Statement by His Eminence Mykola Cardinal Bychok on the Passing of Bishop Peter Stasiuk, CSsR AM, Ukrainian Catholic Church Australia, New Zealand and Oceania, 14 August 2025, https://catholicukes.au/data/statement-by-his-eminence-mykola-cardinal-bychok-on-the-passing-of-bishop-peter-stasiuk-cssr-am-413/, accessed 19 October 2025:

It is with deep sorrow and Christian hope in the Resurrection that I share the news of the passing of Bishop Peter Stasiuk CSsR AM, the second bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saints Peter and Paul in Australia, New Zealand and Oceania. May Our Lord, whom Bishop Peter served so lovingly, grant him eternal rest in the company of the saints.

Statement by His Eminence Mykola Cardinal Bychok on the Passing of Bishop Peter Stasiuk, CSsR AM

Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saints Peter and Paul of Melbourne
14 August 2025
It is with deep sorrow and Christian hope in the Resurrection that I share the news of the passing of Bishop Peter Stasiuk CSsR AM, the second bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saints Peter and Paul in Australia, New Zealand and Oceania.

Bishop Peter served our Church and our people with unwavering dedication, pastoral love, and missionary zeal. Born in Roblin, Manitoba, Canada, in 1943, he entered the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists) and was ordained a priest in 1967. His early years of ministry were spent in Canada, where he developed a deep love for the Ukrainian people and for the Eastern traditions of the Church.

In 1992, Bishop Peter was appointed by Pope John Paul II as Eparch for Ukrainian Catholics in Australia, New Zealand, and Oceania, a role he fulfilled faithfully for nearly three decades until his retirement in 2020.

During his episcopacy, Bishop Peter made significant contributions to the growth and vitality of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in our region:

• He strengthened parish life, providing pastoral care to communities scattered across vast distances of the Eparchy.
• He placed great emphasis on youth ministry and religious education,
• He worked tirelessly to train and support clergy and religious, and welcomed priests and religious from Ukraine and other parts of the world to serve the growing pastoral needs of our Eparchy.
• Under his leadership, the Church responded to waves of new migration from Ukraine, ensuring that recent arrivals found a spiritual home and community in Australia.
• He was a passionate advocate for the Ukrainian identity and heritage, supporting Ukrainian language, culture, and traditions within the broader Australian society.
• His ministry extended beyond church walls, actively engaging in ecumenical dialogue and representing the Ukrainian Catholic Church at national and international gatherings.

Beyond his local ministry, Bishop Peter played an important role in the life of the global Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. For many years, he was responsible for youth ministry within the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC, guiding initiatives to inspire young people in their faith and connect them with the rich spiritual tradition of our Church. He also chaired the Synod of Bishops’ Committee for the Catechism, overseeing the development of Christ Our Pascha: The Catechism of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, ensuring that the faith was presented clearly and accessibly for our faithful around the world.

Bishop Peter also contributed greatly to the work of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC). Within its structures, he was a strong and consistent voice for the Eastern Catholic Churches, advocating for their traditions, pastoral needs, and rightful place within the life of the Catholic Church in Australia. He was instrumental in bringing together the leaders of the various Eastern Catholic Churches in Australia, fostering a united approach to common challenges and promoting mutual support among the Byzantine, Oriental, and other Eastern traditions. As part of his ACBC service, he also held the position of Deputy Chair of Caritas Australia, supporting the Church’s mission of humanitarian outreach and social justice both in Australia and internationally.

In recognition of his outstanding service to the Ukrainian Catholic Church and the wider community, Bishop Peter was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM)by the Australian Government in 2012.

Even in retirement, Bishop Peter continued to serve with quiet humility and prayerful presence, especially among the Redemptorist community.

We thank God for the gift of Bishop Peter’s life and service. He was a Redemptorist missionary to the core, a faithful shepherd, and a father to many.

On behalf of the clergy, religious, and faithful of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Australia, New Zealand, and Oceania, I extend our heartfelt condolences to the Redemptorist Fathers, Bishop Peter’s family in Canada, and all who mourn his passing.

May Our Lord, whom Bishop Peter served so lovingly, grant him eternal rest in the company of the saints.

Eternal Memory!
† MYKOLA CARDINAL BYCHOK, CSsR
Eparch of Melbourne

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Former shepherd of Australia's Ukrainian Eparchy, Bishop Peter Stasiuk, dies at 82, Catholic Diocese of Broken Bay, 2025, https://www.bbcatholic.org.au/news/latest-news/former-shepherd-of-australias-ukrainian-eparchy-bishop-peter-stasiuk-dies-at-82, accessed 19 October 2025:

The leader of Australia’s Ukrainain Eparchy for more than three decades, Bishop Peter Stasiuk CSsR AM, has passed away at the age of 82.

“It is with deep sorrow and Christian hope in the Resurrection that I share the news of the passing of Bishop Peter Stasiuk CSsR AM, the second bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saints Peter and Paul in Australia, New Zealand and Oceania,” Cardinal Mykola Bychok announced on Thursday.

“Bishop Peter served our Church and our people with unwavering dedication, pastoral love, and missionary zeal.”

Bishop Peter passed away on Wednesday, following almost six decades of ministry, first as a priest and then as Bishop.

Born in Roblin, Manitoba, Canada, in 1943, he entered the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists) and was ordained a priest in 1967.

His early years of ministry were spent in Canada, where he developed a deep love for the Ukrainian people and for the Eastern traditions of the Church.

In 1992, Bishop Peter was appointed by Pope John Paul II as Eparch for Ukrainian Catholics in Australia, New Zealand, and Oceania. He served in this role for nearly three decades before retiring in 2020.

Cardinal Bychok said Bishop Peter made significant contributions to the growth and vitality of the Ukrainian Church in Australia, New Zealand and Oceania.

“Bishop Peter also contributed greatly to the work of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC),” he said.

“Within its structures, he was a strong and consistent voice for the Eastern Catholic Churches, advocating for their traditions, pastoral needs, and rightful place within the life of the Catholic Church in Australia. He was instrumental in bringing together the leaders of the various Eastern Catholic Churches in Australia, fostering a united approach to common challenges and promoting mutual support among the Byzantine, Oriental, and other Eastern traditions.”

Despite retiring from full time ministry in 2020, Bishop Peter still served the Church.

“On behalf of the clergy, religious, and faithful of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Australia, New Zealand, and Oceania, I extend our heartfelt condolences to the Redemptorist Fathers, Bishop Peter’s family in Canada, and all who mourn his passing,” he said.

“May Our Lord, whom Bishop Peter served so lovingly, grant him eternal rest in the company of the saints.”

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Bishop Peter Stasiuk remembered for his ‘missionary spirit’, Melbourne Catholic, 1 October 2025, https://melbournecatholic.org/news/bishop-peter-stasiuk-remembered-for-his-missionary-spirit, accessed 19 October 2025:

Bishop Peter Stasiuk CSsR, Emeritus Bishop of the Melbourne Eparchy of Sts Peter and Paul for Ukrainian Catholics in Australia, New Zealand and Oceania, was farewelled at a funeral liturgy on Wednesday 1 October in Melbourne. Principal celebrant Cardinal Mykola Bychok described the late bishop as a ‘dedicated servant of the Church’ who will be remembered for his pastoral nature and his missionary spirit.

‘Bishop Peter was, above all, a man of the Church,’ said the Cardinal. ‘He loved her liturgy, her traditions, her theology, her catechism, and above all her people. His heart burned with a missionary spirit. He worked tirelessly so that our Ukrainian Catholic faithful, whether in bustling cities or remote communities, might know Christ and live their faith with confidence.’

Bishop Stasiuk passed away on 13 August, aged 82, in his birth country of Canada. He entered the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists) in 1962 and was ordained a priest in 1967. His early years of ministry were spent in Canada, where he developed a deep love for the Ukrainian people and for the Eastern traditions of the Church. In 1992, Pope John Paul II appointed Bishop Stasiuk as Eparch for Ukrainian Catholics in Australia, New Zealand and Oceania, a role he fulfilled faithfully for nearly three decades until his retirement in 2020.

He dedicated his life to guiding, protecting and nurturing the flock entrusted to him,’ said Cardinal Bychok, ‘ensuring that the Ukrainian Catholic Church remained a vibrant presence on these distant shores.’

He was approachable, a good listener, often with a gentle humour, but always with a father’s heart.

Over the years, Bishop Stasiuk held roles in youth ministry, religious education, ecumenical dialogue and humanitarian outreach, particularly in his role as deputy chair of Caritas Australia. ‘He was proud of his culture and heritage, but he was also deeply committed to building bridges across traditions and communities,’ Cardinal Bychok said. ‘He carried the voice of our Church into wider society, always advocating for justice, dignity and the presence of God in public life.’

‘Despite his many responsibilities, Bishop Peter remained a pastor. He was approachable, a good listener, often with a gentle humour, but always with a father’s heart.’

Fr Michael Kalka, parish priest of Mary Help of Christians in Altona, attended Wednesday’s Mass and said it was a fitting tribute ‘to a man who has served us so well’.

Fr Kalka first met Bishop Stasiuk at his installation ceremony at the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral in 1993. ‘He had been told my father was Ukrainian-born, and so he invited me to join him for a meal the very next week,’ he says. ‘So much good came out of that single conversation! So much planning and decision making took place at meals around his dining room table.’

‘Bishop Peter was very kind to my late parents, Basil and Mariese,’ says Fr Kalka. ‘My mother was a Yarraville girl, and Mum and Dad were both practising Catholics. However, they were raised in different ritual traditions within our worldwide Catholic Church.’

In 1996, Bishop Stasiuk organised for Fr Michael to attend the Sheptytsky Ukrainian Insititute in Ottawa, Canada, which specialises in the theology and liturgy of the Eastern Christian Churches, both Orthodox and Catholic. Fr Kalka holds bi-ritual faculties, which allow him to assist both the Latin Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne and the Catholic Bishop of the Ukrainian Eparchy.

Fr Kalka worked with Bishop Stasiuk to prepare the Eparchy to join Caritas Australia in 1999. It was around this same time that the Timorese voted for independence from Indonesia, which led to mass violence and a humanitarian crisis. ‘With Bishop Peter’s guidance, much of my early ministry in Caritas Australia was taken up with providing assistance to the Timorese communities.’

Bishop Stasiuk provided encouragement and mentorship, Fr Kalka says. ‘He was a great one for ideas, vision and personal commitment. Once he recognised a person’s skill set, he then offered each individual great freedom in their decision-making. He often suggested ideas and pathways to people, even when they could not readily see the necessary talent in themselves.

‘Today’s funeral ceremony was a beautiful and fitting tribute to a man who has served us so well. He loved being here in Australia. His legacy will be a Ukrainian Catholic community in Australia which preaches the Gospel to all in our society.

‘His drive, energy and enthusiasm for the young, for catechesis, for social justice, and for careful organisation and planning has created great possibilities for the future of the Eparchy.’

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Final Farewell to Bishop Peter Stasiuk takes place in Melbourne, Ukrainian Catholic Church, Australia, New Zealand and Oceania, 1 October 2025, https://catholicukes.au/data/final-farewell-to-bishop-peter-stasiuk-takes-place-in-melbourne-440/, accessed 19 October 2025

On Wednesday, October 1, on the Feast of the Protection of the Mother of God, the funeral of Bishop Peter Stasiuk, CSsR, the second Eparch of the Melbourne Eparchy of Sts. Peter and Paul for Ukrainian Catholics in Australia, New Zealand and Oceania, was held at the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul in Melbourne.

The Hierarchical Divine Liturgy was presided over by Bishop Mykola Cardinal Bychok, Eparch of Melbourne. He was joined by numerous representatives of the Catholic Church in Australia, including Archbishop Charles Balvo, Apostolic Nuncio to Australia; Archbishop of Melbourne Peter Comensoli; Bishop of Bathurst Michael McKenna; Bishop of Sale Greg Bennett; Bishop of Ballarat Paul Bird; Bishop Emeritus Terence Curtin; Fr. Chris de Souza, General Secretary of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference; and Fr. John Hodgson, Provincial of the Redemptorist Congregation of the Province of Oceania.

Guests from Canada also came to say last farewells to Bishop Peter: Bishop Bryan Bayda, Bishop of the Eparchy of Toronto and Eastern Canada; Fr. Bohdan Lukie, CSsR, and Fr. Dmytro Dnistrian, CSsR.

Melbourne Eparchy clergy from all corners of Australia gathered for Bishop Peter’s funeral—priests and deacons for whom Bishop Peter had been an archpastor, spiritual guide, and father for many years. The clergy of the UAOC, led by the head of the consistory, Fr. Michael Solomko, also joined in the common prayer.

In his homily, Bishop Mykola noted, “Bishop Peter was, above all, a man of the Church. He loved her liturgy, her traditions, her theology, her catechism, and above all, her people. His heart burned with a missionary spirit — he worked tirelessly so that our Ukrainian Catholic faithful, whether in bustling cities or remote communities, might know Christ and live their faith with confidence.”

Continuing his address, he added, “The Scriptures we have heard remind us that our true homeland is in heaven. Saint Paul assures us, ‘If we have died with Christ, we shall also live with Him.’ This is our hope today — that Bishop Peter, who so faithfully served Christ’s Church, now hears the words, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant… enter into the joy of your Master.’”

“Dear brothers and sisters, grief is natural in the face of death. We will miss Bishop Peter’s presence, his wisdom, and his leadership. But our faith assures us that death does not have the final word. The Mother of God, whose protection we celebrate today, points us always to her Son, the conqueror of death, the giver of life eternal. Just as she extended her veil over the faithful of Constantinople centuries ago, today she extends her veil over Bishop Peter, interceding for him before the throne of God. Let us, then, entrust our beloved Bishop Peter to Christ with confidence. Let us give thanks for his life of service, his witness of faith, and his love for the Church. May the Mother of God of Perpetual Help, whom he loved so dearly, receive him beneath her mantle, and may the Lord grant him eternal rest in the company of the saints.”

After the Divine Liturgy, the coffin with Bishop Peter’s earthly remains was placed in the crypt under the Cathedral Church. This church became the spiritual heart of the eparchy and the place of Bishop Peter’s many years of service. It was here that he found his final earthly rest.

Afterwards, all those present were invited to a memorial reception in the Patriarch Joseph Hall. During the meal, a letter was read from Bishop Peter’s family in Canada, who, unfortunately, were unable to attend in person.

In the letter, the family wrote, “Our family would like to start by thanking the clergy and faithful of Australia for your prayers and good wishes over the last few months of Bishop Peter’s life, and as we grieved his passing. Hearing your stories of your relationships and experiences with Bishop Peter has strengthened and enriched us. We see the personal connection you all had with him. You have shared your experiences; you prayed, and now we all grieve. We also want to thank you for the almost 30 years you shared with him. Although he was Canadian, and a piece of his heart was always in Canada, he truly became Australian because of you. Australia became his home, and this is where his body will rest. Thank you.”

Bishop Peter’s family also shared personal memories from their lives, highlighting the deceased’s deep faith, zeal for service, and sincere love for the Church.

Bishop Peter Stasiuk, CSsR, left a deep mark on the history of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Australia and among the entire Ukrainian community. May the Merciful Lord rest his soul in His Heavenly abode, and may the grateful memory of him live forever in the hearts of the faithful.