North American Ukrainian Catholic Bishops Hold Plenary Meeting in Winnipeg

The Ukrainian Catholic bishops of North America gathered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, from April 12 to April 14, 2026, for their plenary meeting.

Archbishop Borys Gudziak, Metropolitan Archbishop of Philadelphia, participated in the gathering together with Bishop David Motiuk (Eparchy of Edmonton), Bishop Paul Chomnycky (Eparchy of Stamford), Bishop Benedict Aleksiychuk (St. Nicholas Eparchy in Chicago), Bishop Bryan Bayda (Eparchy of Toronto), Bishop Bohdan Danylo (St. Josaphat Eparchy in Parma), Bishop Michael Smolinski (Eparchy of Saskatoon), Bishop Michael Kwiatkowski (Eparchy of New Westminster), and Bishop Andriy Rabiy (Auxiliary Bishop of the Archeparchy of Winnipeg).

Hosted by Metropolitan Archbishop Lawrence Huculak of Winnipeg, the meeting focused on strengthening unity and reflecting on the life and mission of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in North America.

Over the course of the meeting, the bishops discussed the challenges facing the Church in the diaspora, shared updates on pastoral initiatives, and coordinated strategies for the future. Particular attention was given to the needs of newly arrived Ukrainian immigrants and the ways in which parish communities can support them.

The bishops also received reports from several Patriarchal Commissions, including those focused on catechesis, youth ministry, and clergy, and reviewed ongoing work on the English translation of the Divine Liturgy.

Separate meetings of the Canadian and American Metropolias took place during the gathering, culminating in a joint plenary session of all bishops.

The hierarchs reaffirmed their support for upcoming Church-wide initiatives, including the SingCon Cantors Workshop and the All-American Youth Pilgrimage, encouraging participation from faithful across all eparchies.

The meeting concluded on April 14 with a testimonial banquet honoring Most Rev. Archbishop Lawrence Huculak on the occasion of his 75th birthday and the 20th anniversary of his installation as Metropolitan of Winnipeg.