Archdiocese of San Antonio announce funeral services for Bishop John Yanta

Arrangements for the faith leader span multiple cities and parishes, starting in Amarillo on Wednesday, August 10. They are as follows: 

• Wednesday, August 10: Visitation and rosary at St. Laurence Church in Amarillo at 6:30 p.m.
• Thursday, August 11: Funeral Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Amarillo at 10:30 a.m.
• Tuesday, August 16: Visitation beginning at 1 p.m. and rosary at 2:30 p.m. at St. James Church at 907 W Theo Ave, San Antonio, TX 78225.
• Tuesday, August 16: Visitation beginning at 5 p.m. and rosary at 7 p.m. at St. Paul’s Church at 350 Sutton Drive, San Antonio, TX 78228.
• Wednesday, August 17: Funeral Mass at 10 a.m. at San Fernando Cathedral at 115 Main Plaza, San Antonio, TX 78205. Reception to follow. Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller, MSpS, presider, and Father Carlos Velazquez, cathedral rector, homilist.
• Wednesday, August 17: Visitation beginning at 5 p.m. and rosary at 7 p.m. at Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church at 13879 North FM 81 in Panna Maria.
• Thursday, August 18: Funeral Mass at Immaculate Conception Church in Panna Maria at 9 a.m. with reception to follow. Auxiliary Bishop Michael Boulette, presider.

Yanta was born on October 2, 1931 and grew up as part of a large Polish family on their farm-ranch in Runge, over 80 miles southeast of San Antonio. He later shared that he knew that he wanted to be a priest since he was a child but did not share his aspirations with this family for fear of being made fun of by his brothers, the diocese shared in his death announcement. He attended Central Catholic High School in San Antonio before joining the seminary. 

Yanta was ordained to the priesthood on March 17, 1956 in San Fernando Cathedral by Archbishop Robert E. Lucey. He was the first bishop of Polish background to be appointed to a diocese in Texas, the archdiocese stated online.

He went on to become a respected leaded within the Catholic community. Yanta was part of the group responsible for CSTA and was editor in chief of the archdiocesan newspaper, “Today’s Catholic.” The archdiocese remembers Yanta’s reputation as an organizer, noting his 1993 arrest for blocking the entrance of an abortion clinic on San Pedro on the 20th anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court ruling.