Furor erupts in Toronto Eparchy as Rome makes move against bishop (01/31/93)

Furor erupts in Toronto Eparchy as Rome makes move against bishop

by Andrij Wynnyckyj

TORONTO - A furor has erupted in the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Toronto in recent weeks over the appointment of the Rev. Roman Danylak, on December 29, 1992, as its apostolic administrator.

The Vatican's announcement effectively stripped the incumbent, Bishop Isidore Borecky, of all episcopal authority, and transferred it to an administrator. The Rev. Danylak's ordination as acting bishop of the eparchy, under the title of bishop of Nyssa, is scheduled to take place on March 25. Bishop Borecky is to retain the title of eparch of Toronto, but no power.

Spurred by the mounting dissatisfaction among the faithful and the clergy of his eparchy, and his own unwillingness to relinquish his position, Bishop Borecky took the opportunity of a scheduled pastoral trip to Montreal on the weekend of January 23-24, to travel to Ottawa and personally voice his concern, and the concern of those nominally still under his authority, to Apostolic Nuncio to Canada Msgr. Carlo Curis.

Met by this Weekly correspondent upon his return to Toronto on January 26, Bishop Borecky did not agree to a full interview, but did confirm he had met with the Vatican's representative, and the trip's purpose. He also stressed the need to address and resolve the issue quickly before emotions in the eparchy become too inflamed.

The Rev. Danylak (see interview, page 3) contends that his appointment stems from Rome's resolve to implement the mandatory retirement age of 75 for bishops. This harkens back to the conflict that arose in 1989, when an unsuccessful attempt was made to oust Bishop Borecky from his position as Toronto eparch, in accordance with a draft statute of the Canon Law for the Eastern Catholic Churches. (Bishop Borecky turned 75 on October 1, 1986.)

At that time, Bishop Borecky claimed he had never submitted his resignation as some had alleged, that he was not bound by the laws cited, and that he would not step down until given "a coadjutor."

In the continuing controversy, allegations have been made that the Vatican Curia chose to appoint an apostolic administrator for the eparchy, a move usually made in times of emergency or in case of the physical or mental debility of an incumbent bishop ("serious and special reasons," according to one source), in direct contradiction to a request made by Bishop Borecky and by the Synod of Ukrainian Bishops in Lviv in May 1992 for an auxiliary bishop - not a replacement or a successor.

These allegations surfaced dramatically at a meeting held on January 20 at St. Demetrius Church hall in Toronto, called by the Rev. John Tataryn, pastor. It was attended by about 45 clergymen, or roughly half of the Toronto Eparchy's active clergy.

They met to confer, in closed sessions, on further measures to be taken in defense of Bishop Borecky, and to draft a strong letter of protest addressed to "Patriarch Myroslav Cardinal Lubachivsky" in Lviv, and to the papal nuncio to Canada.

The letter deplores the appointment of an apostolic administrator as "a serious breach of normal channels of protocol and relationship between the Roman Apostolic See and the particular Patriarchal Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church," and speaks of "conflicts, ...rejection of obedience to the apostolic administrator, the crossing over of clergy and faithful to other jurisdictions, disintegration of organized ecclesial life and financial support, etc." as possible consequences if the appointment stands. This letter is now being circulated among the clergy of the eparchy and, according to the Rev. Tataryn, about 50 to 60 signatures have been affixed already.

The Rev. Tataryn also stated, when reached the following day, that he had been chosen to head a delegation of clergy that would head to Ottawa to issue a protest to the nuncio, and that he was encouraging the faithful of all parishes to write letters of protest to the papal nuncio, the Vatican, and to Cardinal Lubachivsky.

The Ukrainian TV program "Kontakt," given access during a break in the Toronto clergy's deliberations, televised the comments of some of those assembled at St. Demetrius, on January 24. The Rev. Roman Hankevych, mitred archpriest from Hamilton, Ontario, and president of the (Canadian) National Council on the Ukrainian Patriarchate, said: "Rome completely ignored the wishes of our Synod of Bishops. Its proposition was to assign an auxiliary for Bishop Borecky. Instead they assigned an administrator. This is a great insult to His Excellency, who has overseen this eparchy so very ably for 46 years."

Bishop Borecky also attended the meeting, and spoke to "Kontakt's" cameras, protesting that he had never been personally contacted about the impending decision to have him replaced, and saying that he and the many priests with whom he had worked over the years had been done a great injustice. He went on to wonder if the Vatican wished to "demonstrate that everything that has been built up to date [in his eparchy] is improper, and that it will follow a different form."

Another opponent of the Vatican's move is the Rt. Rev. Petro Bilaniuk, who serves as a mitred archpriest at St. Nicholas parish in Toronto and is also a professor of theology and religious studies at the University of Toronto. Telephoned by The Weekly on January 14, the Rev. Bilaniuk contended that Rome's decision shows "a manifest disregard for the established particularity and rights of the Synod and bishops of our Church."

The Rev. Bilaniuk also asserted, "there are no apparent 'serious and special reasons' why an apostolic administrator should be appointed. Bishop Isidore Borecky is in excellent health, physically and mentally. The finances of the Eparchy of Toronto are in perfect order. Bishop Isidore has successfully staffed all of his parishes with priests, and continues to do so."

A murkier issue is the charge that the Rev. Danylak was not even on the Synod's list of three candidates for the position in Toronto, which would put the Vatican in even starker conflict with the Ukrainian Synod's right and authority to administer its internal affairs. The Rev. Danylak contends that the names of the candidates were to have remained a secret, and thus any speculation in this area is just that (see interview). However, this information has apparently been widely circulated.

The Rt. Rev. Myron Stasiv, vicar general of the eparchy and pastor of the Church of St. Mary the Protectress in Toronto, is a staunch supporter of the Rev. Danylak's appointment. Contacted by The Weekly on January 25, he readily conceded that the Rev. Danylak was not a candidate for the Toronto Eparchy, but contended that "the apostolic capital was not bound by the slate of candidates presented to it by the Ukrainian Synod of Bishops and the eparchy is better off with the Rev. Danylak than with the candidates proposed."

The Rev. Stasiv also pointed to Cardinal Lubachivsky's letter extending congratulations to both the Rev. Danylak and to Metropolitan-designate Michael Bzdel, published in the January 6 issue of the Winnipeg weekly, Postup. The Rev. Stasiv claimed that if the archbishop of Lviv gave his approbation, there could be no further valid debate.

The Rev. Petro Galadza, a pastor in Scarborough, Ontario, also spoke to The Weekly, and presented quite a different view, asserting that "the Toronto Eparchy shook the Uniate inferiority complex 20 years ago. The promises of Vatican II [the Second Vatican Council of 1963] became a reality here. It would be wrong to turn back the clock. The pope himself has insisted on our need to regain our heritage. According to the decree of the council, the Eastern Catholic Churches (which includes the Ukrainian Church) are duty bound to rule themselves according to their own traditions, and that tradition is a tradition of synods. So, synodal decisions should be respected."

A senior official of the lay Brotherhood of Ukrainian Catholics of Canada, who wished not to be named, echoed this sentiment, saying that such appointments should be up to Ukrainian Catholic hierarchs, and that no decision should be made over their heads.

In recent weeks, Bishop Borecky's position has not always been clear. In the week immediately following the official announcement of the Rev. Danylak's appointment, he spoke out to voice his dismay at not being consulted and to oppose his removal. Later he attended an old-calendar New Year's service, conducted by the Rev. Stasiv on January 14, greeting the Rev. Danylak in his new position. Bishop Borecky then attended the January 20 dissenters' meeting, and set out to meet the papal legate.

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