Auxiliary Bishop emeritus Roger Gries will preside at vespers at 3 p.m. Aug. 19 at St. John Cantius Church, 906 College Ave., Cleveland, for Father Lucjan Stokowski. Father Lukas Lewandowski (Father Stokowski’s nephew) will be the homilist. The wake will continue until 8 p.m.
Bishop Nelson Perez will be the main celebrant at Father Stokowski’s funeral Mass at 11 a.m. Aug. 20 at St. John Cantius. Homilists will be Father Jozef Bozek (Polish) and Father George Kusy (English).
Father Stokowski, 68, died on Aug. 10.
He was born March 27, 1951 to the late Walenty and Lucyna. Father Stokowski attended grade school and high school in Poland and completed his priestly formation at St. John the Baptist Seminary, Warsaw, Poland. Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski ordained him to the priesthood for the service of the Diocese of Warsaw on June 5, 1977 in St. John the Baptist Cathedral, Warsaw.
Father Stokowski served at Holy Trinity, Kolbiel-Warsaw, Poland from June 15, 1977 until June 20, 1978. He also served at St. Lawrence, Sochaczew, Poland from June 20, 1978 until Sept. 30, 1978. He then was assigned to serve at St. Michael, Tarczyn, Poland.
On April 1, 1980, Father Stokowski came to Cleveland. He lived at and assisted at St. John Cantius Parish in Cleveland. On May 7, 1981, he was granted permission to serve in the Diocese of Cleveland and on Nov. 1, 1983, he was incardinated into the Diocese of Cleveland. He was assigned as parochial vicar of St. John Cantius. Father Stokowski also served as chaplain for the Polish Army Veterans Association of America Post 152. On July 1, 1987 he was assigned as parochial vicar of St. Stanislaus Parish in Cleveland. Father Stokowski was transferred on May 1, 1991 and was assigned as parochial vicar of SS. Peter and Paul Parish, Garfield Heights. On Jan. 17, 2000 he was assigned as pastor of St. John Cantius, Cleveland. In addition, Father Stokowski served as administrator of St. Barbara Parish in Cleveland from Aug. 31, 2007 until July 1, 2018, when he was granted retirement.
Father Stokowski will be remembered as a faithful and dedicated priest who balanced his ministry between the Polish speaking and English speaking members of the Church. His gentle smile and quiet ways will be missed by many.
Burial will be at Holy Cross Cemetery, Brook Park.
