FR. MICHAEL CHUBIRKO, SDB (1923-2018)

By Fr. Steve Ryan, SDB

(Tampa – March 6) – Fr. Michael Chubirko, SDB, went home to the Lord on Monday, March 5. A native of Pennsylvania, Fr. Chubirko spent most of his religious life serving in Byzantine Catholic churches in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Fr. Chubirko was born on November 10, 1923, to Olga Suson and Mike Chubirko. He was baptized on November 21, 1923, at St. Mary’s Greek Catholic Church in Bradenville, Pa. In 1948, he began his Salesian life at Don Bosco College in Newton, N.J. After the completion of the novitiate year, he made his first profession on September 8, 1950. He studied theology in Rome and was ordained on March 25, 1960.

Fr. Chubirko was a math teacher, catechist, treasurer, and spiritual guide for young people at Don Bosco Tech in Paterson, N.J., Salesian High School in New Rochelle, N.Y., Salesian Junior Seminary in Goshen, N.Y., and Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, N.J. His longest assignment was at Sts. Peter and Paul Byzantine Catholic Church in Elizabeth, N.J., from 1981 to 1994.

Fr. Chubirko came to Tampa to live at St. Philip Residence at Mary Help of Christians Center in 2009. He was a confessor for retreatants and a strong advocate for Cristo Rey Tampa High School at Mary Help.

Funeral services will be held at Mary Help of Christians Parish in Tampa. Visiting hours are 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 8. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, March 9, at 10:00 a.m. Both the wake and funeral Mass will be held at Mary Help of Christians Church (6400 East Chelsea Street, Tampa FL 33610).

There will also be a second funeral Mass at the Marian Shrine in Haverstraw, N.Y. (174 Filors Lane, Stony Point), next week.