Obituary of REV. FR. RAPHAEL ALOYSIUS GLOFCHESKI

This day at 3:30 a.m., Tuesday September 22, 2015, God called and I must leave you. Over many years we have prayed, worked and played together here and in many places of the world. I would like to ask everyone to come and pray with me and for me at my Burial Mass at Saint John XXIII Parish, 3390 Portage Ave. Winnipeg, MB on Friday October 2, at 10:00 a.m. with prayers on Thursday October 1, at 7:00 p.m. also at the parish, this one last time. Please remember me in your prayers many times hereafter. In spirit, I wish to say Good Bye and God Bless to all the generous people who prayed and helped me in my triumphs and my downtimes. If and when God permits me to see Him face to face I shall remember you to Him. To the priests, sisters, doctors, nurses and so many persons who took care of my health in good times and in downtimes my most sincere and prayerful Thank You. It is now 84 years since the first born child to Aloysius Glofcheski and Monica Bloski on the 2nd day of March 1931 in the community of Paugh Lake, Sherwood Township Renfrew County, Ontario. My parents have long gone home to God. To my family who survive me, there are six: Philomena LeBleu (Paul deceased) Debra; Gabriel ( Hilda) Achim; Michael ( Gladys) Donna, Michael, Theresa, Pauline, Mark; Clarice Desarmia ( Robert deceased) Anita, Brenda; Marianne Glofcheski-Menard ( Pierre deceased) Pierre, Marinka; Aloysius (Rhonda). Thank you for being you and may you walk with God always. In the world I leave behind, I claim no notable worldly successes or accomplishments. I went to school in Paugh Lake, Sherwood Township, Ontario. I went to High School in Barry’s Bay, Ontario and finished off at St. Michael’s in Toronto. From Toronto, I went to St. Mary’s in Michigan, USA where I entered St. Cyril’s and Methodius Seminary. Later I returned to St. Paul’s University Seminary in Ottawa. I was ordained a priest on 27 May 1956 for the Diocese of Pembroke at St. Hedwig’s Church in Barry’s Bay, Ontario. My First posting was to St. John Chrysostom Church in Arnprior. In September of 1963, I joined the Royal Canadian Air Force as Chaplain. Over a range of 25 years, I served in multi-postings in Canada, the Distant Early Warning Line. I had terms with our personnel in places like Pakistan, Laos, Vietnam, Tanzania and Ghana. Retirement from the service reached me in November 1987. I returned to Pembroke Diocese and served in Bancroft, Haliburton and Wilno. In 1993, I went back west and continued my "working retirement" doing replacement work in the Archdioceses of Keewatin–Le Pas sometimes in Saint Boniface, Thunder Bay but mostly in the Archdiocese of Winnipeg. In 1969 I became a member of the training team at Banff National Army Cadet Camp in Banff, now called Rocky Mountain Army Cadet Summer Training Centre. I am still a member of the Pioneer Platoon for this Training Centre. I became a Knight of Columbus in Arnprior, October in 1957. In Manitoba I had a tour as State Chaplain for the Knights of Columbus. I belong to K of C Council 4557 and Chaplain for the Fourth Degree Captain Miles MacDonell Assembly. In Bancroft, I joined the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 181 in 1988. I transferred to Charleswood Legion 100 in 1993. Later I became Chaplain RC for the Manitoba and North West Ontario Command. As I close this chapter of my worldly life, I thank God for the experiences and may He consider it worthwhile. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Archdiocese of Winnipeg Vocations Fund, 1495 Pembina Hwy, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2C6.