JFZ sent some information about Father Tomiak from the bio that appeared in the Buffalo News shortly after his decease. Thanks, John.
"The Rev. Walter L. Tomiak, 86, a priest in the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo for more than 60 years, died Sunday (Jan. 7, 2001) in Sisters Hospital.
Born in Buffalo, he attended St. Florian's School, School 42 and Hutchinson-Central High School. He graduated from East High School.
He attended Canisius College for a year and was a graduate of St. Bonaventure University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar and a poet laureate.
He graduated from Christ the King Seminary at St. Bonaventure in 1940.
After his ordination on May 18, 1940, he celebrated his first Mass in St. Valentine's Church in South Buffalo, where his uncle was pastor."
"Happy is the man who has found his work," they say. Our favorite Rhodes Scholar-priest does look happy as a Pastor.
I Googled a bit more from elsewhere:
"Father Tomiak was born in Buffalo in 1913 to the late Walter and Cecelia Tomiak. He attended St. Florian School, Public School #42, Hutchinson Technical High School, and East High School, all in Buffalo; Canisius College, Buffalo; and St. Bonaventure University. In 1940 he entered Christ the King Seminary at St. Bonaventure and was later ordained at St. Joseph Cathedral by Bishop John A. Duffy. Father Tomiak celebrated his first Mass at St. Valentine Parish, South Buffalo.
Father Tomiak ministered in the missionary apostolate in Cherry Creek; as assistant pastor at Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, St. Luke, St. Valentine, Queen of Peace, Assumption, Transfiguration, and St. Stanislaus parishes, all in Buffalo; as chaplain, Deaconess Hospital, Buffalo, Erie County Home and Infirmary, and Erie County Penitentiary, Alden; as pastor, St. Mary Parish, Pavilion, and priest in residence at St. Mary Parish, Medina. He retired in 1977 to St. Elizabeth Home in Lancaster.
"The Rev. Walter L. Tomiak, 86, a priest in the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo for more than 60 years, died Sunday (Jan. 7, 2001) in Sisters Hospital.
Born in Buffalo, he attended St. Florian's School, School 42 and Hutchinson-Central High School. He graduated from East High School.
He attended Canisius College for a year and was a graduate of St. Bonaventure University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar and a poet laureate.
He graduated from Christ the King Seminary at St. Bonaventure in 1940.
After his ordination on May 18, 1940, he celebrated his first Mass in St. Valentine's Church in South Buffalo, where his uncle was pastor."
"Happy is the man who has found his work," they say. Our favorite Rhodes Scholar-priest does look happy as a Pastor.
"Father Tomiak was born in Buffalo in 1913 to the late Walter and Cecelia Tomiak. He attended St. Florian School, Public School #42, Hutchinson Technical High School, and East High School, all in Buffalo; Canisius College, Buffalo; and St. Bonaventure University. In 1940 he entered Christ the King Seminary at St. Bonaventure and was later ordained at St. Joseph Cathedral by Bishop John A. Duffy. Father Tomiak celebrated his first Mass at St. Valentine Parish, South Buffalo.
Father Tomiak ministered in the missionary apostolate in Cherry Creek; as assistant pastor at Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, St. Luke, St. Valentine, Queen of Peace, Assumption, Transfiguration, and St. Stanislaus parishes, all in Buffalo; as chaplain, Deaconess Hospital, Buffalo, Erie County Home and Infirmary, and Erie County Penitentiary, Alden; as pastor, St. Mary Parish, Pavilion, and priest in residence at St. Mary Parish, Medina. He retired in 1977 to St. Elizabeth Home in Lancaster.
Father Tomiak was a member of the Knights of Columbus.
A funeral Mass was celebrated by Bishop Henry Mansell at Assumption Parish, Buffalo. Burial was in St. Stanislaus Cemetery, Cheektowaga.
What is the "missionary" aspect of work in Cherry Creek?
And apparently, when he was at St. Luke's, mentoring and then marrying Gene and Clara, then baptizing John Francis Zdrojewski, he was an Assistant Pastor.
While at St. Luke's he must have had already some connection to the Erie County Home and Infirmary, because Gene and Clara and the whole Parish Youth Council went out there regularly to sing Christmas carols and don their Krakowianki costumes to dazzle the old folks with some song and dance from the Old Country.
There has been a request for enlarged full text of Fr. Tomiak's "Thought for the Day," his 1945 pastoral letter urging better pastoral care of younger girls, excerpted in a previous post. Here it is:
A funeral Mass was celebrated by Bishop Henry Mansell at Assumption Parish, Buffalo. Burial was in St. Stanislaus Cemetery, Cheektowaga.
What is the "missionary" aspect of work in Cherry Creek?
And apparently, when he was at St. Luke's, mentoring and then marrying Gene and Clara, then baptizing John Francis Zdrojewski, he was an Assistant Pastor.
While at St. Luke's he must have had already some connection to the Erie County Home and Infirmary, because Gene and Clara and the whole Parish Youth Council went out there regularly to sing Christmas carols and don their Krakowianki costumes to dazzle the old folks with some song and dance from the Old Country.
His parishioners were fortunate to be in the care of such a perceptive and benevolent man.
Julie
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