Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Phoenix

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Eparchy of Holy Protection of Mary of Phoenix (Ruthenian)
Eparchia Sanctae Mariae a Patrocinio in urbe Phoenicensi
Location
Country United States
Territory Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington
Ecclesiastical province Pittsburgh
Metropolitan William C. Skurla
Statistics
Population
- Catholics		 (as of 2010)
2,561
Parishes 19
Information
Denomination Ruthenian Catholic Church
Rite Byzantine Rite
Established December 3, 1981 (31 years ago)
Cathedral St. Stephen Cathedral
Current leadership
Pope Francis
Eparch Gerald Nicholas Dino
Website
www.eparchyofphoenix.org

The Holy Protection of Mary Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Phoenix (formerly known as the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Van Nuys) (Latin: Eparchia Vannaisensis) is the Catholic eparchy (diocese) governing most Byzantine Ruthenian Catholics in the western United States. Its headquarters are at 8131 North 16th Street, Phoenix, Arizona. The current bishop is the Most Reverend Gerald Nicholas Dino.

The Eparchy's territorial jurisdiction includes the states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington. It is a suffragan of the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh. Currently, Holy Protection Eparchy of Phoenix has 19 parishes and one mission under its canonical jurisdiction. Most parishes follow the Ruthenian tradition, although the eparchy includes one parish of the Italo-Albanian tradition.

Contents

History[edit]

The creation of a new Ruthenian eparchy for the western United States was proposed by the metropolitan synod in 1981. The Congregation for the Oriental Churches a dicastery of the Roman Curia responsible for the Eastern Rite Churches in communion with the Holy See, recommended the erection of a new eparchy, and it was approved by Pope John Paul II.

The Eparchy of Van Nuys was canonically inaugurated on March 9, 1982, when Archbishop Stephen Kocisko, Metropolitan of the Metropolia of Pittsburgh installed Thomas Dolinay as the first bishop of the eparchy. Archbishop Pio Laghi, Apostolic Delegate to the United States, represented the Roman Pontiff and read the Papal Bull creating the eparchy and appointing Dolinay. Cardinal Timothy Manning, Archbishop of Los Angeles delivered the homily. The Church of St. Mary in Sherman Oaks, California, was designated as the cathedral.[1]

In 1990, with the retirement of Archbishop Kocisko of Pittsburgh approaching, Pope John Paul II relieved Dolinay of his duties as Bishop of Van Nuys and appointed him Coadjutor Archbishop of the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh on February 19, 1990.[2] The Pope appointed the Auxiliary Bishop of Passaic, George Kuzma, to succeed Bishop Dolinay.

After the Northridge earthquake of 1994 damaged the Cathedral of St. Mary, the eparchial offices, and the bishop's residence, Bishop George Kuzma moved his office and residence to Phoenix, Arizona. On February 10, 2010, the seat of the diocese was officially changed to Phoenix. Accordingly, the former pro-cathedral of St. Stephen was given the title of Cathedral, and the Cathedral of St. Mary received the title of Proto-Cathedral.[3]

A third major church in the eparchy has the title of pro-cathedral, St. Nicholas of Myra Pro-Cathedral in Anchorage, Alaska.

Ordinaries[edit]

  1. Bishop Thomas Dolinay (1982–1990)
  2. Bishop George Kuzma (1991–2000)
  3. Bishop William C. Skurla (2002–2007)
  4. Bishop Gerald N. Dino (2007–present)

† = deceased

Statistics[edit]

The eparchy has 19 parishes, one mission, 2,795 faithful, 27 priests, and 20 religious men and women.[4]

See also[edit]

Parishes

References[edit]

  1. ^ "The Byzantine Church in the West". Eparchy of Phoenix. 
  2. ^ Thomas Dolinay bio sketch at Catholic-Hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2011-02-13.
  3. ^ "No possibility of moving back to California". California Catholic Daily. April 19, 2010. 
  4. ^ Ronald Roberson. "The Eastern Catholic Churches 2008". Catholic Near East Welfare Association. Retrieved 2010-04-29.  Information sourced from Annuario Pontificio 2008 edition.

Bibliography[edit]

  • Byzantine Catholic Metropolia of Pittsburgh (1999). Byzantine-Ruthenian Metropolitan Church of Pittsburgh Directory. Pittsburgh: Byzantine Catholic Metropolitan Church of Pittsburgh. ISBN none. 
  • Magocsi, Paul Robert and Ivan Pop (2005). Encyclopedia of Rusyn History and Culture. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. ISBN 0-8020-3566-3. 

External links[edit]

Eparchy of Phoenix
Other
Metropolitan Archdioceses
Eparchies
Apostolic Exarchate
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