10825 - 97 Street

Edmonton, Alberta

T5H 2M4

Phone: 780.422.3181                                                              Fax: 780.425.7517

 
 

 
 


Bishop David Motiuk

 - Ordained to the Priesthood on August 21, 1988.

 - Ordained to the Episcopacy on June 11, 2002: Auxiliary bishop of the Archeparchy of Winnipeg, 2002.

 - Appointed Bishop of the Eparchy of Edmonton on January 25, 2007

 - Ph. D., Cannon Law, Pontifical Institute of Eastern Studies, Rome, 1996

  

 

  

Pastor: Fr. Bill Hupalo

  

Assistant Pastor: Fr. Danylo Kuc

 

DIVINE LITURGIES:

  
                        Sunday:                    

                                                                         9:00 A.M. (Sung in English)

                                                                       11:00 A.M.  (Sung in Ukrainian.)

                        Feast Days: 

                                                                       8:00 A.M.

                                                                      7:00 P.M.  (Only on Major Feast Days)

                        Weekdays:

                                                                     8:00 A.M.

                       Saturdays:                             5:00 P.M.  (Bilingual)

 

GLORY TO JESUS CHRIST! 

Our Parish Family is indeed honored and pleased that you’ve chosen to visit us.  If this is your first experience of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, you may find it helpful to know more about us.
Please read this short file, or click on any of the following topics of interest.

OUR ECCLESIASTICAL ROOTS

On  the  night   our   Lord  Jesus Christ gave Himself for  the  life of  the world, He  offered  His body and blood in the form of bread and  wine.   Obeying  His command  to  ‘Do  this in memory of    Me’, they brought  the Gospel  to different parts  of the world, adapting this ‘eucharist’ (thanksgiving) to the varying cultures of the peoples they evangelized. It became known first as ‘Liturgy’ (from a Greek word, meaning ‘the work of the people’) and then “Divine Liturgy”, meaning “God’s service”.

By the middle of the 3rd century, several major centers of Christianity had emerged, namely Rome, Alexandria and Antioch, which happened to be the most prestigious cities of the Roman Empire.  The Church in each of these cities had its own liturgical customs, which influenced the churches in smaller cities around them, but all shared the same apostolic faith.  Early in the fourth century, the Church of Constantinople, a city built on the site of an ancient Greek town called ‘’Byzantium’ and designated as the new capital of the Roman Empire, joined the ranks of these leading churches.  A liturgical practice based primarily on the tradition of the Church of Antioch developed here.  When  missionaries of this Church later brought Christianity to the peoples of eastern Europe they naturally spread  to their new converts the tradition with which they were familiar and this has remained the liturgical tradition of these Churches to this day.

In  response  to  the conditions  in  which they developed, which differed  from    those   in   western Europe,   these   churches organized themselves into local  hierarchies  defined by the political boundaries of  the  countries in which they  were   located,   and developed as separate national churches.  As a result, where churches of Byzantine tradition exist today in North America they are organized into ecclesiastical jurisdictions based on the national origins of the immigrants who originally established them here (Ukrainians, Russians, Serbians, Greeks, Romanians, etc.).

Over many centuries a gradual process of estrange-ment lead eventually to a separation between the Roman Church and most of the churches of the Christian East.  These subsequently organized themselves as a distinct communion - the ‘Orthodox Church’.    However, at a synod held in 1595, the bishops of Ukraine clarified that their church was, and had always remained, in communion with the Roman Church.  Later, certain sectors of the Ukrainian Church repudiated this act, resulting in the existence of a parallel ‘Orthodox’ Church among Ukrainians down to the present day.

OUR LITURGY

The following may help you to better understand and participate in our Liturgy:

THE BELIEVER AT PRAYER:  Owing to the fact  that in His Holy Incarnation, our Lord Jesus Christ, while fully God, took on our entire human nature, worship in the Eastern Christian tradition involves the entire person so that all of our faculties and senses may enter into prayer and experience the presence of God.  This explains our use of aesthetic stimuli such as music, fragrance, color and other sensory events.  The impression created by the beauty of these experiences elevates our worship to a foretaste of the Kingdom of God, mysteriously present among us now and awaiting its definitive and complete revelation at the end of time.  The earthly liturgy thereby reflects the heavenly liturgy described in the Letter to the Hebrews, the Book of Revelation, and elsewhere in the Scriptures.  

THE ICONOSTAS:  This large screen, symbolizing the  veil  of the Temple in the  Old  Testament,   conceals  the  sanctuary but is fitted with doors that open during the  service,  and with  sacred images   or icons’, which also appear elsewhere  in  the church.  Thus, it  simultaneously reveals  the    mysterious presence  of the Kingdom of  Heaven.   The content and the design of these images,  and the materials and methods used in their production,  are  drawn from  the  Scriptures,  the liturgy,  the  lives  of   the saints,  and  the  whole  of Christian  Tradition.  They express both the events and the profound spiritual meaning of our Salvation.  Their arrangement is determined by the liturgical life of the Church, in which they have an essential role.  Therefore, they are divinely revealed images, which we understand not as art, but as faith, theology and prayer in living color. They are expressions of the presence of Christ, the preeminent and perfect image of the Father, who appeared and was seen in the flesh, and they invite us to glimpse a spiritual vision of the Kingdom, and to enter into that sacred reality.   

 

FACING THE EAST IN PRAYER:  This ancient Christian posture was adopted by the early Church because of the significance of the rising sun as a symbol of the Resurrection.  Ancient  Christians  also expected the glorious return of Christ to begin from the East.  This is why the priest faces the altar rather than the congregation during our Liturgy.  As the leader of the community gathered in prayer, he, like us, faces the East, the symbol of our hope, and lifts up our prayers, as we await the coming of the One who ‘makes all things new’.

SINGING:  Our Liturgy generally is sung as a sign of our joyfulness in God’s presence.  Musical instruments are avoided so that the beauty of the human voice lifted in prayer is not hampered.

HOLY COMMUNION: Since the Eucharist can only be properly received by those in communion with the Catholic Church, we  emphasize  proper preparation   for receiving the  sacrament  through prayer,  fasting  (a  fast of one hour is strictly called             for), examination  of  conscience,  as   well   as  Confession,  if   required.  When   receiving, please   come forward and quietly state    your   first   name.  Open  your  mouth   wide and  tilt  your  head   back  slightly. Please do not extend your tongue  nor  say “Amen”.  The priest will gently place the Eucharist into your mouth with the spoon.  Wait until he withdraws his hand, then return to your place. At this point one should always offer thanks for the gift of Holy Communion.  There are some beautiful prayers of thanksgiving in the pewbooks used for Divine Liturgy (pp. 80 - 87).  These can also provide wonderful inspiration for re-flection and prayer when preparing for Holy Communion.  ‘Thanksgiving’, the very meaning of the word ‘eucharist’, should continue not only in the formal prayers we say following our reception of the sacrament, but also in the manner in which we live our lives.  Since, in the Divine Eucharist, we receive the Risen Lord Himself, uniting ourselves to Him, we are called to truly be His living presence in the world.

 

ST. JOSAPHAT PARISH ORGANIZATIONS:

Ukrainian Catholic Brotherhood of Canada

Ukrainian Catholic Women’s League of Canada

Knights of Columbus

Altar Boys and Children of Mary

Cathedral Choir

Sadochok (Playschool) and Sunday School

UCY / Teens United in Christ (TUC’S)

Ukrainian Catholic Young Adults

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A SPIRITUAL HOME ROOTED IN THE ANCIENT APOSTOLIC FAITH?

 

If you are looking for a spiritual home founded on Sacred Scripture and on the Tradition handed down from the early Church since the time of the apostles, consider our parish community.  We welcome anyone who:

 1.  seeks faithfulness to God through the celebration of His Word and Sacrament;

 2.  accepts the teachings and practices of our Holy Catholic faith, and the authority of the Pope, the Patriarchal Synod of Ukrainian Catholic Bishops  and our own Bishop;

 3.  wishes to help build a community rooted in love and service of God and of neighbour.

 If this is the type of spiritual home you seek, consider joining us.  You may reach  our pastor, at (780) 422-3181, or fax us at 425-7517.

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