Canadian cleric named bishop of Australia (01/31/93)

Canadian cleric named bishop of Australia

by Christopher Guly

OTTAWA - A third Ukrainian Catholic clergyman from Canada has been named a bishop.

The Rev. Peter Stasiuk, 49, a Redemptorist who is director of St. Vladimir's College in Roblin, Manitoba, was named bishop of the Eparchy of Australia and New Zealand on January 12.

Shortly after Christmas, the Redemptorists' provincial superior, the Very Rev. Michael Bzdel, was appointed Canada's second archbishop-metropolitan.

The Very Rev. Roman Danylak, the current chancellor of the Toronto eparchy, was named Bishop Isidore Borecky's successor on December 29. His consecration is scheduled for March 25.

The North American Yorkton Redemptorist Province, the only one outside Lviv, currently has 35 Ukrainian Catholic priests in the United States and Canada.

Bishop-designate Stasiuk was succeed Ukrainian-born Bishop Ivan Prasko, 78, who was named the first Ukrainian Catholic bishop for Australia.

A Roblin native, the Rev. Stasiuk attended St. Vladimir's College, before entering the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Ukrainian Redemptorists) following his 1961 graduation. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1967 by Metropolitan Maxim Hermaniuk in Winnipeg. He holds a bachelor's degree in theology from St. Paul University in Ottawa.

The Rev. Stasiuk has been involved with St. Vladimir's College for 19 years. First he served as prefect and teacher, and for the past 12 years as director of the high school and minor seminary.

There are currently 45 students enrolled at St. Vladimir's.

Between 1975 and 1978, he served as pastor of Sacred Heart Ukrainian Catholic Church in Ituna, Saskatchewan, and, from 1975 to 1982, as pastor of Toronto's Holy Eucharist Ukrainian Catholic Church. The Manitoba-born priest is also vocations director for the Redemptorists in Canada and the United States.

Beyond his ministry the Rev. Stasiuk has also been actively involved in coaching minor hockey in Roblin.

Lesia Sianchuk, vocations and youth coordinator for the congregation in Winnipeg, said that the Rev. Stasiuk "has a lot of energy to get the job done."

The Rev. Stasiuk was unavailable for comment.

His consecration will coincide with the Rev. Bzdel's installation and consecration as archbishop of Winnipeg on March 9 at the city's Ss. Vladimir and Olga Cathedral. Joining the main consecrator, Metropolitan Hermaniuk, will be Archbishop-Metropolitan Stephen Sulyk of Philadelphia and Edmonton's Bishop Myron Daciuk, who served as Winnipeg's auxiliary bishop until 1992.

Archbishop Carlo Curis, apostolic pro-nuncio to Canada, will also be in attendance.

Bishop-designate Stasiuk is expected to assume his duties in Melbourne shortly after his consecration.

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