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Father James Stefaniak, M.M., who spent his entire missionary service in Peru, died Dec. 13 at St. Teresa’s Residence in Ossining. He was 89.
Assigned to Peru in 1950, he was a teacher and director of a high school in Puno. Beginning in 1955, he did parish work in Huancané, before conducting parish missions in 1962.
He served the Latin America Bureau in Washington, D.C., as director of training courses for priests, religious and lay volunteers at The Catholic University, Ponce, Puerto Rico, 1963-1966.
Father Stefaniak returned to Peru in 1966 where he was pastor of several parishes. He founded a hostel for homeless people in Arequippa, 1979-1985. He also served on his order’s regional council and was appointed assistant regional superior in 1986 and again in 1989. He started a program for the formation of lay pastoral workers and candidates for the permanent diaconate, 1990-2003. He retired in 2004.
Born in St. Francis, Wis., he entered Maryknoll in 1944 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1950.
He is survived by his brothers, Eugene and Joseph, and his sisters, Betty Demeter and Rosemary Jennik.
A Funeral Mass was offered Dec. 19 in Queen of Apostles Chapel at Maryknoll Center, Ossining. Burial followed at the Maryknoll Society Cemetery.
