We welcome Fr. Vasyl’ Hoi, newly-appointed Administrator of Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Parish, Winnipeg. He will be assisted from time to time by His Excellency Bishop Andrew Rabiy. Both are well-known to us, as they have been invited by Fr. Michael many times to celebrate Divine Liturgy in our church, and we welcome them warmly!

Fr. Hoi was born in Perespa, near Sokal’, Ukraine (L’viv oblast). The son of a priest, he applied himself to studies in Sokal’, and later in a musical institute in L’viv. After serving in the army for a year, he entered the seminary, then nearing the end of his studies, married Nataliia Herij. He was ordained a priest on February 16, 2003 in Holy Trinity Sobor in the city of Drohobych by Bishop +Julian Voronovskyy.

16-го лютого 2003р. прийняв ієрейські свячення у катедральному Соборі Пресвятої Трійці м. Дрогобич, святитель Юліян Вороновський. His duties in Ukraine were plentiful: He was the head of the Eparchial Commission in Matters of Youth, as well as editor of the youth magazine “Z lyubovyu v svit” (Into the World with Love) for six years until 2009. He has also been parish administrator of parishes in Ukraine: Resurrection parish in Verkhniy Dorozhiv (Drohobych) from 2004-2006, and Entrance into the Temple of the Holy Mother of God parish in Opоry near Medenychi (along with some satellite parishes) from 2006 until leaving for Canada.

“Троє старших дітей володіють англійською мовою. Ми з дружиною почали вивчити англійську мову з репетитором та докладаємо багато зусиль, щоб якомога швидше нею оволодіти!” (The family has reserved Tuesday and Thursday evenings for a tutor to give them intensive English lessons.)

When he first wrote to our Metropolitan after the war in Ukraine broke out, he said this:

“Якщо на це Господня воля, та згода Церковної влади, моїм великим бажанням було би послужити нашим вірним у канаді.” (“If it be God’s will, and if our Church authorities agree, my great wish is to serve our faithful in Canada.”)

Fr. Hoi arrived in Canada August 11th 2022 and has been serving at St. Anne’s and St. Michael’s parishes here in Winnipeg since November 1 of that year. He has taken up residence in our parish rectory along with his wife Nataliia who, besides being a mother of 4 children, has a background in financial and administrative matters.

Their children are: Bohdan (2003), Mariia (2005), Solomiia (2008) and Yustyna (2017).

Please pray for Father Hoi and for all priests, that our faithful may indeed receive the love and spiritual care they need. Отже, щиросердечно вітаємо о. Василя та бажаємо їм сили, витривалості та Божого благословення у свому служінні Богові та людям, яких їм доручили.

FR. MICHAEL KWIATKOWSKI, JCOD

(now Bishop… see below)

Born in Hamiota MB…grew up in Brandon…attended high school at Redemptorist Fathers’ St. Vladimir College in Roblin MB…undertook seminary training at the Pontifical Ukrainian Seminary of St. Josaphat in Rome in 1980…he completed degrees in philosophy and theology at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas…and initial Canon Law studies at the Pontifical Oriental Institute… He was ordained on the feast of St. Volodymyr in 1986 by Metropolitan Maxim Hermaniuk in Brandon…associate pastor here at Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Winnipeg 1986-92…Returned to Rome in 1992…studied Church Law at Pontifical Oriental Institute (PIO)…obtained Licentiate and Doctoral degrees in Eastern Canon Law…during studies served as pastor at Ukrainian Catholic Parish in Manchester, England and served Ukrainian communities in Rome and Naples…from 1997 served as Chancellor of the Patriarchical Curia of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Lviv for three years…also serving as Spiritual Director at Lviv Theological Academy …in 2000 defended his Doctoral Dissertation (The Role of the Laity in Church Governance) at the PIO in Rome…in 2000 appointed Vice-Rector of Lviv Theological Academy and, from 2002, Vice-Rector of Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv until 2006…also head of the University’s Spiritual and Pastoral Life Dept and lecturer in Canon Law… judge of the Patriarchal Tribunal of the UCC…Head of Tribunal…acting Chaplain at the Lviv Military Academy for five years…from 2006-2009 Spiritual Director of Holy Spirit Seminary in Ottawa……longtime director and Chair of Ukrainian Catholic Education Foundation (Canada)… appointed parish priest of Holy Eucharist Ukrainian Catholic Church in Winnipeg in 2009-2021. Chancellor and Member of the Presbyteral Council of the Archeparchy of Winnipeg.

From August 1, 2021 Father Michael was appointed Pastor of our Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, and served here for two years.

On November 8, 2023, he was consecrated a Bishop and was installed ten days later as the 4th bishop of the Eparchy of New Westminster, B.C.