Pope Francis Accepts the
Resignation of Auxiliary Bishop John Bura
Philadelphia, Pa.--The Holy Father Pope Francis on Friday, November
15, 2019 accepted the resignation from the office of auxiliary bishop of the
Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia, presented by Bishop John Bura.
Bishop Bura, who reached
the canonical retirement age of seventy-five in June, submitted his resignation
pursuant to the provisions of Canon 210 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern
Churches.
Archbishop Borys Gudziak,
of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia and Metropolitan of
Ukrainian Catholics in the United States commented that "Bishop John is a
kind and noble man who has served God, the Church and the community-at-large
with dedication, both as a priest and as a bishop. Throughout a life that began
in great danger and hardship he remained faithful. In my first months of
service Bishop John has been for me a most valuable and reliable guide for
understanding the pastoral history and current issues of our archeparchy. Our
prayers are that the Lord will grant him good health and longevity in
retirement as he begins this new chapter in his life."
Bishop John was
nominated on January 3, 2006 auxiliary bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic
Archeparchy of Philadelphia by Pope Benedict XVI upon the recommendation of the
Ukrainian Catholic Synod of Bishops.
He was ordained a bishop
by His Beatitude Lubomyr Cardinal Husar on February 21, 2006 in the Ukrainian
Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Philadelphia. The principal
co-consecrators were Archbishop Stefan
Soroka of Philadelphia
and Bishop Michael Kuchmiak, C.Ss.R. of Great Britain.
Bishop John was named
the Apostolic Administrator of the Eparchy of Saint Josaphat in Parma on July
29, 2009 and served in that capacity until 2014, when Bishop Bohdan Danylo was
named bishop of that eparchy.
Bishop Bura was born to
Hryhoriy and Maria Bura on June 12, 1944 in Wegeleben, Germany. His parents
were refugees on the move from Ukraine, who like hundreds of thousands of their
countrymen where caught between the genocidal policies of the Nazis and
Soviets. They were forced from their home in the midst of World War II. Bishop
John's childhood was marked by devastation and displacement. Yet, throughout
his life he was a man of serenity. In 1950, his family moved to the United
States and settled in Jersey City, NJ.
After completing
elementary and middle school, he entered St.Basil Minor Seminary in Stamford,
Ct.
From 1965 to 1970 he
studied theology at The Catholic University of America and resided at St.
Josaphat Seminary in Washington, DC. He was ordained to the priesthood on
February 14, 1971 for the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia by
Metropolitan Ambrose Senyshyn, OSBM.
Following ordination he
served in various administrative positions including teacher of religion and
the Ukrainian language and Vice-Rector of St. Basil Minor Seminary, Stamford,
Ct. and rector of St. Josaphat Seminary in Washington, DC.
Some of his pastoral
assignments included St. Michael's Church, Shenandoah, Pa., Holy Ghost Church,
Chester, Pa. and St. Nicholas Church, Wilmington, De.
While he was serving as
pastor in Shenandoah, Pa., home of the first Ukrainian Catholic parish in the
United States, on Easter Monday April 7, 1980 the landmark church and adjacent
rectory were completely destroyed by a devastating fire. As a young priest,
Bishop John provided the fatherly compassion to guide the parish family through
this tragedy and provided the leadership for the rebuilding task. On November
27, 1983, the blessing of the cornerstone and first Divine Liturgy were held in
the newly constructed church.
The Ukrainian Catholic
Archeparchy of Philadelphia includes the District of Columbia, Virginia,
Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania and has a total
Catholic population of 13,944.
