He comes from a long line of clergy; his father was the Reverend Miklós Jaczkovics, and his mother was Mária Ferencsik. His wife was Jolanda Kaminsky; his children were Tamás, József, Mihály, Jolanda, and Teodóz. He pursued his theological studies in Uzhhorod. On December 12, 1899, he was ordained a priest by Bishop Gyula Firczák of Munkács. He emigrated to the United States around 1900. He received U.S. citizenship on May 18, 1906. He was granted the title of archdeacon. He also held the title of dean of the clergy of the Greek Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh and served as spiritual director for Greek Catholics living in the United States.