Archbishop William C. Skurla, D.D.
His Eminence Archbishop William C. Skurla, D.D. is the fifth Metropolitan of the Byzantine Catholic (Ruthenian) Metropolitan Church, the only Eastern Catholic Metropolitan Church sui iuris (self-governing) in the United States. As Archbishop, he also is the eighth head of the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh, where the Byzantine Catholic Metropolitan Church is based. Leader of the Metropolitan Church in the USA, Metropolitan William heads the Council of Hierarchs, comprised of the bishops of the Byzantine Catholic eparchies of Passaic, Parma, and Phoenix.
Biography of Metropolitan Archbishop William
William Charles Skurla was born in Duluth, Minn. June 1, 1956, a son of the late John and Mavis Skurla. He attended Catholic and public elementary schools and graduated in 1974 from Chisholm High School, Chisholm, Minn.
Archbishop William attended Deerfield Academy Post-Graduate program in Deerfield, Mass. 1974-75, then attended Columbia University in New York City, graduating with a concentration in Philosophy in 1981. He then studied at Mary Immaculate Seminary in Northampton, Pa., receiving Master of Divinity (1986) and Master of Theology (1987) degrees.
Discerning a call to serve the Lord in a special way, William Skurla entered the Byzantine Franciscan community in Sybertsville, Pa. in 1981 and was solemnly professed in 1985. Bishop Michael Dudick ordained him to the diaconate in 1986 and to the priesthood in 1987 at St. Mary Byzantine Catholic Church in Freeland, Pa. In 1996, having received and accepted his dispensation from solemn vows as a member of the Order of Friars Minor (OFM), he was incardinated into the Eparchy of Van Nuys, where he served as Pastoral Administrator at St. Melany Byzantine Catholic Church in Tucson, Ariz. from 1993 until 2002.
Archbishop William was ordained to the Episcopacy and enthroned as the Third Bishop of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Van Nuys (now the Eparchy of Phoenix) on April 23, 2002 in Phoenix, Ariz. In December 2007 he was appointed Fourth Bishop of the Eparchy of Passaic (N.J.) and was enthroned at St. Michael Cathedral in Passaic on Jan. 29, 2008. On January 19, 2012, Bishop William was named by Pope Benedict XVI to succeed Metropolitan Basil M. Schott as the fifth Metropolitan of the Byzantine Catholic Metropolitan Church of America and eighth Archbishop of the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh. Metropolitan Archbishop William was enthroned on April 18, 2012 at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Munhall, Pa. by Apostolic Nuncio Carlo Maria Viganò. The Episcopal chairperson of the Intereparchial Vocations Commission (IEVC) and Intereparchial Youth Commission for the Metropolitan Church, Bishop William was a member of the Committee on the Laity with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). He currently serves as a member of the USCCB Administrative Committee, Priority and Plans Committee, and National Advisory Committee.
Metropolitan Archbishop William Brief Chronology
June 1, 1956 – Born in Duluth, Minnesota
August 4, 1987– Ordained to the Priesthood by Bishop Michael J. Dudick
April 23, 2002 – Enthroned Third Bishop of Van Nuys
January 29, 2008 – Enthroned Fourth Bishop of Passaic
April 18, 2012 – Enthroned Fifth Metropolitan of the Byzantine Catholic Metropolitan Church of America and Archbishop of the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh
Metropolitan Archbishop William
Enthronement Media
Archbishop William’s Enthronement HomilyÂ
Links to stories and videos: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
STORYÂ Â VIDEO Pittsburgh Tribune Review
STORYÂ Â VIDEO Cathedral of St. John the Baptist – Munhall, PA
View recording of the Enthronement
The Byzantine Catholic World – May 6, 2012
