(CCCB – Ottawa) His Holiness Pope John Paul II today named Rev. John Pazak, CSsR, as Eparch for Slovak Catholics in Toronto. At the time of his appointment, Eparch-elect Pazak was pastor at Saint Joseph’s Parish in the Ukrainian Archeparchy of Winnipeg.  The Slovak Eparchy in Toronto has been vacant since the retirement of Most. Rev. Michael Rusnak, CSsR, in 1996.

Eparch-elect Pazak was born August 13, 1946, in Gary, Indiana. He has been a member of the Redemptorists since 1965 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1972. He has served in a number of pastoral roles in both Canada and the United States.

The Slovak Eparchy of Toronto is made up of eight parishes with eight priests and serves a population of 10,000 Slovak Catholics. An eparchy is the equivalent of a diocese in the Eastern Churches.