton in July 1990 and was appointed parochial vicar at Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, Dickson City.

With the consent of the Archdiocese of Krakow, the Rev. Krawontka was incardinated into the Diocese of Scranton on Nov. 23, 1993.

The Rev. Krawontka was appointed parochial vicar at St. Joseph, Hazleton, in July 1997 and served for 11 years. In July 2008, he was appointed administrator, St. Mary, Our Lady of Perpetual Help and Ascension of the Lord Churches, Mocanaqua and St. Martha, Fairmount Springs.

In July 2010, the Rev. Krawontka was appointed parochial vicar at St. Patrick Church, Scranton, where he also served as administrator pro tem and senior priest for periods of time.

The Rev. Krawontka received his next appointment as senior priest at Our Lady Help of Christians, Dorrance Twp. and St. Jude, Mountain Top, in November 2017. In July 2019, he was appointed pastor at Ascension Parish, Forest City, and St. Katharine Drexel, Pleasant Mount, where he remained until his death.

The Rev. Krawontka is survived by sisters, Teresa Klapacz and her husband, Peter; and Maria Olszowska and her husband, Wlodek; brother, Emil Krawontka and his wife, Marta; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A Pontifical Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated by the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L., Bishop of Scranton, at 11 a.m. Tuesday in St. Jude Church, Mountain Top.

A viewing took place at 10 a.m. Tuesday prior to the funeral Mass. Interment was in Calvary Cemetery, Drums.

A viewing also took place from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday in Ascension Parish, Forest City. Vespers was celebrated at Ascension Parish at 7 p.m.

Published July 22, 2022.

Reverend Cyril J. Rable

Reverend Cyril J. Rable died Tuesday, June 7, 2022, at Allied Services Meade Street Senior Living, Wilkes-Barre. Pennsylvania

Father Rable, son of the late John and Anna Chobej Rable, was born in Dunmore, May 5, 1929. He received his early education at William Penn School, Dunmore, and Dunmore High School. Father attended the University of Scranton and received his Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Bonaventure University in New York. He completed his studies for the priesthood at Christ the King Seminary, Olean, N.Y. He was ordained on May 26, 1956, in St. Peter's Cathedral, Scranton, by the Most Rev. Jerome Daniel Hannan, D.D., late Bishop of Scranton.

Father Rable was assigned assistant pastor at St. Philomena, Hawley and St. Joseph's, Hazleton. He received his first assignment as pastor of Holy Trinity Parish, Simpson, on Sept. 4, 1973, where he served for 11 years. Father Rable was then appointed pastor at St. Michael Church, Jessup. He was appointed administrator of Holy Name of Mary Parish, Montrose, in January of 1990 and served in this position until July of 1990 when he was assigned pastor at St. Stanislaus Church, Old Forge.

Father also served the Diocese as Dean of the Old Forge Deanery and in September 2001, was appointed chaplain to the retired Sisters of SS. Cyril and Methodius at Maria Hall, Danville, where he served until October 2008.

In addition to his parents, Father Rable was preceded in death by sisters, Ann, Verna, Mary and Agnes; and brothers, George, Frank, John and Andrew. He was also predeceased by nephew, Cyril J. Rable.

Father is survived by nephews and nieces, George Rable and wife, Mary, Moscow; Jerome Domkowski, West Wyoming; Frank Rable and wife, Mary, Levittown; Margaret Beyer and husband, Robert, Langhorne; Richard Rable, Interlachen, Fla.; Phillip Rable and wife, Sue, Mount Airy, Md.; Theresa Dicey, Cocoa, Fla.; Andrew Rable, Philadelphia; and several great-nieces and great-nephews.

The viewing took place from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Friday in the Cathedral of St. Peter, 300 Wyoming Ave., Scranton, prior to the funeral.

A Pontifical Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated by the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L. Bishop of Scranton, at 10:30 a.m. Friday.

Interment was in St. Catherine's Cemetery, Moscow.

Palermo & Zawacki Funeral Home Inc., 409 N. Main St., Old Forge, was charge of arrangements.

Published June 9, 2022.

Monsignor Francis J. Beeda

went into the arms of our Lord on Saturday, October 12, 2019

Monsignor Francis Joseph Beeda, 82, pastor emeritus of St. Joseph Church and the former St. Stanislaus Church, Hazleton, died Saturday at Allied Meade Street Senior Community (formerly Little Flower Manor), Wilkes-Barre.

Monsignor was born in Scranton, son of the late Roman and Anna (Duchak) Beeda.

He received his early education in the Scranton Public Schools. He studied for the priesthood at the University of Scranton, Christ the King Seminary, St. Bonaventure, New York, and North American College, Rome. He was ordained at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome by Archbishop Martin O’Conner, D.D., rector of the North American College, on Dec. 20, 1961. He then returned to his studies and received his Licentiate of Sacred Theology at Gregorian University in June of 1962.

Monsignor Beeda served as assistant pastor at St. Patrick’s, Wilkes-Barre, St. Joseph’s, Nanticoke, and Sacred Heart of Jesus, Wilkes-Barre. He was appointed administrator of Sacred Heart, Wilkes-Barre, in 1974. His first pastorate was at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Wilkes-Barre, where he served for 11 years before being named pastor of St. Joseph Church in Hazleton in 1985. In July 2006, he became pastor of St. Stanislaus in Hazleton along with his pastorate duties at St. Joseph’s. Following a stroke, he retired in May 2009 and resided at Little Flower Manor in Wilkes-Barre.

Monsignor was named prelate of honor of his holiness on March 17, 1983.

He served as a part-time professor at St. Pius X Seminary, Dalton, and College Misericordia, Dallas. He was appointed regional moderator of the diocesan vocation program for the Greater Wilke-Barre area and chairman of Region VII for the FOLLOW CHRIST Program.

Some of his greatest contributions to the diocese came through his work with the Slovak priests and people. He was coordinator of the annual collection of the Slovak Catholic Federation held in Slovak parishes of the diocese for the Slovak American Church, and served as chaplain and spiritual adviser of the Slovak Catholic Sokol, a group formed to aid Slovak immigrant’s to the United States. In 2003, Beeda was granted the title of “honorary supreme officer” of the Slovak Catholic Sokol and was named their fraternalist of the year in 2009. Beeda held membership in the First Catholic Slovak Ladies Association, The First Catholic Slovak Union (Jednota), the National Slovak Society through the First Slovak Wreath of the Free Eagle and the Polish Union of the United States. He also served as the national spiritual adviser for the Ladies Pa. Slovak Catholic Union.

Monsignor was a lifetime member of the North End Slovak Citizens Club. He was a 4th Degree member of the Knights of Columbus, Assembly 925, Wilkes-Barre, and a member of the International Order of the Alhambra, in Alhamar No. 4. He was co-founder of the Slovak Heritage Society of NEPA.

Ever proud of his ethnic heritage, Beeda was a strong advocate and supporter of the Catholic Church in Slovakia, having welcomed many members of the Slovak Church hierarchy to the United States. He was honored to include among his dear friends, Cardinal Jozef Tomko, prefect emeritus of the Congregation for the Evangelization of the Peoples, Rome. Until the time of his death, Beeda served as a member of the national board of the Slovak Catholic Federation and was active with the work of the Conference of Slovak Clergy, which provides financial support to the Pontifical Slovak College of Ss. Cyril and Methodius. Rome. Beeda maintained many deep friendships with people in Slovakia and visited the republic of Slovakia many times throughout the years. It was in this capacity he was invited to attend a celebration in Slovakia, marking World Communications Day and the 130th anniversary of the birth of the Rev. Joseph Murgas. He had the honor of presenting proclamations from the mayor of Wilkes-Barre, Lee Namey, and the president of Group 7 SCS, Michael Horvath, to the mayor of Tajov, Slovakia.

Beeda is preceded in death by his sister, Lois Savero, and brother, Thomas Beeda.

He is survived by the following nieces and nephews: Michelle Torquato and her husband, Frank, Scranton; Thomas Savero and his wife, Linda, Scranton; William Beeda, Florida; Thomas Beeda and his wife, Linda, Florida; Mark Beeda, Florida; Richard Beeda, Florida; his sister-in-law, Jacqueline Beeda, Florida; and many great-nieces and great-nephews.

The viewing was held at St. Joseph’s Church (Parish of Ss. Cyril and Methodius), 604 N. Laurel St., Hazleton, where a solemn Vespers Service was held at 7 p.m. in the church.

A Pontifical Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated by the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L., bishop of Scranton, in St. Joseph’s Church (Parish of Ss. Cyril and Methodius), Hazleton.

Interment was held at Holy Family Cemetery, Throop.

Funeral arrangements were under the direction of the Frank J. Bonin Funeral Home Inc., 542-544 N. Wyoming St., Hazleton, PA 18201.