The Borschiw Parish is located in Haight, the County of Beaver Hill. The parish was established in 1903. In 1905 the first Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Fr. Platonid Filas, OSBM. Forty acres of land were acquired for a church, a National Hall (Narodnyi Dim) and a cemetery (4 acres). The cemetery was purchased first, for $10.00, collected by parishioners and given to Fr. Filas. The parishioners managed to have the property registered under: Greek-Catholic Parish in Borschiw. The first settlers who arrived from Borshchiv District in Western Ukraine were: J. Bartman, P. Deputan, I. Kalynchuk, I. Petryga, M. Kyryliuk, I. Slyvka, V. Pochynok, S. Osadchuk, I. Rurka, T. Pidoborozhnyi, M. Korpan and V. Pavliy. From the beginning the cantors were: Baraniuk, J. Bartman, V. Shyba and I. Hrabec. In 1934 a choir was organized with the following conductors: H. Terebenets, S. Rurka, I. Semeniuk and Y. Matviyiv.
The parishioners built the first church for $1,500.00. The new church with five domes was built for $9,000.00 by S. Hayduk and S. Gara in 1939 (80’ x 30’) in a shape of a cross and was completely finished and painted. On the church property there is a monument commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Ukrainian settlement. Two bells are built-in into the gates of the property.
The first bishop who visited the parish was Bishop Nykyta Budka in 1916 followed by Bishop Basil Ladyka in 1934. Later Bishops Neil Savaryn, Demetrius Greschuk, Myron Daciuk and Lawrence Huculak visited the community. The Parish was for many years a very dynamic congregation with many children attending the services.
The following vocations came from the parish: future Bishop of Saskatoon Most Rev. Basil Filevich, Fr. Peter Hrabec, OSBM, Fr. Evtimy Wolinski, a Studite monk, and Sister Cassianna Slywka, SSMI.
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GPS Co-ordinates: 53.387432, -112.283885
Cemetery Co-ordinates: 53.386760, -112.283896
Affiliation: Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Edmonton
St. John Ukrainian Catholic Church – Borschiw, AB
The church was built in 1938 in the center of the community on two and a half acres that were donated by Dmytro Shulhan. The first services were held in a private home by Fr. Roman Chomiak, CSSR, from Yorkton, Sask., who was visiting his family in Cherhill.
When the church was built, monthly services were held by the Basilian Fathers: Fr. Methodiius Hannas and Fr. Juvenalis Slota.
After the war, Eparchial clergy served the community: Fr. Michael Hawryluk (1950), Fr. Stephen Chabursky (1950-1952), Fr. Peter Iwanec (1952), Fr. Markian Bilyk (1952), Fr. John Chinchenko (1952-1960), Fr. Anthony Pawliuk (1960-1965), Fr. Bohdan Snihurowych (1965-1986), Fr. Myron Martynkiw (1987-1990), Fr. Mihajlo Planchak (1991-1992), Fr. Peter Lytwyn (1993-1996), Deacon Richard Nibogie (1997-1998), Deacon Michael Schaplowsky (1999), Fr. Peter Brezden (1999-2008), Fr. Don Bodnar (2008-2013), Fr. Slavko Dumeč (2013-).
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GPS Co-ordinates: 53.83162, -114.69450
Affiliation: Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Edmonton
Holy Eucharist Ukrainian Catholic Church – Cherhill, AB
The 2 acres for the church and the cemetery were donated by Semen Yurdyga in 1941. The church (48’ x 28’) is located 26 km. from Prosperity and 64 km. from Athabasca. For the record we found the names of the faithful: Semen Yurdyga, Oleksa Hrycun, Mykola Sadlowsky, Theodor Kachor, Petro Nakonechnyi, Vasyl Osadchuk, Mykola Chopodaylo, Vasyl Burak, Prokip Woytowych, Olena Kuzyk, Petro Pusharskyi, Petro Broda, Mykhaylo Duna, Andriy Panchyshyn, Ivan Fedun, Petro Hewko and Vasyl Kornak.
Fr. Bohdan Karychek, serving the faithful for a long time, described them as very dedicated and supportive in all their activities. The community started to diminish in the 1970s’, when the majority of the faithful moved to Boyle.
The Eparchial clergy serving the Frains faithful were: Fr. Bohdan Lozynsky (1951-1953), Fr. Matthew Pawluk (1954-1957), Fr. Euthymius Melnychuk (1968-1969), Fr. Bohdan Karychek (1971-1978), Fr. John Kratko (1978-1985), Fr. Don Bodnar (1986-1997), Fr. Benny Ambrose (1998-2000), Fr. Stanislav Bjeli (2001-2008), Fr. Don Bodnar (2008-2013) and Fr. Slavko Dumeč (2013-).
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GPS Co-ordinates: 54.762415, -112.610902
Cemetery Co-ordinates:54.76288, -112.61116
Affiliation: Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Edmonton
Holy Eucharist Ukrainian Catholic Church – Frains, AB
The church land (3 lots) was acquired in 1942 on the outskirts of Holden. The wooden church was built in 1943 (66’ x 28’). There is a church hall. The cemetery (6 acres of land) was acquired in 1945. The church residence was bought in 1952 for $6,500.00. In 1958 there were approximately 150 people. The Parish was looked after by the Basilian Fathers from 1932 until 1949 (Fr. Eugene Bilyk, OSBM).
The permanent records are kept in Camrose since 1986. The Parish has its own parish council and UCWL. There were two vocations: Fr. John Kratko and Fr. Cyril Mykytiuk, OSBM.
The Eparchial clergy who served the community: Fr. Demetrius Baziuk (1951-1957), Fr. Bohdan Lozynsky (1957-1963 ), Fr. Roman Hankewych (1963-1964), Fr. Oles Zachariasewych (1969-1984), Fr. Richard Zuback (1985-1986), Fr. Myron Pyszcz (1987-1990), Fr. Peter Brezden (1991-1992), Fr. Mihajlo Planchak (1993-1998), Fr. Ron Hollohan (1999), Fr. Vasyl Nykyforuk (2000-2008), Fr. Slavko Dumeč (2008-2013), Fr. Greg Faryna (2013-2017), Fr. Mark Bayrock (2017-).
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GPS Co-ordinates: 53.235018, -112.240524
Cemetery Co-ordinates: 53.22460, -112.22400
Affiliation: Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Edmonton
