MHS Centennial Organization: St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church

St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church, no date.

Late in the 19^th century, as the prairies began to fill with immigrants from around the globe, an increasing number of Ukrainian Catholics lead Archbishop Langevin of St. Boniface to petition Pope Leo XIII to send Ukrainian-speaking priests to Manitoba. A missionary from the Basilian order, Reverend John Polywka, answered the call, in late 1899. Some 150 devoted immigrant worked with Father Polywka to purchase land for the first St. Nicholas Church at the corner of McGregor Street and Stella Avenue, in Winnipeg.

As the congregation outgrew this first small building, a larger church was built across the street from the first one. The present church, with its striking bell tower, was built at the corner of Bannerman Avenue and Arlington Street in 1966. For its attention to the spiritual needs of the Ukrainian Catholic community, and the involvement of its members in all facets of community life, the Manitoba Historical Society asks His Honour, the Honourable John Harvard, to present a Centennial Organization award to the congregation of St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church, represented today by Ms. June Dutka.

An MHS Centennial Organization Award was presented by Lieutenant-Governor John Harvard, Jacqueline Friesen, and Gordon Goldsborough on 3 April 2005.