# PATRIARCH AWARDS NEW WESTMINSTER PRIEST CHAPLAIN’S CROSS

- Link: https://nweparchy.ca/2026/10/patriarch-awards-new-westminster-priest-chaplains-cross/
- Published: 2026-10-22T18:01:38-07:00
- Author: Website

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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!

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