JAROSLAW (BRUDERHEIM) – HOLY SPIRIT [Holy Ghost] Parish

JAROSLAW (BRUDERHEIM) – HOLY SPIRIT [Holy Ghost] Parish – Парафія Зіслання Святого Духа

Location: 11 km. from Bruderheim, Alberta. 4 acres of land were donated by Stefan Horhut for the church and cemetery. The first church was built in 1902 in honor of St. Demetrius (Церква св. Димитрія) ; the second one in 1947/1948 with the support of Fr. Benjamin Baranyk, OSBM. Bishop Nykyta Budka was trying hard to combine our forces into one corporation, as a defense strategy against the Russian Orthodox, who worked hard to destroy our church structures. After the collapse of the Russian Empire in 1917, and beginning in 1918, a Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church was created. They were looking for new members and used scaring tactics to attack the Ukrainian Catholics. This is why the original church of St. Demetrius joined the Orthodox in 1926. Interesting to remember is the fact, that the Ukrainian Catholics were called traitors of their faith, etc. These false accusations toward the Ukrainian Catholics in Canada were and are unfounded. The Ukrainian Catholic Church in Canada or elsewhere owns their churches, halls and cemeteries, and not even one piece of land was taken away from us by the Roman Catholics as the opponents were stating. Original members in 1902 were 18 families.

Parish priests: Fr. Basil Chopey (1950-1956); Fr. Peter Ewanec (1957-1970).

Basilian Fathers: Fr. Sylvester Kuzel (1983); Fr. Vincent Prychidko (1984-1987); Fr. Ignatius Holowaychuk (1988); Fr. Daniel Wach (1989-1991); Fr. Paul Chomnycky (1992-1993); Fr. John Sembrat (1994-1995); Fr. Josaphat Tyrkalo (1996); Fr. Theodosius Machinski (1997-1999); Fr. Matthew Drury (2000-2006); Fr. Gabriel Haber (2006-2008).

The parish closed on August 23, 3008, with Bishop David Motiuk celebrating a Divine Liturgy of thanksgiving.

Virtual tour: www.arts.ualberta.ca/uvp