Soroka enthroned as metropolitan for Ukrainian Catholics in the U.S. (03/11/01)

Soroka enthroned as metropolitan for Ukrainian Catholics in the U.S.

by Andrij Wowk
Special to The Ukrainian Weekly

PHILADELPHIA - As thundering choruses of "Axios!" (he is worthy) were sung by the choir within the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Bishop Stefan Soroka of Winnipeg was enthroned as the new metropolitan-archbishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia on Tuesday, February 27. He is the sixth metropolitan of Ukrainian Catholics in the United States.

More than 2,000 faithful and clergy, as well as prelates from the Ukrainian Catholic, Ukrainian Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches filled the cathedral to witness the ceremony, which began at 2:30 p.m. The official enthronement itself was conducted by Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo, apostolic nuncio to the United States. Two newly appointed cardinals, Archbishop Major Lubomyr Husar, primate of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, and Roman Catholic Archbishop Theodore McCarrick of Washington, participated in the event. Also present were Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua of the Latin-rite Archdiocese of Philadelphia and Cardinal William Keeler of the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

During a ceremony replete with Church tradition, clergy of the Philadelphia Archeparchy lined up to take their turns in greeting and prostrating themselves before the newly installed archbishop, expressing their promise of obedience to him.

After the enthronement ceremony, Archbishop Soroka, 49, celebrated a hierarchical divine liturgy with many of the prelates in attendance. The concelebrants included retired Metropolitan-Archbishop Stephen Sulyk, who headed the Philadelphia Archeparchy since 1980, and Metropolitan-Archbishop Michael Bzdel, spiritual leader of Ukrainian Catholics in Canada, who is based in Winnipeg.

The prelates and faithful present included four cardinals, 17 Eastern Catholic metropolitans and bishops, 16 Roman Catholic bishops, Bishop Vsevolod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A., about 90 priests and 70 nuns, and over 2,000 laity, among them nearly 400 children from the eparchy's parishes.

In his homily, Metropolitan-Archbishop Soroka called himself the new "chief shepherd" of the archeparchy, and pledged to maintain "a relationship of deep love and trust" with the faithful. The flock responds "to a shepherd whose voice they recognize calling them forward to follow. ... A shepherd must model the direction and lead the way, and the sheep will follow."

"As your shepherd, I am called to be among the priests, religious and people enough that you will recognize my voice and trust my heart. I must have enough courage to go first, compassion enough to choose a safe path for the weakest among you, and confidence enough to know that you will follow if I lead," the metropolitan stated.

"As your new archbishop and metropolitan," he continued, "I commit myself to serve you according to the ideals of the One High Shepherd, Jesus Christ Our Lord. I want us to come to know one another with much familiarity, with much mutual love and respect. I beg your patience and understanding of my limitations, and your kind assistance so that I may become who our Lord Jesus calls me to be for you. I pledge you my passionate love for God, for our Church and for all of you."

Buses filled with faithful from throughout the Philadelphia Archeparchy, which includes parishes in Delaware, eastern Pennsylvania, the District of Columbia, New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia, began arriving at the cathedral by mid-morning. A large number of schoolchildren, including Sodality members and altar boys, were in attendance during the services. Hymns during the services were sung by the choir of Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church of Melrose Park, Pa.

Prior to the installation ceremony, a testimonial luncheon was held in the metropolitan-designate's honor at the Hyatt Regency at Penn's Landing in Philadelphia. Bishop Soroka was welcomed by the Archbishop Sulyk, 76, who retired as metropolitan for U.S. Ukrainian Catholics last year, and Archbishop Major Husar, who only six days before had been elevated to cardinal by Pope John Paul II. Ukrainian Orthodox Archbishop Vsevolod also addressed the formal gathering.

After the liturgy, Metropolitan Soroka greeted guests and well-wishers at a reception in the cathedral's social hall to which all clergy, religious and faithful were invited.

The Archeparchy of Philadelphia comprises 68,000 parishioners in 74 churches. Besides the territory encompassed by the Philadelphia Archeparchy, the Philadelphia Metropolitan Province encompasses eparchies based in Chicago, Stamford, Conn., and Parma, Ohio.

Archbishop Soroka was born November 13, 1951, in Winnipeg. He received bachelor's and master's degrees in social work at the University of Manitoba, and in 1979 entered the Ukrainian Catholic Seminary in Washington. After earning a bachelor's degree in sacred theology from The Catholic University of America in 1982, he was ordained as a priest in the Archeparchy of Winnipeg on June 13, 1982.

As a priest, Archbishop Soroka ministered to parishes in Manitoba, and served as a judge of the archdiocesan tribunal and as director of vocations. He also continued his graduate studies and earned a doctorate in social work in 1985. In 1994 he was named chancellor and financial administrator of the Winnipeg Archeparchy. In 1996, at the age of 44, he was named auxiliary archbishop in Winnipeg, becoming the youngest Ukrainian bishop in that country.

Borys Prokopovych contributed to this report.

The coat of arms of the new metropolitan-archbishop

Homily by Metropolitan-Archbishop Stefan Soroka

New metropolitan's remarks at luncheon reception

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