Fr. Richard Kosian OMI passed away on Tuesday, March 14, 2017 at Toronto General Hospital at the age of 85 years old.

Fr. Kosian was born in 1932 in Trawniki, Opole province, Poland, to Sykstus and Gertrude née Polak. In 1947 he entered the Oblate juniorate at Lubliniec. He then attended the novitiate at Markowice and went on to study philosophy and theology at the Oblate scholasticate in Obra (1952-1958). He was ordained to the priesthood on June 22, 1958 by Archbishop Antoni Baraniak.

In 1959, Fr. Kosian began studying homiletics and pastoral psychology. He subsequently worked as a pastoral assistant at Christ the King parish in Gorzow Wielkopolski and as a catechist at Zieleniec and Ulima. From 1960-1969, he worked on missions and was stationed at Gorzow Wielkopolski, Katowice and Kedzierzyn.

A new period in his life, complete with new experiences, began in 1969 when he came to Canada. For two years, Fr. Kosian worked as pastoral assistant at Holy Rosary parish in Edmonton, and later, at St. Stanislaus Kostka parish in Toronto. From 1975-1981 he worked as pastor of St. Casimir's Church in Toronto, and from 1982-1994 he was pastor of St. Hyacinth's parish in Ottawa. He has served as pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help parish in St. Catharines since 1994. In 2008 he became a resident at St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish in Toronto and as of April 2016 he lived at Copernicus Lodge Seniors Home where he resided until now.

Fr. Kosian divided his time between pastoral work and his duties outside of the parish. For 30 years, he was a member of the Friends of the Catholic University of Lublin. From 1977 to 1985 he led the Polish Priests' Conference of Eastern Canada and organized yearly pilgrimages to Midland. In 1983, the Vatican Secretary of State conferred upon Fr. Richard the responsibility of preparing the Polish community to meet Pope John Paul II at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto during the Holy Father's 1984 papal pilgrimage to Canada. Since 2001, Fr. Kosian has been a publicist for Czas-Zwiazkowiec through his weekly column, Zamyslenia nad Ewangeliami (Reflections on the Gospels).

Fr. Kosian was an active author and published the following books and articles:
Zarys literatury polskiej (Outline of Polish Literature), Edmonton 1971
W drodze na prymicjie (On My Way to the First Mass),Toronto 1973
Hipisi u fryzjera (Hipis at a Barber), Toronto 1974
Zofia Truszkowska, Toronto 1975
Dorobek duchowieństwa i zakonów polskich w USA i Kanadzie ( Spiritual Possessions of Polish Congregations in USA and Canada, Toronto 1978
Wiersze (Poems), Lublin 1997
Spojrzenie na Zycie (A Look at Life), Chicago 1999
Zamyślenia nad Ewangeliami (Reflections on the Gospels - Parts I and II)
For Answers Ask Your Heart, Toronto 2008
Myslac o zyciu (Thinking about life - Parts I and IIX – poetry)
Papa, we remember you…, China 2012
100 Lat Towarzystwa Zywego Rozanca i imienia Jezus, Toronto 2013
Historia Pierwszych Polakow w Toronto (History of First Poles in Toronto), 2015


All are invited to welcome Fr. Kosian at St. Casimir's Parish, 156 Roncevalles Avenue at 7:45 p.m. on Wednesday, March 15, 2017, followed by Rosary at 8:00 p.m.

Mass of Christian Burial to be held at St. Casimir's Parish on Thursday, March 16, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. Burial will take place at Assumption Cemetery. Following the interment, the reception will take place at St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish Hall, Mississauga.

In Father Kosian's memory, contributions to the Assumption Mission Centre would be appreciated.

He is survived by his sisters, Maria and Adela, and his brother Jozef. Predeceased by his sister Etyhel and brother Ginter. We ask you to pray for Father Richard Kosian and his family. May the good Lord grant him everlasting life. Amen.