# 40-DAYS MEMORIAL FOR FATHER STEVEN BASARAB 1961-2024 

- Link: https://nweparchy.ca/2024/08/40-days-memorial-for-father-steven-basarab-1961-2024/
- Published: 2024-08-07T14:12:20-07:00
- Author: Website

![](https://abbotsford.nweparchy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/basarab-retreat-2024.
jpeg)

On Tuesday 13 August 2024, we will remembering in prayer our dear priest, the late
Reverend Father Steven Basarab who reposed in the Lord on 5 July 2024. 

The funeral services were held with a full ‘priestly parastas’ on Saturday 25 July
and a funeral Divine Liturgy on 26 July - both at St. Joseph’s Catholic church in
Fr. Steve’s hometown of Chemainus, BC. The Ukrainian Catholic Bishop of New Westminster,
His Excellency **Michael **Kwiatkowski presided at both services and was joined 
by a good number of priests from around the province. An inspiration to everyone
present was the great number of faithful that attended the services, especially 
the filled the church on the day of the funeral and interment. Bishop Michael preached
at the Divine Liturgy, while long-time friend, Archpriest **Joe Ostopowich** from
Vancouver preached at the parastas. At the reception – **which was very graciously
hosted by the good people of St. Joseph Parish** - Father Steven’s family spoke 
and a number of friends and former parishioners shared stories and memories.  

According to our ancient and very popular tradition, we come together on the **40th-
day** after the death of Father Steven, who served the Lord and His People to the
best of his ability as a **priest** for almost **35 years**. The [**40-day tradition**](https://ugcc.lviv.ua/2023/10/18/koly-pomynayemo-pomerlyh-v-ugkts/)
certainly calls to mind the 40-day periods mentioned in scripture… the 40-day fasts
of **Moses** (Exodus 34:28) and **Elijah **(1Kings 19), the 40 days during which**
Jesus **fasted in the desert (Matthew 4), the 40 days **Jesus** remained upon the
earth **after His Resurrection**, before finally ascending into heaven (Acts 1:3).
It surely is also a practical tradition that after 40 days – matters have been settled,
close friends and relatives have moved somewhat back into their routine of life,
and now all can gather in a peaceful manner to commemorate the deceased, to reminisce
and offer encouragement to each other.  

What follows is the text of the eulogy spoken by our Chancellor, the Very Rev. **
Yuriy Vyshnevskyy**, at the “tryzna” – i.e. funeral luncheon – prior to Fr. Steven’s
interment.  

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

**A Eulogy of a Brother Priest** 

I would like to thank the local pastor, Fr. [**Joseph Thomas**](https://www.allsaintscatholicparish.ca/about-us)
and the entire [**St. Joseph’s Catholic Parish**](https://www.joinmychurch.org/churches/St-Joseph-s-Catholic-Church-Chemainus-British-Columbia-Canada/461104)
community for having us here today. Thank you for preparing such a reception for
all of us. Thank you for welcoming Fr. Steven into your parish one last time. 

Fr. Steven suffered from many illnesses and this was how I met Fr. Steven shortly
after I was ordained a priest and arrived in Vancouver some 15 years ago. I think
I met him on one, maybe two, occasions, but I could tell that he was suffering. 

I didn’t see much of Fr. Steven as he was getting medical treatments. He spent some
time in Saskatoon when he was under the care of the [**Sisters of St. Joseph**](https://www.skeparchy.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/StJosephs.pdf)
who were looking after him until he was well enough to return home. 

After Fr. Steven returned home, he settled in Duncan where I visited him along with
our Bishop at the time, M. Rev. Ken Nowakowski. But I wouldn’t necessarily say that
we kept in touch much as much as we would have liked, as I lived in New Westminster
at the time. And besides being brothers in priesthood, our friendship was more professional
as pertaining to our ministry. 

Everything changed when I was transferred to St. Nicholas parish in Victoria (Fr.
Steven was **ordained** at St. Nicholas on **June 3, 1990**) and after that I was
appointed to St. Michael parish in Nanaimo. 

So, about 6 years ago I started taking weekly trips from Victoria to Nanaimo. And
guess what’s halfway between Victoria and Nanaimo? Duncan. And guess who lived in
Duncan? Fr. Steven. 

Duncan became home to Fr. Steven. He settled in Duncan Manor. He found a community
at St. Edward the Confessor parish and started to attend meetings of the **Knights
of Columbus** and serve as their **Chaplain**. I want to say thank you to all of
you for welcoming him and for making him feel at home. 

There was only one thing that Fr. Steven was missing and that was his Ukrainian 
heritage. Something that was “in his blood”, as he would often say. And what he 
was missing is an opportunity to celebrate Divine Liturgies and other services in
a Ukrainian Catholic setting. And that opportunity became a reality 6 years ago 
when I was appointed at St. Michael’s parish in Nanaimo. 

Shortly after that I reached out to Fr. Steven and we made arrangements for a Saturday
pickup. Communication was a bit of a challenge as Fr. Steven didn’t have a cell 
phone until a year ago. It took another month or so for him to figure out how to
send text messages from his phone. He was a late bloomer 🙂 

Having Fr. Steven with me was like having an assistant priest. Sometimes he was 
an assistant priest and sometimes I was. And when I was under stress, Fr. Steven
was always there for me. Even when I was not asking. But he knew. After all, Fr.
Steven had so much more pastoral experience than I did.  

Before going on medical leave, he served in a number of parishes across BC including
Kamloops, Vernon, Grindrod. He substituted in many others. And over the years, when
I would meet his former parishioners, they all had only good things to say about
Fr. Steven. 

St. Michael’s parish in Nanaimo became like home to Fr. Steven and the parishioners
became this family. Thank you for caring for Fr. Steven all these years, for driving
him on Saturdays to the parish, especially more recently after I was transferred
from Nanaimo. 

Fr. Steven was a completely different person from the person I met 15 years ago.
And to me this was the real Fr. Steven, and not the one from the past. I remember
one Saturday Fr. Steven became a part of my homily when I was talking about people
we meet and changes they make in our lives, and I said something like _“Fr. Steven
was hitchhiking to Nanaimo … and I picked him up because he looked so harmless …”_
When I carefully turned around, I saw him laughing, genuinely laughing. Later it
became our go-to joke. 

But besides missing being a part of the parish life there was one other thing that
he was missing and that was time together with his brother priests. So, he was always
looking forward to spending time with us at conferences and retreats, to be in our
company and he was always excited. Dear Bishop Michael, dear fathers, all I can 
tell you is that Fr. Steven had a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for
you all. 

Fr. Steven was a kind, gentle, loving and caring priest. Those who knew him, especially
those who would receive an email from him can confirm that Fr. Steven would always
finish his emails, or Facebook posts and text messages with the phrase _“God is 
love”_. That’s the message that he was preaching with his life. 

So, I think that it’s only appropriate to conclude this chapter of Fr. Steven’s 
life with the words _"_**_God is love_**_”_, because now he’s beginning the next
chapter of his life where the _God of love_ will be his companion for eternity. 

_“Grant, O Christ, that Your servant Steven who has gone from this life to You, 
may be received in Your unspeakable glory where happiness reigns and the sound of
pure joy is always heard.”_ 

- Fr. Yuriy Vyshnevskyy 

July 26, 2024 

**Rest in Peace, Father Steven!** 

**Вічная Пам'ять!**