Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Edmonton

The Eparchy of Edmonton is a Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church ecclesiastical territory or eparchy of the Catholic Church that governs parishes in the Canadian province of Alberta. It uses the Byzantine Rite liturgy in the Ukrainian language and English language. The eparchy's cathedral is St. Josaphat's Cathedral in the episcopal see of Edmonton, Alberta.

Eparchy of Edmonton Eparchy Українська Католицька Едмонтонська Єпархія
St. Josaphat Cathedral, the seat of the Eparchy
Location
Country	Canada
Ecclesiastical province	Alberta
Metropolitan	Lawrence Huculak Metropolitan of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Winnipeg
Headquarters	Edmonton, Alberta
Statistics
Population - Catholics	25,000
Parishes	81
Information
Denomination	Catholic Church
Sui iuris church	Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
Rite	Byzantine
Established	November 3, 1956
Cathedral	Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of St. Josaphat
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Major Archbishop	Sviatoslav Shevchuk
Eparch	David Motiuk
Website
https://www.eeparchy.com/

History

On 19 January 1948, it was established as Ukrainian Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Western Canada (an Eastern Catholic missionary pre-diocesan jurisdiction, akin to a Latin apostolic prefecture), on territory split off from the then Ukrainian Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Canada.

On 10 March 1951, it was renamed as Ukrainian Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Edmonton, after its see.

On 3 November 1956, promoted as Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy (Eastern Catholic diocese) of Edmonton. It thus lost its exempt status, becoming a suffragan in the ecclesiastical province of the Metropolitan Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Winnipeg.

On 27 June 1974, it lost territory to establish the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of New Westminster.

On January 26, 2007 Pope Benedict XVI appointed former Auxiliary Bishop David Motiuk of the Archeparchy of Winnipeg as head of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Edmonton.

Extent

As of 2020, the diocese contains 81 parishes, 35 active diocesan and religious priests and 25,000 Catholics. It also has 11 women religious, 4 religious brothers and 8 permanent deacons.[1]

Bishops

Ordinaries

Apostolic Exarch of Western Canada

• Neil Savaryn, Basilian Order of Saint Josaphat (O.S.B.M.) (1948.01.19 – 1951.03.10 see below), Titular Bishop of Ios (1943.04.03 – 1956.11.03); previously Auxiliary Exarch of Canada of the Ukrainians (Canada) (1943.04.03 – 1948.01.19)

Apostolic Exarchs of Edmonton

• Neil Savaryn, O.S.B.M. (see above 1951.03.10 – 1956.11.03 see below)

Suffragan Eparchs (Diocesan bishops) of Edmonton

• Neil Savaryn, O.S.B.M. (see above 1956.11.03 – death 1986.01.08)
• Demetrius Greschuk (1986 – death 1990), previously Titular Bishop of Nazianzus (1974.06.27 – 1986.04.28) & Auxiliary Eparch of Edmonton of the Ukrainians (Canada) (1974.06.27 – 1986.04.28)
• Myron Daciuk, O.S.B.M. (1991 - death 1996), previously Titular Bishop of Thyatira (1982.06.24 – 1991.10.28) & Auxiliary Bishop of Winnipeg of the Ukrainians (Canada) (1982.06.24 – 1991.10.28)
• Lawrence Huculak, O.S.B.M. (1996.12.16 – 2006.01.09), later Metropolitan Archeparch of Winnipeg of the Ukrainians (Canada) (2006.01.09 – ...)
• David Motiuk (2007- ... ), Titular Bishop of Mathara in Numidia (2002.04.05 – 2007.01.25) & Auxiliary Bishop of Winnipeg of the Ukrainians (Canada) (2002.04.05 – 2007.01.25)

Auxiliary bishop

• Demetrius Martin Greschuk (1974-1986), appointed Bishop here

Other priest of this eparchy who became bishop

• Basil (Wasyl) Filevich (Felivich), appointed Bishop of Saskatoon (Ukrainian) in 1983

Eparchial Logo

The golden church dome under a blue sky was a symbol of faith and hope for the Ukrainian Greek Catholics who emigrated to the New World. Today, it remains a recognizable image that is familiar and welcoming to all Albertans, no matter their background. In this representation, logo designer Julian Hayda modelled his dome after St. Mary Ukrainian Catholic Parish in Waugh, Alberta. He explains, “What you see here are two paths, beginning at both East and West, and converging at a pinnacle as two hands holding one cross together.” He is referring to Eastern Catholics in full communion with Rome, joined in the one Catholic Church. The arms reaching upward also reflect our ardent desire to enter into communion with the awesomeness of God through the sacrificial love of Christ represented by the cross.

As in classical iconography, the colour blue also represents divinity. The darker the blue, the more deeply we enter into the life of the Holy Trinity. The circle stands for the eternal nature of God – without beginning or end. As such, God’s love for us is eternal – a mystery beyond our understanding. In contrast, the golden dome reflects the glory of God, the Divine Light visible to us. Its shape reminds us of the vault of heaven where we experience the embrace of the living God, especially through the Holy Mysteries, the Eucharist in particular.

Finally, an invitation, “Come follow me.” Christ who called the first disciples, also calls each and every one of us to follow him. A relatable and inspiring image, the logo of the Eparchy of Edmonton reflects the mission of the Church, to evangelize and share the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with everyone, no matter where they are on their faith journey.

Assigned Clergy

Listed is the current Clergy assigned to each Church in the Eparchy

Location	Church	Pastor
Calgary	Assumption of the BVM	Rev. Roman Planchak
Calgary	St. Stephen Protomartyr	Rev. Janko Herbut
Camrose District	Protection of the BVM	Very Rev. Mark Bayrock
Calmar	Holy Trinity
Calmar (Farms)	Immaculate Conception
Daysland	Assumption of the BVM
Hay Lakes	Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Holden (Farms)	Presentation of the BVM
Holden	Descent of the Holy Spirit
Leduc	Holy Trinity
Roundhill	Transfiguration of Our Lord
Thorsby	St. John the Baptist
Edmonton	Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God__	Rev. Peter Babej
Edmonton	Exaltation of the Holy Cross	Rev. Janko Herbut
Edmonton	Holy Eucharist	Very Rev. Mihajlo Planchak
Edmonton	Protection of BVM	Rev. Serhiy Harahuc
Edmonton	St. Basil the Great	Rev. Josaphat Tyrkalo, O.S.B.M (Pastor & Rector) Rev. Thomas Kobak, O.S.B.M (1st Assistant) Rev. Mark Zazula, O.S.B.M (2nd Assistant)
Edmonton	St. George	Rev. Anton Tarasenko, Rev. Stanislav Bjeli (Assistant)
Edmonton	St. Josaphat Cathedral	Rev. Mykhaylo Bohun, Pastor
Edmonton	St. Nicholas	Rev. Julian Bilyj
Edmonton	St. Vladimir	Rev. Ivan Nykyforuk
Grande Prairie District	Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God	Rev. Mark Sych
High Prairie	Christ the King
Hines Creek	All Saints
Manning	Ascension of Our Lord
Reno	Descent of the Holy Spirit
Lethbridge	St. Peter and Paul	Rev. Gary Sedgwick
Mundare District	Sts. Peter and Paul	(Served by the Basilian Fathers)
Vegreville	Holy Trinity
Lamont	St. John the Baptist
Borshchiw	St. John the Baptist
Krakow	Protection of the BVM
St. Michael	St. Nicholas
Skaro	Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Star-Peno	Assumption of the BVM
Chipman	Nativity of BVM
Delph	Presentation of the BVM
Hilliard	St. Dymytro
Leeshore	Nativity of the BVM
Limestone	St. Michael the Archangel
Red Deer	St. Vladimir	Rev. Jim Nakonechny
Redwater District	Sts. Borys and Hlib	Rev. Slavko Dumec
Athabasca	Assumption of the BVM
Carvel	St. Nicholas
Darling	Descent of the Holy Spirit
Rossington	St. Michael the Archangel
Thorhild	Holy Eucharist
Waskatenau	Descent of the Holy Spirit
Waugh	Assumption of the BVM
Cherhill	Holy Eucharist
Eldorena	Protection of the BVM
Fedorah	Ascension of Our Lord
Frains	Holy Eucharist
Manly	St. George
New Pine Creek	St. Anthony
Prosperity	Holy Trinity
Radway	Assumption of the BVM
Rochfort Bridge	St. John the Baptist
Smoky Lake District		Rev. Don Bodnar
Smoky Lake	Sts. Volodymyr and Olga
Buchach	St. Nicholas
Lac la Biche (Craigend)	Protection of the BVM
Innisfree	St. Josaphat
New Kiew	Ascension of Our Lord
Plain Lake	Holy Trinity
Spedden	Holy Trinity
Stry	Holy Eucharist
Two Hills	Sts. Volodymyr and Olga
Smoky Lake (Farms)	St. Paraskevia
Vilna	Descent of the Holy Spirit
St. Paul District	Protection of the BVM	Rev. Andrij Nykyforuk
Bonnyville	Descent of the Holy Spirit
Derwent	Descent of the Holy Spirit
Derwent(Farms)	Ascension of Our Lord
Myrnam	Assumption of the BVM
Elk Point	Holy Eucharist
Glendon	Assumption of the BVM
Iron River	St. John the Baptist
Angle Lake	Nativity of BVM
Northern Valley	St. John the Baptist
Sherwood Park	St. Sophia	Rev. Rendall Yackimec
Vermilion/Lloydminster District		Rev. Mike Bombak
Vermilion	St. Olha
Lloydminster	Descent of the Holy Spirit
Fidelity	St. John the Evangelist

References

• Eparchy of Edmonton page at catholichierarchy.org retrieved July 14, 2006

Sources and external links

• Official website
• GigaCatholic, with incumbent biography links