Stephen Stanislaus Woznicki

Stephen Woznicki was born on August 17, 1894, in the Miners Mills section of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, to Stephen and Michalina (née Jablonski) Woznicki.[1] He began his studies for the priesthood at SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary in Orchard Lake, Michigan.[2] He completed his studies at St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota.[2]

On December 22, 1917, Woznicki was ordained a priest by Bishop James Trobec for the Archdiocese of Detroit at the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul.[3] After his ordination, Woznicki was assigned as a curate at St. Joseph Parish in Danville, Pennsylvania.[1] After arriving in Detroit in 1919, he became as secretary to Bishop Michael Gallagher.[1] He was named a domestic prelate in 1926. Woznicki became pastor of St. Hyacinth, a Polish-language parish in Detroit, in December 1936.[4] At St. Hyacinth, he appealed to parishioners to not anglicize their family names and not flee to the suburbs.[4]

On December 13, 1937, Woznicki was appointed as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Detroit and titular bishop of Peltae by Pope Pius XI.[3] He received his episcopal consecration on January 25, 1938, from Archbishop Edward Mooney, with Bishop Joseph C. Plagens and William J. Hafey serving as co-consecrators.[3] Woznicki selected as his episcopal motto: Veritatem in caritate (Latin: "Truth in charity").[5] As an auxiliary bishop, he continued to serve as pastor of St. Hyacinth until 1950.[4]

Woznicki was appointed the second bishop of the Diocese of Saginaw by Pope Pius XII on April 15, 1950.[3] His installation took place at St. Mary Cathedral in Saginaw on May 24, 1950.[3] Known as a "great builder," Woznicki established 21 new parishes and missions, permitted the building of 30 schools, and led a nearly $4 million campaign to open the doors of St. Paul Seminary and the main diocesan offices.[6] He served as president of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference from 1956 to 1957.[1] He also attended the Second Vatican Council in Rome from 1962 to 1965.[3]

On October 30, 1968, Pope Paul VI accepted Woznicki's early retirement as bishop of the Diocese of Saginaw due to health reasons; he was appointed Titular Bishop of Thiava on the same date.[3] Stephen Woznicki died in Saginaw on December 10, 1968. at age 74.