The late Msgr. Kurtyka honored with Mass and plaque

PROSPECT PARK  A parishioner of St. Paul’s here for 30 years, Sonny Piccolo fondly recalls his late longtime pastor, Msgr. Edward J. Kurtyka, as “a regular guy, who was quiet but funny.”

The priest, who died on March 11, 2021, at 76, enjoyed making up spontaneous musical ditties to popular tunes — about the Church or his precious rescue cat, Alice, Piccolo said.

On Sept. 24 afternoon, Piccolo joined other St. Paul’s parishioners, family, and friends of Msgr. Kurtyka, including fellow priests, for a Mass in his honor in the parish church.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney blessed a physical reminder of the beloved late pastor — a bronze plaque — while serving as the main celebrant and homilist of the liturgy. At the time of his death, Msgr. Kurtyka served as St. Paul’s pastor and longtime judicial vicar of the diocesan Marriage Tribunal.

“Today we remember Msgr. Edward Kurtyka. He was such a good, holy, and gentle priest. He didn’t only go about celebrating the Sacraments and say the words, but he lived the life of faith,” said Bishop Sweeney, who stated that he knew Msgr. Kurtyka for “a short time,” since becoming bishop of Paterson in July 2020. “It was good to learn from those who worked with him in the chancery. He was a priest of Jesus Christ, just like each of us: striving to be disciples of Christ.”

Concelebrating the 5:30 p.m. Mass on Sept. 24 were priests who have a connection with St. Paul’s, Father Kurtyka, or both. Father Henry Pinto has been St. Paul’s administrator since June 2021. Msgr. Herbert Tillyer, a retired diocesan priest and president of the board of diocesan Catholic Charities, served as St. Paul’s pastor for 18 years. Father Marc Mancini is the current judicial vicar for the Tribunal and pastor of St. James of the Marches in Totowa. Father Jim Moss, former St. Paul’s parochial vicar, now serves as a weekend assistant here.

The Paterson-born Msgr. Kurtyka had a long history with St. Paul’s. Bishop Frank J. Rodimer installed him as the sixth pastor of the parish in 1995 after being named its administrator the year before. He served as parochial vicar of St. Paul’s from 1977 to 1982. After his death, the pastor returned to St. Paul’s for his Mass of Christian Burial on March 15, 2021.

At the Mass on Sept. 24, Piccolo was beaming because he helped lead the creation of the plaque, which was donated by about 100 people: friends, family, and St. Paul’s parishioners. Piccolo worked with Msgr. Kurtyka as his “go-to person” for building maintenance.

“Father Ed was self-effacing. He was always open to listening to anybody about their concerns,” said Piccolo, who also serves St. Paul’s as an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion.

On the diocesan level, Msgr. Kurtyka was named defender of the bond in the diocesan Tribunal and priest-secretary to Bishop Frank J. Rodimer in 1985. The following year, he was named vice officialis in the Tribunal. In 1991, he earned a doctorate in canon law from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. In 1995, he was named judicial vicar of the Tribunal.

Msgr. Tillyer was on the altar for Msgr. Kurtyka’s ordination to the priesthood on Dec. 17, 1971, in St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome, by Bishop James A. Hickey — there as a friend of one of his classmates.

Msgr. Kurtyka studied at Gregorian University in Rome. Over time, they became good friends; they lived together at St. Paul’s on occasion, and both worked in the chancery, said Msgr. Tillyer, a former diocesan vice chancellor, chancellor, and also vicar general, who preached at Msgr. Kurtyka’s funeral Mass.

“Father Ed was an excellent pastor of St. Paul’s. He took on more responsibility because of the parish’s tight budget. He worked hard for the people of the Diocese, often working late into the night at the Tribunal,” Msgr. Tillyer said. “He was phenomenally funny. He made up funny poems. When people were in a difficult situation, that put a light spin on it. He was a good homilist, blessed with humor and spontaneity,” he said.

Although Father Pinto never met Msgr. Kurtyka, he heard that “he was a good man and parishioners loved him. Because he also worked for the Tribunal, he took on lots of responsibility.” Parish­ion­ers devised the idea of the plaque, which he supported. A spot in the church has not been selected yet, but it will join plaques that honor two of St. Paul’s other pastors, Father Pinto said.

“I was happy to do this. The parishioners are so grateful for all he did for St. Paul’s,” Father Pinto said.

To read Msgr. Kurtyka’s obituary, visit browningforshay.com/obituaries/Rev-Msgr-Edward-J-Kurtyka?obId=20266683.