[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 16 (Tuesday, January 28, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E127]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  IN RECOGNITION OF MONSIGNOR THOMAS BANICK FOR 50 YEARS OF COMMUNITY 
                      SERVICE AS A CATHOLIC PRIEST

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. MATT CARTWRIGHT

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 28, 2014

  Mr. CARTWRIGHT. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor Monsignor Thomas 
Banick, who after 50 years of service to the Catholic Church and his 
community, is retiring. Monsignor Banick was ordained by Archbishop 
Martin J. O'Connor on December 18, 1963, in the Church of St. Ignatius 
in Rome. A day later, he celebrated his First Mass at the Altar of the 
Chair in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. In 1964, he was awarded 
the Degree of Licentiate in Sacred Theology by the Pontifical Gregorian 
University in Rome. Shortly thereafter, Father Banick returned to the 
United States and celebrated a Mass of Thanksgiving at Holy Family 
Church.
  Monsignor Banick was first assigned to Holy Ghost Church in Olyphant 
as an assistant pastor, where he took up residence after serving as an 
interim assistant pastor for the summer of 1964 at St. Mary of Mount 
Carmel Church in Dunmore. In 1967, he was transferred to Gate of Heaven 
Parish, where he served as assistant pastor until September 1969. From 
then until 1978, Father Banick held the position of Professor of 
Theology, Director of Spiritual Life, and Director of Music at St. Pius 
X Seminary in Dalton. During this time, he also served as Lecturer in 
Religious Studies and Theology at the University of Scranton, Lecturer 
in Liturgical Music at Marywood College, Chairperson of the Music 
Commission of the Diocese of Scranton, and Director of Music at St. 
Peter's Cathedral. Father Banick engaged in further studies at Fordham 
University and Woodstock College in New York, the University of San 
Francisco, and the University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, where he 
was awarded a Doctorate in Sacred Theology in 1973.
  In 1976, he took up residence at Marywood College and was appointed 
the first Director of the Office for Continuing Education of Priests by 
Bishop J. Carroll McCormick, the sixth Bishop of Scranton. In September 
1976, at the request of the Board of Bishops of the North American 
College, Bishop McCormick released Father Banick for service to the 
College as Director of the Advising Program and Director of Music. A 
year later, he was named Vice Rector of the College, a position he held 
until 1985. While in Rome, he was also Assistant Professor of Theology 
at the Pontifical Gregorian University of St. Thomas Aquinas. Before 
leaving Rome to return to the Diocese, he was named a Prelate of Honor 
by Pope John Paul II, on May 28, 1985.
  After returning to Pennsylvania, Monsignor Banick was appointed to 
his first pastorate at St. Mary's by Bishop James C. Timlin on 
September 4, 1985. Since then, Monsignor Banick served faithfully as 
Pastor of St. Mary's Church of the Immaculate Conception in Wilkes-Bane 
for 28 years. Soon after becoming pastor, he established a Pastoral 
Team to assist him in the pastoral leadership of the large downtown 
church and in the ongoing ecclesial renewal inaugurated by the Second 
Vatican Council. St. Mary's Parish Center, constructed in 1995 to mark 
the 150th anniversary of St. Mary's founding, provided much needed 
space for parish ministries and activities, including a Religious 
Education (CCD) Center, a Music Center and a Reception Hall.
  During his pastorate, Monsignor Banick served on the Presbyterian 
Council of the Diocese of Scranton. He also held membership in 
ecumenical, inter-faith, and community groups, including the Catholic 
Youth Center of Wyoming Valley, the Wyoming Valley Council of Churches, 
the Inter-faith Council of Wyoming Valley, the Children's Service 
Center of Wyoming Valley, and the Inter-faith Resource Center for Peace 
and Justice. Monsignor Banick was Chairperson of the Mayor's Task Force 
on Alcohol and Drugs in Wilkes-Barre, and was Vice-President of VISION 
(Volunteers in Service in Our Neighborhoods) which operated the shelter 
for homeless in the Wilkes-Barre area. He also served on the 
Administrative Board of the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference, the 
National Association of Pastoral Musicians, and the Catholic 
Theological Society of America, and the Board of Directors of the 
United Way of Wyoming Valley. He also presided over the Board of 
Directors of the King's College/St. Mary's Early Childhood Learning 
Center, located at St. Mary's, which he founded in 1995 with Father 
James Lackenmeir, CSC, President of King's College.
  Recently, Monsignor Banick also became pastor of St. Joseph's Slovak 
Church and St. Therese Church when the reorganization plan of the 
Diocese of Scranton consolidated them into St. Mary's Church to form 
Our Lady of Fatima Parish on June 27, 2011.
  Today, I am proud to honor Monsignor Banick for a lifetime of 
devotion to improving his community, serving the Church he loves 
through priesthood, and positively touching the lives of countless 
citizens of Northeast Pennsylvania.

                          ____________________