Anthony
Anthony Bosco
d. July 2, 2013
BOSCO
BISHOP EMERITUS ANTHONY G.
Bishop Emeritus Anthony G. Bosco, who served as bishop of the Diocese of Greensburg for nearly 17 years, died July 2, 2013, at his Unity Township home. He was 85. Installed as the third bishop of Greensburg June 30, 1987, in Blessed Sacrament Cathedral, Greensburg, Bishop Bosco served the church as a bishop for 43 of his 61 years as a priest. Committed to the Second Vatican Council's call to the laity, Bishop Bosco's tenure in Greensburg was marked by a multitude of efforts to catechize the laity and bring them into a richer involvement with the church. He instituted "New Wine, New Wineskins: Revisioning the Parish Through the Ministry of the Parish Pastoral Council," which focuses on parish leadership; began a regionalization effort to help parishes work together to fulfill the church's mission; and promulgated "Journey of a Lifetime," which focused on education in the Catholic faith as a lifelong process, and "Taste and See: Catechesis as Food for the Journey," the diocesan catechetical guidelines. Bishop Bosco led the diocese through the Jubilee Year 2000, which culminated with the Jubilee Mass he celebrated for 2,000 people at Latrobe Memorial Stadium, making it the largest Mass ever celebrated in the diocese. Bishop Bosco launched a $25 million campaign, "Honoring Our Past ... Shaping Our Future," the diocese's first capital campaign, in 2000. It raised more than $28 million for the diocese and its parishes. In 2001, he issued a pastoral letter, "On Bended Knee: The Eucharist and Service." Bishop Bosco also had to deal with difficult issues. A sagging economy and significant population declines in parts of the diocese necessitated the closing of several parishes, decisions that met with varying degrees of public opposition. He was active in the media for much of his priesthood, including working with KDKA radio in Pittsburgh during Vatican II, hosting a television program, writing a column ("A View from the Bridge") for The Catholic Accent, the newspaper of the Diocese of Greensburg, and providing commentary for the radio newsmagazine "Accent on the Air." He embraced new communication technology to evangelize and educate, overseeing development of a diocesan website and connecting all of the diocese's parishes via a single network. He chaired the U.S. bishops' communication committee and supported ecumenical affairs as a member of the Christian Associates of Southwest Pennsylvania. In 2001, Bishop Bosco received the Bishop John England Award from the Catholic Press Association, which honors publishers in the Catholic press for their defense of freedom of the press and freedom of religion. Bishop Bosco was born in New Castle,on Aug. 1, 1927, to the late Joseph M. and Theresa M. Pezone Bosco and raised on Pittsburgh's North Side. He graduated from North Catholic High School and attended the former St. Fidelis Seminary in Butler County and Saint Vincent Seminary in Latrobe. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Pittsburgh on June 7, 1952, by Bishop John Dearden at St. Paul Cathedral. Bishop Bosco, who earned a licentiate in canon law from the Lateran University in Rome in 1957, served in several capacities in the Diocese of Pittsburgh's chancery and was named a monsignor in 1968. His many duties included service asa chaplain and instructor at Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in Pittsburgh (1957-71) and chaplain to the Sisters of the Holy Spirit, Ross Township (1971-87). He was ordained a bishop for the Diocese of Pittsburgh on June 30, 1970, and served there as an auxiliary bishop until his appointment to Greensburg in 1987. He became bishop emeritus upon the ordination and installation of Bishop Lawrence E. Brandt as the fourth Bishop of Greensburg on March 4, 2004. Bishop Bosco remained active in retirement, celebrating Mass at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral and working in various educational capacities, including facilitating a course for the University of Dayton's Virtual Community for Lifelong Faith Formation and teaching a religion course at Seton Hill University. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2010 Communities of Salt and Light Awards dinner. In addition to his parents, Bishop Bosco was preceded in death by a brother, Joseph V. Bosco. He is survived by a brother, James J. Bosco and his wife, Sharon, of Kalamazoo, Mich.; a sister-in-law, Margarita Bosco of Pittsburgh; three nephews, Mark, James and Joseph Bosco; and two nieces, Joanne Bosco and Gina Bosco. Bishop Bosco's body will be received at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral, 300 North Main Street, Greensburg, on Monday, July 8, at 3:30 p.m. when the Rite of Reception of the Body will be celebrated. Family will receive relatives and friends from 4-7 p.m. At 7 p.m. a Solemn Celebration of Evening Prayer will be held, led by Rev. Msgr. Roger A. Statnick. The Cathedral will remain open until 9 p.m. Bishop Bosco's body will continue to lie in state at the Cathedral on Tuesday, July 9, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Family will receive relatives and friends from 4-7 p.m. At 7 p.m. the Most Rev. Lawrence E. Brandt, JCD, PhD, Bishop of Greensburg, will celebrate a Mass for the Repose of the Soul of Bishop Bosco.On Wednesday, July 10, additional viewing will occur from 8-9:30 a.m. at the Cathedral. A Christian Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. with the Most Rev. Charles J. Chaput, OFMCap, DD, Metropolitan Archbishop of Philadelphia, as celebrant. Interment will follow in the Bishops' Plot at Greensburg Catholic Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Diocese of Greensburg's Endowment Fund for the education of clergy and laity. Contributions may be directed to the Diocese of Greensburg, 723 East Pittsburgh Street, Greensburg, PA 15601. Bishop Bosco's arrangements are being handled by the CLEMENT L. PANTALONE FUNERAL HOME, INC., 409 W. Pittsburgh Street, Greensburg, PA, (724-837-0020). To share memories and photos, or offer condolences, visit www.pantalone.com, Natale N. Pantalone, supervisor.
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BISHOP EMERITUS ANTHONY G.
Bishop Emeritus Anthony G. Bosco, who served as bishop of the Diocese of Greensburg for nearly 17 years, died July 2, 2013, at his Unity Township home. He was 85. Installed as the third bishop of Greensburg June 30, 1987, in Blessed Sacrament Cathedral, Greensburg, Bishop Bosco served the church as a bishop for 43 of his 61 years as a priest. Committed to the Second Vatican Council's call to the laity, Bishop Bosco's tenure in Greensburg was marked by a multitude of efforts to catechize the laity and bring them into a richer involvement with the church. He instituted "New Wine, New Wineskins: Revisioning the Parish Through the Ministry of the Parish Pastoral Council," which focuses on parish leadership; began a regionalization effort to help parishes work together to fulfill the church's mission; and promulgated "Journey of a Lifetime," which focused on education in the Catholic faith as a lifelong process, and "Taste and See: Catechesis as Food for the Journey," the diocesan catechetical guidelines. Bishop Bosco led the diocese through the Jubilee Year 2000, which culminated with the Jubilee Mass he celebrated for 2,000 people at Latrobe Memorial Stadium, making it the largest Mass ever celebrated in the diocese. Bishop Bosco launched a $25 million campaign, "Honoring Our Past ... Shaping Our Future," the diocese's first capital campaign, in 2000. It raised more than $28 million for the diocese and its parishes. In 2001, he issued a pastoral letter, "On Bended Knee: The Eucharist and Service." Bishop Bosco also had to deal with difficult issues. A sagging economy and significant population declines in parts of the diocese necessitated the closing of several parishes, decisions that met with varying degrees of public opposition. He was active in the media for much of his priesthood, including working with KDKA radio in Pittsburgh during Vatican II, hosting a television program, writing a column ("A View from the Bridge") for The Catholic Accent, the newspaper of the Diocese of Greensburg, and providing commentary for the radio newsmagazine "Accent on the Air." He embraced new communication technology to evangelize and educate, overseeing development of a diocesan website and connecting all of the diocese's parishes via a single network. He chaired the U.S. bishops' communication committee and supported ecumenical affairs as a member of the Christian Associates of Southwest Pennsylvania. In 2001, Bishop Bosco received the Bishop John England Award from the Catholic Press Association, which honors publishers in the Catholic press for their defense of freedom of the press and freedom of religion. Bishop Bosco was born in New Castle,on Aug. 1, 1927, to the late Joseph M. and Theresa M. Pezone Bosco and raised on Pittsburgh's North Side. He graduated from North Catholic High School and attended the former St. Fidelis Seminary in Butler County and Saint Vincent Seminary in Latrobe. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Pittsburgh on June 7, 1952, by Bishop John Dearden at St. Paul Cathedral. Bishop Bosco, who earned a licentiate in canon law from the Lateran University in Rome in 1957, served in several capacities in the Diocese of Pittsburgh's chancery and was named a monsignor in 1968. His many duties included service asa chaplain and instructor at Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in Pittsburgh (1957-71) and chaplain to the Sisters of the Holy Spirit, Ross Township (1971-87). He was ordained a bishop for the Diocese of Pittsburgh on June 30, 1970, and served there as an auxiliary bishop until his appointment to Greensburg in 1987. He became bishop emeritus upon the ordination and installation of Bishop Lawrence E. Brandt as the fourth Bishop of Greensburg on March 4, 2004. Bishop Bosco remained active in retirement, celebrating Mass at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral and working in various educational capacities, including facilitating a course for the University of Dayton's Virtual Community for Lifelong Faith Formation and teaching a religion course at Seton Hill University. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2010 Communities of Salt and Light Awards dinner. In addition to his parents, Bishop Bosco was preceded in death by a brother, Joseph V. Bosco. He is survived by a brother, James J. Bosco and his wife, Sharon, of Kalamazoo, Mich.; a sister-in-law, Margarita Bosco of Pittsburgh; three nephews, Mark, James and Joseph Bosco; and two nieces, Joanne Bosco and Gina Bosco. Bishop Bosco's body will be received at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral, 300 North Main Street, Greensburg, on Monday, July 8, at 3:30 p.m. when the Rite of Reception of the Body will be celebrated. Family will receive relatives and friends from 4-7 p.m. At 7 p.m. a Solemn Celebration of Evening Prayer will be held, led by Rev. Msgr. Roger A. Statnick. The Cathedral will remain open until 9 p.m. Bishop Bosco's body will continue to lie in state at the Cathedral on Tuesday, July 9, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Family will receive relatives and friends from 4-7 p.m. At 7 p.m. the Most Rev. Lawrence E. Brandt, JCD, PhD, Bishop of Greensburg, will celebrate a Mass for the Repose of the Soul of Bishop Bosco.On Wednesday, July 10, additional viewing will occur from 8-9:30 a.m. at the Cathedral. A Christian Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. with the Most Rev. Charles J. Chaput, OFMCap, DD, Metropolitan Archbishop of Philadelphia, as celebrant. Interment will follow in the Bishops' Plot at Greensburg Catholic Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Diocese of Greensburg's Endowment Fund for the education of clergy and laity. Contributions may be directed to the Diocese of Greensburg, 723 East Pittsburgh Street, Greensburg, PA 15601. Bishop Bosco's arrangements are being handled by the CLEMENT L. PANTALONE FUNERAL HOME, INC., 409 W. Pittsburgh Street, Greensburg, PA, (724-837-0020). To share memories and photos, or offer condolences, visit www.pantalone.com, Natale N. Pantalone, supervisor.
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