Information on the thesis

Thesis  for  a  Candidate  Degree  in  History,  Speciality  07.00.02  –  The  World
History. – Ivan Franko National University of  Lviv, 2015.
The  study  is  based  on  a  wide  range  of  historical  sources,  including  archived
matherials,  normatively-legal  acts  of  Vatican,  periodicals,  church  directories,  reports  of
conventions of clergy,  messages of metropolitan А. Sheptytsky. The thesis analyses the
process  of  development  of  Greek–Catholic  Church    in  the  USA  (at  the  end  of  ХІХth–
beginnings of ХХth century), especially the organization of the church structure, national-
relifious identification  of the  Ukrainian migrants  in  this  country, canonical  status,  main
problems of the formation of the greek-catholic episcopacy, internal contradictions inside
the  ukrainian  migrant’s  community,  social-psychological  analyse  of  the  widespread
stereotypes of Ukrainian migrants and it’s influences and consequences.
The development of organizational structure of  the Greek–Catholic Church in the
USA  took  place  in  the  difficult  external  circumstances.  Unlike  other  associations  of
migrants,  the  greek-catholics  substantially  differed  in  a  rite,  traditions,  language  and
married status of priests. This factor especially guarded the American bishops as a credible
threat to the church-disciplinary order.
In the sphere of the canonical law organization of the Greek–Catholic Church in the
USA appeared a serious call in the aspect of interritual relations on territory with Latin-rite
predominance. Such situation stipulated the sharp necessity of revision in practice out-of-
date norms and search of canonical and church-organizational compromise between both
rites. The first stage of this process (1884-1906) is marked by prolonged debates round
possibility of setting of separate greek-catholic bishop.
During  a  next  period  (1907-1914)  the  main  subject  of  discussion  became
independence  of  greek-catholic  episcopacy  from  the  American  hierarchies  and  direct
subordination to Vatican. The fact of setting of the bishop for greek-catholics in the USA
from the prospect of contemporaneity meant a serious change in the question of interritual
relations. However the limited form of realization of episcopal power, shown in a bull “So
always” (in 1907), was yet distant from practical realization of idea of equality of the rites.
The main reason of such contradiction was absence of practical mechanism to co-ordinate
canonical  rights  and  guarantees  of  both  rites  on  the  common  territory  and  necessity  to
avoid  church-disciplinary  conflicts.  Both  latin  and  greek-catholic  side  appealed  serious
arguments,  that  required  more  rapid  search  of  compromise  from  Vatican.  The  practical
solution to this problematic situation took place in 1913 by giving the absolute power to
S. Ortynsky on  a  parity  basis  with American  bishops. As  the  heaviest  culminations  of
interritual crossing and church jurisdiction took place exactly in the process of formation
Greek-Catholic Church in the USA, this example facilitated it’s organization in Canada.
Confirmation of  this is that the first greek-catholic bishop in Canada N. Budka unlike S.
Ortynsky at once got complete church power.
The main obstacles in the process of Church’s formation were difficult political and
ideological  orientations  of  Ukrainian  migrants  and,  as  consequence,  contradictions
between them. The main reasons of this were small national identity, absence of own state
organization and magyarization policy.
The  study  shows  that  becoming  of    the  Greek–Catholic  Church  in  the  USA
accelerated  the  practical  decision  of  discussion  about  equality  of  rites,  realization  of
coexistence of the Latin and East episcopacy on the common territory and perfection and
guarantee  of  particular  rights  for  both  sides.  The  serious  destabilization  factor  was  the
transition of greek-catholic parishes into the Orthodoxy.
Key words: Greek–Catholic Church, migration, rite, USA, canon law, diocese.