Bishop Roman Danylak

(December 29, 1930 – October 7, 2012)

Excerpts from Bishop Stephen Chmiliar’s Eulogy at Bishop Roman’s Parastas, October 10, 2012

As we accompany with our fervent prayers the Late Bishop Roman Danylak, we reflect upon his life’s journey. His life was dedicated to Christ and to the Church of Our Lord. Tomorrow, October the 11th, we are starting to celebrate the Year of the Faith and 50th anniversary of the convening of the Second Vatican Council in Rome. It was fifty years ago that a young priest, Father Roman Danylak, Doctor in Canon Law (utriusque iuris, meaning of both Church and Civil Law), which he received at the Pontifical Lateran University, was able to experience the Church in a very special and unique way, gathered together with the Holy Father Pope John XXIII, and then later Paul VI, to reflect on and to define the spiritual and theological course of the Church for many decades to come. There, in Rome, Father Roman met all of the Ukrainian Catholic Bishops gathered for the Council. It was at this time that His Beatitude, Cardinal Josyf Slipyj was released from his 18 years of imprisonment in Soviet prisons and gulags. Father Roman witnessed his arrival in Rome, his address to the Fathers of the Vatican Council, and collaborated closely in the 1960s with his Beatitude in Rome. It is at this time that he met and made many lifelong friends both in our Ukrainian Catholic Church and the Roman Catholic Church

It was during the time of his studies and work in Rome, that Bishop Roman developed a fervent devotion to the Holy Eucharist, to the Mother of God, and a particular devotion to St. Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr, whose relics are interned in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. These years of study and formation in Rome defined Father Roman’s person, and prepared him for the many important tasks and duties that he was entrusted with as priest and bishop.

Having completed his studies in Rome, he returned to Canada and was appointed as Assistant Pastor, at St. Josaphat’s Cathedral in Toronto and Chancellor of the Toronto Eparchy - a responsibility that he was entrusted with for 25 years. In the 1970s, Pope Paul VI convoked a commission for the codification of Eastern Canon Law. Father Roman spent many weeks of each calendar year in Rome, working on this very important task as an expert in Church Law. It was during this time, serving as Pastor, Chancellor and advisor of Canon Law that he developed a particular and profound understanding of the Church and its needs.

Bishop Roman Danylak was appointed Apostolic Administrator of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Toronto and Eastern Canada in December 1992, and consecrated as Titular Bishop of Nissan on March 25^th, 1993. In 1998, he returned to Rome and was assigned as Canon to the [Papal Basilica of] Santa Maria Maggiore.

Having completed many years of dedicated service to the Church, when his health started to fail at the beginning of the new millennium and century, Bishop Roman returned to his native Toronto. During this time, although unable to dedicate himself to active ministry due to health reasons, he developed the apostolate of prayer at his home.

During these years, I was very edified by Bishop’s Roman’s dedicated giving of self and his devotion to the Mother of God. Many came, prayed with him, prayed for our priests and our Church. Many through his ministry found spiritual comfort, renewal and the healing power of Christ.

Today we bid our farewell to a true servant of God, priest, Bishop and Pastor. As we reflect upon his life, he leaves impressed upon our memories an example of a person who truly gave his life to Christ and His Holy Church. May we too, by following his example, foster in our hearts a profound daily devotion to the Holy Eucharist and the Mother of God, the Theotokos.