Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Parish
(St Mary’s) 560 West 14th Avenue Vancouver, BC.
A church in the Byzantine Rite. Part of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of New Westminster.
Fr. Joseph Pidskalny, OSBM – Administrator (o. Йосип Підскальний, ЧСВВ)
Divine Liturgy Sundays 8:30am English 10:30am Ukrainian Daily Mon-Sat 7:30am
Welcome! The Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish welcomes everyone to our Divine Liturgy.
Thank you for worshipping with us. Join us for coffee and sweets after Liturgy in the Fellowship Room
Parish Christmas Dinner Sunday, January 12, 2025 12:00 Noon: Parish Dinner in the Auditorium
Catered Dinner Tickets: Advance purchase only Weekdays – Parish Office: 604-879-5830
Sundays – following the Divine Liturgies on December 15, 22, 29, January 5 Cut-off date for ticket purchase: January 8, 2025
Adults & Seniors (60+): $25 / Children & Youth (6-19): $15 Children 5 & under: no charge No walk-ins at the door
Tuesday, December 24: Christmas Eve (Day of abstinence from meat products)
9:15 pm – Great Complines followed immediately by Solemn Divine Liturgy; Blessing with Holy Oil
Wednesday, December 25: Feast of Our Lord’s Birth (Holy Day of Obligation) 10:30 am – Divine Liturgy (Bilingual); Blessing with Holy Oil
Thursday, December 26: Synaxis of the Mother of God and St. Joseph 10:00 am – Divine Liturgy
Blessings and Congratulations
We extend our warmest congratulations to Deacon Howard Burton on the occasion of his 30th Anniversary of Diaconate. Deacon Howard was ordained a Deacon by Bishop Myron Daciuk, OSBM on December 18, 1994 at Holy Eucharist Cathedral in New Westminster. Deacon Howard, we pray that Our Lord continue to bless you in your Ministry, and ourBlessed Mother spread her mantle of protection over you! Многая Літа!
The 2025 Parish donation envelopes are available in the church vestibule.
2025 Parish Calendars can be found in the church vestibule. Please take one calendar per family.
A copy of the Schedule of Christmas Services can be found in the church vestibule. It can also be found on our parish website.
Click to see: pastoral-christmas-greetings-from-the-ukrainian-catholic-bishops-of-canada/
Most Rev. Stephen Chmilar (Bishop Emeritus of Toronto) passed away on December 21, 2024 at the age of 79. The late Bishop Emeritus Stephen was:
• Born May 24, 1945 in Lamont, AB
• Ordained to the Priesthood on June 11, 1972
• Pastor of St. Mary’s Ukrainian Catholic Church in Vancouver, BC from 1982 – 1984
• Consecrated Bishop of the Eparchy of Toronto on July 23, 2003
• He retired from active ministry in 2019
Please keep the late Bishop Emeritus Stephen and his Family in your prayers. May Our Lord grant him Eternal Rest! Вічная Пам’ять!
A Message of Appreciation from Metropolitan Lawrence
I am deeply grateful to our Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Mother of God for guiding me through this period of ill health. I extend my heartfelt thanks to the parish communities, church organizations, bishops, clergy, and the faithful for the Divine Liturgies and multitude of prayers offered for my good health. Having completed my time of hospitalization, I am now embarking on a period of recuperation to regain my strength. I also wish to express my profound gratitude to all the hospital staff for their exceptional medical care. At this time, I am still unable to conduct liturgical services or receive well-wishers. I am very appreciative of Bishop Andriy and the chancery staff for managing the affairs of the Archeparchy, and I trust they will continue to do so. I also extend my thanks to the clergy, church leaders, and faithful of other Churches and denominations who have reached out with their prayers and support. In closing, I pray that you all experience and enjoy the peace of the Christ Child, born in Bethlehem for our salvation. +Metropolitan Lawrence Huculak, OSBM
Frozen Pyrohy (Perogies)
Frozen pyrohy (perogies) will be available for purchase after both Sunday Divine Liturgies in the Fellowship Room kitchen. $10/dozen.
St. Mary’s Parish – Five-Year-Plan
St. Mary’s Parish Five-Year-Plan was handed out to the participants of last Sunday’s Parish AGM. Copies of the Plan are available in the church vestibule for those parishioners who were not present at the AGM. Please take a copy. If you have any questions, concerns or suggestions regarding this Parish Council initiative, please bring them to the Parish Office or members of the Parish Council by Sunday, February 2, 2025. All information will then be brought forward at the next Parish Council meeting on February 5, 2025.
Parish Council members for 2025
Executive members of Parish Council
Chairperson: Vacant
Vice-Chair: Donna Busko
Recording Secretary: Orest Kernycky
Finance Chair: Vacant
Other members of Parish Council:
Property Grounds Maintenance Chair- Gerry Ukrainetz
Auditorium Manager Chair –vacant
Recreation Centre Chair- Henrietta Ukrainetz
Ex-officio members of Parish Council:
Past chair and member of Executive Parish Council – Lorraine Waslen
Parish Administrator and member of Executive Parish Council -Fr Joseph Pidskalny
Ukrainian Catholic Women’s League of Canada – Marlayne Andrijaszyn
Donations to the Vancouver Food Bank
In 2024 St. Mary’s Parish took the initiative to collect monetary donations for The Greater Vancouver Food Bank on the first Sundays of March, June, September and December. This year we collected $5,907.50. Thank you ever so much for your kind donations to help those less fortunate. May Our Lord bless you for your generosity.
Subdiaconate Ordination of Adrian Kopystynski : December 29,2024 9am
The start of the 2025 Jubilee Year will be a special one for St. Mary’s Parish and for the Eparchy of New Westminster. Our parishioner, Adrian Kopystynski, will be ordained to the Subdiaconate by Bishop Michael Kwiatkowski on December 29, 2024 at Holy Eucharist Cathedral in New Westminster at the 9:00 am Divine Liturgy. We encourage our parishioners to take part in this very special celebration, and to join Adrian in prayer on this very special day. At the conclusion of his studies (sometime in 2025) Bishop Michael will ordain Adrian to the Diaconate at St. Mary’s. We look forward to once again celebrating Adrian’s vocation as a parish family. Congratulations and many blessings to Adrian as he prepares to receive the grace of Subdiaconate and Diaconate in the Ukrainian Catholic Church.
Christmas Schedule for 2024-2025 click christmas-schedule-2024-2025
St Mary’s Ukrainian Christmas Fair Photos November 30,2024 Ukrainian Christmas Fair Nov 30,2024
For additional photos and promos used for the fair go to Ukrainian Christmas Fair Photos and Promos
50th Anniversary Jubilee of the Eparchy of New Westminster 1974-2024 (web page)
Click for information about celebrations at Holy Eucharist Cathedral on September 27 – 29 celebrations
Click to see video 50th Anniversary Video
Note: A new web site for Ukrainian Events for BC has been created at BC Ukrainian Calendar (google.com)
Test your Ukrainian Language skill here WORDLE українською — вгадуй нове слово щодня (WORDLE-ua.net)
Altar Servers
If any young men are interested in becoming an altar server at either the 8:30 or 10:30 am Sunday Divine Liturgy, please speak to Adrian Kopystynski .
To help the People of Ukraine https://www.stmarysbc.com/contact-us/links/
Divine Liturgy Intentions
If you would like to request a Divine Liturgy, please contact the parish office to book a date. If you are making an offering for this service by cheque, please make your cheque payable to “Basilian Fathers.” The suggested offering for a Divine Liturgy is $10.