Metropolitan Mykhayil

Metropolitan Mykhayil

Metropolitan Mykhayil Javchak Champion (Miguel José Javchak Champion) is the Metropolitan Bishop of New York and America for the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church.

Coat of Arms of Metropolitan Mykhayil and the UAOC in North & South America

Archbishop Michael J. Champion, a native of Peekskill, spent 20 years of ministry in the Cleveland, Ohio area. He graduated from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA and received a Master of Arts Degree in Theology from St. Mary Seminary and Graduate School of Theology in Cleveland in 1993. Ordained to the priesthood in 1997, he became a bishop of Cleveland in Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church in 1999.

On the 10 October 2002 in the Cathedral of "Saints Boris and Gleb", Cleveland, Ohio, USA, Moses (Kulik), was ordained as bishop and naimed Metropolitan of Kyiv and all Rus-Ukraine. The main person in this Chirothony was Michael Yavchak-Champion, then Coadjutor to the Primate in UAOC in the USA - Sobornopravna and co-consecrator was Metropolitan Stephan Babiy-Petrovych, at the time, the first hierarch of UAOC in the USA - Sobornopravna [1]

In December 2002 bishop of Cleveland Michael Yavchak-Champion supported ideology of UAOC-Sobornopravna.[2]

In 2003, at the directive of Metropolitan Petrovich, who was still heading the UAOC-Sobornopravna, Archbishop Champion, together with Metropolitan Moses Kulik, consecrated as a bishop, NY attorney, Paul Peter Jesep. A certain Bishop Anthony, using the title of a Metropolitan Archbishop of New York, commented on Bishop Jesep's controversial attendance at the consecration of Episcopal Church USA bishop, Gene Robinson: "It is completely different to stand there as an Orthodox Bishop and, by one's presence, condone the consecration of a person who is an admittedly practicing homosexual and believes it is not a sin. The Orthodox Faith considers the practice of homosexuality a grave sin." [3]

Archbishop Michael Champion took on the leadership of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church in the Americas (UAOC-Sobornopravna) in 2004, after the retirement of Metropolitan Petrovich. At the April 2004 convocation of the regular Metropolitan synod, the Council of Hierarchs of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church of North & South America and the Diaspora elected His Excellency, Bishop Myroslav Steczak Kniespeck as Archbishop of Khust and Coadjutor to the Metropolitan-Archbishop/Primate.[4]

In 2004-2005 within the UAOC-Sobornopravna in the USA, took place the events that changed its status. The UAOC of North and South America, headed by Metropolitan Michael (Yavchak-Champion), joined with UAOC in Ukraine, and on April 21, 2004 declared Metropolitan Mefodiy (Kudriakov) to be their Primate.[5]

Metropolitan Mykhayil Javchak Champion returned to Northern Westchester in 2005, where he relocated the church's administrative office and founded the Holy Spirit Ukrainian Parish. He supported in 2005, Metropolitan Mefodiy (Kudriakov) in his conflict with Archbishop Ihor Isichenko. [6]

On May 2006 Metropolitan Mefodiy (Kudryakov), Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine for the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAOC) made a pastoral visit to the United States, at the invitation of Metropolitan Mykhayil Javchak Champion. [7] They concelebrated the Divine Liturgy together and visited church communities. Likewise in 2005, 2007 and 2008, Metropolitan Mykhayil made official visits to the Primate of the UAOC, Metropolitan Mefodiy (Kudriakov) in Kyiv. [8]

In May 2006 Metropolitan Mefodiy (Kudryakov), the Primate of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAOC), issued an Edict from Kyiv making Bishop Paul Peter Jesep Director of Public Affairs for the UAOC of Ukraine in the United States. Bishop Paul Peter resides in New York, however, no longer belongs to the UAOC under Metropolitan Mykhayil Javchak Champion. [9]

In 2007 Javchak Champion said, that his church supports Cardinal Husar, Archbishop Vozniak and brothers and sisters of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in this time of latin traditionalist intrusion among the faithful in Ukraine.[10]

In 2007, while on an official visit to the Primate of the UAOC, Metropolitan Mefodiy (Kudriakov), Metropolitan Mykhayil visited Ternopil, and had interview with ukrainian journalists [11]

The ministry has led him to travel extensively, visiting parishes around the world, including Ukraine, Ecuador and Colombia. Archbishop Michael works extensively in inter-religious ministry and in 2008, was a participant historic Yale conference "Loving God and Neighbor in Word and Deed", a workshop on the document "A Common Word Between Us and You". The event gathered religious scholars and activists from around the world and was co-sponsored by Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad of Jordan and the Yale University Center for Faith and Culture's Reconciliation Program.

The Archbishop has long been a proponent of liberation theology and took an early interest in the development of the Latin American church. He studied the Spanish language for eight years, at the high school and university levels. Champion is convinced of the need to act in the interests of justice, equality and the dignity of all people, speaking often as an advocate for the rights of immigrants and any persons who are marginalized or experiences bias. He has been a co-chair of the Cortlandt Taskforce on Diversity. Recently, Archbishop Michael was one of the founders of the Iglesia Liberación Latina - Ascensión del Cristo, an inclusive and progressive community in Cortlandt, which celebrates a familiar liturgy while welcoming all, regardless of their state of life. The church also conducts a weekly breakfast program as a gesture of hospitality for local immigrant workers. [12]

In 2011, New York became the sixth state to legalize same-sex marriages. At that time Archbishop Michael Champion of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church in Buchanan and president of the Peekskill Area Pastors Association (PAPA) opened his local parish to same sex couples wishing to marry. He said that the freedom to marry is a civil right all Americans should have.

“I certainly think it’s a matter of civil rights, and the more equality we have amongst people in this country the better,” Champion said. While the state has legalized gay marriage, Champion pointed out churches in the state are not required to recognize or perform them. “I do realize there are some faith leaders that may not agree with performing same-sex unions, however they are not obliged to do so,” Champion said.[13] His parish of Montrose, NY in 2011 began to offer weddings to same-sex couples.[14]

Using the Spanish language translation of his name, Miguel José Javchak Champion is also a member of "The Independent Catholic Church of the Americas" (ICCA), which is a separate denomination from the UAOC, within the universal Christian Church. He is Bishop of the Diocese of New York, and Vicar for Hispanic Ministries.[15]

Sources

References

  1. ↑ http://archive.org.ua/archive/2007-01-02/soborna.org/vm_e.html/
  2. ↑ http://uaoc.org/risu1.html/
  3. ↑ http://listserv.virtueonline.org/pipermail/virtueonline_listserv.virtueonline.org/2003-November/006177.html
  4. ↑ http://www.zoominfo.com/p/Archbishop-Myroslav/821845950
  5. ↑ http://uaoc.org/eparchyukraine.html
  6. ↑ http://hram.od.ua/newspodrobno.php?news=297
  7. ↑ http://www.brama.com/news/press/2005/09/050907bishoppaulpeterjesep_uaoc.html
  8. ↑ http://uaoc.org
  9. ↑ http://www.brama.com/news/press/2007/02/070205bishoppaulpeterjesep_director.html/
  10. ↑ http://www.brama.com/news/press/2007/02/070206uaoc_ordination.html/
  11. ↑ http://zakarpattya.net.ua/News/19479-Mytropolyt-UAPTS-Sobornopravnoi-Mykhail-z-SShA-pokhodyt-z-Zakarpattia-i-nosyt-na-latskani-pidzhaka-tryzub/
  12. ↑ http://uaoc.org/news/index.php?GUID=1E4F1948-BFC6-40D4-9B13-CA9B217ECDEC/
  13. ↑ http://peekskill.dailyvoice.com/neighbors/peekskill-clergyofficialsmull-same-sex-marriage/
  14. ↑ http://www.glaad.org/ny4m/placesofworship/westchester/
  15. ↑ http://www.iccamericas.org/20140614001.html/