Birthday Reflections for a Remarkable Man: Msgr. Joseph Semancik turns 97

Monsignor Joseph Semancik is a truly special leader. I first met Monsignor when I was a kid in East Chicago, and even then it was clear that he was a man deeply devoted to Christ and to serving others. He has always held people accountable while leading with integrity, compassion, and a steadfast commitment to his word.

Monsignor is also one of the founding board members of Hospice of the Calumet Area, helping shape an organization that continues to provide compassionate care to families throughout our community.

One of the things that always made me smile was that the Monsignor consistently called me “Dominic” instead of Damian. I’m still not sure if he did it on purpose or if he was just being funny, but he always said it with a perfectly straight poker face. Friends and colleagues would ask why I never corrected him. The truth is, it was out of respect. And honestly, I’ve been called worse. I simply appreciated the relationship we had.

That relationship wasn’t always easy. When I worked for the Foundations of East Chicago, he served on our board of directors. I was a young man just starting my career in my 20s, and he was as tough as those $6.99 steaks at Ponderosa. He would challenge me constantly, often saying marketing was a waste of time and that my job was simply to “make things look good.” We agreed to disagree and moved on. But in hindsight, those moments helped shape me. He would playfully bully me during meetings, always ready with a comment no matter how prepared I was. Over time, I learned to defend my ideas and make stronger, more persuasive presentations.

Later, when I served as Communications Director for the City of East Chicago, he would still call on me to run ideas past me. He loved the dialogue and the challenge.

A decade later, my journey brought me to Hospice of the Calumet Area, and I learned that one of our founding members was none other than Msgr. Joseph Semancik. Over the years he always had kind words for me, and I noticed a beautiful and inspiring change. He remained thoughtful and challenging, but he also became more reflective and gentle. He shared his wisdom in a way that made me understand how important compassion and perspective are when caring for patients and families.

One day he walked past me while I was installing acrylic suite numbers on the rooms at our William J. Riley Memorial inpatient facility. He stopped for a moment, looked at what I was doing, rolled his eyes, and muttered under his breath, “Sure… I guess that’s marketing.”

That was the Monsignor. Always ready with a little challenge, even in the smallest moments.

Later that day, he reinforced that "it's not about marketing, it's about education. It's about changing the perspective."

He was right.

He once shared something with me that I will never forget. When he helped build this hospice, he had no idea that one day his youngest sister "Janie" would become a patient here and that he would visit her during her final journey. He told me, “Of all the things in life I have done, I am most proud of the work done here at Hospice of the Calumet Area.”

In 2023, he celebrated the 70th anniversary of his first Mass with a gathering of close friends and family on May 3 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Whiting—where he was baptized 97 years ago. I was honored to be one of those friends present that day.

To this day, I call my nephew’s girlfriends and even my own kids and their friends by the wrong names. They roll their eyes and answer without correcting me. Maybe that little tease is my quiet tribute to a relationship I appreciated over the years with the Monsignor.

Love that Monsignor Joseph Semancik.

Happy 97th Birthday, Msgr., and thank you for the memories, the lessons, and the dedication and blessings you have given to all of us.

Monsignor Joseph Semancik stands as a daily reminder about the importance of Cherishing Life.

Damian Rico is the Marketing and Community Relations Director at Hospice of the Calumet Area. The opinions expressed are his own.