Local Catholic priest promoted to B.C. bishop

A Winnipeg Catholic priest has received a promotion, giving him a much larger congregation to care for out west.

The Vatican announced Friday that Father Michael Kwiatkowski had been promoted to bishop of the eparchy of New Westminster of the Ukrainians, Canada.

Kwiatkowski tells CTV News the promotion was unexpected.

"I was called one morning, just before is going to offer the Divine Liturgy when I was at church," he said. "I was I was told about the position and asked if I would consider taking it."

Kwiatkowski was definitely interested in the job, so The Vatican said they would get back to him. A few days later he got word the promotion was approved.

"I was advised the Ukrainian Catholic Synod of Bishops is holding a summit in Rome beginning on the third of September," said Kwiatkowski. "I was asked to come there, and there is when we will settle the details of when, when, and where this will happen."

Kwiatkowski will be ordained as bishop sometime in late October, most likely in Winnipeg.

He has spent the last two years as reverend at Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church in the city's Burrows area. Before that, Kwiatkowski served at the Holy Eucharist Church in Elmwood for 12 years.

As bishop of New Westminster, Kwiatkowski will over see a much larger area, including all of B.C. and parts of the Yukon and Northwest Territories.

Kwiatkowski says he'll miss Winnipeg, but he's excited at the new opportunity.

"I'm looking forward to a different experience," he said. "This is obviously my home province, I know it very well…the lifestyle, there's a spirit to it.

"But all things new, there's always changes in life. And so this will be another change."