Pope Francis has appointed Most Reverend Andriy Rabiy to be the new auxiliary bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Winnipeg
Bishop Andriy has rendered generous service throughout the Archeparchy fulfilling many functions in various parishes and in the chancery. Most recently, Bishop Andriy served as vicar general, member of the College of Consultors, and given the shortage of priests has generously offered pastoral leadership at two parishes in the coal region - Transfiguration Parish in Shamokin, PA, the Patronage of the Mother of God Parish in Marion Heights, PA.
Born in 1975 in Ukraine, where he started his seminary formation, Bishop Andriy spent almost all of his adult life in the United States. He arrived in the US at the invitation of the late Metropolitan Stephen Sulyk to continue his studies at Saint Josaphat Seminary and the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, where he completed his degree in philosophy in 1999. That same year, he began theological studies at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington and graduated in 2002 with a master’s degree in theology. In 1999, he was ordained a deacon by Metropolitan Sulyk, and in 2001 a priest by Metropolitan Stefan Soroka.
As a priest, he served with great dedication in different parishes. In 2002, he was appointed administrator of the parish of St. Michael the Archangel in Hillsborough, NJ, (2002-2005) and the parish of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos in New Brunswick, NJ, (2002-2003; 2004-2005). For one year (2003-2004) he also served as administrator of the parish of the Immaculate Conception in Hillside, NJ. The talented young priest was asked by Metropolitan Soroka to continue his studies.
He earned a licentiate in canon law at the Catholic University of America in 2008, specializing in the Canon Law of the Eastern Catholic Churches. For over 10 years, from February 2008 to June 2018, Father Rabiy was the administrator of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Reading, PA.
From February 2013, he also was responsible for the mission parish of St. Andrew the Apostle in Lancaster, PA. In June 2008, he was appointed vice chancellor for the Archeparchy of Philadelphia and subsequently served in different administrative capacities in the chancery.
In 2017, Father Andriy was appointed auxiliary bishop of the Archeparchy of Philadelphia. His episcopal ordination took place on September 3, 2017 in Saint George’s Cathedral in Lviv where in his youth he had served as an altar boy. His Beatitude Sviatoslav was the main consecrator with Metropolitan Stefan Soroka of Philadelphia and Bishop David Motiuk of Edmonton serving as co-consecrators. The ordination of Bishop Andriy occurred in the presence and with the prayers of the entire Synod of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and his family that hails from Lviv. Upon the retirement of Metropolitan Stefan Soroka, from April 16, 2018, to June 4, 2019, Bishop Andriy served as Apostolic Administrator of the Philadelphia Archeparchy. Subsequently, he served as vicar general of the Archeparchy. Because of the shortage of priest, during the pandemic, Bishop Andriy assumed responsibility for St. Michael Archangel Parish in Jenkintown, PA December 1, 2020, to July 31, 2022.
“Bishop Andriy is well-regarded as a pastor who is caring and deeply committed, hands-on, and modest . He has lived a life of simplicity, chastity, and complete dedication to the Church. As he once told me ‘The Church is my life, I have nothing but the Church’,” noted Metropolitan Borys Gudziak after the news about the appointment was announced.
In the name of the clergy, religious, and faithful of the Archeparchy, Metropolitan Borys expressed his gratitude to Bishop Andriy for the years of prayer, guidance, ministry, and pastoral care that he has offered thousands of faithful. “We wish Bishop Rabiy all the blessings of the Lord as the Holy Spirit guides him to new spiritual horizons and to new places of pastoral service. May the Lord grant the God-loving Bishop Andriy health, happiness, and the visitation of the Holy Spirit for many happy years!” said the Archbishop.
"I would like to express the deepest gratitude of the bishops, all the clergy, religious and faithful of the Philadelphia Archeparchy and the United States Ukrainian Catholic Metropolia for his 28 years of service in America. We all are most grateful to you, Bishop Andriy, for consecrating your life to the Lord and for all the good things that you have accomplished in the Philadelphia Archeparchy, for the years of prayer, ministry, preaching, and pastoral care that you have offered to thousands of our faithful.
Thank you, your Excellency, for the joy of the waters of Baptism that you poured over the heads of those beginning a new life in Christ. From your hands our people received the Bread of Life. Thank you for unburdening consciences through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. May the Lord reward you for wiping the tears of those grieving at the loss of loved ones. We will remember the fellowship and solidarity that you created and shared at so many celebrations and festivals. Your good works are inscribed in the hearts of those you served. As a young man in newly independent Ukraine, Andriy Rabiy answered Christ’s call to the priesthood and then responded to a second call to come to the US.
He has given his entire adult life to our ecclesial community and left his mark on countless souls in many states. Bishop Andriy is well-regarded as a pastor who is caring and deeply committed, hands-on, and modest. He has lived a life of simplicity, chastity, and complete dedication to the Church.
As he once told me ‘The Church is my life, I have nothing but the Church.” Having been appointed as bishop and transferred by the Church from country to country more than once, I know that it is not easy to leave the people you have come to love and who love you, those with whom you have decades of bonds. I pray and trust that the Holy Spirit will give Bishop Andriy the inspiration needed to pick up roots and plant them in a land new to him so as to flourish and give fruit as he did in the US.
He is eagerly awaited in the Winnipeg Archeparchy by Metropolitan Lawrence Huculak who presently has also the Saskatoon Eparchy in his charge. We wish Bishop Rabiy all the blessings of the Lord as the Holy Spirit guides him to new spiritual horizons and to new places of pastoral service. May the Lord grant the God-loving Bishop Andriy health, happiness, and the visitation of the Holy Spirit for many happy years!", said Metropolitan Borys Gudziak.
