Parish: Holy Trinity

Location: Calmar, Alberta

CALMAR (town) – HOLY TRINITY Parish – Парафія Пресвятої Трійц

The land in the town of Calmar was donated by Ivan Vorkun and Ivan Ivanykha organized the idea of the parish. The founding meeting of the parish was held on March 14, 1948. The church was built in 1947-1949 to take care of the people from the farm area who had moved into the town. The church is located approx. 50 km. southwest from Edmonton. The parishioners wanted to remain on the Julian calendar, while on the farms they were changing to the Gregorian calendar (see Calmar – Immaculate Conception of the BVM). In 1979 the majority decided to use the Gregorian calendar. The cemetery (1.47 acres) is located 1.6 km. south. Originally there were 30 families. On the opposite side of the road a Ukrainian Catholic National hall ( Український Католицький Народний Дім) was built in 1939 and supported by the Ukrainian Catholic communities of Calmar and Leduc. It was sold to the local Ukrainian Zirka dance group in 2004 for $30,000.00. The Parish enjoyed the active participation of UCWL, BUCC and UCYC.

The Parish was always served by the Basilian Fathers: Fr. Sebastian Kurylo, Fr. Dionisius Dzygolyk (1953), Fr. Leontij Yakubow (1954), Fr. Martin Pryma (1955), Fr. Borys Lysak (1956-1957), Fr. Raphael Melnyk (1964-1967), Fr. Myron Chimy (1968-1970), Fr. Benedict Hrynyshyn (1971-1976), Fr. Orest Slobodian (1976-1982) and from 1985 Fr. Sylvester Kuzel; Fr. John Sembrat (-2013), Fr. Greg Faryna (2013-2017), Fr. Mark Bayrock (2017-).