Eparchy of Edmonton

About

Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Edmonton is an eparchy of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, founded on November 3, 1957, and is part of the Metropolitanate of Winnipeg. The jurisdiction of the eparchy extends to the entire province of Alberta (Canada). Thus, the total area of the eparchy reaches 661,848 km², and the population is about 3,645,257 people. The eparchy of Edmonton outlines its mission as follows: “To lead all people to a continual deepening of personal relationships with Jesus Christ in and through His Church: knowing God, loving God, and serving God.”

The division into proto-presbyters:

a) Calgary Deanery

Calgary (2 parishes);
Lethbridge;
Red Deer.

b) Edmonton Deanery

Edmonton (9 parishes);
Sherwood Park.

c) Mander Dean’s Office

Camrose;
Squid;
Kalmar-Farms;
Dayland;
Hay Lakes;
Holden;
Holden-Farms;
Icebreaker;
Roundhill;
Thorsby;
Grand Prairie;
High Prairie;
Hines Creek;
Manning;
Renault;
Mander;
Wegreville;
Lamont;
Borscht;
Krakow;
St. Michael;
Score;
Star-Peno;
Chipman;
Delph;
Gilliard;
Lishor;
Limestone;
Redwater;
Athabasca;
Carwell;
Darling;
Rosington;
Torhild;
Vascatenau;
Vogue;
Churchill;
Eldoren;
Fedora;
Freins;
Mainley;
New Pine Creek;
Prosperity;
Redway;
Rochfort Bridge;
Sandhills;
Wildwood;
Smokey Lake;
Buchach;
Lac-la-Biche (Craigen);
Innisfrey;
New Kyiv;
Plain Lake;
Spedden;
Stryi;
Tu Hills;
Smokey Lake Farms;
Free;
St. Paul;
Bonneville;
Dervent;
Dervent-Farms;
Peace;
Elk Point;
Glendon;
Iron River;
Angle Lake;
Northern Valley;
Vermilion;
Lloydminster;
Fidelity.

According to statistics from 2016, the eparchy of Edmonton unites 5,486 believers in 84 parish centers, where 39 priests, including 30 eparchial and 9 hieromonks, and 4 deacons, serve as pastors. In addition, there are consecrated persons in the eparchy: 18 monks and 16 nuns.

There are a number of communities and organizations in the eparchy of Edmonton, including the Ukrainian Catholic Brotherhood for Men, the Ukrainian Catholic Women’s League of Canada for Women, the Ukrainian Catholic Youth for Youth, the Knights of Columbus, and others.

In addition, it is worth mentioning the spiritual and recreational complex “Oselya” where various camps for children and youth, retreats, eparchial congresses, and meetings are often held.

Location

Bishop

Since January 25, 2007, His Eminence Bishop David Motyuk has been the ruling bishop of the eparchy of Edmonton.

The cathedral of the eparchy of Edmonton is St. Josaphat’s Cathedral in Edmonton (Alberta, Canada).

History

In the mid-nineteenth century, French priests of the Order of St. Basil the Great arrived in Canada at the invitation of Bishop de Charbonnel of Toronto. They opened St. Michael’s College in Toronto in 1852 and then established Assumption College in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Since there the spread of Basilians in Canada has begun.

In October 1902, Fr. V. Zholdak was appointed Apostolic Administrator for Ukrainian Catholics in the province of Manitoba and throughout northwestern Canada. As a result, on November 1, 1902, three Basilian priests, a Basilian brother, and four Sisters of the Servants of the Immaculate Virgin came to Edmonton at his invitation to begin serving Ukrainian immigrants, who had been arriving in large numbers since 1891.

At the time, Ukrainian Catholics in Edmonton were supporters of the state school district.

In 1910, most Ukrainian Catholics lived near the church of St. Josaphat… A separate school district in Edmonton held a discussion with Fr. Matviy Hura, OSBM, and Ukrainian taxpayers regarding the possibility of their joining Roman Catholics. They agreed to pay their taxes to a separate school district if the school agreed to hire a teacher from the Eastern Catholic Order. Sister Josaphata Tymochko (S. S. M. I.) was hired to fulfill this condition, and thus began the Ukrainian Catholic presence in the Catholic school.

On March 3, 1948, His Eminence Neil N. Savarin, Eastern Catholic Bishop, OSBM, was appointed Ordinary Bishop of the Apostolic Exarchate of Edmonton. This appointment and the general revival by Ukrainian Catholics of their national roots were the impetus for the preservation of their culture and religious tradition.

On March 3, 1948, His Eminence Neil Nicholas Savarin, Eastern Catholic Bishop, OSBM, was appointed Ordinary Bishop of the Apostolic Exarchate of Edmonton. This appointment and the general revival by Ukrainian Catholics of their national roots were the impetus for the preservation of their culture and religious tradition.

In 1967, the proposal to establish a separate Ukrainian school was rejected. However, it was decided that consultants from the Ukrainian rite would be added to the administrative district. The Basilian Father Joseph Skvarok was appointed for this purpose. Father Joseph Squarock, who had taught at St. Joseph’s High School since the 1950s, joined Edmonton County Catholic Headquarters as a religious education consultant for a new Canadian catechism religious education program. Along with Margaret Zadorozhnaya, his task was to form a new program to meet the needs of Ukrainian teachers and students in the school system, as well as to teach the entire school system about Eastern Catholicism in general and Ukrainian Catholicism in particular.

In 1974, the Alberta Schools Act was amended to allow teaching in languages other than French and English for up to 50 % of the school day. Thanks to this change, the Ukrainian bilingual program was established this year at St. Matthew’s and St. Martin’s Schools and was then extended to include another program at St. Bernadette’s. This program covered a large number of students who were educated in the Catholic school system in English and Ukrainian from kindergarten to 4^th grade. It later expanded to include a junior high school program at St. Kevin’s School and an O’Brien High School program in Austin. In addition to the Ukrainian language, students at these schools also studied the Eastern Catholic rite as part of their studies.

On November 1, 1902, the first sisters-servants arrived in Edmonton. They were Ambrose Lenkevych, Taida Vrublevska, Isidora Shipovska and Emilia Klyapushko. They were gladly received by the Roman Catholic clergy, a religious and joyful group of Ukrainian emigrants.

It was planned that the sisters would live in apartments above the sacristy of St. Joachim’s Church where they began to serve the Ukrainian people. In May 1903, Sister Taida died after several months of illness. In July, the three sisters moved to Mander, Alberta, Canada, where they first lived in a room without windows or doors. They comforted many of their compatriots, restored their houses, and engaged in household chores.

The submission of the Maid Sisters allowed them to open schools in Mander and Edmonton, as well as to travel far with catechesis to serve the sick. In 1905, Bishop Emil Legal, OM, donated four lots and a house for the sisters on Avenue 9638–108.

In 1905, several maid sisters established their first permanent city mission in Edmonton. Their convent was located near the newly established Church of St. Josaphat. Shortly after their arrival, a kindergarten was opened in the monastery. By 1908, the number of pupils had grown to 100 children. In 1910, a new monastery and school were built, thanks to the generosity of the Society for the Education of the Catholic Church. The school was reorganized into an elementary school with about fifty children, who later formed a separate school for St. Josaphat. The first teacher was the sister of Josaphata Timochko.

In 1917, St. Josaphat School became part of the Edmonton Individual School. Sister-servant Maria Natalia Melnyk became a primary school teacher at the school.

To accommodate the increase in the number of students, four classrooms were built in 1921 in St. Josaphat’s Church. This classroom wing became part of the nearby Sacred Heart Primary School. Edmonton Catholic School rented it until 1961 when a new Sacred Heart School was built.

The pedagogical apostolate of the Sisters Servants in Edmonton, as in any other part of Canada, was formed because of their commitment to serve their Ukrainian brothers and sisters. Thus, they decided to teach in those schools where a large number of Ukrainian students studied.

In 1927, Sister Servant joined the staff of St. Francis of Assisi School, where she taught Ukrainian children. The Sisters Servants also taught at St. Clare’s School. Sister Gerrada (Pauline) Wednesday was the last sister of the Congregation to teach at Catholic schools in Edmonton.

In all these schools, the sisters taught the Ukrainian language, history, literature, and religion, according to the Eastern rite. They taught Ukrainian religious and folk songs, as well as presented many programs, which featured Ukrainian drama, choral art, hymns, folk songs, and choreography.

Beginning in 1967, the sisters served in a Ukrainian kindergarten in the Ukrainian Catholic parish of St. Basil. Thus, they continue to serve in the Catholic educational apostolate and pass on the riches of Ukraine’s cultural and religious heritage to new generations of Ukrainian Canadians.

The nuns shared their cultural and religious identities with the Latin rites and non-Catholic people of Edmonton: the clergy, the monks, and the laity. Countless parents were encouraged to enroll their children in the Catholic school system. Over the decades, they have bridged the gaps of ignorance and suspicion between the believers of the two rites and helped to promote a spirit of respect, fraternal cooperation, and mutual enrichment.

The Sisters continue to serve their people and all Edmonton people through the preparation and publication of cultural and religious textbooks and materials, the presentation of seminars and conferences on the Oriental Rite, and the spiritual renewal of staff and students.

Thus, in 1905, the sisters founded St. Josaphat Elementary School which became part of the Catholic School in 1917. In 1921, this school became part of the Sacred Heart School. The sisters taught at the Sacred Heart School until 1971.

In 1927, the sisters also taught at St. Francis School and St. Clare’s School and continued to do so until 1960. In the 1970s, they taught at St. Agnes School and for 24 years at St. Joseph’s High School.

Also in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Sister Margaret Zadorozhna was a consultant to the Byzantine rite for the Catholic system. In recent years, when the Eparchial catechetical center was established, the sisters of the Center had access to staff and students to inform them about Eastern saints and to organize liturgical celebrations.

The first council of the eparchy of Edmonton took place from March 30 to 31, 2001 at the Cultural Center of the Parish of St. Basil in Edmonton. It was convened and presided over by Bishop of Edmonton Lawrence Gutsulyak. The type of cathedral is eparchial. On the eve of the Council, the bishop and clergy considered a meeting of the clergy and parish representatives to discuss common issues related to the future development of the Edmonton eparchy. It is decided that the Eparchial Council of Edmonton will take place in late March during Lent.

The council was attended by 24 members of the clergy and 190 delegates from parishes to discuss common affairs and concerns. Participants shared their parish, family, and personal experiences. Bishop Mykhailo Hrynchyshyn, Maria Wojcichowska, Bishop Lawrence’s secretary, and others were present at the council.

The following decisions were made at the Council:

effective catechesis of children in teaching the basics of the faith;

formation of the vision of the young generation of the Church, ready to respond to the challenges of the modern world in the moral and family spheres: in medical ethics, in the problems of marriages and divorces, personal relationships, and drug abuse;

a great desire to deepen knowledge about the native Church: its history, liturgy, theology, spirituality, traditions, laws, and law and order;

desire to better know the faith and traditions, equivalent to a better knowledge of themselves.

The participants of the Council expressed a desire to become more active in everyday life, both at the parish and eparchial levels. Great concern was expressed for priests, deacons, and sisters who serve the faithful, including their success in the vocations. Church singing was also considered an important matter, especially the need to train deacons and improve choral and parish singing in general.

The council focused on four main issues: divorce and family breakdown, abortion, alcoholism, and bribery. These negative phenomena are not unique to Ukraine and papal documents provide important spiritual guidance on these issues in the last apostolic letter “At the beginning of the new millennium.” Topics for discussion by the delegates of the Edmonton Cathedral were suggested as holiness, prayer, the Sunday Eucharist, the Sacrament of Penance, the primacy of Grace, and the ministry, and preaching of the Word of God.

The direct consequence of the Council is the first step in unity. Because the dialogue with others on spiritual topics is revived, as well as on parish topics outside of spirituality; giving a better understanding of the faith and the Byzantine rite.

Contacts

Address: 9645–108 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta T5 H 1 A3, Canada

Phone: +1 (780) 424-54-96
Fax: +1 (780) 425-23-30

Email: [email protected]

Website: eeparchy.com