Ukrainian Catholic Priest Appointed As Youngest Auxiliary Bishop In U.S.
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A cleric born in the Ukraine is about to become the youngest auxiliary bishop in the United States and he'll be working out of the Ukrainian Catholic Church's Philadelphia headquarters.
Father Andriy Rabiy is 41 years old and has been a Ukrainian Catholic priest for 16 years.
He is currently the vicar general and vice chancellor of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy in Philadelphia.
He also serves as pastor of Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church in Reading, an assignment he has held since 2008 and likely will keep for now.
"This is something very unexpected," he said. "At the same time, it is a very humbling for me to think that somebody was considering me for a higher office."
Rabiy also takes care of St. Andrew the Apostle Ukrainian Catholic Church, a mission parish he started in Lancaster four years ago.
As to his new duties...
"Taking care of the pastoral issues, developing programs and outreach primarily," he explained.
Rabiy, who holds a canon law degree, says he will also work with the metropolitan tribunal on marriage annulments.
