[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 146 (Wednesday, December 3, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1716]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING THE SERVICE OF THE REVEREND MONSIGNOR MICHAEL F. KOSAK, P.A.

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. DONNA M. CHRISTENSEN

                         of the virgin islands

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 3, 2014

  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to an 
outstanding leader from my congressional district in the U.S. Virgin 
Islands, the Reverend Monsignor Michael F. Kosak, a Roman Catholic 
Priest, for his many contributions to St. Croix and the Virgin Islands 
community over 44 years.
  Born in Brooklyn, New York on December 7, 1938, the first-born child 
of Michael and Rose Marnick Kosak, Monsignor Kosak graduated from high 
school in 1956 and enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1957, serving 
for several years before beginning his religious studies. In 1966, 
Monsignor Kosak earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy from St 
Mary's College in St. Mary, Kentucky and his Masters in Divinity from 
St Mary's Seminary and the University of Baltimore, Maryland in 1970.
  On June 6, 1970, Monsignor Kosak was ordained as a Roman Catholic 
Priest for the Prelature of the Virgin Islands by the Most Reverend 
Edward J. Harper, Bishop of the Virgin Islands at the Basilica of Our 
Lady of Perpetual Help, Brooklyn, New York. That same year on July 26, 
Monsignor Kosak became pastor of St. Ann's Church, Barrenspot Hill, St. 
Croix, Virgin Islands and was appointed Director of Vocations in 1970; 
Director of Charismatic Renewal in 1977; Director of the Office of the 
Permanent Diaconate in 1981; Director of Communications in 1982; Dean 
in 1985; and Episcopal Vicar, St. Croix, a position he held until 1987. 
Monsignor Kosak was appointed to the position of Vicar General of the 
Diocese on July 30, 1987, and the title of Monsignor was conferred upon 
him by the Most Reverend Sean O'Malley on March 13, 1989.
  Mr. Speaker, through Monsignor Kosak's ministry at St Ann's Church, 
it grew in stature from a simply country chapel to a significant parish 
in the community, which offers Christian education classes to children 
who attend public and private schools in order that they may receive 
the sacraments. He has always encouraged the training and involvement 
of youth in the music ministry of the church. As spiritual director at 
the St. Joseph High School, Monsignor Kosak, was instrumental in 
obtaining summer youth programs at St. Joseph's in the early 1970s for 
the youth of the St. Croix community. He presented evangelical seminars 
to the churches, first in St. Croix and then in St. Thomas and St. 
John, the impact of which spread to every island in the Caribbean and, 
since 1982, to Ghana, Uganda, Botswana, Kenya and Zimbabwe.
  After Monsignor Kosak was appointed Pastor of Sts. Peter & Paul 
Cathedral, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands on May 16, 1989, he performed 
spiritual director service in Trinidad and in Malta from 1990 to 1991; 
He was again appointed Pastor of Sts. Peter & Paul Cathedral on August 
1, 1992. During the 1990s, Monsignor Kosak oversaw the renovations of 
the Cathedral which included preserving precious works of art that 
dated back to the 19th century.
  On October 1, 1995, Monsignor Kosak was appointed Pastor of St Ann's 
Church, where he began major construction of the Sts. Joachim & Ann 
Church and the renovation of the sugar mill into the Shrine of Our Lady 
of Barrenspot. Other major construction of the Marian Hall, the paving 
of new roads and the parking lot, as well as the beautification of the 
9.5 acres of parish property at St. Ann's commenced from 1999 to 2007. 
Always one to continue the path of education and spirituality, 
Monsignor Kosak took a sabbatical at North American College in Rome 
2000 and took a spirituality course at Angelicum, Rome in 2004. The 
Most Reverend Bishop George Murry appointed him as Vicar General on 
August 15, 2005 and following Bishop Murry's transfer, Monsignor Kosak 
was elected Diocesan Administrator.
  Mr. Speaker, in January 2008, Monsignor Kosak published his memoir 
titled, ``Journey of a Homeboy,'' which chronicles his life's journey 
from his time at a home for boys in Brooklyn to the tropical breezes of 
the Virgin Islands. He writes of serving as pastor during life-altering 
events to include the destruction of Hurricane Hugo in 1989 and 
Hurricane Marilyn in 1995 and spiritual experiences along the way, 
including a mountaintop experience at Mt. St. Benedict in Trinidad on 
January 6, 1977 that lit the shepherd on fire and there was no turning 
back in his ministry.
  Mr. Speaker, Monsignor Kosak celebrated his 40th anniversary as an 
ordained priest on June 6, 2010 and later that year, the Holy Father 
conferred upon him the papal honor of Prothonotary Apostolic, which is 
dated July 12, 2010 at the Vatican. From June 2012 to December 2013, 
Monsignor Kosak served as Editor of the Catholic Islander, the Diocesan 
Monthly Magazine.
  Monsignor Kosak retired as pastor of St. Ann's Catholic Church on 
August 31, 2014 and is now Pastor Emeritus of St. Ann Barrenspot. 
Monsignor Kosak will remain active as a Diocesan Consulter to The Most 
Reverend Herbert Brevard, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of St. Thomas 
to assist him in matters concerning health care, property insurance and 
pension issues in the diocese. At the conclusion of his memoir, 
Monsignor Kosak wrote, ``God isn't finished with me yet and I ask your 
prayerful support so that this `homeboy' will always be a faithful 
disciple of the Holy Spirit.''
  Mr. Speaker, Monsignor Kosak has served his country and my 
constituency well and on behalf of the people of the U.S. Virgin 
Islands and a grateful flock, I wish ``Father Mike'' continued success 
and on behalf of the Congress of the United States, thank him for his 
long, dedicated and bountiful service to the parish of Sts. Ann and 
Joachim, the community of St. Croix and the Diocese of St. Thomas. May 
God continue to richly bless him with good health and many more years 
in service to the Almighty God.

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