New Westminster Eparch retires

By Paulette MacQuarrie

Four B.C. bishops gathered with local faithful to celebrate the retirement of Ukrainian Catholic Eparch Severian Yakymyshyn, OSBM, of New Westminster at Holy Eucharist Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral in New Westminster.

Paulette MacQuarrie / Special to The B.C. Catholic Participating in the Divine Liturgy with former Eparch Severian Yakymyshyn, OSBM, of New Westminster (centre) were Bishop David Monroe of Kamloops (left), Archbishop Raymond Roussin, SM, of Vancouver, Eparch Kenneth Nowakowski of the New Westminster Eparchy, and Coadjutor Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, of Vancouver.

Bishop David Monroe travelled from Kamloops to join Archbishops Raymond Roussin, SM, and J. Michael Miller, CSB, of Vancouver and Eparch Kenneth Nowakowski of the New Westminster Eparchy Nov. 21. Bishop Richard Gagnon of Victoria was unable to attend but sent warm greetings.

All the bishops and several local and visiting clergy served at a 5 p.m. Divine Liturgy, at which Eparch Yakymyshyn delivered the homily. It was the feast of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary, and the 61st anniversary of the eparch's first profession of religious vows in the Order of St. Basil the Great. He called on each of his listeners to remember that all are called to serve God through their vocations, whether religious or secular.

At the banquet after the Liturgy Sisters Ambrose and Ruth of the Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate, the eparchy's only nuns, delivered a musical tribute they had composed in his honour. A picture collage of the eparch's life assembled by the two was on display.

Among many fond farewells was a heartfelt thanks from Eparch Nowakowski for the past few months of mentoring by the retiring eparch, and several humorous anecdotes.

Eparch Yakymyshyn thanked all those involved in the organization of the celebration, and embarked on his official retirement with a message of farewell rather than goodbye. "I pray that I will be able to serve God and this church and its people for the rest of my earthly life."