Executive Director Rev, Richard Myhalyk, S.S.E., Receives Honorary Doctorate

Edmundite Missions Executive Director Rev. Richard M. Myhalyk, SSE, Superior General of the Society of St. Edmund from 1998 to 2006, was awarded an honorary doctor of humane letters degree from Saint Michael's College at commencement ceremonies May 15, on the campus of the liberal arts residential Catholic college, which is located in Burlington, VT. The college was founded by the Society of St. Edmund in 1904.

Father Myhalyk was cited for having done "an astonishing range of jobs on this campus as well as for each of the other Edmundite missions." Making the presentation, the Very Rev. Michael Cronogue, SSE, said, "Father Myhalyk has always given a full measure of his commitment, his loving attention and his fine intelligence to each task."

The citation continued, "When this college needed real information, Father Myhalyk did the research and provided the material, serving from 1987 to 1994 as Assistant to the President for Institutional Research and Planning. His myriad tasks in this position ranged from representing the college at alumni events to chairing the steering committee for the 1990 self-study and re-accreditation, a task that lasted from 1988 to 1990."

"For the Soci ety of Saint Edmund," Father Cronogue said, "Father Myhalyk served for five years as pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Mobile, Alabama, taking on additional clerical assignments in the Mobile region, from 1977 to 1982. Later, Father Myhalyk carried out major tasks for the Edmundites, including serving as director of novices and post-novitiate formation, 1994 to 1998; treasurer general, 1995 to 1996; and organizer of religious retreats in Alabama, Vermont and Connecticut. He was principal writer of t he Society ’ s constitution and served the Diocese of Burlington, when called. He has been a member of the Saint Michael's Board of Trustees and also of the boards for Dismas House and the Mater Christi School. Father Myhalyk never said no when asked to help — he always said yes."

Father Cronogue concluded, saying, "A deeply generous individual, Father Myhalyk has given freely of his time and energy, visiting members of his order who are sick as well as families in need," and he has now taken on the task o f assessing and restructuring the Society's Southern Missions in Alabama and Louisiana, in light of the post-Katrina trauma affecting those regions.