The Greek Catholic Church
Catholic & Orthodox
As established and intended by His Beatitude, Cardinal Slipyj, our jurisdiction will continue to be bi-ritual and obtain the profound blessings gained from the richness of both traditions as we work with God’s help towards the reunion of both East and West.
Under the Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The ministry and work that we do is under the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Established by Cardinal Slipyj
When Cardinal Slipyj presented +Ambrose (William Moran-Dolgorouky) and announced that he, Cardinal Slipyj, had Consecrated him bishop in Rome, July, 1976 and elevated him to Metropolitan Archbishop Coadjutor with jurisdiction over the Ukrainian Catholic Patriarchal parishes as well as over Latin-Rite traditional Catholic parishes and schools, it was his command that Archbishop +Ambrose continues the good work of uniting both East and West.
It was the Cardinal’s strategy that if a bishop would be consecrated with Catholic and Orthodox bishops that this one jurisdiction will be united and will be able to be an example on how to unite East and West. It was His Beatitude, Metropolitan Archbishop +Ambrose, who carried this jurisdiction for the last 50 years to make unity possible for East and West because this jurisdiction is united.
Patriarch Josef Cardinal Slipyj desired that the Church would unite so “that they all may be One” (John 17) and he accomplished this through the unified jurisdiction and long-term ministry of Archbishop +Ambrose.
His Beatitude +Amvrosi and Cardinal Slipyj
At the conferences for Ukrainian Church Unity between Patriarch Josef Cardinal Slipyj and Ukrainian Orthodox bishops and priests, Cardinal Slipyj presented +Ambrose (William Moran-Dolgorouky) and announced that he, Cardinal Slipyj, had Consecrated him bishop in Rome, July, 1976 and elevated him to Metropolitan Archbishop Coadjutor with jurisdiction over the Ukrainian Catholic Patriarchal parishes as well as over Latin-Rite traditional Catholic parishes and schools.
With the permission and blessings of Cardinal Slipyj, the Ukrainian bishops who united with him, along with three Melkite bishops invited for the purpose, later publicly Consecrated +Ambrose as Metropolitan Archbishop and their primate in Holy Protection Cathedral, Chicago, Illinois on September of 1976. This is attested to by the bishops and priests who attended the conferences and the Consecration, both Catholic and those remaining Orthodox. The necessary documents exist in the archives of Holy Protection Cathedral in Chicago and in New York City.
Succeded by His Beatitude +MICHAEL
It was His Beatitude, Archbishop Metropolitan +Amvrosi’s wishes that Chorbishop +MICHAEL Wiest should succeed him and receive his jurisdiction upon his retirement or passing.
The Holy Synod of Bishops, including Chorbishop +JOEL Cycenas and Chorbishop +ANTHONY Leonardo, have agreed to this arrangement as well.
We thank his Beatitude, +Amvrosij, for the 50 plus years of service to Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in promoting our jurisdiction of uniting both East and West according to the wishes and organization established by His Beatitude, “Patriarch” Josyf Cardinal Slipyj, Major Archbishop of Kiev-Lviv and Primate of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, of venerable memory.
The attached website below is the Orthodox Church of America in which His Beatitute +MICHAEL is providing the Protection of and In Communion with the Joint Synod of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church in the USA and former Exarchate of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria.
This is the original Russian Mission to America
in union with the Canonical UAOC of 1942
Recognized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate