Father Myron Kirsch, O.S.B., 78, a monk of Saint Vincent Archabbey who served as athletic director for Saint Vincent College for 40 years, died Sunday, September 8, 2024. Father Myron took on the role of athletic director in 1983, just as Saint Vincent was transitioning into a co-educational institution, and presided over the introduction of women’s sports, including a very successful basketball program. By the time he retired in 2023, the program had grown to 25 sports, and the athletics program had transitioned from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) to the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA). At the time of his retirement, about one-third of the student body at Saint Vincent participated in intercollegiate athletics.
Born in Spangler, Pennsylvania on April 22, 1946, to the late Herman A. and Catherine (Kritzer) Kirsch, he grew up in nearby Nicktown, one of nine children. His brothers and sisters are Sister Celine Marie Kirsch, R.S.M. of Guyana, South America; Ronald Kirsch of Parma, Ohio; Reginald Kirsch of Grafton, Ohio; Zelda (Mrs. Thomas) Ochocki of Parma, Ohio; and Marilyn Kirsch of Seven Hills, Ohio, and the late Shirley (Mrs. Charles) McNulty, Marge (Mrs. Paul) Smego, and Maxine (Mrs. Michael) Bender.
Father Myron attended Saint Nicholas Parochial School in Nicktown and is a 1964 graduate of Bishop Carroll High School in Ebensburg. Two years after graduating high school, he entered the Benedictine monastic community of Saint Vincent Archabbey as a novice. He made his simple, or first, profession of vows on July 11, 1967, while still a college student, and earned the Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy from Saint Vincent College two years later. He made solemn profession of monastic vows on July 11, 1970, while a student at Saint Vincent Seminary, from which he earned the Master of Divinity degree in 1973. He was ordained a priest in Saint Vincent Archabbey Basilica by the Most Reverend William G. Connare, Bishop of Greensburg, on May 12, 1973.
In 1977, he earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Loyola University in Chicago, and upon completion of that degree he returned to Saint Vincent to begin work in the Archabbey’s educational apostolate, primarily at Saint Vincent College. There, he served as assistant campus minister (1977–79), residence hall moderator (1979–84), instructor of business administration (1977–81), dean of students (1984-1994), and assistant professor of accounting, starting in 1981. Father Myron became a role model to students for many years by his service as a Benedictine resident in Wimmer Hall.
Father Myron was an exceptional baseball player and served as assistant baseball coach at Saint Vincent from 1980 to 1983, when he was named athletic director. In addition to growth in athletics programming, Father Myron oversaw a number of major athletic facility upgrades, including the renovation and expansion of the Robert S. Carey Center, which more than doubled the athletic facility space and expanded office space for coaching staff members and athletic department personnel. As part of the College’s reinstitution of football in 2007, the Chuck Noll Field, a natural grass, 1,200-seat stadium was constructed. Other projects included construction of UPMC Field and a new softball field, and renovation of the baseball field.
Although he spent long hours at his desk, Father Myron attended as many athletic events at Saint Vincent as he could. In 2008, he was honored with the Boniface Wimmer Faculty Award, which recognizes senior faculty members for continuing, distinguished achievement and loyal service to the College.
Despite a heavy workload teaching and in athletics, Father Myron did not neglect his service as a priest, regularly traveling on weekend parish mission to numerous parishes in the region. His longest “regular” mission was in Cambria County, where he served Saint John and Immaculate Conception parishes in Summerhill and New Germany from 1994 until 2021.
The body of Father Myron will be received at 1 p.m. Wednesday, September 11 at the parlor of the Elizabeth J. Roderick Center of Saint Vincent Seminary, where viewing will be held until 5 p.m. The wake service in the Basilica will begin at 7 p.m., with celebrant and homilist Father Prior Killian Loch, O.S.B. A concelebrated Mass of Christian Burial, celebrated by Father Killian, will take place at 2 p.m. Thursday, September 12, in the Basilica. Brother Norman Hipps, O.S.B., will give a post-communion reflection. The Rite of Committal will follow at the Mary, Mother of Mercy Mausoleum Chapel at Saint Vincent Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Benedictine Health and Welfare Fund, Saint Vincent Archabbey, 300 Fraser Purchase Road, Latrobe, PA 15650.
