After a wake on Oct. 23 in St. Andrew Abbey Church, Cleveland, a Mass of the Resurrection was celebrated for Father Joachim Pastirik, OSB.
Father Pastirik, 83, died on Oct. 19 at Regina Health Center in Richfield.
On Dec. 9, 1941, Father Joachim (birth name Joseph) and his twin brother John were born in Lakewood to the late John and Margaret (Bobovnick) Pastirik. He was educated at SS. Cyril and Methodius School in Lakewood and was a 1960 graduate of Benedictine High School in Cleveland. After two years of study at St. John’s University in Minnesota, he entered the Benedictine Order of Cleveland at St. Andrew Abbey, receiving the religious name of Joachim.
Father Pastirik earned a bachelor’s degree in classical languages from Borromeo Seminary College in 1965 and continued studies for the priesthood at Blessed Sacrament and Saint Mary Seminary. He received a Master of Divinity degree in 1969, and later, in 1976, earned a bachelor’s degree in art education from Baldwin Wallace University.
Bishop William Cosgrove ordained him to the priesthood on June 7, 1969.
He taught senior theology, technical drafting, studio art and art appreciation at Benedictine from 1969 to 2001. His third floor art studio was one of the most popular classrooms at Benedictine during those years. He also served as moderator of the Benedictine Parent-Booster Club for more than 20 years.
Father Pastirik forged many lifelong friendships with former students and encouraged a number of them into successful art-related careers. He celebrated more weddings than most of his brother monks and continued to minister to many of these families through the years.
His command of the Slovak language was appreciated in his work with many Slovak American fraternals and organizations. Father Pastirik was a member of the First Catholic Slovak Union (Jednota), First Catholic Slovak Ladies Association (Ženská Jednota), Slovak Catholic Federation, Slovak League of America, Cleveland Slovak Radio Club and he served as chaplain to Group 5 (Northern Ohio) Slovak Catholic Sokols and Cleveland Slovak Zemplin Club.
Along with his brother John, Father Pastirik provided music for many fundraisers, dinners, anniversary parties and weddings. His musical talent also contributed to the prayer life of the monastery where he had served as one of the abbey organists since he was a seminarian.
In the monastery, Father Pastirik served in a number of positions including subprior (third superior) 1991-1995 and prior (second superior), 1995-1999. He also served on the Senior Council, was a member of the abbey evaluation committee and served as a community barber for more than four decades.
He offered weekend assistance at the following parishes in the Diocese of Cleveland: St. Peter, Lorain, 1969-1972; St. Charles Borromeo, Parma, 1972-1975; Assumption Parish, Broadview Heights, 1975-1991; St. Barbara, Cleveland, 1991-1994 and SS. Cyril and Methodius, Lakewood,1994-2014.
Due to declining health, Father Pastirik moved to Regina Health Center in December 2014, where he enlivened fellow residents and staff by drawing, celebrating Mass, assisting with the sacraments and visiting.
His fellow Benedictine monks and others who knew him said it was hard to find a photo of Father Pastirik without a smile because he enjoyed making others smile and laugh. He was known for giving out pictures of the “Smiling Jesus” and would energize Christmas parties at nursing homes, Booster Club meetings or abbey gatherings by dressing as Santa, Pope John Paul II, or any number of celebrities.
Father Pastirik’s wake took place Oct. 23 in the abbey church. Burial was on Oct. 24 in the monastic plot at Calvary Cemetery in Cleveland.