Ukrainian Catholic ChurchAustralia, New Zealand and Oceania
Priesthood ordination of Deacon Vasyl Motrichenko
December 15, 2024
On Sunday, December 15, a solemn Hierarchical Divine Liturgy was held at the Cathedral Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Melbourne, led by Bishop Mykola Cardinal Bychok. During the Liturgy, Deacon Vasyl Motrichenko was ordained to the priesthood. The event was attended by clergy and faithful from all over the Melbourne Eparchy.
Bishop Mykola was concelebrated by the fathers and deacons of the Cathedral Church: Father Petro Struk, Father Myroslav Vons, Archdeacon Edward Kostraby, and Deacon Michael Zylan; as well as priests from various parishes, including Father Ruslan Babii from Ardeer, Father Iurii Tychenok from Geelong, Father Oleh Stefanyshyn, and Deacon Vitalii Leheta from Sydney.
Deacon Vasyl Motrichenko was born on February 18, 1985, to Oleksii and Orysia in the village of Spas in the Ivano-Frankivsk region. After graduating from high school, he studied at the Cantor College in Kolomyia, then entered the Ivano-Frankivsk Theological Academy, and then continued his education at the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome, where he defended his licentiate in Eastern Theology in 2013.
During the homily, Bishop Mykola addressed Deacon Vasyl: “Dear Deacon Vasyl! The Lord has called you to the priestly ministry. In a few minutes, you will be ordained a presbyter to serve, not to be served; to love sacrificially, not selfishly; to lead with humility, not for the sake of power.” He also emphasised the importance of humility and sacrificial service for every priest: “Through your hands, Christ will bless the people of God, heal, and sanctify all who come to you. May your priestly ministry be marked by love for Christ, who gave himself as a ransom for many.”
At the end of the Liturgy, the newly ordained Father Vasyl thanked all those present for their prayers and support. He also expressed his gratitude to his family, who, unfortunately, could not attend the celebration in person but joined the event online.
After the Liturgy, a festive lunch was held in the Patriarch Josyf Slipyi Hall. The guests congratulated the newly ordained priest and expressed warm wishes for his future ministry.
