The Rev. Clement Kasinskas, C.P., 82, of St. Ann’s Passionist Monastery, West Scranton, died Tuesday at home after a long illness.
Father Clement was born on Aug. 17, 1929, in Derby, Conn., to the late Joseph and Eva Bercius Kasinskas, who were immigrants from Lithuania. He was educated in the schools of Ansonia, Conn., attended high school there and joined the Passionists in 1945 and graduated from Holy Cross Preparatory Seminary, Dunkirk, N.Y. in 1947. He professed his vows as a Passionist on Aug. 15, 1950, and was ordained to the priesthood on May 3, 1957, by the late Bishop Cuthbert O’Gara, C.P., Bishop of Hunan Province, China, at St. Michael’s Monastery in Union City, N.J. After ordination Father Clement was trained in preaching and spent well over 30 years preaching missions and retreats in English and Lithuanian. For 15 of those years he simultaneously ministered in the Byzantine Ruthenian Rite of the Eparchy of Passaic, N.J. He preached missions and did weekend ministry in the parishes of the Eparchy.
During his years as a Passionist, Father Clement was stationed at St. Gabriel’s Monastery, Brighton, Mass., Holy Family Monastery, West Hartford, Conn., where in his later years he was a regular confessor for weekend retreats and celebrated Mass locally in various parishes and convents. Father Clement was stationed at St. Ann’s in Scranton twice, once from in the 1960′s to 1970′s, and recently for the last three years. He came every year for 49 years to help with confessions for the Solemn Novena to St. Ann. Father Clement was very proud of his Lithuanian heritage, culture and language. He was a zealous priest and a kind man who had a great ability to remember names wherever he went.
Father Clement is survived by a sister, Ann Verbiskas and her husband, John of Orange, Conn.; a brother, Edward Kasinskas and his wife, Ann of Bethany, Conn.; his sisters-in-law, Emily Kasinskas and Adele Kasinskas; several nieces and nephews; great-nieces and great-nephews.
He was also preceded in death by three brothers, Joseph, Anthony and Michael Kasinskas; and two sisters, Nellie Stankus and Jennie Kacerguis.
The Passionists of St. Ann’s would like to thank all those who provided care for Father Clement during these last months of his illness, most especially Dr. Scialla, and his good friend Dr. Michael Burke. The community is most grateful for the care Father Clement received in the last weeks of his life from the nurses and staff of the Hospice of the Sacred Heart, whose care allowed Father Clement to die with dignity and peace, especially his nurse Lynn and his night nurse Rebecca, who was with him when he died.
Father Clement’s body will be received at St. Ann’s Shrine Basilica on Thursday at 2 p.m. His body will lie in repose for viewing until 7:30 p.m. This will be followed by a Vigil service, led by the Very Rev. James Price, C.P., Rector of St. Ann’s. A viewing will also take place on Friday from 9 to 10 a.m. The funeral Mass will be in St. Ann’s Basilica on Friday at 10:30 a.m., celebrated by the Very. Rev. Robert Joerger, C.P., Passionist Provincial. Burial will follow at St. Ann’s Cemetery.
