(Michalovce, Slovakia) The diocesan phase of the beatification process of the Redemptorist Ján Ivan Mastiliak officially began January 31, 2015. Fr. Ján Ivan Mastiliak was the first Slovak who entered the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. During the communist regime in Czechoslovakia, he spent more than 15 years in prison for reasons of faith and his religious vocation. After he had regained his freedom, he was ministering in clandestine and for 13 years he was the superior of the Viceprovince of Michalovce.
He was a very educated man who knew about 14 languages. He studied in Rome at the Oriental Institute and Gregorian University (1937-1944), as a professor, he taught 5 years in our seminary in Obořište. He translated more than 110 books relating to faith and spirituality into the Slovak language.
Fr. Mastiliak clandestinely prepared about 30 priests for their ministry among these many Redemptorists. He was a Redemptorist very spiritual, humble, kind, a man of prayer and strong Marian devotion. He died before the fall of communism on September 18, 1989, in Prešov.
Precisely on the 30 anniversary of his death, September 18, his tomb in Michalovce was opened in order to conduct the exhumation and canonical recognition of his mortal remains. After it was done, the bodily remains of the Servant of God were transferred to the Redemptorist church in Stropkov. There Fr. Mastiliak was again buried on the day of the 108th anniversary of his birth on November 05, 2019.
Evening on that day, the divine liturgy of St. John Chrysostom was celebrated by the Redemptorist bishop Milan Chautur. There were present many Redemptorist confreres, diocesan priests, and parishioners.
This stage of the process in the cause of the beatification of Fr. Jan Ivan Mastiliak, according to the canons and prescriptions of the church, was guided by the Archbishop’s delegate Fr. Jaroslav Pasok and Fr. Atanasio Daniel Mandzák, C.Ss.R. who is the vice postulator of the cause.
We hope that a living example of Fr. Mastiliak’s holiness can attract new candidates to the Redemptorist Congregation and will be a help for all the confreres who already have known him and those who will learn of him in the future.
To find more about Servant of God Fr. Ján Ivan Mastiliak C.Ss.R. please visit the webpage: www.otecivan.sk
Fr. Metod Marcel Lukačik C.Ss.R.
