John Stephen Pazak

John Stephen Pazak, C.Ss.R. (born August 13, 1946) is an American-born Eastern Catholic hierarch, who served as an eparch of the Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church. He served as the Eparch of the Eparchy of Phoenix, which is based in Phoenix, Arizona from July 2016 until his retirement in 2021. He is member of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, commonly known as the Redemptorists.

Life

Family Pazak was born in Gary, Indiana, on August 13, 1946, to Stephen Pazak, an American of Ruthenian descent, and Johanna Hennessy, who was of Irish descent, both members of the Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church.

Religious life Pazak was admitted to the novitiate of the Canadian Province of the Redemptorists at Yorkton, Saskatchewan, on September 14, 1965. He studied at the Redemptorist seminary, St. Alphonsus College, in Suffield, Connecticut, and earned a bachelor's degree there in 1969. He made his perpetual profession of religious vows as a member of the Congregation on August 24 of that same year. After completing a baccalaureate in theology at Saint Paul University in Ottawa, he was ordained a priest on August 27, 1972. On the same day he was appointed Apostolic Administrator of the Eparchy of Saints Cyril and Methodius of Toronto, until the appointment of a successor. On August 23, 2021, Pope Francis accepted his resignation after reaching the age of 75.