They knew he'd become a bishop

But for Motiuk's frinds 'someday' was sooner than they had expected

By RAMON GONZALEZ
WCR Staff Writer
Edmonton

"It wasn't totally a surprise," admitted Father Myron Pyszcz, pastor at Holy Eucharist Parish in Edmonton and Motiuk's friend for 18 years. "I knew he was going to become a bishop one day but I wasn't quite sure it would be so soon."

When Motiuk told the news to his friend, Pyszcz said, "'Already?' I wasn't surprised. I just said 'Congratulations. I know you will do a great job, you will inspire the Church and we need bishops like yourself.'"

The appointment "was no big surprise" for Father Don Bodnar either. "Let's put it this way. We know that when somebody's got a doctorate and has been rector of a seminary, the next step is to make him a bishop. So it wasn't a big surprise.

"We kind of sensed it. David is very smart, he is very good with people and has very good pastoral skills. So Father Myron and myself used to say, 'They'll make him a bishop.' The only surprise was that they did it so quick. We didn't expect it to happen so fast."

"He enjoys good conversation around a good bottle of Italian wine." - Fr. Myron Pyszcz

Like Pyszcz, Bodnar, the pastor of Edmonton's Holy Cross Parish, has been friends with Motiuk since the mid-1980s, when the three of them studied for the priesthood in Ottawa.

"I know David will do a great job. He is a good administrator, he is very good with people and he knows how to get things done, " he said. "And he has this way of asking you to do something and you not being able to turn him down. If you do, you feel really bad.

"He has that gift and consequently people come and help him and make things happen. I think Winnipeg is very fortunate that they are getting Father David. He'll be a big asset to them and actually to our whole Church."

Pyszcz agrees. "Our loss is the Church's gain," he said, adding Motiuk has what it takes to be the best of bishops, including his knowledge of the Church's history, its theology and its law.

"He is very knowledgeable, very secure in his faith and a person who is easy to get along with," he said. "He's a people person; he likes to intermix with people."

And he is a man who enjoys what life has to offer, Pyszcz said, from reading fiction and mystery novels to Italian cuisine. The two often visit Italian restaurants like Pasta Kitchen, Joey Tomatoes and Sorrentinos. "He enjoys good conversation around a good bottle of Italian wine."

And whenever the two have time they catch a good movie together. Motiuk, a fan of science fiction movies saw the latest version of Star Wars soon after its release.

While studying for the priesthood in Ottawa in the mid-1980s, Bodnar took along his wife and five-year-old son, Stephan, now 22. He and Motiuk became so close that Motiuk ended up baby-sitting his son whenever Bodnar and his wife wanted an evening out.

"He is very good with children. I still have a picture of them carving a pumpkin for Halloween."

Motiuk also helped Bodnar with his studies. "We really hit it off together," the priest said. "We keep that relationship going, off and on. He likes playing racquetball so we play racquetball sometimes but I rarely win."

In January Bodnar was part of a group of friends who celebrated Motiuk's 40th birthday at a downtown restaurant. "He enjoys a good joke like the rest of us," he says. "He can laugh and joke around."

The newly appointed bishop is also a consummate "diplomat" who "knows what to say at the right time. He is very diplomatic. He chooses his words carefully." And that, he says, will help him a lot in his new job.

"We are very proud of Father David. We are very happy and we know that the bishops have picked an excellent bishop. We just put our faith and trust in him."

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