Parish: Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Location: Holden Farm, Alberta
PRESENTATION of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish – Парафія Введення в Храм Пресв. Богородиці
Location: 13 km. south of Holden. The first settler was Anton Tchir (Tkhir) from the village of Ninovych, district of Yaroslav. Shortly after, Stefan and Yuriy Liashkovskyi, Luka Mulyk and others arrived. In 1907 there approximately 22 Ukrainian families. That year the idea of having a church was on the people’s minds. Fr. M. Hura, a Basilian priest who already served an established community in Kopernik, was afraid that it would be a great financial burden on the people. A parishioner by the name of Ivan Babiak donated 2 acres of land for the church and the cemetery, and in the same year a small church was built. Here are the names of the founders: A. Tchir, A. Komarnickyj, O. Tkachuk, M. Tkachuk, Yu. Liashkovskyi, S. Liashkovskyi, A. Hladylo, T. Malowany, T. Umrysh, I. Babiak, D. Ozhybko, H. Pastushok, J. Mulyk, L. Mulyk, S. Kondro, D. Komarnickyj. Every parishioner donated at least $100.00 for the construction of the new church in 1916, worth $3,000.00. The same year the trustees S. Laishkovskyi, H. Pastushok and J. Mulyk incorporated the church land. The expenses in building the church structure were paid in cash. In 1941 there were 41 families in the Parish with 56 children attending the religion and Ukrainian classes held by the Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate. Bishop Nykyta Budka visited the Parish on November 9, 1915 and in 1917; Bishop Basil Ladyka visited them on July 10, 1932 and July 27, 1941. Basilian priests that served the Parish: Fr. Matthew Hura, Fr. Basil Ladyka, Fr. Epiphanius Teodorowich, Fr. George Zydan, Fr. Sophron Diakovych, Fr. Methodius Hannas, Fr. Innocent Rychkun, Fr. Theodosius Dobko and Fr. Eugene Bilyk. Eparchial clergy that served the Parish: Fr. Demetrius Baziuk (1951-1957), Fr. Bohdan Lozynsky (1957-1963), Fr. Roman Hankewych (1963-1964), Fr. Oles Zachariasewych (1970-1984), 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-).