About

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Father Michael Winn

L.Th. E.C.S. (Saint Paul), M.A.Th. E.C.S. (Ottawa-Saint Paul), B.Th. (Ottawa-Saint Paul), S.T.B. (Saint Paul), B.Sc.Eng. Chemical (Queen’s)

That they may be one, Father, as You are in me and I am in You. John 17:21

Father Michael Winn, born on October 2, 1964, in Scarborough (Toronto), Ontario, son of Harvey and Gloria (nee Romaniuk) Winn and brother of Lawrence and Todd, was ordained to the Holy Priesthood on Sunday, April 25, 1993 in the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Cook’s Creek, Manitoba. He was ordained by the Most Rev. Maxim Hermaniuk, C.Ss.R., Archeparch-Metropolitan Emeritus of Winnipeg in the presence and with the blessing of the Most Rev. Michael Bzdel, C.Ss.R., Archeparch-Metropolitan of Winnipeg.

After completing his degree in Chemical Engineering in 1987, he felt a call on his life to serve God in a special way, possibly as a priest. Being baptized in the Latin Church, he began studies for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Ottawa. However, he felt there was an important element missing in what he was learning. Fr. Michael, having some exposure to the Ukrainian Catholic Church as a child (his mother is Ukrainian Catholic), began to question if God was calling him to serve in this Church, “the Church of my ancestors.” After three and a half years of forming ties with Holy Spirit Ukrainian Catholic Seminary in Ottawa, and in-depth study of this Church’s liturgical life, spirituality and history, and with what Fr. Michael strongly believes as the intercession of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky, he made the decision to change churches, “to come home,” and approached Metropolitan Hermaniuk in January 1992. He entered Holy Spirit Seminary in Ottawa in February 1992 and graduated from St. Paul University in the S.T.B. Pontifical Program that spring. He was ordained a Deacon on October 28, 1992 in Ottawa by Archeparch Maxim Hermaniuk.

After his ordination to the Priesthood, Fr. Michael had been assigned by Archeparch-Metropolitan Bzdel to serve the parishes in Cooks Creek, Beausejour and Missions. He served as Pastor at Holy Family Ukrainian Catholic Parish in south-west Winnipeg July 1994 until July 1999. He also served as the Chancellor of the Archeparchy of Winnipeg and Pastor of Blessed Virgin Mary of Protection (St. Mary’s) Parish in Rossdale, Manitoba from 1999-2003. Fr. Michael was sent to the Sheptytsky Institute at Saint Paul University in Ottawa to complete graduate studies (M.A.Th. and L.Th.) in Eastern Christian Theology specializing in liturgy. Upon his return to Winnipeg in 2005, he was assigned as pastor of Holy Eucharist parish in Winnipeg. In March 2009, he was assigned as Rector of Holy Spirit Seminary in Ottawa and assumed those responsibilities in August 2009.

Past pastoral duties have included: Editor of PROGRESS Ukrainian Catholic News; Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors of the Catholic Schools Commission (Manitoba) and Associate Director of Catholic Education for the Catholic Schools Commission; Chaplain at St. Paul’s College at the University of Manitoba; Co-ordinator of Children’s Camp at Ukrainian Park, Gimli, Manitoba; Board Member of POSTUP-PROGRESS; Member of the Sobor 2002 Organizing Committee; Board Member and Chaplain of the Catholic Foundation of Manitoba; Spiritual Director of the Ukrainian Catholic Youth of Manitoba and the Ukrainian Catholic Youth Advisory Board; member of the Certificate in Religious Education Program Advisory Committee at St. Paul’s College at the University of Manitoba; State Chaplain for the Manitoba State Knights of Columbus; Board member of Catholic Health Association of Manitoba (CHAM); lectured on many topics and issues such as: the relationship between Eastern Catholics and Latin Catholics; Byzantine Liturgical Life; Catholicism and Orthodoxy; and has been a published writer and contributor to Sophia, Progress, and Logos.

Biographical

  • Born on October 2, 1964
  • Ordained to the Priesthood on April 25, 1993

Education

  • L.Th. Eastern Christian Studies, Saint Paul University, Ottawa, 2006
  • M.A. Th., Eastern Christian Studies, Saint Paul University, Ottawa, 2005
  • B.Th., S.T.B., Saint Paul University, Ottawa, 1991, 1992
  • B.Sc.Eng. (Chemical Engineering), Queen’s University, Kingston, 1987

Ecclesial Assignments

Parochial

  • Pastor of Descent of the Holy Spirit Parish, Beausejour; Immaculate Conception Parish, Cooks Creek; St. Demetrius Parish, Ladywood; Ss Peter and Paul Parish, Thalberg; 1993-1994
  • Pastor of Holy Family Parish, Winnipeg, 1994-1999
  • Pastoral Care of Northern Manitoba parishes, 1999-2000
  • Pastor, Blessed Virgin Mary the Protectress Parish, Rossdale, 2000-2003
  • Pastor, Holy Eucharist Parish, Winnipeg, 2005-2009

Eparchial

  • Chancellor, Archeparchy of Winnipeg, 1999-2003
  • College of Consultors/Presbyteral Council, Archeparchy of Winnipeg, 1997-2003, 2005-2009
  • Archeparchial Pastoral Council, 2005-2009
  • Archeparchial Stewardship Committee, 2005-2007

Inter-Eparchial

  • Rector, Holy Spirit Seminary, Ottawa (2009-present)
  • Catholic Schools Commission, Vice-chair, Secretary, Associate Director of Catholic Schools (1999-2003)
  • Member of Catholic Health Association of Manitoba (1998-2001)
  • State Chaplain for Manitoba State Knights of Columbus (1998-2001)
  • Board Member and Chaplain, Catholic Foundation of Manitoba (1995-1996, 2007-2008)

Pastoral and Other

  • Chair of Sponsoring Corporation for Kildonan Horizons, management and care for 125 apartment complex for seniors and handicapped
  • Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Institute of Eastern Christian Studies Summer Intensive Program 2005, Care of Liturgical Life for students.
  • Editor, Progress Ukrainian Catholic Newspaper (1999-2003)
  • Associate Editor, Progress Ukrainian Catholic Newspaper (2006-present)
  • Vice-Chair, Progress Ukrainian Catholic Newspaper Board of Directors (2006-present)
  • Chaplain of Ukrainian Catholic Women’s League, Archeparchy of Winnipeg (2001-2003)
  • Archeparchial Sobor 2002 organizing committee (2001-2002)
  • World Youth Day Chaplain, Paris (1997)
  • Spiritual Director of Ukrainian Catholic Youth of Manitoba (1994-2000)
  • Children’s Camp Coordinator (1994-1996)
  • Chaplain, St. Paul College, University of Manitoba (1994-1996)
  • World Youth Day Chaplain, Denver (1993)