Metropolitan Archbishop Stefan Soroka, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in the United States, has appointed Bishop John Bura ambassador of the UGCC in Washington, D.C. According to a December 4 press release of the Archeparchy of Philadelphia:
Bishop Bura’s primary ministry will be to reach out to the many Ukrainian organizations now providing varied services in Washington, D.C. He will serve as an ambassador to the State Department and to other federal and state government organizations in matters relating to the interests and needs of the Ukrainian Catholic Church and of the Ukrainian community in Ukraine and in the U.S.A…. In addition to these responsibilities, Bishop Bura will assist at the seminary and in the ministerial team approach of the clergy in the [Ukrainian Catholic] parishes in Washington, D.C. and Virginia.
Bishop Bura was ordained a priest in 1971 and ministered in several parishes; from 1987 to 1997 he served as rector of the Ukrainian Catholic seminary in Washington, D.C. He was consecrated an auxiliary bishop for the Archeparchy in 2006. His most recent assignment was as Apostolic Administrator of the suffragan Eparchy of Parma, Ohio, from 2009-2014. With the recent consecration and installation of Bishop Bohdan Danylo as Eparch of St. Josaphat Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Parma, Bishop John Bura returns to his former canonical status as Auxiliary Bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia.
The appointment of an ambassador for the UGCC was made with the approval of His Beatitude, Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church worldwide. Bishop John Bura will reside in a former convent near St. Josaphat Ukrainian Catholic Seminary in Washington, D.C.
If you value the news and views Catholic World Report provides, please consider donating to support our efforts. Your contribution will help us continue to make CWR available to all readers worldwide for free, without a subscription. Thank you for your generosity!
Click here for more information on donating to CWR. Click here to sign up for our newsletter.