Tenth Anniversary Death

of Rt. Rev. Father Mitrat

Ihor George Shpytkovsky

Right Reverend Father Mitrat Ihor George Shpytkovsky died peacefully on Sunday, February 8^th, 2004 at the Holy Family Nursing Home in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He was surrounded by his family while members of the Sister Servants Staff were praying and singing on his behalf. He passed away in his 89^th year of life and in his 66^th year of priesthood.

Rev. Ihor was born on February 21^st, 1915, in Lviv, Ukraine to Stanislav Shpytkovsky, a priest and high school teacher of history and geography, and to Antonina Lahola, a singer and accomplished pianist. He studied at the Greek Catholic Theological Academy in Lviv from 1932-1937. On October 16, 1938, he was ordained in Lviv by the Metropolitan Andriy Sheptycky. As a very young priest, he was invited by Bishop Ladyka to come to Canada and in 1939, began his pastoral work. His first posting was in Ethelbert, Manitoba, where he served as an Assistant Pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.

He then served as pastor of Holy Eucharist Parish in Winnipeg (East Kildonan), Manitoba, from 1940 to 1967. Under his pastoral leadership, the congregation flourished and quickly outgrew its small original, wooden church. Fr. Ihor and volunteers built a new church to accommodate the growing church community, with Father Ihor being involved not only consulting in the theological design requirements, but also being involved in the actual day-to-day construction, such as nailing copper onto the domes.

Rev. Ihor served as Chaplain of the Knights of Columbus, was editor of the Ukrainian Journal “Buduchnist Natsii” (Future of our Nation), wrote articles for various Ukrainian newspapers, including “The New Pathway,” “Progress,” and ran “Dostava,” a church-goods store for priests in Winnipeg. In 1946, he prepared “An Almanac of Ukrainian-Canadian Servicemen,” which was published by “The Future of our Nation.”

In 1967, he accepted the position of Administrator of St. Mary’s Ukrainian Catholic Church in Brandon, Manitoba. He was then invited by Bishop Prashko to serve as a missionary pastor in Australia, and with Metropolitan Hermaniuk’s permission,  he left for Australia in 1968, where he spent 22 years.

In 1990, Rev. Ihor returned to Winnipeg to his family, and then became pastor of the Ukrainian Catholic Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. Rev. Ihor joyfully celebrated his 60 years of priesthood at this church on October 16, 1998. His Excellency Metropolitan Michael Bzdel presided over the Divine Liturgy, together with Most Reverend Bishop Stephan Soroka, priests, Deacon Michael Strilec, family, parishoners, and guests, celebrated the wonderous 60^th anniversary of his priesthood. Reverend Ihor served in Portage until his retirement in 2000, when he moved to Winnipeg.

Rev. Ihor enjoyed travelling and in 1965, he travelled around the world with three other priests, culminating in his authoring a best-selling Ukrainian book with many photographs, called “Around the World, World Pilgrimage of four Ukrainian-Catholic Priests of Canada,” published in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1967.

Fr. Ihor was a mountain of a man who was dedicated to his calling. He was a true Priest in every sense of the word, and loved and carried out his duties as precisely and sincerely as possible. He was truly a member of “the eternal priesthood of Christ” who “spiritually acts in His person.”

PHOTO

Assumption of the BVM Church in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, October 16^th, 1998, for the 60^th anniversary of priesthood for Father Ihor (fifth from left), together with His Excellency Metropolitan Michael Bzdel (4^th from left), and Most Reverend Bishop Stefan Soroka (7^th from left), with Father Ihor’s immediate family