New bishop named for Chicago

Metropolitan Archeparchy of Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA - On the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, March 25, the pope has announced the appointment of Msgr. Richard Seminack, pastor of Holy Trinity Ukrainian Catholic Church in Carnegie, Pa., as the new eparch of the St. Nicholas Eparchy in Chicago. This appointment affirms the nomination made to the holy father by the Synod of Ukrainian Catholic Bishops.

The bishop-elect succeeds Bishop Michael Wiwchar, CSsR, who was appointed in November 2000 as the bishop for the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Bishop Wiwchar has served as administrator of the Chicago Eparchy from November 2000 until the appointment by the pope on March 25.

Bishop-Elect Seminack, 61, studied at St. Basil's Seminar College in Stamford, Conn., at St. Josaphat Ukrainian Catholic Seminary and The Catholic University of America in Washington, where he received a Master's of Divinity degree.

The St. Nicholas Eparchy of Chicago embraces most of the western part of the United States of America, including Alaska and Hawaii. It is one of four Ukrainian Catholic eparchies in the United States.

Metropolitan-Archbishop Stefan Soroka issued the following statement: "We ask the prayers of all the bishops, clergy, religious and faithful for the newly appointed Bishop-Elect Richard Sminack. God grant him His wisdom, strength and guidance in his ministry as chief shepherd of the Chicago Eparchy of St. Nicholas, Mnohaya Lita."

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, March 30, 2003, No. 13, Vol. LXXI

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