Obituary of Reverend Father Joseph Denischuk

A memorial folder from the funeral service can be printed under the "Memories" tab, then click "Memorial Program". With two confreres at his bedside and a smile on his face, Fr. Joseph Denischuk, CSsR, fell asleep in the Lord on May 1, 2013 at St. Joseph's Nursing Home in Saskatoon, SK at the age of 92. Joseph Denischuk, son of William and Ahafia (Hawryluk) Denischuk, was born in Arborg (Morweena), MB, on March 2, 1921. He was one of a family of eight children: Harry, Peter, John, Mike, Anne, Joseph, Fred and Nicky. He was baptized in the Holy Transfiguration Church in Sylvan, MB by Fr. Louis Bosky, CSsR a Belgian Redemptorist priest from Komarno, Manitoba. In 1929 the family moved to Elfros (Holar), SK. He completed his elementary school in Elfros, SK and took up his high school, novitiate and seminary studies with the Ukrainian Redemptorists in Yorkton. On September 24, 1941 he professed his vows and entered the Ukrainian Redemptorist Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. Archbishop Basil Ladyka, OSBM ordained him a priest on September 8, 1946, and a week later, September 15, he celebrated the first Divine Liturgy at St. Demetrius Parish in Holar, SK. Fr. Joseph was one of seven Ukrainian Redemptorist priests ordained in 1946. After his ordination, Fr. Joseph spent his pastoral year of studies serving the parishes of the Yorkton district. Then he was appointed a teacher at St. Vladimir's College (Minor Seminary) in Roblin, MB. Besides teaching and serving the parishes of the area he was in charge of building a Grotto of the Mother of Perpetual Help on college grounds. Fr. Joseph loved sports. He was a pitcher in softball and a goalie in hockey. He led the students in congregational singing, and directed the seminary choir. During the 50 years of his priestly life, Fr. Joseph served the following parishes in Canada and the United States: Yorkton, SK, Roblin, MB, Saskatoon, SK, Wynyard, SK, Toronto, ON, Newark, NJ and Ituna, SK. He spent 10 years in Winnipeg, where he organized St. Joseph's parish. Assisting the pastor, Fr. S. J. Shawel, he contributed much of his time to the acquisition of a site and the building of the Ukrainian Catholic National Shrine in Washington. While at Washington he visited 190 Ukrainian Catholic Parishes in the United States and Canada in support of this great project. From 1979 to 1981 Fr. Joseph along with Fr. Shawel helped to establish the Ukrainian National Cemetery and Mausoleum, and a Ukrainian Washington Federal Credit Union. As an author, Fr. Joseph wrote four books: "Father Joseph Speaks about Vocations", "The Ukrainian Catholic National Shrine of the Holy Family, Washington, DC", "Two Hundred Thousand Miles Across America", and "The Denischuk & Hawryluk Family Tree". He also wrote poetry in the Ukrainian and English languages. Besides parish work Fr. Joseph, as a missionary, preached 147 missions and retreats to the faithful in Canada and United States, as well as to priests, monks and nuns. He specialized in children's missions. They will perhaps remember him for his religious magic tricks. "Father Denny the Magician" joined the Society of Canadian Magicians in Toronto in 1971, and during his life mastered over one hundred magic tricks. Fr. Joseph utilized his gifts to evangelize in a unique way with magic. He developed this talent for the sake of spreading the gospel. For eight years, Fr. Joseph was in charge of Altar Boys Summer Camps in the Ukrainian Park by Gimli, MB, and St. Michael's Camp in Madge Lake, SK. As an organizer, he was mostly involved with the Ukrainian Catholic Youth Clubs (UCY). He was a Spiritual Director of the UCY of Winnipeg, of the UCWLC, and of the UCBC. He helped to organize the first Ukrainian Rite Council of the Knights of Columbus in Canada (St. Josaphat's in Winnipeg in 1955), as well as the first Ukrainian Rite Council in the U.S.A. (St. Josaphat's in Washington, DC in 1980). For three years (1964-67), Fr. Joseph was a Vocation Director, encouraging Youth to become priests, brothers and sisters. He visited over one hundred parishes in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Ontario. Fr. Joseph conducted several fund raising campaigns and his greatest Memorial Fund Raising Campaign was for the building of the Ukrainian Catholic National Shrine of the Holy Family in Washington, DC. In 1999 Father Joseph retired to St. Mary's Monastery in Yorkton. He worked on a narrated DVD slide show presentation of his life, using over 800 photos and performing his live magic. He also wrote his final book "How to Love God" during this time. We will remember him always praying the rosary. On April 1, 2013, Father Joseph moved to St. Joseph's Nursing Home in Saskatoon. He was the last remaining sibling of the Denischuk family. The Redemptorists and the Denischuk family thank the Sisters of St. Joseph and staff at St. Joseph's Nursing Home for the dignified service they provided to Father during his last days. Service Information Sunday, May 5th, 2013 7:00pm Monday, May 6th, 2013 10:00am Wednesday, May 8th, 2013 3:00pm, St. Joseph's Ukrainian Catholic Church