Question: Could you please clarify the titles used in the names of the Ukrainian Catholic Churches and what dates changes were made?  When our Immaculate Conception Church was first was first registered, the title reads the “Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception of St. Mary”.  Later on, it was known as the “Ukrainian Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception of St. Mary”.

Answered by: Fr. Athanasius McVay

Response:

The old designation “Ruthenian” can be understood in two ways: nationally (as a people) and ecclesially (as a Church). Nationally, the term had been used to designate three ethnic groups: Ukrainian, Belarusian, and Rusyn, who all dwelled in the ancient lands of Kyivan Rus’. When Ukrainians came to Canada, they were listed on official papers as “Ruthenians”, according to the terminology used by Europeans at the time.

 

Our Church used to be known as the Uniate Church of Rus’ (meaning that part of the Church of Kyivan Rus’ which was united to the Roman Church). However, in 1774, Empress Maria Teresa of Austria (which ruled Western Ukraine at the time) banned that word within her realms and renamed us Greek-Catholic (meaning “of the Byzantine Rite”, not “of Greek nationality”) to distinguish us from her Roman/Latin Catholic subjects.

 

When our first churches registered in Canada as corporations, the official name was Ruthenian Greek-Catholic mission. During WWI, the term was discarded because of the war between Austria and Russia, and most Austrian Ruthenians began to call themselves Ukrainians. On several occasions, Bishop Budka and his successors asked for the official terminology to be changed, but we were only able to go through with this legally in the 1950s.

 

Today, our Ukrainian Catholic Church is still officially known as the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church; however, outside of Ukraine, the Greek part was dropped in the 1950s. Keep in mind, the title of Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church does not stand for the ethnic or linguistic make-up of the Church, although Ukrainian ethnics make up the majority. “Ukrainian” here signifies that we are a Church of the Kyivan religious tradition. If you would like to learn more, I wrote about this topic in my book, God’s Martyr, History’s Witness: Blessed Nykyta Budka, the First Ukrainian Catholic Bishop of Canada.

Can Ukrainian Catholic Priests Marry?

The full question: Hello! I am a Roman Catholic and recently discovered the Ukrainian Catholic Church through your live streams! I did not even know this tradition existed and have really been learning more about it recently, so forgive me since I am very uneducated...

Is it appropriate to use praise & worship music in our Ukrainian Catholic tradition?

Answer from: Father Bo Is there ever a bad way to pray?  The answer is no.  Singing in church is prayer (assuming you are singing about or to God). Certainly, the Eastern Churches have developed their own styles of musical as people’s prayers evolved over the...

What are some practical ways we can allow young children to start praying?

Answer from: Father Julian   Remember what Jesus’s disciples asked him?  “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1). Those are profound words.  All of us need to be taught by Christ and by the Church how to pray.  And parents, in turn, teach their children how to...

How can a Roman Catholic begin to learn the traditional prayers of the Ukrainian Catholic Church? For example, the Jesus prayer.

Question answered by: Fr. Planchak Full Response:  Thanks for the good question. There are many ways to learn more about the Ukrainian Catholic Church. First, there are many books. I would recommend Christ – Our Pascha: The Catechism of the Ukrainian Catholic Church. ...

I would like to apply to a Ukrainian Catholic seminary, but I am not Ukrainian. Will this prohibit me from applying?

Full Question: I go to a Ukrainian Catholic Church and I have felt called to the priesthood, but I am not Ukrainian. Will this prohibit me from applying to a Ukrainian Catholic Seminary? Response From: Rector of the Holy Spirit Ukrainian Catholic Seminary, Fr. Michael...

What prayers should I use to get through a bad day?

Answer from: Fr. Julian Thank you for your question.  “Be still and know that I am God!" (Psalm 46:10) The Church guides us on our path of prayer and proposes that we rely on her accumulated experience of prayer. This experience indicates that we need to set aside...