Eternal rest grant onto him O Lord!
From the Green Bay Press Gazette:
Deacon Phil S. Andrastek, age 69, Manitowoc, died Tuesday evening, July 1, 2008, at his residence. He was born Jan. 11, 1939, in Manitowoc, son of the late Stanley and Viola (Krejcie) Andrastek. Phil was a graduate of Manitowoc Lincoln High School, Class of 1957. After graduation, he entered the United States Army National Guard until 1965. On Oct. 11, 1958, he married the former Lucy Schultz at St. Mary [Roman] Catholic Church, Manitowoc. He was a 15-year veteran of the Manitowoc Police Department as a motorcycle officer, logging over 100,000 miles with the department. Phil had a short career as the owner of “Polish Phil’s.” He was employed as a security guard at the Manitowoc Company for many years. During his retirement, Phil was a member of the maintenance staff at Silver Lake College and noon supervisor at LB Clarke School, Two Rivers. Phil was ordained a Deacon with the Green Bay Diocese in the fall of 1986, being assigned to St. Mary Catholic Church in conjunction with Manitowoc Jail Ministry. He also ministered to numerous local nursing homes as well as St. Francis of Assisi Parish where he was a member…
Figure larger than life; friend to the “little guy” and the oppressed; gifted storyteller; friendly conversationalist; generous spirit; loving husband; proud father, grandfather and great-grandfather; man of God.
Lord, grant eternal rest to our brother deacon.
Wieczne odpoczynek racz mu dać Panie, a światłość wiekuista niechaj mu świeci.
Niech odpoczywa w pokoju, Amen.
Hello:
I am Deacon Phil’s son, John. I am curious, how did you find out about my dad? He would be pleased to have been put on a Polish-related blog, although he really was not very computer savvy. His funeral Mass is tomorrow July 8, the recessional song: “Serdeczna Matko.”
One more thing, what does the folowing phrase mean/translate?:
Wieczne odpoczynek racz mu dań Panie, a ćwiatŁoćń wiekuista niechaj mu ćwieci.
Niech odpoczywa w pokoju, Amen.
John,
First my condolences on the loss of your father and my prayers for you and your family.
I monitor Google for faith related items, particularly about my Church, but it also covers a lot of other faith issues. I came across your father’s obituary there. After reading it I was immediately touched by his commitment to family and to service, a hallmark of the diaconate. Also, anyone who owed a place called “Polish Phil’s” has my admiration. I am happy that they are singing Serdeczna Matko for him. It was the same at my mom’s funeral and for so many others. Truly beautiful, truly moving.
The prayer is the Polish equivalent of Eternal rest grant onto him O Lord and may the perpetual light shine upon him, followed by May he rest in peace.
Deacon Jim:
Thank you for your response. At the funeral today, a priest friend of my dad’s gave the homily. The priest speaks Polish fluently. One of my dad’s wishes was to have him say something in Polish during the homily at his funeral, and I recognized, with the very limited understanding of the language, that the very phrase you wrote above was exactly what he chose to speak in Polish at the very end of his homily.
I am touched by your recognition of him; my dad would be proud!
Dziekuje!
John