FATHER CIAPTACZ: Catholic priest
Father Frank Ciaptacz, pastor of Holy Name Catholic Church and St. Martin's, died in his sleep sometime early in the morning of June 7,1982.
He was born on a farm outside Krakow, Poland, Feb. 13, 1927. As a young man he served in the Polish Underground Army during World War II. He studied law and theology at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow from 1947-1952, and was ordained into the priesthood in Krakow on the feast day of Saints Peter and Paul, June 29, 1952. In 1954, he received a Doctorate in Moral Theology.
From the time of his ordination in 1952 until 1966, Father Frank served in Krakow and several rural communities as a priest and also taught religion in the high schools and in local parishers in his homeland. He often took groups of high school students backpacking, rafting, mountain-climbing and skiing in the Tatra mountains of Krakow. He loved skiing, hunting, playing tennis, traveling, and had traveled extensively throughout Europe.
On April 15, 1966, Father Frank left Poland and came to the United States, where he served as an assistant pastor for a parish in West Virginia. He moved to Denver in 1968 and served the St. Francis de Sales parish. In 1973 he was called to serve the mission parishes of Holy Family and St. Ignatius in Meeker and Rangely. He served as the parish priest at St. Mary's in Rifle from 1976 until May 2, 1979, when he moved to Steamboat Springs.
While Father Frank served the Rangely and Rifle parishes, he visited Steamboat for skiing vacations. After he was transferred here permanently, he often told friends, "Oh, this is like a dream come true, the answer to a prayer I made many years ago. The mountains are so beautiful, and the skiing is just great!" During the ski season, Father Frank said Mass for the skiers and other visitors every Sunday evening at the mountain, and had often expressed the desire to establish an inter-faith chapel, "some clear symbol of God at the ski area."
Funeral arrangements in Steamboat included a special Mass on Tuesday, June 8, in Holy Name Church, offered by Father Phil Meredith of Kremmling; Rosary and Mass on Wednesday, June 9, offered by long-time friend, Father Sebastian Pajdzik of Pennsylvania; and a Requiem Mass at Holy Name on June 10, concelebrated by Father Pajdzik, Father Meredith, Father John McGrath, Father Jan Mucha, Father Robert Szyma, Father Dave Croak, Father John Canjar, Father Mike Kerrigan, and Father Jim Fox. Graveside services and burial were in the Steamboat Cemetery.
He was preceded in death by his father, Antoni. He leaves his mother, Ludwika, his brother, Feliks, and a nephew, Jan, all living in Poland; his half-sister, Josephine Choman of Denver; a nephew, Chet Choman of Alamosa; and nephew Mark Ciaptacz of Aravada, who immigrated from Poland in August 1981, with his wife, Irene.
A fund in memory of Father Frank is being established. Persons wishing to contribute should contact Jack Sprengle at the Routt County National Bank, Mrs. John McGuyrt at 879-1762, or Mrs. Fritz Keefner at 879-3714.
(Published in The Steamboat Pilot (Steamboat Springs, CO), Thursday, June 17, 1982.)
Father Frank Ciaptacz, pastor of Holy Name Catholic Church and St. Martin's, died in his sleep sometime early in the morning of June 7,1982.
He was born on a farm outside Krakow, Poland, Feb. 13, 1927. As a young man he served in the Polish Underground Army during World War II. He studied law and theology at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow from 1947-1952, and was ordained into the priesthood in Krakow on the feast day of Saints Peter and Paul, June 29, 1952. In 1954, he received a Doctorate in Moral Theology.
From the time of his ordination in 1952 until 1966, Father Frank served in Krakow and several rural communities as a priest and also taught religion in the high schools and in local parishers in his homeland. He often took groups of high school students backpacking, rafting, mountain-climbing and skiing in the Tatra mountains of Krakow. He loved skiing, hunting, playing tennis, traveling, and had traveled extensively throughout Europe.
On April 15, 1966, Father Frank left Poland and came to the United States, where he served as an assistant pastor for a parish in West Virginia. He moved to Denver in 1968 and served the St. Francis de Sales parish. In 1973 he was called to serve the mission parishes of Holy Family and St. Ignatius in Meeker and Rangely. He served as the parish priest at St. Mary's in Rifle from 1976 until May 2, 1979, when he moved to Steamboat Springs.
While Father Frank served the Rangely and Rifle parishes, he visited Steamboat for skiing vacations. After he was transferred here permanently, he often told friends, "Oh, this is like a dream come true, the answer to a prayer I made many years ago. The mountains are so beautiful, and the skiing is just great!" During the ski season, Father Frank said Mass for the skiers and other visitors every Sunday evening at the mountain, and had often expressed the desire to establish an inter-faith chapel, "some clear symbol of God at the ski area."
Funeral arrangements in Steamboat included a special Mass on Tuesday, June 8, in Holy Name Church, offered by Father Phil Meredith of Kremmling; Rosary and Mass on Wednesday, June 9, offered by long-time friend, Father Sebastian Pajdzik of Pennsylvania; and a Requiem Mass at Holy Name on June 10, concelebrated by Father Pajdzik, Father Meredith, Father John McGrath, Father Jan Mucha, Father Robert Szyma, Father Dave Croak, Father John Canjar, Father Mike Kerrigan, and Father Jim Fox. Graveside services and burial were in the Steamboat Cemetery.
He was preceded in death by his father, Antoni. He leaves his mother, Ludwika, his brother, Feliks, and a nephew, Jan, all living in Poland; his half-sister, Josephine Choman of Denver; a nephew, Chet Choman of Alamosa; and nephew Mark Ciaptacz of Aravada, who immigrated from Poland in August 1981, with his wife, Irene.
A fund in memory of Father Frank is being established. Persons wishing to contribute should contact Jack Sprengle at the Routt County National Bank, Mrs. John McGuyrt at 879-1762, or Mrs. Fritz Keefner at 879-3714.
(Published in The Steamboat Pilot (Steamboat Springs, CO), Thursday, June 17, 1982.)
FATHER CIAPTACZ: Catholic priest
Father Frank Ciaptacz, pastor of Holy Name Catholic Church and St. Martin's, died in his sleep sometime early in the morning of June 7,1982.
He was born on a farm outside Krakow, Poland, Feb. 13, 1927. As a young man he served in the Polish Underground Army during World War II. He studied law and theology at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow from 1947-1952, and was ordained into the priesthood in Krakow on the feast day of Saints Peter and Paul, June 29, 1952. In 1954, he received a Doctorate in Moral Theology.
From the time of his ordination in 1952 until 1966, Father Frank served in Krakow and several rural communities as a priest and also taught religion in the high schools and in local parishers in his homeland. He often took groups of high school students backpacking, rafting, mountain-climbing and skiing in the Tatra mountains of Krakow. He loved skiing, hunting, playing tennis, traveling, and had traveled extensively throughout Europe.
On April 15, 1966, Father Frank left Poland and came to the United States, where he served as an assistant pastor for a parish in West Virginia. He moved to Denver in 1968 and served the St. Francis de Sales parish. In 1973 he was called to serve the mission parishes of Holy Family and St. Ignatius in Meeker and Rangely. He served as the parish priest at St. Mary's in Rifle from 1976 until May 2, 1979, when he moved to Steamboat Springs.
While Father Frank served the Rangely and Rifle parishes, he visited Steamboat for skiing vacations. After he was transferred here permanently, he often told friends, "Oh, this is like a dream come true, the answer to a prayer I made many years ago. The mountains are so beautiful, and the skiing is just great!" During the ski season, Father Frank said Mass for the skiers and other visitors every Sunday evening at the mountain, and had often expressed the desire to establish an inter-faith chapel, "some clear symbol of God at the ski area."
Funeral arrangements in Steamboat included a special Mass on Tuesday, June 8, in Holy Name Church, offered by Father Phil Meredith of Kremmling; Rosary and Mass on Wednesday, June 9, offered by long-time friend, Father Sebastian Pajdzik of Pennsylvania; and a Requiem Mass at Holy Name on June 10, concelebrated by Father Pajdzik, Father Meredith, Father John McGrath, Father Jan Mucha, Father Robert Szyma, Father Dave Croak, Father John Canjar, Father Mike Kerrigan, and Father Jim Fox. Graveside services and burial were in the Steamboat Cemetery.
He was preceded in death by his father, Antoni. He leaves his mother, Ludwika, his brother, Feliks, and a nephew, Jan, all living in Poland; his half-sister, Josephine Choman of Denver; a nephew, Chet Choman of Alamosa; and nephew Mark Ciaptacz of Aravada, who immigrated from Poland in August 1981, with his wife, Irene.
A fund in memory of Father Frank is being established. Persons wishing to contribute should contact Jack Sprengle at the Routt County National Bank, Mrs. John McGuyrt at 879-1762, or Mrs. Fritz Keefner at 879-3714.
(Published in The Steamboat Pilot (Steamboat Springs, CO), Thursday, June 17, 1982.)
Father Frank Ciaptacz, pastor of Holy Name Catholic Church and St. Martin's, died in his sleep sometime early in the morning of June 7,1982.
He was born on a farm outside Krakow, Poland, Feb. 13, 1927. As a young man he served in the Polish Underground Army during World War II. He studied law and theology at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow from 1947-1952, and was ordained into the priesthood in Krakow on the feast day of Saints Peter and Paul, June 29, 1952. In 1954, he received a Doctorate in Moral Theology.
From the time of his ordination in 1952 until 1966, Father Frank served in Krakow and several rural communities as a priest and also taught religion in the high schools and in local parishers in his homeland. He often took groups of high school students backpacking, rafting, mountain-climbing and skiing in the Tatra mountains of Krakow. He loved skiing, hunting, playing tennis, traveling, and had traveled extensively throughout Europe.
On April 15, 1966, Father Frank left Poland and came to the United States, where he served as an assistant pastor for a parish in West Virginia. He moved to Denver in 1968 and served the St. Francis de Sales parish. In 1973 he was called to serve the mission parishes of Holy Family and St. Ignatius in Meeker and Rangely. He served as the parish priest at St. Mary's in Rifle from 1976 until May 2, 1979, when he moved to Steamboat Springs.
While Father Frank served the Rangely and Rifle parishes, he visited Steamboat for skiing vacations. After he was transferred here permanently, he often told friends, "Oh, this is like a dream come true, the answer to a prayer I made many years ago. The mountains are so beautiful, and the skiing is just great!" During the ski season, Father Frank said Mass for the skiers and other visitors every Sunday evening at the mountain, and had often expressed the desire to establish an inter-faith chapel, "some clear symbol of God at the ski area."
Funeral arrangements in Steamboat included a special Mass on Tuesday, June 8, in Holy Name Church, offered by Father Phil Meredith of Kremmling; Rosary and Mass on Wednesday, June 9, offered by long-time friend, Father Sebastian Pajdzik of Pennsylvania; and a Requiem Mass at Holy Name on June 10, concelebrated by Father Pajdzik, Father Meredith, Father John McGrath, Father Jan Mucha, Father Robert Szyma, Father Dave Croak, Father John Canjar, Father Mike Kerrigan, and Father Jim Fox. Graveside services and burial were in the Steamboat Cemetery.
He was preceded in death by his father, Antoni. He leaves his mother, Ludwika, his brother, Feliks, and a nephew, Jan, all living in Poland; his half-sister, Josephine Choman of Denver; a nephew, Chet Choman of Alamosa; and nephew Mark Ciaptacz of Aravada, who immigrated from Poland in August 1981, with his wife, Irene.
A fund in memory of Father Frank is being established. Persons wishing to contribute should contact Jack Sprengle at the Routt County National Bank, Mrs. John McGuyrt at 879-1762, or Mrs. Fritz Keefner at 879-3714.
(Published in The Steamboat Pilot (Steamboat Springs, CO), Thursday, June 17, 1982.)
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