LVIV – On the feast of the Pentecost, June 7, Patriarch Sviatoslav of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church (UGCC) performed the ordination of the Rev. Mykola Bychok as the ruling bishop for the Eparchy of the Holy Apostles Ss. Peter and Paul in Melbourne, Australia, which serves Ukrainians in Australia, New Zealand and other countries of Oceania.
During his sermon to the faithful gathered in St. George Cathedral in Lviv, the UGCC primate noted: “We have been looking for a new bishop for Ukrainians in Australia for a long time. We are grateful that, by the power and action of the Holy Spirit, the Lord anointed him today, on the Pentecost. And, as on the Day of Pentecost, the apostles spoke in different languages, today our Church speaks in different languages, preaching the great works of God, proclaiming the same Gospel of Christ. In Australia – in English, in Brazil – in Portuguese, in Argentina – in Spanish…”
“I think the manifestations of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our Church will multiply. I have been recently told that in Singapore they pray for the father and head of our Church in their language,” added Patriarch Sviatoslav.
The patriarch thanked the new bishop for coming into full contact with God, opening his heart and allowing himself to be led by the Holy Spirit. He wished the new bishop the ability to enter into the culture of Australia, to learn the way the people think there and at the same time to fill their lives with God’s Word.
Patriarch Sviatoslav said that while the whole Church rejoices and thanks God for the gift of a new bishop, the UGCC community is especially happy that the bishop will be able to go in due time to his eparchy.
“The Holy Spirit wants to tell us today: do not be afraid, the pandemic will end sooner or later. Death, grief, disease never have the last word. We are sure that the borders will reopen and the new apostle of Christ will go to his episcopal see. And the Lord God addresses all of us today: live a spiritual life, a real spiritual life, do not look for it elsewhere, because nothing spiritual and holy without the Holy Spirit will be given to man,” Patriarch Sviatoslav emphasized.
Patriarch Sviatoslav was the presiding hierarch at the ordination of the new bishop, which took place in Lviv. Bishop Ihor Vozniak, archbishop and metropolitan of Lviv, and Bishop Petro Loza, auxiliary bishop of the Sokal-Zhovkva Eparchy in Ukraine, were co-consecrators of Bishop Mykola.
Bishop Mykola was born in Ternopil, Ukraine, in 1980. He was ordained a priest in 2005 and is a member of the Redemptorist Order. Father Bychok served parishes in Ukraine, Russia and the United States. Since April 2015 he had served St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Parish in Newark, N.J.
On January 15 of this year, it was announced that Father Bychok was to become the third eparch of Ss. Peter and Paul in Melbourne. Bishop Peter Stasiuk, who headed the eparchy since 1992, had offered his resignation to Pope Francis when he turned 75 in July 2018. Bishop Peter remains as apostolic administrator until the new eparch arrives in Melbourne to take up his new role.
Sources: Information Department of the UGCC, Ukrainian Catholic Church of Australia, New Zealand and Oceania