www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News Apostolic Administrator for Ukrainians in Great Britain

Pope Benedict XVI has appointed Bishop Hlib Lonchyna as Apostolic Administrator sede vacante of the Apostolic Exarchate for Ukrainians in Great Britain (source [212.77.1.245]). This means that Bishop Hlib will be responsible for the pastoral care of Ukrainian Catholics in Great Britain until a new Apostolic Exarch can be named.

Bishop Hlib is titular Bishop of Bareta and Bishop of the Curia of the Major Archbishop of Kyïv-Halyč. I understand he is already Apostolic Visitator for Ukrainian Catholics in Ireland (source).

Why is it taking so long to find a new Apostolic Exarch for Ukrainians in Great Britain, I wonder?

it's called language problems

We need an exarch with Ukrainian and English and they are in short supply

Appointing a Bishop to be Apostolic Administrator of an Apostolic Exarchate is a bit unusual. We shall see how this develops.

Speaking for the Greek-Catholics in Ireland, I may say at once that we are glad that Bishop Hlib will be so much closer to us geographically, that His Grace is an outstandingly good bishop, and that perhaps this appointment will bring about more contact between the Greek-Catholics in Ireland and our co-religionists in England, Scotland, and Wales.

When it comes to language, there are, of course, Welsh, Cornish, Scots Gaelic, Lallans, Manx to take into account as well as Ukrainian, Irish and English! Trying to cope with all of them will require the Bishop to mind his Ps and Qs! (No, I am not being rude!)

Eis polla eti, Despota! Go cean blianta fada!

Ad multos annos, Bishop Hlib!

I guess it would make sense to establish closer contacts between Ukrainian Greek-Catholics in the British Isles.

By the way, I have been wondering, are you, Fr Serge, the only Ukrainian Greek-Catholic priest in Ireland, or are there others? And are you responsible for Northern Ireland as well?

Fr Serge makes a good point regarding language issues, and I could think of no better candidate for the position than himself. I had the opportunity of having a good conversation with our local UGCC bishop two weeks ago when he was visiting Manhattan's Ukrainian Festival and did mention Fr Serge as a potential candidate for the vacant position.

I.F.

Father Serge is the only UGCC priest in all of Ireland, although I believe there are one or two bi-ritual clergy who assist him at Pascha and Nativity.

Many years,

Neil

I would not be surprised if the appointment of the new archbishop Of Westminister is linked to this sudden move to apoint someone to run the UGCC show in UK. This has dragged on for some time now.

Bishop Paul wanted ME for Exarch in England. Thanks, but no thanks - masochism is not my thing.

I am the only Greek-Catholic priest of any ethnic background in Ireland. I don't know of any bi-ritual priests in this country (I wish I did; I could use the help), though it happens occasionally that a bi-ritual Jesuit from Poland is assigned to look after the Poles.

The thought that the appointment of a new Archbishop of Westminster may be connected with the appointment for the Exarchate has occurred to me - the Exarchate is suffragan to Westminster and I would expect the new archbishop to look things over and remind the Holy See that some provision for the Exarchate is long overdue.

Fr. Serge

Dear Father Serge;

Do we actually have any Greek-Catholics who speak those
languages? I know that there is an Orthodox parish in
Wales where the Liturgy is celebrated in Welsh, but have
heard of no other so interesting a phenomenon. But of course
your bishop must be prepared to evangelize such folk.

I understand that Cornish and Manx-Gaelic, formerly
considered dead languages, are both undergoing a lively
revival, and that there are even Cornish children being
reared with Cornish as their first language. I heard this
from a fellow-parishioner of Cornish descent who has
taught himself the language. May it be so!

The Divine Liturgy in Lallans (Lowland Scots for those who
don't know)! That I'd like to hear.

I do regret that you did not accept the post, as I am sure
do many of our fellow posters here. The knowledge that the
Church could boast a Bishop Serge (Keleher) would be
a thing of beauty and a joy forever! I do not jest; although
I realize that it would have been rather like martyrdom.

Edmac

"although I realize that it would have been rather like martyrdom."

And possibly a cross to bear for all the other bishops?

Axios! I wish Bishop Hlib well in his service to the Ukrainian Greek-Catholics of Great Britain as well. God grant him many years!

In ICXC,

Fr. Deacon Daniel

Father Serge:

Father bless!!

How many Greek Catholic priests are there in the entire British Isles--the UK and Ireland?

Bob

You mean, of course, either the Celtic Isles or the Western Isles! As to the number of our clergy lurking on the "other" islands of what we might call the Celtic Archipelago, I don't really know. England, I think, has a dozen or so; Scotland has at least one, and there may well be one in Wales. Someone should do a directory of Greek-Catholics in Western Europe.

Fr. Serge

Bless, Father,

My hope is that, once we get the US done, that we'll be able to tackle that. Yours, of course, is presently the first and only listing for Western Europe.

Many years,

Neil

Actually, that's not entirely true. Yours was the first, but is not the only one. The Byelorussian mission in London is listed, as is the sole Albanian Greek-Catholic parish, and several of the Bulgarian Byzantine parishes (used them as a test of the mapping feature's validity for Europe).

Many years,

Neil