Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Winnipeg

Archeparchy of Winnipeg

Archieparchia Vinnipegensis Ucrainorum

Українська Католицька Архиєпархія в Вінніпеґу
Cathedral of Sts. Volodymyr and Olha
Location
CountryCanada
TerritoryManitoba
Ecclesiastical provinceWinnipeg
HeadquartersWinnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Population
- Catholics

29,700
Information
DenominationCatholic Church
Sui iuris churchUkrainian Greek Catholic Church
RiteByzantine Rite
EstablishedNovember 3, 1956
CathedralCathedral of Sts. Volodymyr and Olha
Current leadership
PopeFrancis
Major ArchbishopSviatoslav Shevchuk
Metropolitan ArchbishopLawrence Huculak
Auxiliary BishopsAndriy Rabiy
Website
www.archeparchy.ca

The Archeparchy of Winnipeg is a Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church ecclesiastical territory or archeparchy of the Catholic Church in Manitoba, a province of Canada. Currently, its archeparch is Lawrence Huculak.

Its cathedral is the Cathedral of Sts. Volodymyr and Olha in the episcopal see of Winnipeg, Manitoba[1] Sts. Volodymyr and Olha are the patron saints of the Cathedral. In Ukrainian Catholic churches the patron saint of the Church is generally represented behind the altar. Sts. Volodymyr and Olha are the ones who introduced Christianity to Ukraine, and it is appropriate that the first Ukrainian Church in Winnipeg is placed under their patronage.[2] Among the locations under the archeparchy's administration is Bishop Velychkovsky Martyr’s Shrine, also in Winnipeg.

The archeparchy oversees all Ukrainian Greek Catholic parishes in Manitoba. As of 2010, the archeparchy contained 136 parishes, 32 active diocesan priests, 11 religious priests, and 29,700 Ukrainian Greek Catholics. It also has 23 religious sisters, 11 religious brothers and 12 permanent deacons. It operates a number of parochial schools in the city of Winnipeg jointly with the Latin Archdiocese of Saint Boniface.

History

Sts. Vladimir and Olga, by Leo Mol

Nestor Dmytriw, the first Ukrainian Greek Catholic priest in Canada, having started parishes in 1897 and 1898 in Terebowla, Manitoba, Stuartburn, Manitoba and Edna, Alberta, advocated a separate territory for Ukrainian Greek Catholics in Canada, but this idea was opposed by the existing Latin Canadian Catholic hierarchy.[citation needed] His vision came to fruition on 15 June 1912 when the Holy See established in Winnipeg the Apostolic Exarchate of Canada and Nykyta Budka was appointed its first Exarch (missionary bishop) for Ukrainians in Canada, in response to the success of pretend Bishop Seraphim (Stefan Ustvolsky) in organizing Ukrainians interested in the liturgical traditions of their heritage.

On 19 January 1948, it was renamed as Apostolic Exarchate of Central Canada, having lost vast territories to establish the Apostolic Exarchate of Western Canada and the Apostolic Exarchate of Eastern Canada. In 1951, it was again renamed as Apostolic Exarchate of Manitoba, having lost territory again to establish the Apostolic Exarchate of Saskatoon. On 3 November 1956, it finally lost its missionary pre-diocesan and exempt status (until then, it had been immediately subject to the Holy See) when promoted directly to metropolitan status as the Archeparchy of Winnipeg.

Ecclesiastical province

Its ecclesiastical province in Canada includes the metropolitan's archeparchy and the following suffragan eparchies:

Bishops

Diocesan ordinaries

Apostolic Exarch of Canada
Apostolic Exarch of Central Canada
Apostolic Exarch of Manitoba
Metropolitan Archeparchs (Archbishops) of Winnipeg
  • Maxim Hermaniuk, C.SS.R. (see above 1956.11.03 – 1992) also President of Synod of the Ukrainian Catholic Church (1969 – 1974)
  • Michael Bzdel C.SS.R. (1992.12.16 – 2006.01.09)
  • Lawrence Huculak, O.S.B.M. (2006.01.09 – ...), previously Eparch of Edmonton of the Ukrainians (Canada) (1996.12.16 – 2006.01.09)

Coadjutor bishop

Auxiliary bishops

Other priests of this diocese who became bishops

  • Isidore Borecky, appointed Apostolic Exarch of Eastern Canada (Ukrainian) in 1948
  • Roman Danylak, appointed Apostolic Administrator of Toronto (Ukrainian) in 1992

References

  1. ^ Martynowych, Orest T., Ss Vladimir and Olga Ukrainian Catholic church
  2. ^ "Mol, Leo" (PDF).