HOLY SPIRIT [Holy Ghost] Parish – Парафія Зіслання Святого Духа

Location: town between Radway and Smoky Lake. The cemetery: SE 29-59-19-4: 4 acres of land were donated by M. Diachyshyn and were incorporated in 1941. The land for the church (72’ x 32’) was purchased from Woodward for $350.00 in 1950 and the construction began in 1950-1951. The contractor was Walter Gulka from St. Paul, Alberta. The cornerstone was blessed on June 17th, 1951, and the church was blessed on June 14, 1970, by Bishop Neil Savaryn in the presence of Fr. Peter Moysiuk, Fr. Eugene Dmytruk, Fr. Peter Iwanec, Fr. Peter Petryshyn, and the Parish priest Fr. Theophile Hurko. The church building with a finished basement (which was worked on in 1964) cost $35,000.00. In 1974 the Parish started their own branch of the Ukrainian Catholic Women’s League. The cantors in the parish: Dmytro Mulyk, Theodor Koziak, Michael Diachyshyn, and Joseph Mychalchuk.

Basilian Fathers who served the community: Fr. Theodozy Dobko, Fr. Nicholas Kohut, Fr. Geoge Zydan, Fr. Epiphany Paschak, Fr. Juvenalis Slota, Fr. Dionisius Dzygolyk, Fr. Sebastian Kurylo, Fr. Damascene Popowych, Fr. Athanasius Chimy, Fr. Martyrius Vincentaylo and Fr. Ambrose Wynnyk who started the new church building.

The Eparchial clergy provided later services: Fr. Volodymyr Zolkewych (1950-1956), Fr. Michael Gural (1956-1963), Fr. Theophile Hurko (1963-1976), Fr. Michael Kowalchyk (1977-1983), Fr. Philip Shinduke (1983-1984), Fr. Anton Tarasenko (1984-1995), Fr. Serhiy Harahuc (1996-1998), Fr. William Hupalo (1998-2000), Fr. Janko Herbut (2000-2008), Fr. Stanislav Bjeli (2008-2013), Fr. Slavko Dumeč (2013-).