Obituary of Georges, Svoboda

Father George Maria SVOBODA Father George Maria SVOBODA passed away peacefully on Sunday, January 17, 2010, at Tach� Centre, St. Boniface at the age of 96. George Maria, son of Charles Svoboda and of Hana Duchkova, was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia on May 8, 1913. Besides the St. Boniface presbyterium, he will be lovingly remembered by a sister-in-law and many nephews and nieces in the Czech Republic. He began his primary schooling with the Brothers of the Christian Schools in Prague (1920-1924), with the Jesuit Fathers and then at the University of Prague (1924-1932). He pursued his studies in Philosophy and in Theology at the Lateran University and at the Lateran Athenaeum, Rome (1933-1938). Bishop Traglia ordained him to the priesthood in Rome for the Archdiocese of Prague, on December 18, 1937. From 1938 to 1949, Father Svoboda served as assistant priest or parish administrator in the Archdiocese of Prague: in Bor, Roudnice, Libeznice, Budenicky, in the Parishes of the Sacred Heart and St. Henry in Prague. After a few months in the Archdiocese of Munich, Germany, in 1949, as an assistant priest in St. Georgen and chaplain in Zangberg, he arrived in Trois-Rivi�res, Canada, as assistant in St-Pierre Parish, Shawinigan, then at Pointe-du-Lac. The Pontifical Sacred Consistorial Congregation granted him in 1950 the permission to stay in Canada. Father Svoboda came to the Archdiocese of St. Boniface in 1952: assistant priest in St. L�on (1952), in Pine Falls (1952); chaplain of the St. Boniface Sanatorium (1954); parish administrator in St. Genevi�ve (1956-1960); in St. Joseph and Morris (1960-1964); in Elma / Whitemouth / Hadashville (1964-1970); pastor of the German parish of St. Joseph in London, ON (1970-1972); parish administrator of St. Andrew Bobola Parish (1972-1973); in Ste. Agathe (1973-1974); pastor of St. Hyacinthe Parish, La Salle (1974-1979). He retired from full-time parish ministry in 1979, while being available for an occasional ministry. He became, following an agreement with the Archdiocese of Winnipeg, parochial administrator of the Czech Parish of Our Lady of Fatima (1983-1996). He took care of the presbyteral ministry in Letellier (2000-2004) before retiring from regular parish ministry in 2004. After taking up residence for a few years at the Canadian Polish Manor, he was admitted in Victoria General Hospital in December 2008 and then transferred to Tach� Centre. The Archdiocese of St. Boniface wishes to thank the personnel of the Tach� Centre for the professional care, and also the whole "network" of caregivers, including Sister Epiphany, SSMI and Mark Watson, to mention a few. Father Svoboda was a keen music lover, particularly of the Gregorian Chant which he wanted to spread by internet throughout the whole world. He had a variety of interests like riding a gyrocopter and promoting natural foods. Until the very end, he had a number of pastoral projects in mind. His knowledge of many languages allowed him to exercise a compassionate ministry to the sick and parishioners of different ethnic backgrounds. Moreover, Fr. Svoboda was bi-ritual, Latin and Byzantine (Ukrainian Catholic). He was always there for those in need. A Prayer Vigil will be held at the Cropo Funeral Chapel, 1442, Main St., on Thursday, January 21, 2010 at 8:00 p.m. The Funeral Mass for Father Svoboda, preceded by viewing at 10:00 a.m., will be presided by the Archbishop of St. Boniface, Albert LeGatt, on Friday, January 22nd , at 10:30 p.m., in St. Boniface Cathedral, followed by the interment in the Cathedral cemetery. SVOBODA est d�c�d� paisiblement dimanche le 17 janvier 2010, au Centre Tach� , Saint-Boniface � l'�ge de quatre-vingt-seize ans. Georges-Marie, fils de Charles Svoboda et de Hana Duchkova, est n� � Prague, Tch�coslovaquie, le 8 mai 1913. Outre le presbyt�rium de Saint-Boniface, il laisse dans le deuil une belle-sÃ…“ur et de nombreux neveux et ni�ces. Il commen�a ses �tudes primaires � l'�cole des Fr�res des �coles chr�tiennes � Prague (1920-1924), puis au Gymnase des P�res J�suites et � l'Universit� de Prague (1924-1932). Il poursuivit ses �tudes en philosophie et en th�ologie � l'Universit� du Latran et � l'Ath�n�e, Rome (1933-1938). Mgr Traglia l'ordonna pr�tre � Rome pour l'archidioc�se de Prague le 18 d�cembre 1937. De 1938 � 1949, l'abb� Svoboda exer�a son minist�re soit comme vicaire ou vicaire �conome dans l'archidioc�se de Prague : � Bor, Roudnice, Libeznice, Budenicky, aux paroisses du Sacr�-CÃ…“ur et de Saint-Henri � Prague. Apr�s un court s�jour en 1949 dans l'archidioc�se de Munich, Allemagne, où il fut vicaire � St. Georgen et aum�nier � Zangberg, il arriva au Canada en 1951 dans le dioc�se de Trois-Rivi�res : � la paroisse Saint-Pierre, Shawinigan, puis vicaire � la Pointe-du-Lac. La S. Congr�gation Consistoriale lui avait accord�, en 1950, la permission de demeurer au Canada. L'abb� Svoboda vint dans l'archidioc�se de Saint-Boniface � l'�t� 1952 : vicaire � Saint-L�on (1952) ; � Pine Falls (1952) ; aum�nier au Sanatorium Saint-Boniface (1954) ; vicaire �conome � Sainte-Genevi�ve (1956-1960) ; � Saint-Joseph et � Morris (1960-1964) ; � Elma / Whitemouth / Hadashville (1964-1970) ; cur� de la paroisse allemande St. Joseph, � London , ON (1970-1972); administrateur paroissial de la paroisse St-Andr� Bobola (1972-1973) ; � Sainte-Agathe (1973-1974) ; cur� de la paroisse Saint-Hyacinthe, La Salle (1974-1979). Il a pris sa retraite en 1979, tout en �tant disponible pour un minist�re occasionnel. Apr�s entente avec l'archidioc�se de Winnipeg, il devint administrateur de la Mission catholique tch�que Our Lady of Fatima, Winnipeg (1983-1996) ; minist�re presbyt�ral � Letellier (2000-2004). Il prend sa retraite du minist�re r�gulier en 2004. R�sident au Canadian Polish Manor, il a d� �tre hospitalis� en d�cembre 2008 et d�m�nager ensuite au Centre Tach�. L'archidioc�se de Saint-Boniface d�sire remercier le personnel du Centre Tach� pour les bons soins et �galement tout le « r�seau » de personnes, et en particulier SÃ…“ur Epiphany, SSMI et Mark Watson, pour n'en mentionner que quelques-uns. L'abb� Svoboda �tait un grand m�lomane, particuli�rement du chant gr�gorien qu'il voulait faire conna�tre � travers le monde entier au moyen de l'internet. Ses int�r�ts �taient tr�s vari�s allant du gyroplaneur � l'alimentation naturelle. Jusqu'� la fin, il avait en chantier des projets pastoraux. Sa connaissance de plusieurs langues lui a permis d'exercer un minist�re de compassion aupr�s des malades et de paroissiens de diff�rentes ethnies. Ainsi depuis plusieurs ann�es, il �tait bi-rites, latin et byzantin (catholique ukrainien). Il avait une grande bont� et charit� pastorale. Une veill�e de pri�re aura lieu � la chapelle fun�raire Cropo, 1442, rue Main, le jeudi 21 janvier 2010 � 20h00. La messe des fun�railles pour l'abb� Svoboda, pr�c�d�e du visionnement, sera pr�sid�e par Mgr Albert LeGatt, archev�que de Saint-Boniface, le vendredi 22 janvier � 10h30 � la Cath�drale Saint-Boniface. L'inhumation suivra dans le cimeti�re de la Cath�drale.