Ukrainian Catholic faith lives on

Huculak's installation as metropolitan passes torch to new generation

- WCR photo by Glen Argan Sts. Vladimir and Olga Cathedral was jammed for the Divine Liturgy marking Archbishop Huculak becoming metropolitan for Canada's Ukrainian Catholics.

By GLEN ARGAN
WCR Editor
Winnipeg

Amidst great splendour, Archbishop Lawrence Huculak was solemnly installed as the third metropolitan of Canada's Ukrainian Catholic Church at Sts. Vladimir and Olga Cathedral here Feb. 11.

The installation came at the end of a nearly three-hour Divine Liturgy when Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, presented Huculak with the symbols of his new office - a panagia of the Most Holy Mother of God, a bishop's staff and a pectoral cross.

Huculak, 55, takes over as metropolitan from Archbishop Michael Bzdel who stepped down upon reaching the retirement age of 75.

A native of Vernon, B.C., Huculak served as bishop of the Edmonton Ukrainian Eparchy for almost nine years.

The cathedral, packed with the faithful including many who had come from Alberta, applauded the new metropolitan who offered his thanks to representatives of governments, parishes, bishops, other faithful, the clergy of both his former and new eparchies and his family.

When he began his word of thanks to Bzdel, he turned around and, not seeing the former metropolitan, quipped, "He's gone already!"

- WCR photo by Glen Argan Archbishop Lawrence Huculak greets a priest from his new archdiocese following his installation as Canada's Ukrainian Catholic metropolitan.

Archbishop Thomas Collins of Edmonton, Bishop Frederick Henry of Calgary and Bishop Luc Bouchard of St. Paul were among the 17 bishops who took part in the Divine Liturgy.

Also attending the installation and sitting just outside the sanctuary was Archbishop John Stinka, metropolitan of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Canada. Stinka also had a head table seat at the banquet which followed.

The new archbishop's mother, Katherine Huculak, attended the liturgy, with Huculak earlier telling the WCR, "I'm really proud (she will be there).

"Somebody said, 'You must be the first metropolitan who has a mother attending his installation.'"

As the procession made its way from the cavernous cathedral at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, bells pealed out rejoicing the installation of the new metropolitan. Huculak stayed behind in the cathedral, individually greeting each of the clergy in the Winnipeg Archeparchy.

"Today is a feast of the entire metropolia and it is a feast of our entire Church," said Husar, archbishop of Kiev, Ukraine, in his homily. "We all rejoice at this moment today because our Church in Canada is living through this very happy moment."

The installation of a new metropolitan is "proof of continuity, a proof of a living Church here today," he said.

The spiritual treasures that our parents, grandparents and today's faithful have brought to Canada still bear fruit today. "They are continuing to grow."

"Our entire Church rejoices that we are here (in Canada) and that we have found a home and that we can share with others in a very tangible way what we have received."

- WCR photo by Glen Argan Archbishop Lawrence Huculak and his mother Katherine receive roses presented by two youngsters at a banquet following the archbishop's installation.

Husar, a former Studite monk, warned the congregation that as joyous an occasion as the installation is, liturgical festivities are not enough to justify the existence of the Church.

Its "profoundly spiritual traditions" must inspire action, he said. "Put the treasures we have received to work for the benefit of our communities and the entire country in which we live."

"It is in the daily application of our traditions that we make our Church alive."

Husar urged Huculak to "always be conscious of the immense goodness of Christ's love."

He spoke about Zaccheus who wanted so much to see Jesus that he climbed a tree. When Christ came close, he looked up into the tree and told Zaccheus he would eat at his house that night. "Zaccheus was so impressed he changed his way of life."

"Let us try to imagine the look in the eyes of our Lord. He looked at that sinner and called him by name. There must be untold goodness in those eyes."

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