ARCHBISHOP STEFAN SOROKA CELEBRATES 25 YEARS OF EPISCOPAL MINISTRY
June 17, 2021
CHURCH CELEBRATES 25th ANNIVERSARY OF EPISCOPAL ORDINATION ARCHBISHOP STEFAN SOROKA
Metropolitan-emeritus of Philadelphia, His Grace Archbishop Stefan Soroka, celebrated a Divine Liturgy of thanksgiving on Sunday June 13, 2021 at St. Anne Ukrainian Catholic Parish in Winnipeg's North Kildonan. The Liturgy is part of the celebrations this year of Archbishop Stefan's 25 years of episcopal ministry within the Church. St. Anne Parish church was an apt location as His Grace once served there as parish priest and as an auxiliary bishop.
Archbishop Stefan was born in Winnipeg and grew up as a parishioner of Sts. Volodymyr & Olha Cathedral. He went on to be ordained as a priest by Metropolitan Maxim Hermaniuk, CSsR at the Cathedral on June 13, 1982 (yes, 14 years, to the day, prior to his episcopal consecration).
As a priest he was popular for his gentleness, leadership spirit and his willingness to listen. He served at Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Anne Parishes in Winnipeg and Assumption (Dormition) Parish in Portage la Prairie. He had a special rapport with the youth and young adults. He organized gatherings for the altar servers and was the Chaplain for the young Knights of Columbus (Squires), as well as the Spiritual Advisor for the university students' organization 'Obnova' and the Vocations Director for the Archeparchy.
In 1996 he was chosen to serve as an auxiliary Bishop for the Archeparchy of Winnipeg with Metropolitan Michael Bzdel, CSsR. Seven years after that, in 2001, he was appointed to serve as the 6th Metropolitan-Archbishop of Philadelphia and was installed by the Father and Head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, His Beatitude Lubomyr. Archbishop Stefan served the Ukrainian Catholics of the United States for 17 years before retiring and bidding farewell on June 10, 2018.
His Grace returned to the land of his birth and resettled near Winnipeg and has remained active in ministry in a variety of ways especially through pastoral care and preaching the Word of God in several parishes.
The June 13th Anniversary Divine Liturgy at St. Anne's parish church may be viewed below in the YouTube video. Archbishop Stefan's homily begins at 23:55 and a special greeting from Metropolitan Lawrence Huculak, OSBM begins at 1:09:55.
НА МНОГАЯ ЛІТА, ВЛАДИКО!
