Byzantine Catholic Metropolitan Church
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Our Byzantine Catholic Metropolitan Church
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Metropolitan Archbishop William C. Skurla, D.D.
His Eminence Archbishop William C. Skurla, D.D is the fifth Metropolitan of the Byzantine Catholic (Ruthenian) Metropolitan Church, the only Eastern Catholic Metropolitan Church sui iuris (self-governing)in the United States. As Archbishop, he is also the eighth head of the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh, where the Byzantine Catholic Metropolitan Church is based. Leader of the Metropolitan Church in the USA, Metropolitan William heads the Council of Hierarchs, comprised of the bishops of the Byzantine Catholic eparchies of Passaic, Parma, and Phoenix. Archbishop William was born in Duluty, Minnesota, June 1, 1956. He holds a degree in Philosophy from Columbia University in New York City, and Masters of Divnity and a Masters of Theology from Mary Immaculate Seminary in Northampton, Pensylvania. -
Most Reverend Milan Lach, SJ
Bishop of the Eparchy Parma
Bishop Milan Lach, SJ, is the fifth and current bishop of the Eparchy of Parma. He was born Nov. 18, 1973, in Kezmarok, Czechoslovakia, in present-day Slovakia. From 1992 to 1995, he attended the Greek Catholic Theological Faculty of Presov, Slovakia; in 1995, he entered the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in Trnava, Slovakia. After studies in the theological faculty of the University of Trnava (1997-2001), Bishop Milan Chautur, CSsR, of Kosice ordained him a priest for the Society of Jesus in Kosice, Slovakia, July 1, 2001. From 2001 to 2003, he worked at the Center of Spirituality East-West of Michal Lacko in Kosice. He was superior of the same center, from 2009 to 2011. In addition to administering the center and organizing its conference, he established the center’s library fund. He began his studies at the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome in 2004, and he earned a doctorate in 2009. While in Rome, he served as the spiritual director at the Pontifical Collegium “Russicum” and as an assistant chaplain of the Federation of Scouts of Europe. Since 2010, he served as a member of the Council of Rectors for the theological journal, “Verba Theologica.” He also taught theology for one semester at the Catholic university in Kosice. Within his Jesuit community, he served as a provincial counselor as of Dec. 30, 2009, and as a delegate for the formation of Jesuit scholastics as of Jan. 1, 2012. Pope Francis appointed him auxiliary bishop of Presov April 19, 2013. He was ordained to the episcopacy June 1, 2013, in Ľutina, Slovakia. Since 2016, he has been a visitor of the seminaries and Eastern-rite colleges in Rome for the Vatican’s Congregation for Eastern Churches. Pope Francis appointed Bishop Lach apostolic administrator sede vacante of Parma June 24, 2017. About a year later, Pope Francis appointed him the fifth bishop of Parma June 1, 2018, He was enthroned at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Parma June 30, 2018. He is the youngest, as well as the first European-born bishop of Parma. -
Most Reverend Kurt Burnette
Bishop of the Eparchy of Passaic
Bishop Burnette was born in Norfolk County, England in 1955. He was ordained a priest for the Eparchy of Van Nuys in 1989. He received a licentiate in canon law from the Pontificium Institutum Orientale in Rome in 2007 and holds a doctorate in civil law from Newport University. He also has earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and electrical engineering from Rice University in Houston, Texas, and a doctorate in mathematics from the University of Utah. He has served as a pastor, professor and canonical judge across the United States, including serving as dean of the School of Religion at Newport University from 1995 to 2002, and administrator of St. Irene Catholic Church in Portland, Oregon from 1998 to 2004. He has also served for several Tribunals, including those in the dioceses of Phoenix, Las Vegas and Gallup, the Archdiocese of Santa Fe and the Eparchy of Van Nuys. Bishop Burnette also served as a priest of the Eparchy of Phoenix and as rector of the Byzantine Catholic Seminary of SS. Cyril and Methodius in Pittsburgh. He was ordained as Bishop and enthroned as the Fifth Bishop of the Byzantine Ruthenian Catholic Eparchy of Passaic on December 4, 2013 at Saint Michael the Archangel Cathedral, Passaic, New Jersey. -
Most Reverend John Stephen Pazak, C.SsR., D.D.
Bishop Emeritus of Eparchy of Phoenix
His Grace Bishop John Stephen Pazak , C.Ss.R. DD. served as the fifth Bishop of Holy Protection of Mary Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Phoenix from July 2016 to August 2021.Born in Gary Indiana, Bishop Emeritus John entered the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorist) in 1965. He was ordained a priest on August 27, 1972, and served as a parish priest, rector of St. Vladimir’s College and superior Redemptorist scholasticate throughout Canada.
Bishop Emeritus John was appointed Bishop of the Slovak Catholic Eparchy of Saints Cyril and Methodius of Toronto on December 2, 2000, and was consecrated a bishop on February 14, 2001. Pope Francis named Bishop John the Eparch of the Ruthenian Catholic Eparchy of the Holy Protection of Mary on May 7, 2016, and was enthroned on July 20, 2016. Bishop Emeritus John submitted his letter of resignation upon his 75th birthday on August 13, 2021, which Pope Francis accepted on August 23, 2021.