On December 6, 2007 Pope Benedict XVI accepted the retirement of Bishop Andrew as Chief Shepherd of the Church of Passaic, thus completing almost twenty five years of active service in Episcopal ministry.

Bishop Andrew was born in Palmerton, PA on August 30th, 1927 of the late Ignatius and Sophie (Dejak) Pataki. Following his elementary and secondary education in the Palmerton Public Schools, and Central Catholic High School in Allentown, PA, he enrolled in Saint Vincent’s College, Latrobe, PA. In 1944, he began his studies for the priesthood. To continue these studies, he entered Saint Procopius College-Seminary in Lisle, Illinois. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philosophy in 1948. He began his theological studies at Saint Procopius Seminary; but completed these studies at the newly established Byzantine Catholic Seminary of Saints Cyril and Methodius in Pittsburgh, PA. He was ordained to the priesthood in the Byzantine Seminary Chapel by the Bishop Daniel Evancho, Exarch of Pittsburgh, on February 24th, 1952.

His first assignment as a priest was as Assistant Pastor of Saints Peter and Paul Church, Braddock, PA. In 1954, he was assigned as the founding Pastor of Saint Pius X Church, Pittsburgh, PA. In 1955, he was appointed the temporary Administrator of Saints Peter and Paul Church in Endicott, NY. In September of 1955, he was named Pastor of Saint Nicholas Church in Lorain, OH. During his eight years as pastor, he constructed a parochial school and convent. In 1963, he was appointed Pastor of Saint John Chrysostom Church in Pittsburgh, PA. During his tenure there, he was successful in defending a civil law suit involving the temporal administration of the church. Shortly thereafter, he was sent to Rome, Italy to pursue graduate studies in Canon Law. He received a Bachelors Degree in canon Law from the Gregorian Pontifical University, and received a Licentiate Degree in Canon Law from the Pontifical Institute for Oriental Studies in Rome.

Returning home, he began a six-year term as Rector of the Byzantine Catholic Seminary in Pittsburgh, PA, where he taught courses in Pastoral Theology, Canon Law, Byzantine Chant and the Ruthenian Language. In 1974, Pope Paul VI made him a Monsignor, with the rank of Prelate of Honor and appointed him a consultor on the Pontifical Commission for the Revision of the Eastern Code of Canon Law. In 1979, he was appointed the Pastor of Saint Mary’s Church, Weirton, W. VA.

His assignments in the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh included: Defender of the Bond on the Matrimonial Tribunal, Director of the Society of the Sacred Heart, Chairman of the Liturgical Commission, Vice Chancellor, Chancellor and Consultor.

On June 14th, 1983, he was named the Auxiliary Bishop to the Bishop Michael J. Dudick of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Passaic, NJ, and was ordained a Bishop on August 23rd, 1983 at Saint Peter’s Roman Catholic Cathedral in Scranton, PA. The following year, he was appointed the Bishop of the Eparchy of Parma, OH where he served for the next twelve years.

On Tuesday, November 21st, 1995, the Vatican announced that Bishop Andrew was appointed the Third Bishop of the Eparchy of Passaic to succeed the retiring Bishop Michael J. Dudick. He was enthroned at the Cathedral of Saint Michael the Archangel in Passaic on Thursday afternoon, February 8, 1996.

As the Bishop of the Eparchy of Passaic, Bishop Andrew established a new governing structure for the Eparchy by dividing it into six Syncellates and appointing a Syncellus for each. Each Syncellus was given wide canonical powers for granting dispensations and permissions. He promulgated a standardized form of the Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom, the Presanctified Liturgy and the Sacraments of Initiation. In this last, he restored the ancient practice of giving the Holy Eucharist to infants at the time of Baptism. He reorganized most of the Eparchial Commissions and Programs. He established a Deacon Formation Program and ordained more men to the diaconal ministry than any other Byzantine Catholic hierarch in the United States. He reestablished the ancient tradition of the Byzantine Clergy wearing pectoral crosses and conferred a beautiful Greek-styled cross on each priest in September of 2000. He also established a separate Marriage Jubilee celebration in each of the six Syncellates and extended the invitation to include couples celebrating every five years beginning with their fifth year of marriage.

During his years of Episcopal ministry, Bishop Andrew immensely enjoyed being with the people of his Eparchy. In making his canonical visitations to the individual parishes, he made it a point to visit the sick and the shut-ins of the parish.

Bishop Andrew was named by his fellow Bishops of the Metropolitan Church of Pittsburgh to be the Chairman of the Inter-Eparchial Commission for Canonical Matters. This Commission helped to formulate the Particular Law for our Metropolitan Church – the first of its kind among the Eastern Catholic Churches of the world. It became effective on October 1, 1999.

Upon the death of Metropolitan Judson Procyk in April of 2001, Bishop Andrew served as Administrator of the Metropolitan Church of Pittsburgh sui juris during the interim period prior to the appointment of a new Metropolitan in 2002. More recently, Bishop Andrew was charged with the responsibility of being the Episcopal Moderator of the Inter-Eparchial Liturgy and Music Commission, which recently introduced the standardized Divine Liturgy and music throughout the Byzantine Catholic Church in America. The new texts and music – a true milestone in the history of the Byzantine Catholic Church in America – was officially promulgated on June 29, 2007.

Bishop Andrew has also served as a member of the Administrative Committee for the United States Conference of Bishops and was the Chairman of the Standing Committee for the relationship between the Eastern and Latin Catholic Churches. He also served as a member of the Standing Committee for Pro-Life Activities. After retiring, Bishop Andrew was immediately appointed Apostolic Administrator of the Eparchy of Passaic and where he continued to oversee the day to day operations of the Eparchy, as well as to provide spiritual leadership as Chief Shepherd until the Enthronement of the Most Rev. William C. Skurla, DD, as the Fourth Bishop of Passaic on January 28, 2008.

Reflecting on over 50 years of priesthood and almost twenty-five years of active Episcopal ministry, Bishop Andrew said the following, “With a prayer of thanksgiving and with spiritual joy I am grateful for having the privilege of being the Chief Shepherd of the Eparchy of Passaic since February 8, 1996 to January 29, 2008. May the Lord be pleased with my Episcopal ministry and the pastoral service that I made every effort to provide with responsibility, and much joy, and satisfaction. I offer special gratitude to our presbyterate for their devoted collaboration, and for their special assistance for sharing the awesome responsibility as Chief Shepherd, and for their many sacrifices and untiring efforts expended for the cause of Christ and His Church, and especially the Eparchy of Passaic which they have served as priests with diligence and dedication.”

May God grant to His servant, the Hierarch and Chief Shepherd, Bishop Andrew, peace health and happiness for many years! Eis Polla Eti, Despota!

"You have entered O noble High priest, You have entered into the church of the God Most High. You will offer a precious sacrifice and lead your people as we pray to overcome our human frailties in service to the Lord this day. May He hear your praise." (Carpatho-Rusyn Hymn)