Pope names new bishop for Ohio-based eparchy

Cleveland, Ohio, Aug 7, 2014 / 15:15 pm

Pope Francis has named seminary rector Father Bohdan J. Danylo as new bishop for the Parma, Ohio-based Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of St. Josaphat.

Bishop-designate Danylo, 43, is rector and president of St. Basil Seminary in Stamford, Conn. He was born in Gizycko, Poland, on May 22, 1971. He came to the U.S. in 1992. He was ordained a priest in 1996. In 2007 he was named an archpriest, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops reports.

He has served at St. Michael's Parish in Hartford, Conn., and as dean and vice-rector at St. Basil College Seminary.

The bishop-to-be has a bachelor's degree in philosophy from John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin and a bachelor's degree in theology from The Catholic University of America. He engaged in graduate studies at St. Vladimir's Theological Seminary in Crestwood, N.Y. He has a licentiate in sacred theology from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas in Rome.

The Eparchy of St. Josaphat serves about 8,400 Catholics across Ohio, Mississippi, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, and western Pennsylvania. It is based in Parma, near Cleveland.

The eparchy's previous head, Bishop Robert M. Moskal, retired in 2009. Since then, Auxiliary Bishop John Bura of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Philadelphia has served as its apostolic administrator.

The Eastern Rite eparchy is in full communion with the Holy See.