Bishop emeritus Martin Amos of Davenport, Iowa will be the main celebrant at the 11 a.m. July 22 funeral Mass for Father John A. Ocilka. Mass will be at St. John Bosco Church, 6480 Pearl Road, Parma Heights. Father David Liberatore, pastor emeritus of St. John Bosco Parish, will be the homilist.
Father Ocilka, 62, died on July 17.
His wake will begin with vespers at 3 p.m. July 21 at St. John Bosco Church. Bishop Amos will preside and Father Lawrence Jurcak, pastor of St. Mary Parish, Hudson, will be the homilist. The wake will continue until 7 p.m.
Father Ocilka was born on Oct 30, 1957 to the late Al and Gladys (Barnfield) Ocilka. He was educated at Holy Family (Mt. Pleasant) School, Cleveland; Chanel High School, Bedford; South High School, Cleveland; Borromeo Seminary, Wickliffe: and Saint Mary Seminary, Wickliffe.
Bishop Anthony M. Pilla ordained him to the priesthood for service to the Diocese of Cleveland on May 28, 1994 in the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Cleveland.
His first assignment was as parochial vicar of St. Leo the Great Parish, Cleveland. On June 13, 2000, he was assigned as parochial vicar at St. John Bosco Parish. During this assignment he also served as spiritual advisor for the Holy Name societies, South West District, effective May 18, 2005. On June 30, 2007, Father Ocilka was appointed administrator of St. Clement Parish, Lakewood. He was granted a medical leave of absence to attend to his personal health on Oct. 30, 2012 and was granted total and permanent disability retirement on Oct. 1, 2012.
Father Ocilka is remembered as a joyful priest whose smile was infectious. He dealt with chronic illness for the last few years and remained optimistic throughout.
Interment will be at Calvary Cemetery, Cleveland.