Located 16 km. north of Derwent, the church (38’ x 22’) was built in 1919 by Andrew Sakowski. Fr. Ksenofont Rozdolsky blessed the one acre cemetery in 1919. The first settlers came in 1909 from Western Ukraine: O. Dziuba, I. Gulayets, H. Kravchuk, N. & I. Zayats, T. & P. Gulayets. For the first ten years the people were attending services at St. George’s in Derwent. The first visitation of the church was held on July 13, 1934 by Bishop Basil Ladyka.
The Basilian Fathers served the community from 1915 to 1949. Then the Eparchial clergy provided spiritual care for the parishioners: Fr. John Cherkawsky (1949-1989), Fr. Joseph Royer (1989-1992), Fr. Mark Bayrock (1993-1994), Fr. Roman Dobriansky (1994-1998), Deacon Richard Nibogie (1998-2000), Deacon Ed Lemko (2000), Fr. Slavko Dumeč (2000-2008) and Fr. Vasyl Nykyforuk (2008-2011 ). Currently Fr. Bohdan Nahachewsky is the administrator.
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GPS Co-ordinates: 53.780958,-111.020043
Affiliation: Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Edmonton
St. Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church – Angle Lake, AB
T
he church with a finished basement is located in the center of the town in front of the lake. The construction of the church was completed between 1967 and 1971. The first Divine Liturgy was held on March 19, 1971 by Fr. Dmytro Hnat. The first parish council was elected in 1964: V. Slawuta (president), L. Sharun (vice-president), B. Baran (secretary), M. Buzko (treasurer). The Parish counted among their members a well known artist painter named Peter Shostak.
The UCWLC was well organized with dedicated women supporting the parish.
The Eparchial clergy serving the community were: Fr. Michael Hawryluk (1949), Fr. Dmytro Hnat (1967-1979), Fr. Ivan Makuch (1981-1984), Fr. Joseph Royer (1986-1991), Fr. Austin Borynec (1992-1993), Fr. Myron Pyszcz (1993-1996), Fr. Ron Hollohan (1997-1998), Fr. Roman Dobrianski (1999-2008), Fr. Mark Sych (2008- ).
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GPS Co-ordinates: 54.265876,-110.748407
Affiliation: Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Edmonton
Holy Spirit Ukrainian Catholic Church – Bonnyville, AB
The is located 18 km. southeast from the town of Innisfree. The first services were held in the private home of Vasyl Hlus, which is why many of the people called the church “ Церква на Глусях or Церква коло Глусів” (Church at Hlus’). The idea of the first church came from Petro Hlus in 1910 and the church was built in 1911. Three original members were: Hlus, Mazepa and Tarapacky families. The church was in honor of St. Nicholas, although for some time was known as the Church of Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The old church, which was built in 1911 by Yanishevskyi for $3,000.00, was donated in 1971 to the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village on highway 16. It is an open museum of Ukrainian heritage. A new church was being discussed for some time. Fr. Roman Starodub and the building committee met in 1957 with architect Flak, who provided them with a blueprint worth $800.00. Some people thought that it was very expensive but after some consideration all accepted the idea of building a new church. The basement was excavated in July 1958 and on August 2, 1959 Bishop Neil Savaryn blessed the corner stone. Much of the work was done by the parishioners. The old and the new church were legally designated as The Catholic Parish of Saint Nicholas of Greek-Ruthenian Rite united to Rome of Innisfree in the Province of Alberta, Dominion of Canada.
In 1957 there were 55 families, and in 1972 approximately 32 families (80 people) in the parish. The region was one of the strongholds of the communists. Many of the first settlers were “moskvofily” (pro Russian movement in western Ukraine as a response to Polish domination). For some time, the first Ukrainian Member of Parliament Michael Luchkovych was living there but left, disappointed in the people. Once, the enemies of the parish community placed a hammer and sickle on the cross of the church. Another time a Basilian priest was refused the entrance to the church. These facts are documented by Fr. Roman Starodub, Stefan Dmytriw and Peter Tarapatskyj. There are 3 different cemeteries, one is located half a km. from the church and it was blessed in 1910 by Fr. Naucratius Kryzanowsky.
The parish was served by the Basilian Fathers for many years: Fr. Kryzanowsky, Fr. Basil Ladyka, Fr. Josaphat Tymochko, Fr. Matthew Hura, Fr. Porphyrius Bodnar, Fr. Sophron Diakowich, Fr. Paul Hewko, Fr. Damascene Popovych, Fr. Innocent Rychkun, Fr. Sebastian Shewchuk, Fr. Theodozy Dobko, Fr. Benjamin Baranyk, Fr. Basil Kamenetsky, Fr. Martyrius Vincentaylo, and from 1938 to 1949 Fr. Markian Pasichnyk.
Starting in 1949 the resident priest in the town of Innisfree was serving the community: Fr. Nicholas Diadio (1949), Fr. Bohdan Hanushevsky (1950-1952), Fr. Yaroslaw Fedunyk (1953-1956), Fr. Roman Starodub (1956-1985), Fr. Benny Ambrose (1986-1995), Fr. Ron Hollohan (1996), Deacon Michael Schaplowsky (1997-2000) and from 2000 different clergy provided spiritual services. Fr. Bohdan Nahachewsky was appointed pastor of the parish in 2006.
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GPS Co-ordinates: 53.534003,-111.526071
Cemetery Co-ordinates: 53.53450, -111.52543
Affiliation: Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Edmonton
St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church – Buchach, AB
The land for the church was purchased in 1927 and six acres were donated to the parish by Frank Askin in 1930. The church was built in 1930-1931. The parishioners all volunteered to work on the construction in order to defray the cost of building. The nearest available lumber was in British Columbia and had to be freighted in by train, and then unloaded and hauled to the building site by the parishioners. The interior furnishings were donated or built by the parishioners, including the hand-carved altar by Roman Veres. There are 2 acres of land for the cemetery, that was incorporated in 1933. St. Nicholas Parish in Carvel is using the Julian calendar. A priest came from Edmonton four times a year and stayed overnight in the homes of the parishioners. In the absence of the priest, the cantor was leading the faithful in prayer.
When Bishop Basil Ladyka came to bless the church in May 1936, he was escorted the mile and a half to the church in procession by seven riders with banners on decorated horses. In spite of the hardships of the depression, a National Home dedicated to Fr. Markian Shashkevych (Narodnyi dim im. o. Markiana Shashkevycha) was built in 1935. In 1950 the parish bought one acre of land with a residence for the clergy. Fr. Basil Martynyk was the first resident priest in Carvel.
There were 3 vocations to the priesthood: Fr. Josaphat Tyrkalo, OSBM; Fr. Joseph Ostapowich and Fr. Austin Borynec. The Basilian Fathers served the parish until 1948, providing clergy from Edmonton.
The following eparchial clergy served the Parish thereafter: Fr. Basil Martynyk (1950-1951) Fr. Constantine Stangret (1951-1957), Fr. Yaroslaw Fedunyk (1957-1959), Fr. Bohdan Snihurovych (1965-1986), sporadically Fr. Michael Gural (1969-1974), Fr. Myron Martynkiw (1986-1990), Fr. Mihajlo Planchak (1991-1992), Fr. Peter Lytwyn (1993-1996), several deacons, Fr. Peter Brezden (1999-2008) and Fr. Don Bodnar (2008- 2013), Fr. Slavko Dumeč (2013-).
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GPS Co-ordinates: 53.530498,-114.215657
Affiliation: Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Edmonton
