Saw several trees with large branches down around Sherman Place and near St Basils Church. The park in front of St Basils had a few branches toppled from the heavy wet snow event. Mohawk St had a few downed trees, I heard the pastor of St Basils passed away. Father Saba Shofany. He came down with pancreatic cancer. He and his wife and children returned to his home town and diocese in Northern Galilee to die and be buried. .
stbasilutica.org/Father Saba Shofany
Father Saba Shofany 1964 - 2021
UTICA - Fr. Saba Shofany, Pastor of St. Basil Church, Utica, NY, passed into Eternal Life on August 30, 2021, after a two-year struggle with pancreatic cancer, at age 56. His death took place in his home village in Ma'lya in Northern Galilee. He has served the St. Basil community since January 1, 2013.
He is survived by his wife, Olga (Faran); three daughters, Myrna, Melany and Mia; and several brothers and sisters and families.
Fr. Saba (Salim) was born in Ma'lya, on September 16, 1964, in northern Galilee. After elementary school in his village, he went to St. Joseph Seminary in Nazareth, at age 11, to finish high school. Always involved with the church, he assisted to establish a Sunday school in his village to catechize the village children and families. After graduating in Nazareth, at age 18, he was sent to Rome, in 1982, to begin studies for the priesthood. He received his Bachelor Degree in Philosophy (magna cum laude) on June 22, 1988, from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas. He continued his studies at the Pontifical Lateran University, obtaining another BA Degree in Bioethics.
Fr. Saba returned to his village and married Olga Faran in 1990 and went to Belgium for a doctoral degree in Moral Theology, but finances slowed this down and he returned home before completing the doctoral studies. He was ordained a priest on December 9, 1995 by Archbishop Maximos Salloum and served parishes in Ma'lya and Beqin-Makhoul until 1998, when he returned to Rome and completed his studies, receiving his doctorate in Moral Theology on February 12, 2001.
Fr. Saba and his family were welcomed to our Eparchy on October 1, 2001 and he served as Associate Rector of Annunciation Cathedral, West Roxbury, until moving to Hammond, Indiana, on September 1, 2002, to be Administrator of St. Michael Church (now closed).
Archbishop Cyril Bustros sent him, in May 2005, for several weeks, to investigate a possible mission in San Francisco. However, only a small group of committed families were located, so he was then sent to San Diego Mission on August 1, 2005, to serve as Administrator of St. Jacob Mission. He also assisted and served the Virgin Mary Community in Temecula for some time.
After a request to be transferred from St. Jacob Mission in San Diego, Bishop Nicholas assigned him as Pastor of St. Basil Church, Utica, NY, on January 1, 2013. The parish church, hall and rectory needed many repairs, so Fr. Saba, with the parish advisory council and with the permission of Bishop Nicholas, made major renovations.
Fr. Saba published the original part of his doctorate thesis, The Melkites at Vatican II, - focusing on the contribution of the Greek Melkite Bishops at the second Vatican Council, especially on the renewal of Moral Theology. He also taught some courses in San Diego related to his areas of moral qualifications: Moral Theology in general, Bioethics and Contraception, Theology of Deification Doctrine, Art and Theology of Icons and Contemporary Theology of Vatican II. He was also a distinguished iconographer.
At the end of July, Fr. Saba recognizing his condition after almost two years of cancer therapy, resigned priestly ministry in our Eparchy to return to Galilee where he would be surrounded by his extended family during his final days. May his memory be eternal.
Posted online on September 08, 2021
Published in The Observer-Dispatch
www.uticaod.com/obituaries/k0029816
