CANADA’S BASILIAN FATHERS HOLD ‘CHAPTER’ GATHERING
February 8, 2020
The Basilian Fathers that serve in Canada recently held their "Chapter" at which they discussed their plans for the next four years and also elected the Superior (Proto-Ihumen) and the Councilors that will lead the implementation of those plans and goals moving forward.
The Order of Saint Basil the Great (OSBM) sent their first missionaries to Canada in 1902. They formed part of a North American jurisdiction, but eventually they established a Canadian "province" of their Order in 1948 with the first Provincial Superior being Fr. Theodosius Dobko, OSBM. The Basilian Fathers have served in many, many parishes throughout Canada over the years - including Toronto, Weston and Grimsby in Ontario as well as Montreal. Quebec. However, certainly their most well-known centres of activity today would be Winnipeg, Manitoba (where the Provincial Superior resides), Mundare, Alberta (where their novitiate is situated), Edmonton. Alberta (where they have had a House of Studies and a major parish) and Vancouver, BC. The members of the Canadian Province and, thus the delegates to the 2020 Chapter come from various places through Canada (including Smuts, Saskatchewan) and from Ukraine as well. Not all members of Canada's Basilian monastic community could attend due to local obligations or health issues, etc., but representatives from the above-mentioned centres did gather for a week-long experience of prayer, deliberation and decision-making. His Grace Metropolitan Lawrence Huculak of Winnipeg was invited to begin the Chapter with a day of spiritual renewal through liturgical prayer and reflections.
This is the Press Release issued by the Chapter participants...
From February 3rd to the 7th, The Canadian Province of the Basilian Order of St. Josaphat (the Basilian Fathers) held its Provincial Chapter in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Chapter, a series of meetings which normally takes place every four years, is a time during which Basilian delegates from across Canada meet to review, evaluate and discuss their work in the various areas of the apostolate in which they are engaged across Canada. At the same time the Chapter elects a new Provincial Council which will oversee and direct, in keeping with the Basilian Statute and the Chapter Resolutions, the work of the Basilian Order in Canada.
The newly elected Council consists of:
Rev. Gabriel Haber, OSBM - Provincial Superior
Rev. Joseph Pidskalny, OSBM - 1st Consultor and Provincial Vicar
Rev. Damian Dutka, OSBM - 2nd Consultor
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