Most Reverend Lawrence Huculak, O.S.B.M, appointed Catholic Ukrainian Metropolitan-Archbishop

Monday, January 09 2006

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

(CCCB – Ottawa) – His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI today appointed Most Reverend Lawrence Huculak, O.S.B.M., currently Ukrainian Catholic Bishop (Eparch) of Edmonton, as the Catholic Ukrainian Metropolitan-Archbishop (Archeparch) of Winnipeg.

The Holy Father accepted the resignation of Most Reverend Michael Bzdel, a Redemptorist (C.Ss.R.), who held the position since 1993. Conforming to the mandatory age of retirement of 75, Metropolitan Bzdel formally requested retirement following his 75th birthday, last July 21.

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

In 1986, after spending eleven years in Rome, he 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. Finally, in September 1996, he was named Superior and Master of Novices at Sts. Peter and Paul Monastery until his nomination as Ukrainian Bishop of Edmonton. He has been a member of the Permanent Council of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops since 2003 and has also been a member of the Episcopal Commission for Canon Law – Inter Rite.

The Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Winnipeg includes one Auxiliary Eparch (Bishop David Motiuk), 33 diocesan priests, 15 religious order priests, 14 permanent deacons and 26 religious women who serve a population of 30,000 Catholics in 130 parishes and missions.

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Sylvain Salvas
Director, Communications Service
Tel: (613) 241-9461
Fax: (613) 241-9048
salvas@cccb.ca