16.07, [22:02] // News // UGCC Info
 

Toronto/Mississauga, July 15, 2003: His Beatitude Lubomyr Cardinal Husar, father and head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, will travel to Canada from Ukraine to ordain Reverend Stephen V. Chmilar as the new bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy (Diocese) of Toronto and All Eastern Canada. The ordination and installation will be held at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, July 23, 2003 at the Ukrainian Catholic Church of the Holy Dormition, Mississauga, Ontario. Bishop-elect Stephen will succeed Bishop Cornelius J. Pasichny O.S.B.M. who is retiring in accordance with can. 210 § 1 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches. Bishop Cornelius retires after leading the eparchy for 5 years.

In the presence of His Grace Archbishop Luigi Ventura, apostolic nuncio of Canada, the co-consecrators joining His Beatitude Lubomyr at the Hierarchal Divine Liturgy will include His Grace Michael Bzdel C.Ss.R., Archbishop of Winnipeg and Metropolitan for Ukrainian Catholics in Canada, and His Excellency Cornelius J. Pasichny O.S.B.M, Eparch-Administrator of Toronto and All Eastern Canada.

His Holiness Pope John Paul II announced on May 3, 2003 that Reverend Stephen had been named to succeed Bishop Cornelius as Bishop of the Eparchy of Toronto and All Eastern Canada.

Bishop-elect Stephen was born May 24, 1945 in Lamont, Alberta, Canada. He is the son of the late Steve Chmilar and late Alexandra Osinchuk.

Bishop-elect Stephen studied at the University of Ottawa (1966-1968) where he obtained his Baccalaureate in Philosophy. He subsequently received his Baccalaureate in Theology at St. Paul University in Ottawa (1968-1972).

As a member of the Order of Saint Basil the Great, he was ordained a priest by Most Rev. Neil Savaryn O.S.B.M. on June 11, 1972 and was subsequently entrusted with the following responsibilities:

1972 -1973: Pastor of Ukrainian Catholic parishes in Chipman, Borschiw of the Mundare Pastoral District in Alberta

1973 - 1975: Associate Pastor of St. Basil the Great in Edmonton, Alberta x 1975 - 1978: Pastor of St. John the Baptist in Ottawa, Ontario

1978 - 1982: Associate Pastor of St. Basil the Great in Edmonton, Alberta

1982 - 1984: Pastor of St. Mary in Vancouver, British Columbia

1984 - 1988: Pastor of Transfiguration of our Lord in Denver, Colorado (USA)

1988 - 1990: Associate Pastor of St. Nicholas in Buffalo, New York (USA)

1990 - 2000: Pastor St. Nicholas in Hamilton, Ontario

2000 – to present: Pastor of Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Mississauga, Ontario

In 1991, he was incardinated into the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Toronto and All Eastern Canada.

Bishop Elect Stephen assisted in the Marriage Tribunal in Ottawa and worked in the Ukrainian Marriage Tribunal in Edmonton. He served for five years as a spiritual director to the Novitiate of the Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate in Mundare, Alberta. For more than ten years he directed Ukrainian Catholic summer camps for children in Ottawa, Edmonton and British Columbia.

At the time of his nomination Bishop-elect Stephen was Chancellor, member of the Presbyteral Council, and member of the College of Consultors of the Eparchy of Toronto.

The Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Toronto and All Eastern Canada has 89 diocesan priests, 9 religious priests, 29 religious (including both women and men in addition to religious priests), serving a Ukrainian Catholic population of 41,010 in 76 parishes and missions.

A reception banquet at the Mississauga Convention Centre will follow the liturgical service. Tickets for the reception are sold out.