USCCB - (Office of Media Relations) - Bishop Losten's Resignation Accepted, Bishop Chomnycky Named Bishop of Stamford of The Ukrainians; Msgr. John Bura Named Auxiliary Bishop of the Ukrainian Archeparchy of Philadelphia

Bishop Losten's Resignation Accepted, Bishop Chomnycky Named Bishop of Stamford of The Ukrainians; Msgr. John Bura Named Auxiliary Bishop of the Ukrainian Archeparchy of Philadelphia

WASHINGTON (January 3, 2006)—Pope Benedict XVI accepted the resignation of Bishop Basil H. Losten of the Eparchy of Stamford for Ukrainians. The Holy Father appointed Bishop Paul P. Chomnycky, OSBM, Apostolic Exarch for Ukrainians of the Byzantine Rite residing in Great Britian, as Bishop Losten's successor.

Pope Benedict appointed Monsignor John Bura, pastor of Saint Nicholas Church, Wilmington, Delaware, as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archeparchy of Philadelphia for Ukrainians.

Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, made the announcements.

Paul Patrick Chomnycky was born in Vancouver May 19, 1954 and was ordained to the priesthood October 1, 1988. He was appointed Titular Bishop of Buffada and Apostolic Exarch for the Ukrainian faithful in the United Kingdom on April 5, 2002.

Basil Harry Losten was born in Chesapeake City, Maryland, May 11, 1930. He attended seminary at the Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C., and was ordained a priest of Philadelphia for Ukrainians on June 10, 1957. He was appointed Titular Bishop of Arcadiopolis in Asia and Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia for Ukrainians on March 15, 1971. Bishop Losten was appointed Bishop of the Eparchy of Stamford for Ukrainians on October 20, 1977, and installed December 7, 1977.

The Ukrainian Catholic Diocese of Stamford was established in 1956. It has a total Catholic population of 16,600. The jurisdiction of the Bishop of Stamford extends territorially through all of New York State and the New England States.

Msgr. John Bura, newly appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the Archeparchy of Philadelphia for Ukrainians, was born June 12, 1944, in Wegeleben, Germany. His parents migrated to the United States in 1959 and resided in Jersey City. He attended St. Basil Minor Seminary and St. Basil College Seminary, Stamford, Connecticut, and St. Josaphat Ukrainian Catholic Seminary and the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He was ordained February 14, 1971.

Msgr. Bura was Rector of St. Josaphat Ukrainian Catholic Seminary from 1987 to 1997.

He was named Pastor of St. Nicholas Church, Wilmington, and Administrator of St. Basil, Chesapeake City, in 2001.