He received his doctorate of theology from the University of Innsbruck in 1914 and was ordained to the priesthood.
On 26 June 1941, he was killed in Sykhiv by soldiers of the retreating Soviet Army.
[1] Ivan Kuchytskyi recounts the events of Ishchak's death in his own testimony: As the war began, the priest was taken from Persenkivka [uk], the neighboring station.
My dad, because they knew each other well, told him: "Father, when they let you go, I would advise you to hide for a few days."
"Hide yourself and we'll survive," the priest said: "Ivan, the shepherd doesn't abandon his flock.