Honoring Bishop Severian


MOST REVEREND SEVERIAN YAKYMYSHYN, O.S.B.M. 

Bishop Emeritus of New Westminster

Episcopal Motto:  “GOD IS LOVE”

 

 

Celebrating:

70th Anniversary of entrance to the Basilian Fathers’ (March 16, 1945)

60th Anniversary of priestly ordination (May 19, 1955)

20th Anniversary of episcopal ordination (25 March 1995)

Bishop Severian was born at Plain Lake, Alberta on April 22, 1930.  He entered the Novitiate of the Basilian Order of St. Josaphat (OSBM) in Mundare, on March 16, 1945; Made his Simple Vows in Mundare on November 21, 1946; his Solemn Perpetual Vows in Rome, Italy on January 1, 1953.

He was ordained a priest in Rome on May 19, 1955 and Fr. Severian received an STD in Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome in 1958.

Fr. Severian was appointed Second Bishop of New Westminster on January 5, 1995 and ordained to the Episcopate in Vancouver on March 25, 1995.  He served as the eparchial bishop of New Westminster until his retirement on June 1, 2007.

MINISTRY AND OTHER POSITIONS PRIOR TO EPISCOPAL ORDINATION:

 Pastoral services: pastor of the Transfiguration Church in Mundare, Alberta – 1958-1961; of St. John the Baptist in Borschiw and of the Protection of the BVM in Krakiw, Alberta 1964-1969; as assistant pastor of St. John the Baptist in Ottawa and served the Ukrainian Rite communities in Kingston and Smithfalls, Ontario- 1969-1976;

Services within the Basilian Order: assistant master of novices and teacher at the Basilian House of Studies in Mundare – 1958-1961; Director of the Basalian Press in Toronto – 1961-1964; director of vocations, teacher at the Basilian House of Studies and novice master in Mundare 1964-1969; master of novices in Ottawa 1969-1976; lecturer at St. Paul University 1971-1972; Superior of the Monastery of St. Josaphat in Ottawa 1973-1976; director of the St. Basil the Great Liturgical Society  1964-1976; director of the Basilian Press and Publications in Toronto and Consultor of the Canadian Province 1976-1979; General Econome, Superior and Econome of the House of Studies and the General Curia  in Rome 1979-1995; General Consultor 1982-1988 and 1992-1995; during the stay in Rome he visited Ukraine 7 times to help reconstruct and renovated to Basalian Monasteries;

Services outside to Order: Spiritual Director of the Novitiate of the Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate in Ancaster Ontario  1962-1964; directed spiritual retreats for priests, religious, seminarians and faithful throughout Canada, USA, Brasil, Austria, France Germany,  Italy,  Poland, and Ukraine; sent by the Apostolic See twice he visited the Ukrainian Rite communities in England, -29 in all.

As Bishop of New Westminster, he was a member of the Synod of Ukrainian Catholic Bishops and also served on the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Commission for Canon Law/Inter Rite and was a Consultor of the Holy See’s Special Commission for Liturgy with the Sacred Congregation for Eastern Churches.