Bishop Michael Kwiatkowski, together with the clergy and Sisters and a good cross-section of the faithful from around the eparchy, celebrated the fortieth anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood. The ordination occurred forty years ago on July 28, 1986, in the city of Brandon where then Father Michael grew up with his parents and four sisters and two brothers. The day chosen was a Monday, so that the clergy from around the Archeparchy of Winnipeg would be free to attend the ordination. Almost all of them did! It was then Metropolitan Maxim Hermaniuk, CSsR who performed the ordination with Fr. Michael’s former principal from St. Vladimir’s College, the late Fr. Peter Pidskalny, CSsR, serving as Archdeacon for the ceremony. The day, according to the old Julian Calendar, was also the feast of St. Volodymyr.
On Tuesday 28 July 2026, at high noon at Holy Eucharist Catedral in New Westminster, Bishop Michael, together with almost all the priests from around the Eparchy of New Westminster, opened the Royal Doors in the beautifully decorated church and began the Divine Liturgy. There couldn’t be a more appropriate event than to celebrate an anniversary of priestly ministry than the Eucharistic Liturgy where priests, by the grace of God and in collaboration with our Saviour Jesus Christ celebrate the greatest of the Mysteries, the Holy Eucharist.
In his homily, Bishop Michael expressed his deep gratitude to the Lord Who bore with his shortcomings and failures and continued to grant the opportunities and grace to keep serving the Lord and His People. He also thanked the priests and Susters and faithful who came to be present and who joined in prayer from a distance. He also went on to make a special point by thanking his grandparents, parents and immediate family and relatives and others. He mentioned that the theme of the Synod of Bishops held earlier this month in Ukraine, which he attended, was “vocations to priestly service and to the consecrated (religious) life”. One factor that came up a few times in the presentations and deliberations at the synod was that family is highly important in the origin and support of vocations. He asked that all parents would be open to encouraging and supporting their sons to consider a priestly vocation and their children to consider a vocation to the monastic and religious life. He asked brothers and sisters to do the same – encourage their siblings if they are open to exploring a vocation to service within the Church.
The Divine Liturgy had a few unique twists to it. The opening hymn was that in honour of the Holy Hieromartyr St. Josaphat. Bishop Michael studied at the Pontifical Seminary of St. Josaphat in Rome and that song has always had special significance to him. Also, the “propers” and Scripture readings for the Liturgy were taken for the feast of “Saint equal-to-the-Apostles Volodymyr the Great” as that was the feast on which Bishop Michael was ordained. On behalf of the clergy, senior clergyman, Archpriest Joseph Ostopowich, presented Bishop Michael with a beautiful handwritten icon of the Theotokos from Mount Athos, Toward the end of the Liturgy a beautiful charter of acknowledgement from the Father and Head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, was read by Fr. Joseph Pidskanly, OSBM and Fr. Stepan Vytvytsky.
After all the “Mnohaya litas” and photos, everyone was invited down the street to the Bishop Jerome Eparchial Centre where the group of ladies from the Cathedral prepared an amazing smorgasbord of food and desserts.
