# HOLY EUCHARIST CATHEDRAL PARISH PREPARES FOR 2027 ANNIVERSARY

- Link: https://nweparchy.ca/2026/06/holy-eucharist-cathedral-parish-prepares-for-2027-anniversary/
- Published: 2026-06-07T22:18:45-07:00
- Author: Website

The Parish of Holy Eucharist Cathedral is preparing to celebrate its 75^(th) anniversary
in 2027, so it kicked off the festivities and fundraising this year with a gala 
evening hosted by Cathedral Rector Very Rev. Fr. **Mykhailo Ozorovych** and many
parish volunteers.

The evening began in the church with Vespers with Lytia that celebrated the Parish
Praznyk of the [**Feast of the Holy Eucharist**](https://sspp.ca/our-faith/liturgical-year/movable-feasts/feast-of-the-holy-eucharist/)
as well as the [**Feast of All Saints of Ukraine**](https://liturgy.royaldoors.net/events/sunday-june-7-2026-sunday-of-all-saints-of-rus-ukraine-octoechos-tone-1-resurrectional-gospel-2-the-holy-hieromartyr-theodotus-bishop-of-ancyra/).
The first feast was carried to the Sunday from Thursday June 4^(th) and the second
feast of all saints of the Ukrainian Nation was establish by the Synod of Bishops
in 1991 to take place on the Sunday after All Saints.

Vespers was led by Fr. Mykhailo Ozorovych while singers and a considerably larger
than usual congregation sang the response. Bishop Michael presided at the Lytia 
when the loaves of bread, wine, oil and wheat are blessed and later distributed 
with an anointing.

The dinner in the hall in the lower level beneath the Cathedral was truly a gala
event. The kitchen team of the cathedral under the leadership of head chef **Tetyana
Korobanova** prepared and served a truly exquisite meal of amazing _hors d’oeuvres_
a hot meal and a plethora of desserts for every taste. Seminarian **Juan Salas**
served as the _maître d'_ of the evening directing a team of young men in serving
the tables and providing refreshments throughout the event. The entire event was
meticulously coordinated by the Cathedral’s Director of Development, **Iryna Dzobko**.

Fr. Mykhailo Ozorovych served as the host and master of ceremonies for the evening.
He explained that the goal of the evening was to serve as a fundraiser, but especially
as an awareness-raiser about the great jubilee year of the Cathedral parish in 2027.
He shared about the history of the parish from the first gatherings of faithful,
the priests that served them and how the parish grew, especially with the influx
of newcomers after the Second World War. During the evening, he thanked and acknowledged
those who contributed to parish life in special ways…. the priests, the religious
Sisters and the dedicated parishioners who committed themselves and their livelihoods
so that the parish would grow. He thanked **George & Millie Kozak**, the oldest 
couple of the parish there that evening, as representative of all parishioners who
remained faithful to their Church and to their parish their entire lives. Throughout
the dinner special guests, including Bishop **Michael Kwiatkowski**, the local Member
of Parliament **Jacob Sawatsky** and the Mayor of New Westminster **Patrick Johnstone**
were all invited to speak. The cooks who prepared the meal were duly thanked as 
was lead singer **Halyna Bybyk** who was also celebrating her birthday at the time.
A professional bandura-player, **Svitlana Prysiazhna**, performed a few soul-transcending
numbers during the evening, some for which she sang.

It was a delightful evening enjoyed by all. We need only keep in mind that this 
was only the beginning! We now have a year (but **only a year**!) to prepare for
a worthy celebration of the parish’s 75^(th) anniversary… a commemoration that will
do true justice to the pioneers, the parishioners, Sisters, and clergy who struggled
and rejoiced and pulled-together and shared joys and sorrows over the years, but
kept the parish going and growing. And, above all, to give glory to God whose love,
grace and salvation are the sole reason and purpose of this parish and why every
effort associated with the parish is immeasurably more than worth it! 

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