Episcopal Resignation and Appointment for the Archeparchy of Winnipeg

Thursday, July 09 2026

(Ottawa)–Today, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV has accepted the resignation of the Most Reverend Lawrence Huculak, O.S.B.M., Metropolitan Archbishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Winnipeg, and appointed the Most Reverend Michael Kwiatkowski as his successor. At the time of his appointment, he was the Bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of New Westminster.

The Most Reverend Michael Kwiatkowski

The Most Rev. Michael Kwiatkowski was born on 21 November 1961 in Hamiota, Manitoba, and grew up in Brandon. After completing his degree in philosophy and theology at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas, he pursued studies in canon law at the Pontifical Oriental Institute (PIO). In 2000, he successfully defended his doctoral dissertation, “The Role of the Laity in Church Governance,” at the PIO.

On 14 September 1985, he was ordained to the diaconate in Roblin, Manitoba. On 28 July 1986, he was ordained a priest in Brandon, Manitoba. He was appointed Associate Pastor at Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Winnipeg, serving there from 1986 to 1992.

In 1992, Archbishop-elect Kwiatkowski returned to the Pontifical Oriental Institute (PIO) as he continued to work toward a licentiate and doctorate in Eastern Canon Law. During his studies, he served as pastor at the Ukrainian Catholic Parish in Manchester, England. In 1995 he served as Chaplain at the Lviv Theological Academy. From 1997 to 2000, he served as Chancellor of the Patriarchal Curia of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in Lviv. During this period, he was also appointed a judge of the Patriarchal Tribunal of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and a member of the clergy of St. George’s Cathedral in Lviv.

From 2000 to 2002, he served as Vice-Rector of the Lviv Theological Academy. He was then appointed Vice-Rector of the Ukrainian Catholic University, serving from 2002 to 2006, where he taught canon law and directed the University’s Department of Pastoral Life. Concurrently, from 2000 to 2006, he served as Head of the Metropolitan Tribunal of Second Instance in Lviv, and in 2003 was appointed Head of the Patriarchal Tribunal of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. Returning to Canada in 2006, he served as Director of Spiritual Formation at Holy Spirit Ukrainian Seminary in Ottawa until 2009.

The Most Rev. Kwiatkowski served as the Chancellor of the Archeparchy of Winnipeg from 2014 to 2023. He represented the Archeparchy on the Patriarchal Ukrainian Greek Pastoral Council since its establishment in 2019 in Ukraine.

From August 2010 to 2021, he undertook parish ministry at the Holy Eucharist Parish in Winnipeg. He was a representative in the Canadian Federation of Presbyteral Councils, for which he served a term as National President. On 1 August 2021, Archbishop-elect Michael Kwiatkowski was appointed Pastor of Blessed Virgin Mary Parish. He served on the Winnipeg Tri-Diocesan Pro-Life Committee as well as the Tri-Diocesan Prison Ministry Committee. He was State Chaplain for the Manitoba Knights of Columbus from 2016–2019.

On 24 August 2023, Pope Francis appointed him as the Bishop of the Eparchy of New Westminster for Ukrainian Catholics in Canada. He was ordained on 8 November 2023 and installed as Eparchial Bishop on 18 November 2023.

The Most Reverend Lawrence Huculak, O.S.B.M.

Archbishop Lawrence Huculak, O.S.B.M. was born in Vernon, British Columbia, on 25 January 1951. He joined the Order of St. Basil the Great (O.S.B.M.) in 1969 in Ottawa and made his novitiate at St. Josephat’s Monastery in Glen Cove, New York. He earned a Bachelor of Arts with a concentration in philosophy from the University of Ottawa in 1974. Archbishop Huculak then studied at the Pontifical Athenaeum of San Anselmo as well as at the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome, where he earned a doctorate in Oriental Church studies in 1985. He was ordained to the priesthood on 28 August 1977.

After spending eleven years in Rome, Archbishop Huculak returned to Canada in 1986 and was appointed pastor at Sts. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church in Mundare, Alberta. In 1994, in addition to his pastoral work, he became a professor of Byzantine liturgy at the seminary in Edmonton. In September 1996, he was named Superior and Master of Novices at Sts. Peter and Paul Monastery until his nomination as Ukrainian Eparchial Bishop of Edmonton.

On 16 December 1996, he was appointed Bishop of the Ukrainian Eparchy of Edmonton by Pope St. John Paul II. He was consecrated bishop on 3 April 1997 at St. Basil’s Church in Edmonton by Metropolitan Michael Bzdel, C.Ss.R., and was installed as Eparch of Edmonton on 6 April 1997 at St. Josaphat’s Cathedral. On 9 January 2006, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Ukrainian Catholic Metropolitan Archbishop of Winnipeg, and he was installed as Metropolitan for Ukrainian Catholics in Canada on 11 February 2006.

As a member of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), Archbishop Huculak served as a member of the Bishops’ Dialogue of Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches from 1998 to 2004. From 2000 to 2001, he was a member of the Episcopal Commission for Canon Law and Inter-Rite. He served as a regional representative on the Permanent Council from 2003 to 2005.

Since 2006, Archbishop Huculak has served as an ex officio member of the Permanent Council and as a member of the Orthodox-Catholic Bishops’ Dialogue. From 2009 to 2011, he was a member of the National Commission for Doctrine.

From 2014 to 2017, Archbishop Huculak served as a member of the Episcopal Commission for Christian Unity, Religious Relations with the Jews, and Interfaith Dialogue. He was also a member of the Ad Hoc Committee for Protection of Minors from 2015 to 2018. From 2017 to 2020, he chaired the Episcopal Commission for Christian Unity, Religious Relations with the Jews, and Interfaith Dialogue. Since 2020, he has served as a member of the Episcopal Commission for Doctrine.

Archeparchy of Winnipeg

The Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Winnipeg has 92 parishes and missions, with a Catholic population of 29,760 served by 23 diocesan priests, 10 priests who are members of institutes of consecrated life, 1 permanent deacon, as well as 2 Brothers and 17 Sisters who are members of religious institutes, in addition to lay pastoral workers.

-30-

Media Inquiries:

Pomeline Martinoski
Director of Communications
Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB)
Email: communications@cccb.ca
Telephone: 613-241-9461, ext. 225