WINNIPEG — The Ukrainian Catholic Bishops in Canada are pleased to share the announcement made by the Vatican Press Service on Thursday, 9 July 2026, that His Holiness Pope Leo XIV has accepted the resignation of the Most Rev. Lawrence Huculak, O.S.B.M., Metropolitan Archbishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Winnipeg, upon his reaching the age of 75. Concurrently, His Holiness appointed the Most Rev. Michael Kwiatkowski, heretofore the Bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of New Westminster, as the new Metropolitan Archbishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Winnipeg. The date of his installation will be announced as soon as it is determined.
The nomination of Bishop Michael to serve as the sixth bishop and fourth Metropolitan Archbishop of the Winnipeg See was proposed by the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Catholic Church and subsequently accepted and confirmed by His Holiness Pope Leo XIV.
Bishop Michael Kwiatkowski, who was ordained a priest in 1986 by Metropolitan Maxim Hermaniuk, C.Ss.R., for the Archeparchy of Winnipeg, has served in various parishes in Manitoba, England, Italy, and Ukraine. He has also served as Secretary and Chancellor within the Archeparchy, as well as Chancellor of the Patriarchal Curia of the UGCC, Judge and Head of the Patriarchal Tribunal, and Head of the Patriarchal Catechetical Commission. Additionally, he served for six years as Vice-Rector and lecturer in canon law at the Ukrainian Catholic University in Ukraine.
Three years ago, the Most Rev. Michael Kwiatkowski was appointed by Pope Francis as the fourth Bishop of the Eparchy of New Westminster on Canada’s West Coast. He was consecrated a bishop at Sts. Volodymyr & Olha Cathedral in Winnipeg by Metropolitan Lawrence Huculak, Metropolitan Borys Gudziak of Philadelphia, and Bishop David Motiuk of Edmonton on 8 November 2023, and was installed at Holy Eucharist Cathedral in New Westminster later that month on 18 November 2023.
Bishop Michael very much enjoyed working with the clergy of the Eparchy of New Westminster and serving the faithful of that eparchy, which officially spans British Columbia, the Yukon, and a portion of the Northwest Territories. He will greatly miss them. However, he is determined to keep them and his successor in his prayers and to continue to assist in any way possible.
Папа Лев XIV призначив Високопреосвященнішого владику Михайла Квятковського новим Архиєпископом і Митрополитом Вінніпезьким
ВІННІПЕҐ — Українські католицькі єпископи Канади з великою радістю повідомляють про оголошення пресслужби Ватикану у четвер, 9 липня 2026 року, згідно з яким Його Святість Папа Лев XIV прийняв зречення з уряду Високопреосвященнішого владики Лаврентія Гуцуляка, ЧСВВ, Архиєпископа і Митрополита Вінніпезької Української Католицької Архиєпархії, у зв'язку з досягненням ним 75-річного віку. Водночас Святійший Отець призначив Високопреосвященнішого владику Михайла Квятковського, який до цього часу обіймав посаду Єпископа Нью-Вестмінстерської Української Католицької єпархії, новим Архиєпископом і Митрополитом Вінніпезької Української Католицької Архиєпархії. Дата його інтронізації буде оголошена пізніше.
Номінація владики Михайла на служіння шостим єпископом і четвертим Митрополитом-Архиєпископом Вінніпезького престолу була запропонована Синодом Єпископів Української Католицької Церкви, а згодом прийнята і затверджена Його Святістю Папою Левом XIV.
Владика Михайло Квятковський, який у 1986 році був висвячений на священника Митрополитом Максимом Германюком, ЧНІ, для Вінніпезької Архиєпархії, служив у різних парафіях у Манітобі, Англії, Італії та Україні. Він також виконував обов'язки секретаря та канцлера в Архиєпархії, а також канцлера Патріаршої курії УГКЦ, судді та голови Патріаршого трибуналу й голови Патріаршої катехитичної комісії. Окрім того, протягом шести років він служив віцеректором та викладачем канонічного права в Українському католицькому університеті в Україні.
Три роки тому Преосвященніший владика Михайло Квятковський був призначений Папою Франциском четвертим Єпископом Нью-Вестмінстерської єпархії на західному узбережжі Канади. Його єпископська хіротонія відбулася в катедральному соборі святих Володимира і Ольги у Вінніпезі 8 листопада 2023 року за участю Митрополита Лаврентія Гуцуляка, Митрополита Бориса Ґудзяка з Філадельфії та владики Давида Мотюка з Едмонтона, а чин його інтронізації відбувся в катедральному соборі Пресвятої Євхаристії в Нью-Вестмінстері наприкінці того ж місяця, 18 листопада 2023 року.
Владика Михайло мав велику радість співпрацювати з духовенством Нью-Вестмінстерської єпархії та служити вірним цієї єпархії, яка офіційно охоплює Британську Колумбію, Юкон та частину Північно-Західних територій. Йому дуже бракуватиме їх. Проте він твердо налаштований повсякчас згадувати їх та свого наступника у своїх молитвах і надалі всіляко допомагати.
The gathering of the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Catholic Church began, in a sense, with the Sunday celebration in Lviv of the historic Visit of Pope St. John Paul II to Ukraine in 2001. Many members of synod from around the world participated in the massive outdoor hierarchical Divine Liturgy on the grounds of the mega parish church of the Nativity of the Mother of God in the Sykhiv suburb of the city of Lviv. The head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, His Beatitude Sviatoslav led the Liturgy before thousands of faithful that gathered around the church stretching to the streets and to the nearby major shopping centre. The event was also simultaneously a youth pilgrimage organized by the Patriarchal Youth Commission – the head of which is the bishop of Toronto Bishop Bryan Bayda, CSsR. It was also the annual pilgrimage of Catechists who moved their pilgrimage to Lviv from Starunya when they learned of this major anniversary. Bishop Michael Kwiatkowski of New Westminster, BC, who is also head of the Patriarchal Catechetical Commission made a presentation to His Beatitude of the newly published Ukrainian version of the renowned Jerusalem Bible with commentaries. He asked the Head of the Ukrainian Church to receive it as the Catechists’ pledge to continue their all-important ministry and as a humble request that His Beatitude would continue to keep the catechists and the success of their ministry in his prayer.
The following day was the great Catholic feast of the Apostles Saints Peter and Paul. All bishops made their way to various parishes throughout the region to celebrate with the local Faithful. By the evening of the next day, Tuesday, June 30th, all bishops made their way to the great Marian Shrine of Zarvanytsya where they prayed a special Moleben’, invoking the guidance Holy Spirit and then made a personal oath of dedication and confidentiality for the duration of the Synod.
The schedule of the Synod is very full… from morning until evening. The prayer cycle includes a morning Eucharistic Liturgy, the Sixth Hour at noon and vespers in the evening. There are other prayers throughout the day, including a prayer for the deceased as part of the daily 9:00 AM national moment of silence for the those who have died (and die daily!) from the Russian drone and missile strikes on various cities throughout the country.
Besides the prayer schedule, there are three extensive meeting sessions throughout the day during which a myriad of themes and matters are discussed, and decisions are made as required. Outstanding, well-researched multimedia presentations are made on principal themes followed by truly profound and helpful discussions. Discussions may take place in the full synodal chamber or in small groups, depending on the subject matter and what proposes to be the most effective method. The almost two-week experience is a time of intense, daily work. However, there a few breaks. One is when the Bishops choose one of many parishes in the surrounding eparchies to join the people for the Sunday morning Divine Liturgy. Another is a day of spiritual renewal led this year by a hieromonk (a priest monk). [Very appropriate as the key theme this year is “Vocations to the priestly ministry and the consecrated (aka monastic) life”.]
There is time during the lunch break or in the evening for bishops to meet amongst themselves or with outside groups to arrange for various projects for their eparchies, etc. The Bishops from Canada held a lunch meeting with the Director of the Catechetical-Pedagogical Institute, Dr. Nazar Duda. After which they were also able to discuss matters concerning the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Canada. Also, during the few windows of free-time, the bishops can walk throughout the territory of the Zarvanytsya Shrine which has many amazing churches, chapels, impressive Way of the Cross and an awe-inspiring replica of old Jerusalem that really needs to be seen to fully appreciate. One also notices several images of the Bishop Martyr Nykyta Budka, the first bishop appointed to Canada in 1912. One of the reasons being that after about 15 years of ministry in Canada, he was transferred from Canada to Ukraine. He dedicated a lot of time overseeing the building up and development of the Zarvanytsya Shrine. The Communists ultimately came, destroyed the shrine and arrested Blessed Nykyta, who eventually died a Martyr. He must be smiling upon his beloved shrine, because now it has been built up again into a truly worldclass Marian Shrine.
Ukraine, as with much of Europe, has been experiencing an intense heatwave. Thirty+ degrees Celsius and occasionally hotter. This has not hampered the pace of episcopal events or the schedule of the Synod. God willing, there will be some very inspiring and practical documentation and decisions that will inspire the Ukrainian Catholic Church for years to come. Please pray for the Bishops as they dedicate themselves to this annual event.
For more articles and photos – visit the Ukrainian Catholic Church website [HERE].
The Ukrainian Catholic Women's League of Canada (UCWLC) of the Eparchy of New Westminster warmly invites all women of our parishes to attend the 22nd Eparchial Convention, which will be held on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at Holy Eucharist Cathedral in New Westminster.
The theme of this year's convention is:
"Restore All Things in Christ" «Відновити все у Христі»
This gathering is open not only to UCWLC members but to every woman in our parish communities who would like to deepen her faith, meet other women from across the Eparchy, and learn more about the mission and ministry of the Ukrainian Catholic Women's League.
Additional information regarding registration, the program, speakers, and schedule will be announced soon.
We encourage all the women of our parish to prayerfully consider attending this special day of faith, fellowship, and renewal in Christ.
Saturday, October 17, 2026 📍 Holy Eucharist Cathedral, New Westminster
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