New Ukrainian Catholic metropolitan for Canada enthroned in Winnipeg

WINNIPEG - Bishop Lawrence Huculak, OSBM, was enthroned as the metropolitan of Ukrainian Catholics in Canada on Saturday, February 11, at Ss. Volodymyr and Olga Cathedral in Winnipeg.

"This is an exciting time for the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Canada," said the new metropolitan, who also became archbishop of the Winnipeg Archeparchy. "We are entering our 50th jubilee year since the establishment of the Metropolitan See of the Ukrainian Catholic Church and establishment of the eparchies of Toronto, Saskatoon and Edmonton ... I look forward to serving our Canadian Ukrainian Catholic Church as its metropolitan."

Archbishop-Metropolitan Huculak was born on January 25, 1951, in Vernon, British Columbia. He was ordained a priest on August 28, 1977, following perpetual religious vows in the Order of St. Basil the Great. He holds a doctorate in liturgy form the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome. He was ordained bishop for the Eparchy of Edmonton on April 3, 1997.

The appointment of Archbishop-Metropolitan Huculak by Pope Benedict XVI coincided with the pontiff's acceptance of the resignation of Metropolitan Michael Bzdel.

"I am grateful to Our Lord for having had the privilege to serve the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Canada as its metropolitan for the last 12 years," said Archbishop Bzdel. "I would like to assure Archbishop Lawrence of my prayerful and fraternal support."

(Sources: The Sower, Religious Information Service of Ukraine.)

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, March 5, 2006, No. 10, Vol. LXXIV

| Home Page |