New Eparch Appointed For Ukrainian Catholics In Edmonton

Tuesday, January 14 1997

OTTAWA — (CCCB) His Holiness Pope John Paul II today appointed Father Lawrence Daniel Huculak as Eparch of Edmonton for Ukrainian Catholics. At present, Father Huculak is Superior of the Basilian Fathers Monastery in Mundare, Alberta. The Eparchy of Edmonton has been vacant since the death of Bishop Myron Daciuk January 14, 1996.

Bishop-elect Huculak was born in Vernon, BC on January 25, 1951. He attended St. Vladimir’s College in Roblin, Manitoba and joined the Order of St. Basil the Great (Ukrainian Rite) 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.

Bishop-elect Huculak continued with theological studies at St. Anselm’s University in Rome and following his ordination to the priesthood in 1977, specialized in liturgical studies at the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome. In 1990, following the publication of his doctoral thesis on the divine liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, he was awarded a Doctorate in Oriental Church
Studies by the Institute.

In 1986, after spending eleven years in Rome, he was appointed pastor at Sts. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church in Mundare, Alberta until he was named Superior and Master of Novices at Sts. Peter and Paul Monastery, also in Mundare, in September 1996. Since 1992, he has been Adjunct Lecturer at Newman Theological College in Edmonton, teaching courses on Byzantine Liturgy during the Summer School in Liturgical Studies.

The Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Edmonton has a Catholic population of 26,250 in 93 parishes and missions and is served by 42 priests, 8 permanent deacons and 40 religious.