Welcome to our Cathedral Parish Community!

As members of St. Josaphat Cathedral, we are a community and a parish family of about 600 households. We are open to all who desire to hear the word of God and come to the knowledge of truth. All who seek the truth with an open heart are welcome! Every Divine Liturgy, in “spirit and truth,” we gather to worship the one true God, our Heavenly Father, revealed to us in fullness by His Beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and by His Holy Spirit.

Parish Mission Statement

The mission statement of the Ukrainian Catholic Parish of Saint Josaphat is:

“We the people of God, united by the Holy Spirit and with faith in the Resurrected Christ, respond to our baptismal call by being a welcoming and loving community in the service of God and all people.”

Cathedral By-laws, Article 2

The mission of our parish is understood in the light of the mission statement of the Eparchy of Edmonton, which is: “To lead people into an ever-closer communion with the Trinity by together living out the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the teaching and spirituality of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.”

There are seven aspects of parish life that are important to us…

• Liturgy and Prayer – regular celebration of the Most Holy Eucharist (Divine Liturgy); Vespers and Matins on Sundays and Major Feast Days; daily personal prayer and devotions in private homes. 
• Kerygma – the proclamation of the Word of God.
• Catechesis – the instruction and formation of children, youth, and adults.
• Fellowship – to create a strong sense of family and community.
• Diakonia – to serve others, especially those in need.
• Leadership – to develop the talents of parishioners, to encourage those with leadership skills to use their gift for the common good and the building up of the Church; to foster vocations.
• Stewardship – to take care of and use wisely the material and spiritual assets entrusted to us.

We are Catholic

Our Lord Jesus Christ established only one Universal (Catholic) Church, of which He alone is the Head.

Our Lord entrusted His Church to His Apostles and their successors, under the primacy of the Apostle Peter.

The spiritual father of the Christ’s Church on earth is the Universal Pontiff, Leo, Pope of Rome. 

He is the direct successor to the Apostle Peter, the chief pastor among all pastors of the Church. Pope Leo presides at St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, in Rome. His cathedral church is the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran in Rome.

We belong to the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC)

In the image of the Trinity, the one Universal (Catholic) Church exists as a communion (a family) of Particular Churches, which trace their origin to one of the Twelve Apostles. The Catholic Church today is a communion of twenty-three Particular Churches.

The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church is an autonomous Particular Church within the Catholic Church. It is the Catholic descendent of the Church of Kyiv, born of the Church of Constantinople (the Apostle Andrew), born of the Church of Jerusalem, born of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost Day.

The head and spiritual father of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church throughout the world is His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Major Archbishop of Kyiv and Halych, who presides at the Resurrection Cathedral in the city of Kyiv, Ukraine. 

The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church has established parishes, eparchies, exarchates and metropolia throughout the world: Europe (Ukraine, Poland, Russia, Italy, Ireland, England, Switzerland, Germany, France, Portugal, Spain); Asia (Kazakhstan, Russia), North America (Canada, United States); South America (Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela); Oceania (Australia, New Zealand).

We are Ukrainian Catholics in Canada

The spiritual father of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in Canada is His Grace, Lawrence Huculak, Metropolitan of Winnipeg, who presides at the Cathedral of Saints Volodymyr and Olha in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

There are five Eparchies in Canada:

• Archeparchy of Winnipeg (Metropolitan Lawrence Huculak);
• Eparchy of Edmonton (Bishop David Motiuk);
• Eparchy of Saskatoon (Bishop Michael Smolinski);
• Eparchy of Toronto (Bishop Bryan Bayda);
• Eparchy of Westminster (Bishop Michael Kwiatkowski).

We are part of the Eparchy of Edmonton

The head and spiritual father of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in the province of Alberta is His Excellency, David Motiuk, Eparch of the Edmonton, who presides at the Cathedral of St. Josaphat in Edmonton, Alberta.