Bishop Michael Kuchmiak CSsR., retired Exarch for the Ukrainian Catholics in Great Britain, was born in Western Ukraine on February 5, 1923, to Ilias Kuchmiak and Katherine Traczuk, the eldest of six children. His birthplace, Obertyn, is a small town in the District of Horodenka in the Province of Stanislaviv, later renamed Ivano-Frankivsk, in the foothills of the Carpathian mountains.
He attended school in Obertyn and then Kolomyia. The Second World War was beginning just as Michael received his teaching certificate. He had planned to enter the religious life but instead taught first in an elementary school in Zhabye, then for two years served in the First Ukrainian Division of the Ukrainian National Army. In 1945, he took the opportunity to travel to Rome, where he enrolled at St. Josaphat's Ukrainian Catholic Seminary, and studied at the Pontifical University Propaganda Fide. While there, he met Rev. John Bala, a Ukrainian Redemptorist from Canada, who encouraged him to join the Redemptorist Congregation. The seminarian took his advice, becoming a novice at Ciorani, near Naples in 1947. He made his first profession of vows on October 3, 1948, at the very same altar St. Alphonsus Liguori, founder of the Redemptorist Congregation, had professed his vows some 200 years earlier. Bishop Michael cherished this privilege.
Seminary Studies were then continued with the Ukrainian Redemptorist seminarians in Canada at Waterford, Ontario. He professed his perpetual vows on October 3, 1950, and completed his studies at St. Mary's Seminary in Meadowvale, Ontario. He was ordained a deacon on February 15, 1956, by Bishop Isidore Borecky of Toronto, Ontario. On May 13, 1956, again at the hands of Bishop Isidore, Father Michael Kuchmiak was ordained to the priesthood, together with two other classmates, Fathers George Perejda and John Fetsco. The first assignment of the newly ordained Fr. Michael was to the motherhouse of the Ukrainian Redemptorists, Yorkton, Saskatchewan in 1957. He became the pastoral assistant at St. Mary's Parish in Yorkton and also for the Ukrainian Catholic Mission - the many parishes of the rural Yorkton District.
From 1957 until 1965, he took pastoral charge of the Wynyard District with care and devotion. In Yorkton be devoted himself to the care of youth and young married couples, directing an active Youth Club, and working closely with the Roman Catholic pastors at St. Gerard's parish to organize two Catholic schools and form a separate school board in Yorkton. He also served as catechist at Sacred Heart Academy, a High School for girls conducted by the Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate, and at St. Joseph's College, a Christian Brothers High School for boys. Fr. Michael was appointed novice master in May, 1965.
The novitiate was then in Meadowvale, Ontario. While taking good care of his charges there, he also was the extraordinary confessor to the Sister Servants of Mary Immaculate and their novices at Ancaster, Ontario. In 1967, Fr. Michael again returned to Yorkton to be the superior of the Ukrainian Catholic Mission community and to be pastor of St. Mary's parish. During his pastorate a third elementary Catholic school was built, a mortgage from adding a wing to the church was liquidated, and a parish planning committee was formed to co-ordinate major parish events. The activities of the parish Organizations were flourishing.
Besides his pastoral duties, he served as a diocesan consultor to the Bishop and was elected to the Extraordinary Provincial Council of the Ukrainian Redemptorist Province of Yorkton. With the new Redemptorist appointments in June, 1975, he was named superior and pastor of St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic parish in Newark, N.J. During his pastoral charge there, a large mortgage on the new parish church was paid off, and he expanded the buildings of the parish complex, as well as parish activities. Father took pride in being a "hands-on" pastor, serving as chaplain to the Catholic War Veterans, the Holy Name Society, and teaching religion in the parish school and in catechetical classes. He was also a consultor of the Ukrainian Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia, a member of the Board of Directors or Ascension Manor Inc., an Archeparchial Senior Citizens Housing Organization, a spiritual advisor for Providence Association, a fraternal benefit organization, and a chaplain or advisor for many Ukrainian and Catholic Organizations in and around Newark.
One proud moment he liked to recall was hosting President Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy to St. John's. In August, 1987, Fr. Kuchmiak was named pastor of Holy Family Ukrainian Catholic National Shrine in Washington, D.C. However, in March 1988, he was announced as Auxiliary to Metropolitan Stephen Sulyk. He received his episcopal consecration at the Immaculate Conception Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral in Philadelphia on April 27, 1988, from Msgr. Stephen Sulyk, Archeparch of Philadelphia, assisted by Bishops Maxim Hermaniuk C.SS.R., and Innocent Lotocky, OSBM.
Following his consecration, Bishop Michael remained in pastoral charge of Holy Family in Washington, and also was appointed by Metropolitan Sulyk as director of spiritual formation at St. Josaphat's Ukrainian Catholic Seminary in Washington. On July 11, 1989, Bishop Michael was officially appointed by Pope John Paul II as Apostolic Exarch of Great Britain for Ukrainians. The installation ceremony took place at the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Family in Exile in London on October 10, 1989. Bishop Michael devoted himself totally to a daunting task in his new territory, acquitting himself ably with his hands on approach. He took an active role in both Catholic and ecumenical issues and won admiration and respect both for himself and the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Great Britain. The Bishop's retirement was finally accepted in 2001, and he returned to Newark in 2002. He was brought to Yorkton because of failing health and then to the care of the Ukrainian Sisters of St. Joseph's Home in Saskatoon, where he fell asleep in the Lord in the afternoon of Tuesday, August 26, 2008, in his room at St. Joseph's Home in Saskatoon, he was 85.
Funeral prayers were held Friday, August 29, at 7.00 pm., in Yorkton, Saskatchewan at St. Mary's Ukrainian Catholic Church. The Funeral Liturgy was celebrated there on Saturday, August 30, at 11.00 am. The interment took place in Winnipeg, Manitoba, at the Holy Family Cemetery.
He attended school in Obertyn and then Kolomyia. The Second World War was beginning just as Michael received his teaching certificate. He had planned to enter the religious life but instead taught first in an elementary school in Zhabye, then for two years served in the First Ukrainian Division of the Ukrainian National Army. In 1945, he took the opportunity to travel to Rome, where he enrolled at St. Josaphat's Ukrainian Catholic Seminary, and studied at the Pontifical University Propaganda Fide. While there, he met Rev. John Bala, a Ukrainian Redemptorist from Canada, who encouraged him to join the Redemptorist Congregation. The seminarian took his advice, becoming a novice at Ciorani, near Naples in 1947. He made his first profession of vows on October 3, 1948, at the very same altar St. Alphonsus Liguori, founder of the Redemptorist Congregation, had professed his vows some 200 years earlier. Bishop Michael cherished this privilege.
Seminary Studies were then continued with the Ukrainian Redemptorist seminarians in Canada at Waterford, Ontario. He professed his perpetual vows on October 3, 1950, and completed his studies at St. Mary's Seminary in Meadowvale, Ontario. He was ordained a deacon on February 15, 1956, by Bishop Isidore Borecky of Toronto, Ontario. On May 13, 1956, again at the hands of Bishop Isidore, Father Michael Kuchmiak was ordained to the priesthood, together with two other classmates, Fathers George Perejda and John Fetsco. The first assignment of the newly ordained Fr. Michael was to the motherhouse of the Ukrainian Redemptorists, Yorkton, Saskatchewan in 1957. He became the pastoral assistant at St. Mary's Parish in Yorkton and also for the Ukrainian Catholic Mission - the many parishes of the rural Yorkton District.
From 1957 until 1965, he took pastoral charge of the Wynyard District with care and devotion. In Yorkton be devoted himself to the care of youth and young married couples, directing an active Youth Club, and working closely with the Roman Catholic pastors at St. Gerard's parish to organize two Catholic schools and form a separate school board in Yorkton. He also served as catechist at Sacred Heart Academy, a High School for girls conducted by the Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate, and at St. Joseph's College, a Christian Brothers High School for boys. Fr. Michael was appointed novice master in May, 1965.
The novitiate was then in Meadowvale, Ontario. While taking good care of his charges there, he also was the extraordinary confessor to the Sister Servants of Mary Immaculate and their novices at Ancaster, Ontario. In 1967, Fr. Michael again returned to Yorkton to be the superior of the Ukrainian Catholic Mission community and to be pastor of St. Mary's parish. During his pastorate a third elementary Catholic school was built, a mortgage from adding a wing to the church was liquidated, and a parish planning committee was formed to co-ordinate major parish events. The activities of the parish Organizations were flourishing.
Besides his pastoral duties, he served as a diocesan consultor to the Bishop and was elected to the Extraordinary Provincial Council of the Ukrainian Redemptorist Province of Yorkton. With the new Redemptorist appointments in June, 1975, he was named superior and pastor of St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic parish in Newark, N.J. During his pastoral charge there, a large mortgage on the new parish church was paid off, and he expanded the buildings of the parish complex, as well as parish activities. Father took pride in being a "hands-on" pastor, serving as chaplain to the Catholic War Veterans, the Holy Name Society, and teaching religion in the parish school and in catechetical classes. He was also a consultor of the Ukrainian Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia, a member of the Board of Directors or Ascension Manor Inc., an Archeparchial Senior Citizens Housing Organization, a spiritual advisor for Providence Association, a fraternal benefit organization, and a chaplain or advisor for many Ukrainian and Catholic Organizations in and around Newark.
One proud moment he liked to recall was hosting President Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy to St. John's. In August, 1987, Fr. Kuchmiak was named pastor of Holy Family Ukrainian Catholic National Shrine in Washington, D.C. However, in March 1988, he was announced as Auxiliary to Metropolitan Stephen Sulyk. He received his episcopal consecration at the Immaculate Conception Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral in Philadelphia on April 27, 1988, from Msgr. Stephen Sulyk, Archeparch of Philadelphia, assisted by Bishops Maxim Hermaniuk C.SS.R., and Innocent Lotocky, OSBM.
Following his consecration, Bishop Michael remained in pastoral charge of Holy Family in Washington, and also was appointed by Metropolitan Sulyk as director of spiritual formation at St. Josaphat's Ukrainian Catholic Seminary in Washington. On July 11, 1989, Bishop Michael was officially appointed by Pope John Paul II as Apostolic Exarch of Great Britain for Ukrainians. The installation ceremony took place at the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Family in Exile in London on October 10, 1989. Bishop Michael devoted himself totally to a daunting task in his new territory, acquitting himself ably with his hands on approach. He took an active role in both Catholic and ecumenical issues and won admiration and respect both for himself and the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Great Britain. The Bishop's retirement was finally accepted in 2001, and he returned to Newark in 2002. He was brought to Yorkton because of failing health and then to the care of the Ukrainian Sisters of St. Joseph's Home in Saskatoon, where he fell asleep in the Lord in the afternoon of Tuesday, August 26, 2008, in his room at St. Joseph's Home in Saskatoon, he was 85.
Funeral prayers were held Friday, August 29, at 7.00 pm., in Yorkton, Saskatchewan at St. Mary's Ukrainian Catholic Church. The Funeral Liturgy was celebrated there on Saturday, August 30, at 11.00 am. The interment took place in Winnipeg, Manitoba, at the Holy Family Cemetery.
Bishop Michael Kuchmiak CSsR., retired Exarch for the Ukrainian Catholics in Great Britain, was born in Western Ukraine on February 5, 1923, to Ilias Kuchmiak and Katherine Traczuk, the eldest of six children. His birthplace, Obertyn, is a small town in the District of Horodenka in the Province of Stanislaviv, later renamed Ivano-Frankivsk, in the foothills of the Carpathian mountains.
He attended school in Obertyn and then Kolomyia. The Second World War was beginning just as Michael received his teaching certificate. He had planned to enter the religious life but instead taught first in an elementary school in Zhabye, then for two years served in the First Ukrainian Division of the Ukrainian National Army. In 1945, he took the opportunity to travel to Rome, where he enrolled at St. Josaphat's Ukrainian Catholic Seminary, and studied at the Pontifical University Propaganda Fide. While there, he met Rev. John Bala, a Ukrainian Redemptorist from Canada, who encouraged him to join the Redemptorist Congregation. The seminarian took his advice, becoming a novice at Ciorani, near Naples in 1947. He made his first profession of vows on October 3, 1948, at the very same altar St. Alphonsus Liguori, founder of the Redemptorist Congregation, had professed his vows some 200 years earlier. Bishop Michael cherished this privilege.
Seminary Studies were then continued with the Ukrainian Redemptorist seminarians in Canada at Waterford, Ontario. He professed his perpetual vows on October 3, 1950, and completed his studies at St. Mary's Seminary in Meadowvale, Ontario. He was ordained a deacon on February 15, 1956, by Bishop Isidore Borecky of Toronto, Ontario. On May 13, 1956, again at the hands of Bishop Isidore, Father Michael Kuchmiak was ordained to the priesthood, together with two other classmates, Fathers George Perejda and John Fetsco. The first assignment of the newly ordained Fr. Michael was to the motherhouse of the Ukrainian Redemptorists, Yorkton, Saskatchewan in 1957. He became the pastoral assistant at St. Mary's Parish in Yorkton and also for the Ukrainian Catholic Mission - the many parishes of the rural Yorkton District.
From 1957 until 1965, he took pastoral charge of the Wynyard District with care and devotion. In Yorkton be devoted himself to the care of youth and young married couples, directing an active Youth Club, and working closely with the Roman Catholic pastors at St. Gerard's parish to organize two Catholic schools and form a separate school board in Yorkton. He also served as catechist at Sacred Heart Academy, a High School for girls conducted by the Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate, and at St. Joseph's College, a Christian Brothers High School for boys. Fr. Michael was appointed novice master in May, 1965.
The novitiate was then in Meadowvale, Ontario. While taking good care of his charges there, he also was the extraordinary confessor to the Sister Servants of Mary Immaculate and their novices at Ancaster, Ontario. In 1967, Fr. Michael again returned to Yorkton to be the superior of the Ukrainian Catholic Mission community and to be pastor of St. Mary's parish. During his pastorate a third elementary Catholic school was built, a mortgage from adding a wing to the church was liquidated, and a parish planning committee was formed to co-ordinate major parish events. The activities of the parish Organizations were flourishing.
Besides his pastoral duties, he served as a diocesan consultor to the Bishop and was elected to the Extraordinary Provincial Council of the Ukrainian Redemptorist Province of Yorkton. With the new Redemptorist appointments in June, 1975, he was named superior and pastor of St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic parish in Newark, N.J. During his pastoral charge there, a large mortgage on the new parish church was paid off, and he expanded the buildings of the parish complex, as well as parish activities. Father took pride in being a "hands-on" pastor, serving as chaplain to the Catholic War Veterans, the Holy Name Society, and teaching religion in the parish school and in catechetical classes. He was also a consultor of the Ukrainian Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia, a member of the Board of Directors or Ascension Manor Inc., an Archeparchial Senior Citizens Housing Organization, a spiritual advisor for Providence Association, a fraternal benefit organization, and a chaplain or advisor for many Ukrainian and Catholic Organizations in and around Newark.
One proud moment he liked to recall was hosting President Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy to St. John's. In August, 1987, Fr. Kuchmiak was named pastor of Holy Family Ukrainian Catholic National Shrine in Washington, D.C. However, in March 1988, he was announced as Auxiliary to Metropolitan Stephen Sulyk. He received his episcopal consecration at the Immaculate Conception Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral in Philadelphia on April 27, 1988, from Msgr. Stephen Sulyk, Archeparch of Philadelphia, assisted by Bishops Maxim Hermaniuk C.SS.R., and Innocent Lotocky, OSBM.
Following his consecration, Bishop Michael remained in pastoral charge of Holy Family in Washington, and also was appointed by Metropolitan Sulyk as director of spiritual formation at St. Josaphat's Ukrainian Catholic Seminary in Washington. On July 11, 1989, Bishop Michael was officially appointed by Pope John Paul II as Apostolic Exarch of Great Britain for Ukrainians. The installation ceremony took place at the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Family in Exile in London on October 10, 1989. Bishop Michael devoted himself totally to a daunting task in his new territory, acquitting himself ably with his hands on approach. He took an active role in both Catholic and ecumenical issues and won admiration and respect both for himself and the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Great Britain. The Bishop's retirement was finally accepted in 2001, and he returned to Newark in 2002. He was brought to Yorkton because of failing health and then to the care of the Ukrainian Sisters of St. Joseph's Home in Saskatoon, where he fell asleep in the Lord in the afternoon of Tuesday, August 26, 2008, in his room at St. Joseph's Home in Saskatoon, he was 85.
Funeral prayers were held Friday, August 29, at 7.00 pm., in Yorkton, Saskatchewan at St. Mary's Ukrainian Catholic Church. The Funeral Liturgy was celebrated there on Saturday, August 30, at 11.00 am. The interment took place in Winnipeg, Manitoba, at the Holy Family Cemetery.
He attended school in Obertyn and then Kolomyia. The Second World War was beginning just as Michael received his teaching certificate. He had planned to enter the religious life but instead taught first in an elementary school in Zhabye, then for two years served in the First Ukrainian Division of the Ukrainian National Army. In 1945, he took the opportunity to travel to Rome, where he enrolled at St. Josaphat's Ukrainian Catholic Seminary, and studied at the Pontifical University Propaganda Fide. While there, he met Rev. John Bala, a Ukrainian Redemptorist from Canada, who encouraged him to join the Redemptorist Congregation. The seminarian took his advice, becoming a novice at Ciorani, near Naples in 1947. He made his first profession of vows on October 3, 1948, at the very same altar St. Alphonsus Liguori, founder of the Redemptorist Congregation, had professed his vows some 200 years earlier. Bishop Michael cherished this privilege.
Seminary Studies were then continued with the Ukrainian Redemptorist seminarians in Canada at Waterford, Ontario. He professed his perpetual vows on October 3, 1950, and completed his studies at St. Mary's Seminary in Meadowvale, Ontario. He was ordained a deacon on February 15, 1956, by Bishop Isidore Borecky of Toronto, Ontario. On May 13, 1956, again at the hands of Bishop Isidore, Father Michael Kuchmiak was ordained to the priesthood, together with two other classmates, Fathers George Perejda and John Fetsco. The first assignment of the newly ordained Fr. Michael was to the motherhouse of the Ukrainian Redemptorists, Yorkton, Saskatchewan in 1957. He became the pastoral assistant at St. Mary's Parish in Yorkton and also for the Ukrainian Catholic Mission - the many parishes of the rural Yorkton District.
From 1957 until 1965, he took pastoral charge of the Wynyard District with care and devotion. In Yorkton be devoted himself to the care of youth and young married couples, directing an active Youth Club, and working closely with the Roman Catholic pastors at St. Gerard's parish to organize two Catholic schools and form a separate school board in Yorkton. He also served as catechist at Sacred Heart Academy, a High School for girls conducted by the Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate, and at St. Joseph's College, a Christian Brothers High School for boys. Fr. Michael was appointed novice master in May, 1965.
The novitiate was then in Meadowvale, Ontario. While taking good care of his charges there, he also was the extraordinary confessor to the Sister Servants of Mary Immaculate and their novices at Ancaster, Ontario. In 1967, Fr. Michael again returned to Yorkton to be the superior of the Ukrainian Catholic Mission community and to be pastor of St. Mary's parish. During his pastorate a third elementary Catholic school was built, a mortgage from adding a wing to the church was liquidated, and a parish planning committee was formed to co-ordinate major parish events. The activities of the parish Organizations were flourishing.
Besides his pastoral duties, he served as a diocesan consultor to the Bishop and was elected to the Extraordinary Provincial Council of the Ukrainian Redemptorist Province of Yorkton. With the new Redemptorist appointments in June, 1975, he was named superior and pastor of St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic parish in Newark, N.J. During his pastoral charge there, a large mortgage on the new parish church was paid off, and he expanded the buildings of the parish complex, as well as parish activities. Father took pride in being a "hands-on" pastor, serving as chaplain to the Catholic War Veterans, the Holy Name Society, and teaching religion in the parish school and in catechetical classes. He was also a consultor of the Ukrainian Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia, a member of the Board of Directors or Ascension Manor Inc., an Archeparchial Senior Citizens Housing Organization, a spiritual advisor for Providence Association, a fraternal benefit organization, and a chaplain or advisor for many Ukrainian and Catholic Organizations in and around Newark.
One proud moment he liked to recall was hosting President Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy to St. John's. In August, 1987, Fr. Kuchmiak was named pastor of Holy Family Ukrainian Catholic National Shrine in Washington, D.C. However, in March 1988, he was announced as Auxiliary to Metropolitan Stephen Sulyk. He received his episcopal consecration at the Immaculate Conception Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral in Philadelphia on April 27, 1988, from Msgr. Stephen Sulyk, Archeparch of Philadelphia, assisted by Bishops Maxim Hermaniuk C.SS.R., and Innocent Lotocky, OSBM.
Following his consecration, Bishop Michael remained in pastoral charge of Holy Family in Washington, and also was appointed by Metropolitan Sulyk as director of spiritual formation at St. Josaphat's Ukrainian Catholic Seminary in Washington. On July 11, 1989, Bishop Michael was officially appointed by Pope John Paul II as Apostolic Exarch of Great Britain for Ukrainians. The installation ceremony took place at the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Family in Exile in London on October 10, 1989. Bishop Michael devoted himself totally to a daunting task in his new territory, acquitting himself ably with his hands on approach. He took an active role in both Catholic and ecumenical issues and won admiration and respect both for himself and the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Great Britain. The Bishop's retirement was finally accepted in 2001, and he returned to Newark in 2002. He was brought to Yorkton because of failing health and then to the care of the Ukrainian Sisters of St. Joseph's Home in Saskatoon, where he fell asleep in the Lord in the afternoon of Tuesday, August 26, 2008, in his room at St. Joseph's Home in Saskatoon, he was 85.
Funeral prayers were held Friday, August 29, at 7.00 pm., in Yorkton, Saskatchewan at St. Mary's Ukrainian Catholic Church. The Funeral Liturgy was celebrated there on Saturday, August 30, at 11.00 am. The interment took place in Winnipeg, Manitoba, at the Holy Family Cemetery.
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