World News
U.S. Ukrainian bishop retires; successor, Philly auxiliary named
Published: January 3, 2006
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI has accepted the resignation of Bishop Basil H. Losten of the Ukrainian Diocese of Stamford, Conn., and named as his successor Canadian-born Bishop Paul P. Chomnycky, who since 2002 has been apostolic exarch for Ukrainian-rite Catholics living in Great Britain. The pope also named Msgr. John Bura, pastor of St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Parish in Wilmington, Del., to be auxiliary bishop of the Ukrainian Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The appointments were announced at the Vatican Jan. 3. Bishop Losten, who turned 75 last May, has headed the Stamford Diocese since 1977. A staunch advocate of the Eastern Catholic Church in Ukraine, which was harshly suppressed for many decades under Soviet rule, Bishop Losten frequently spoke out for the rights of Ukrainian Catholics and after the fall of communism was involved in the efforts of the U.S. bishops to help restore and rebuild the church in Ukraine.
Copyright (c) Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .
