Hieromonk Peter Zaichenko, 1918-1922     

V. Rev. James Piateski, 1922-1938

V. Rev. Peter Dubrovski, 1939-1940           

V. Rev. Alexander Pyza, 1941-1947

Rev. Prokopius Povarnitsin, 1947-1948       

Rev. Alexander Fedoronko, 1948-1955

Rev. John Miller, 1955-1957                         

Rev. Michael Dirga, 1957-1958

Rev. Stephen Jula, 1958-1959                     

V. Rev. K. Kaminsky, 1959-1963

Rev. Andrew Goidich, 1963-1966                

Rev. Theodore Orzolek, 1966-1973

V. Rev. M. Targonsky, 1973-1974                

Hieromonk Alexander Cutler, 1974-1975

V. Rev. Alexis W. Fedec, 1975-2005

Bridget Markovich, Bookstore/Hospitality

Joyce Zastany, R.N., Parish Nurse

Paul Giblin, Ph.D., Consulting Psychologist

Tim McGrady, Caretaker/Hospitality

John Bashinsky, Treasurer

Pat Ciko

Fr. Stephen Hrycyniak, Clergy Co-Chair

Karen Piragis, Financial Secretary

Julia Polanin

Daniel Wojciechowicz III

Daniel Wojciechowicz IV, Lay Co-Chair

I was born in Chicago on March 28, 1961 to Jaroslav and Anna Hrycyniak, both parents being of Ukrainian descent. We lived in the Ukrainian Village area of the city for the first six years of my life, sharing an apartment with my paternal grandmother and living in close proximity to my maternal grandparents, aunt, uncle, and cousins. My only sibling, Christine, came along in 1963. We had a very close-knit family, and I was particularly close to my maternal grandfather and remember spending as much time as I could in his presence. I especially recall the simple joy of sitting around the kitchen table listening to family stories, especially of the struggles of coming to this country and making it through the Great Depression.

Midway through first grade, my parents purchased a new home on the northwest side of Chicago and I began to develop great friendships with the kids in the neighborhood. We spent a great deal of time in the forest preserves building forts, playing baseball, and just hanging out. I attended public grade school at Arthur E. Canty Elementary School. We were fairly regular churchgoers and attended St Joseph’s Ukrainian Catholic Church, where I attended Saturday religious instruction, made my first communion, and served as an altar boy. I was close to the parish priests, who ultimately inspired me in my vocational choices. I attended High School at Holy Cross in River Grove and then went away for a semester to a minor seminary in Rome, Italy at the ripe old age of sixteen.

I attended Loyola University for a brief time until my mother suffered a life-threatening aneurysm, which resulted in a period of profound confusion in my life. I dropped out of school and found a job in a religious bookstore by the name of Earthen Vessels and began what was to be a twenty-two year career in books. Sue and I married in 1983 at 22 and 23 years of age, respectively, and within a year we started having children. The tug to ordained ministry persisted and I spent three years studying in a diocesan house of studies, which resulted in my ordination to the diaconate at 25 years of age.

Our son Joseph was born in 1984 and our daughter Julie in 1986. In 1990, we moved to southern Indiana so that I could take a position at St. Meinrad Archabbey/Abbey Press. It was our first and only experience of small town living. Our son Michael was born in 1991. We moved to southeast Wisconsin in 1996 so that I could take a position as the Director of Theological Bookservice in Franklin, Wisconsin. I also subsequently served as the publisher of Sheed & Ward Book Publishing, as well as the marketing director of St. Vladimir's Orthodox Seminary Press before leaving book publishing to focus entirely on my first love, which is pastoral ministry. Our daughter Elizabeth was born in 1998. Our conversion to Orthodoxy took place at this time, which was the greatest blessing in our lives. In January 2002, on the Feast of St. Mark of Ephesus, which is funny for a former Eastern Catholic, I was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by the Right Reverend Job, Bishop of Chicago and the Midwest, serving briefly in Milwaukee and Merrillville, IN before being assigned to Kenosha in November of 2003.

Academically, I hold a B.S. in Organization and Leadership from Marquette University, an M.S. in Organizational Leadership and Quality from Marian University in Fond du Lac, a St. Stephen's Diploma in Theology from the Antiochian House of Studies, a post-Masters certificate of advanced studies in spiritual direction from Loyola University, where I work part-time as a public relations consultant to the Institute of Pastoral Studies. Also, I am currently completing an M.A. in Applied Orthodox Theology from Balamand University, writing on Dispassion in the Ladder of Divine Ascent, while concurrently pursuing an additional M.A. in Pastoral Studies at Loyola. I have also completed one unit of parish-based Clinical Pastoral Education through Aurora Healthcare.

We enjoy living in Kenosha where I am excited about pastoring this vibrant Orthodox Christian community. It is also a blessing to live in close proximity to my ailing parents and my sister and her family, all of whom live in town. I love serving the growing flock, which God has entrusted to my care. I invite you to call upon me if I might be a resource in your spiritual journey.