Paulist Fr. Ed Pietrucha was born in Newark, N.J., on Nov. 17, 1927, the youngest of seven children of Polish immigrants who came to America in 1903.  He was baptized at St. Casimir Church on New Year's Day 1928.  He spent his youth in Irvington, N.J.

After graduating from West Side High, he studied for a year at Manhattan College where he majored in accounting.  In 1946, he went into the U.S. Navy.  During his brief time in the Navy, he had some exposure to the Paulist Fathers at Old St. Mary's Cathedral in San Francisco.

Upon leaving the Navy, Fr. Ed returned to Manhattan College.  It was then that he picked up a pamphlet titled "You a Paulist?"

He made his first promises to the Paulist community on Sept. 8, 1951.

He was ordained a priest on May 11, 1957.

During his long priesthood, he has served in New York City; Boston; Austin, TX; Greeley, CO; Rome; Toronto; and Tucson, AZ.

He lives today at the Paulist Fathers Motherhouse in NYC.

Fr. Ed Pietrucha, C.S.P. as a young priest.