Hierarchy
SUPREME PONTIFF
HIS HOLINESS FRANCIS, POPE OF ROME
Our Holy Father Francis is the 266th Bishop of Rome, elected by conclave in 2013. As Archbishop of Buenos Aires, he also served as Ordinary for the faithful of the Eastern Rites. The Bishop of Rome is the successor of St. Peter, the patriarch of the Latin Church, and earthly head of the worldwide Catholic communion. He is the principle of unity among all Catholic Churches and the head of the college of bishops.
METROPOLITAN ARCHBISHOP
HIS EMINENCE, THE MOST REV. WILLIAM CHARLES SKURLA, OFM, 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. Previously, he was bishop of Van Nuys (Phoenix) from 2002 to 2008.
APOSTOLIC ADMINISTRATOR
THE MOST REV. KURT BURNETTE, J.D., PH.D., J.C.L.
The Holy Father has appointed the Most Rev. Kurt Burnette - current Bishop of the Eparchy of Passaic - as Apostolic Administrator sede vacante of the Eparchies of Phoenix and Parma. His Grace, the Most Rev. Milan Lach, S.J., former Bishop of Parma, is appointed auxiliary bishop to the Slovak Eparchy of Bratislava. Bishop Kurt was ordained to the priesthood on April 26th, 1989 by the late Bishop John Bilock, auxiliary bishop of Pittsburgh. Before being elevated to the Episcopate, he served as pastor of St. Irene Byzantine Catholic Church in Portland and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Byzantine Catholic Church in Albuquerque and as rector of the Byzantine Catholic Seminary of SS. Cyril & Methodius. He was consecrated a bishop on December 4th, 2013 by His Eminence, the Most Rev. William Skurla, Metropolitan Archbishop of Pittsburgh, the Most Rev. Gerald Dino of Phoenix, and the Most Rev. John Michael Kudrick of Parma. He has faithfully served the Eparchy of Passaic since. Please read the letter-of-appointment and His Grace’s statement below. Let us pray for our new Administrator that the Lord God may grant him peace, health, and happiness for many blessed years!