Toronto (CCN) — Cardinal Mykola Bychok’s first sojourn to Canadian soil came with a message of support for families devastated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with a call for continued prayers for peace.
Bychok, a Ukrainian Greek Catholic prelate who shepherds the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Sts. Peter and Paul of Melbourne, Australia, was special guest speaker at the inaugural Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Toronto and Eastern Canada Bishop’s Dinner on Sept. 11.
At age 45, Bychok was the youngest elector in the 2025 papal conclave this past May, having being elevated in December, at age 44, to the College of Cardinals by the late Pope Francis.
The Redemptorist arrived in Canada one week ahead of the dinner and embarked upon a pastoral visit chockful of appearances at Ukrainian schools and parishes throughout the Greater Toronto Area, where he stressed maintaining ties to their ancestral homeland in this uncertain time.
On Sept. 6, Bychok connected with The Catholic Register after visiting Josyf Cardinal Slipyj, a Ukrainian Catholic Saturday school in Toronto. He also presided over the moleben prayer service to commence the school year and relayed key messages.
“It was a very important moment for me because if you are an immigrant outside of the united country you’re looking for a special island that will connect you to your native land,” said Bychok. “Especially right now during this Russian aggression it is very important to preserve your faith, language, culture and tradition.
“It is (also) important to be witnesses of Christ, to remember that we should proclaim the word of God as Christians not only during a prayer service in church, but day by day, night by night. Ukrainian families, students and teachers must pass to the generations our knowledge, faith and our huge legacy which we inherited from our ancestors.”
Bychok was accompanied to each rendezvous by Bishop Bryan Bayda, who has led the Toronto and Eastern Canada eparchy since 2022. Bayda, 64, reached out to Bychok months beforehand with the invitation to grace the first annual bishop’s dinner at the Pearson Convention Centre in Brampton, Ont. Their most recent face-to-face dialogue before the latter’s arrival was the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) Synod of Bishops in Rome from June 29 to July 10.
That summit formalized a commitment among eparchies across the world to ambitiously advance pro-family initiatives. Bayda told the Register in a recent interview proceeds from the eparch’s dinner will primary be directed towards instituting an eparchial family and life office.
Bychok, a native of Ternopil, western Ukraine, is responsible for supporting believers in Australia, New Zealand and Oceania. But this support, he said, goes beyond these borders.
“I am trying on my best to be huge support for our Ukrainian people who are really wounded, not only in Ukraine (where they) experience war day by day, but abroad as well because in this media time, we don’t have borders. What happened minutes ago in Ukraine, for example, we know here in Canada.”
The man who endeavours to support Ukrainian Catholics on different islands declared that “the main task for me as a Cardinal is to be this island of hope, especially in this year, which was appointed by the late Pope Francis as the year of hope.”
While most of his activities in Canada were centred on connecting with Ukrainian refugees and the Ukrainian Canadian Catholic community, Bychok desired to meet with Cardinal Francis Leo, the Archbishop of Toronto, who he got to know as they were elevated to the cardinalate at the same papal consistory on Dec. 7 of last year. They last saw each other at the conclave that chose Pope Leo XIV.
“He was my neighbour during the general congregation (assemblies) that preceded the conclave,” said Bychok with enthusiasm. “During the official installation to the College of Cardinals, he was on my right side.”
Bychok said he had already spoken to Leo, 54, via phone, and they were making plans to get together for a cup of tea and discuss “some views of our ministry.”
Along with discussing the happenings in their respective bishoprics, Bychok said he also wanted to reminisce with Leo about the conclave experience.
The prayerful atmosphere of this occasion is what Bychok intends to hold close to his heart in the years to come. He especially noted how many cardinals prayed and clutched rosaries in their hands during the voting, which “was very uplifting.”
Bychok said he prayed around 12 rosaries during the papal election experience, and he began each morning with private prayer in his room in the presence of two icons of the Blessed Lady painted by a Ukrainian artist.
With the American Cardinal Robert Prevost becoming Pope Leo XIV, Bychok is encouraged by how the 266th successor of St. Peter is carrying out his duties.
“These first few months of Pope Leo, I’m enjoying it because he’s doing so much work,” said Bychok. “He has many meetings with Church leaders, with government leaders, presidents. I can see that he is busy, and I also see he is a bridge not only to unite Catholics, but also a bridge to other religious denominations, which is very good.”
Specifically, Bychok praised Pope Leo for making statements about the war in Ukraine multiple times every week.
“Pope Leo’s statements are very clear,” said Bychok. “The late Pope Francis sometimes made unclear statements, which were very badly accepted in Ukraine. This war began with Russia, not Ukraine. For that reason, we are the victims of this war. The statements of Pope Leo, they are very good.”
Bychok also took notice of the Aug. 18 summit at the White House between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, U.S. President Donald Trump and seven major European leaders.
The prelate said “we need to have friends during the war” and that “the U.S. is playing one of the main roles, and President Trump is trying his best (to secure peace),” but above all it is important to adopt “what is said on American currency: In God we trust.”
Every Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church around the world, said Bychok, is “praying for a just peace where Ukraine will be justified as the victim of this aggression and actually Russia will be punished because they began this aggression.”
After his week-long visit to Canada, Bychok ventured southward to visit the Archeparchy of Philadelphia.
