[ALBSA-Info] +Deacon Stephen Stefani

[albboschurch at juno.com]

  Dear Friends,
        With sadness, I wish to inform you of the repose of our friend
and colleague, Father Deacon Stephen Stefani. He was at home at the time,
attended by his niece, Valerie. Both she and his nephews had been with
him during these last many weeks. However, this time, Valerie said for
some reason she decided to stay overnight. Early this morning, she told
me that as she attempted to replace his oxygen apparatus, he gently
pushed it aside, opened his eyes as if he had seen a welcome vision, and
smiled. He expired peacefully shortly thereafter. May his memory ever be
eternal.

Your prayers....

Fr. Arthur

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------

    + Reverend Deacon Stephen Philip Stefani
                  ( 1944-2002)

       Deacon Stephen Stefani of Philadelphia reposed on June 21, 2002 at
his home in Springfield, PA following a bout with cancer.

       Deacon Stephen was born in Philadelphia on December 22, 1944, the
son of Philip and Lica Stefani.His brother John reposed several years
ago. He is survived by his brother Joseph and nieces and nephews.

      He had served the Albanian Archdiocese for many years in numerous
and valued capacities: as acolyte, church school teacher, parish council
officer, Student Fund advisor and consultant to parish and diocesan
clergy. In addition he was Scholarship Chairman of the Albanian American
National Organization and member of its Board of Governors.  He was a
popular teacher in the Springfield, PA School District  for over thirty
years and much heralded for his creative interpretation and presentation
of history to high school students. An Albanian eagle was displayed
prominently in his classroom along with other memorabilia associated with
our heritage and through the years he taught students who were children
of his former students. Respected by his colleagues and adored by his
charges, he received numerous awards for exemplary teaching and in
particular for relating concepts taught in school to daily life and world
affairs. He retained an abiding interest in the reawakening of the
Orthodox Church in Albania and was one of the first visitors to that
nation during its early transitions and recent emergence. 

       Deacon Stephen was ordained to the Sub-diaconate by Bishop STEPHEN
(Lasko) on October 15, 1969 at St.George Cathedral in Boston. On October
20, 2001, he was ordained to the Holy Diaconate by His Beatitude,
Metropolitan THEODOSIUS at his home parish of St. John Chrysostom
Albanian Orthodox Church in Philadelphia.

      He had received his Associate of Arts from Temple University,
Bachelor of Science in History and Psychology from West Chester State,
and a Master's in History and Education from Villanova. From 1986 to 89,
he pursued theological studies in the St.Tikhon's Seminary Extention
Program.  

     Deacon Stephen was noted for his outgoing and engaging personality,
as proponent of Orthodox outreach to newcomer immigrants from Albania,
which he pursued with care and compassion. Coupled with his acumen in
Byzantine chant and devotion to Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, he
became a trusted confidant to many during their acculturation into
American society.

     Funeral Services are to be held on Wednesday, June 26, 2002 at 10
am, at St. John Chrysostom Church, 237 North 17th Street (Franklin Plaza)
in Philadelphia. For further information, please call: Rev Thomas Ledford
(215) 563-0979.
CORRECTED
-------------- next part --------------
HTML attachment scrubbed and removed