Since the first years of pastoral activity among the Ukrainian Catholic faithful in British Columbia, the Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate (SSMI) have been contributing toward the spiritual needs of the people.
Already in 1905, only three years after the SSMI came from Ukraine to be established in Canada, they already started a home in New Westminster, BC. That is almost 70 years before the Eparchy was established. So, the good Sisters were obviously very significant in developing and growing the parishes to the point where the Church decided to raise the administration to the status of an eparchy in 1974.
The Sisters were very instrumental in providing catechesis to the young and to the families throughout the territory. When the Eparchy was founded, the catechism office at the Chancery became a centre and hive of activity for the whole eparchy. A place to which parishes could turn for materials, support and training.
The Sisters were, and continue to be, involved with organizations such as the Ukrainian Catholic Women’s League and youth groups as well as reaching out to the elderly and those hospitalized and staying in touch with those whose health has them bound to their homes.
In recent times, “the Sisters” – In particular, Sr. Angelica Hodowansky, SSMI and Sr. Janice Soluk, SSMI – are a true blessing at the Cathedral parish of Holy Eucharist in New Westminster where they faithfully attend the daily Divine Liturgies and other services. They sing, they proclaim the Scriptures and bring the congregation together. To the thrill of the clergy and congregations of parishes around the epatrchy, they strive to attend every praznyk, anniversary and pilgrimage. They never miss a visit to the eparchial summer camp. They offer hospitality to those in need – even offering part of their house as a residence for clergy, and others involved with our parishes. Besides participating in parish movements like Alpha and other groups, they host a regular group of women for prayer and fellowship.
February 2nd – the Feast of the Encounter… the Feast of the Presentation of our Lord - is the World Day for Consecrated Life throughout the Church throughout the world. This gives us all an opportunity to consider the great gift of those who say yes to the consecrated life to serve the Lord and His People as Sisters, Brothers, Monks, including monastic priests. Save the date! and may our parishes prepare a special program on or around that Feast to celebrate those who live the consecrated life and to invite many more to consider saying yes to the lord in this awesome vocation! The Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Catholic Church has dedicated this year to Vocations to Priestly Ministry and to Consecrated Life.
We say thank you to our Sisters! Thank you for your 120+ years of living within our Eparchy and for all the amazing things that you have done and continue to do! We are blessed to have you among us!
In the context of the annual Bishop’s Fundraising Gala at Holy Eucharist Cathedral, which was also the farewell event for Bishop Michael who will be enthroned next month as Metropolitan Archbishop in Winnipeg, a longtime priest of the Eparchy was acknowledged and awarded a very special honour.
Father Andriy Werbowy, who celebrates thirty (30) years of priestly ministry this year on 22 December, is presently the parish priest for the three central parishes of Penticton, Grindrod and Vernon. Besides that, Fr. Werbowy is a captain in Canada’s armed forces where he serves as a military chaplain.
With the war raging in Ukraine, military chaplains are an important part of the war effort. The military chaplaincy was established in Ukraine a few years back and since then several priests volunteered to undergo the specialized training and serve the soldiers as their priests at the front. To acknowledge their dedication the Ukrainian Catholic Church established the Military Chaplains Cross that has only been presented to just over two hundred chaplains to date. As Fr. Werbowy has been serving the Lord and His people as a Ukrainian Catholic Priest in various capacities as a parish priest and in eparchial administration for three decades as well as military chaplain for three years in Canada’s reserve armed forces, the Eparchy wanted to honour him and express their gratitude in unique way.
Bishop Michael learned about the special Chaplain’s Cross and appealed to the head chaplain Bishop Bohdan Manyshyn at the Department for Chaplaincy in Ukraine that Fr. Andriy might be considered for such an honour as he is a faithful Ukrainian Catholic priest who is serving as a miliary chaplain and seeing to the spiritual and pastoral needs of soldiers. The appeal went to the head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church. His Beatitude Sviatoslav not only approved, but issued the decree that was presented to Fr. Werbowy on 14 October 2026. The decree was read in Ukrainian and English by the two deans Fr. Andryi Chornenkyi and Fr. Yuriy Vyshnevskyy.
Before bestowing the cross on Fr. Werbowy, Bishop Michael explained that expressing gratitude to one of our priests in such a way was especially meaningful as a good portion of the clergy conference that brought all the clergy to New Westminster was dedicated to discussing and deciding how the eparchy would celebrate the upcoming year dedicated by the Synod of Bishops to priestly ministry and consecrated life. As the cross was placed over the shoulders of Fr. Andriy, the church erupted into a joyful singing of “Axios” – he is worthy!
Today, Sunday, October 18, 2026, St. Michael the Archangel Ukrainian Catholic Church in Nanaimo celebrated a truly special and blessed occasion filled with prayer, gratitude, and joy.
We were honoured to welcome Archbishop and Metropolitan-elect Michael Kwiatkowski, who presided over the Divine Liturgy and blessed the newly completed iconography of our beloved church. This beautiful milestone marks the culmination of months of prayer, dedication, hard work, and generous support from our parish community and friends.
Our new iconography has transformed the interior of the church into an even more beautiful space for worship, inviting everyone to encounter the sacred beauty of our faith through the rich traditions of iconography.
Another joyful highlight of the day was the ordination of Connor Rafferty to the Subdiaconate, marking an important step in his journey of service to the Church.
Following the Divine Liturgy and the ceremonies, parishioners and guests gathered in the parish hall for a festive potluck celebration. The day was also enriched by a special video sharing the history of our parish and the story behind the creation of our new iconography.
A HEARTFELT THANK YOU
We extend our sincere gratitude to Archbishop and Metropolitan-elect Michael Kwiatkowski for joining us on this momentous occasion and for blessing our church.
We are deeply thankful to our iconographers Sergiy Kolodka and @Pavlo Tsyhanok, everyone who contributed their time and talents, all our volunteers, and every individual and family who supported this sacred project through prayers and donations.
Most importantly, we thank God for guiding our parish community throughout this journey and allowing us to celebrate this beautiful milestone together.
May our newly blessed iconography inspire generations to come, drawing hearts closer to Christ and strengthening the faith of our community.
May St. Michael the Archangel continue to protect and guide our parish!
October 13–16, 2026, the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of New Westminster held its annual Clergy Days, bringing together clergy from across the Eparchy for prayer, fraternal fellowship, reflection, and pastoral planning. Together with Bishop Michael Kwiatkowski, the priests discussed the challenges facing the Church today and explored ways to strengthen parish life and prepare for the future.
This year’s gathering focused particularly on vocations to the priesthood, diaconate, and monastic life, as well as the broader call to encourage the faithful to participate more actively in the life and mission of the Church.
The program began with prayer and an opportunity for clergy to gather in fellowship. The main theme of the first full day was “Follow Me!” - Christ’s invitation that continues to guide the Church in every generation. Through prayerful reflection on the Gospel account of the calling of the first disciples, the priests considered how to help young people discern God’s call in their lives and how to encourage vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life.
An important part of the discussions was the pastoral letter of the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, entitled “Follow Me!”, as well as the resolutions of the General Assembly of the Pastoral Council of the UGCC, held in Lourdes, France, in September 2026. The discussions focused on putting these decisions into practice within the Eparchy, supporting seminarians, encouraging priestly and diaconal vocations, and developing appropriate formation programs for future deacons.
The clergy also discussed the preparation of a pastoral strategy for the Eparchy for 2027. Particular attention was given to accompanying young people, supporting families, strengthening parish communities, and creating more opportunities for the laity to participate in the Church’s mission. A vocation is not limited to the priesthood or monastic life; every baptized person is called to respond to God through faith, love, and service to others.
The following day was dedicated to reviewing the work of the Eparchy in 2026. The clergy examined the outcomes of canonical visitations, administrative and financial matters, and recommendations for the ongoing development of parish life. They also discussed the outcomes of the First All-Canadian Meeting of Catechists, matters concerning priestly ministry, and the experience of the Year of Christian Families. These conversations provided an opportunity to share experiences, recognize challenges, and identify new possibilities for pastoral ministry throughout the Eparchy.
On Wednesday evening, the clergy joined the wider community for a gala dinner celebrating several significant occasions in the life of Bishop Michael: his upcoming installation as Archbishop and Metropolitan, his birthday, and the anniversary of his priestly ordination. Together with clergy, religious, and faithful from the community, those present expressed their gratitude and shared in the joyful celebration of these important milestones.
The final day focused on practical pastoral planning for the coming year. The priests presented plans for their respective parishes, reviewed important dates and upcoming Eparchial events, and discussed ways to coordinate pastoral initiatives across the Eparchy. These conversations helped establish shared priorities and encouraged continued cooperation among the clergy.
A particularly meaningful moment throughout the Clergy Days was Bishop Michael’s address to the priests. He expressed his gratitude for their faithful service, daily dedication, and contributions to the growth and development of their parishes and the Eparchy. He offered words of encouragement, thanked them for their commitment to the Church, and imparted his blessing as they prepared to return to their communities.
These Clergy Days took place shortly before a new chapter in Bishop Michael’s ministry. On November 8, 2026, he is scheduled to be installed as Archbishop and Metropolitan. This transition marks an important moment in his episcopal ministry, and the clergy had an opportunity to express their appreciation for his leadership and to accompany him with their prayers as he prepares to assume his new responsibilities.
Following the conclusion of Clergy Days, the priests returned to their respective parishes, carrying with them renewed encouragement, shared priorities, and a deeper sense of their common mission. In the months ahead, they will continue to work with young people, support families, strengthen catechesis, and invite the faithful to become more actively involved in the life of the Church.
Clergy Days are more than an opportunity to discuss plans and administrative matters. They are a time of prayer, fraternity, reflection, and collective discernment of God’s will for the Church. The Church grows when each person discovers their place within the community of faith and responds generously to Christ’s invitation to serve.
Rev. Fr. Stepan Vytvytskyi Eparchial Communications Director
A HEARTFELT THANK YOU
Glory to God for all things!
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