Bishop Isidore Borecky (; 1 October 1911 in Ostrivets,
Austro-Hungarian Empire
Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military and diplomatic alliance, it consist ...
(present day in
Ternopil Raion
Ternopil Raion () is a raion in Ternopil Oblast, western Ukraine. Its administrative center is Ternopil. It has a population of
On 18 July 2020, as part of the administrative reform of Ukraine, the number of raions of Ternopil Oblast was reduced ...
,
Ternopil Oblast
Ternopil Oblast (), also referred to as Ternopilshchyna () or Ternopillia (), is an Oblasts of Ukraine, oblast (province) of Ukraine. Its Capital (political), administrative center is Ternopil, through which flows the Seret (river), Seret, a tribu ...
,
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...
) – 23 July 2003 in
Toronto
Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
,
Ontario
Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
, Canada) was a Ukrainian-born Canadian
Ukrainian Greek Catholic
The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) is a major archiepiscopal '' sui iuris'' ("autonomous") Eastern Catholic church that is based in Ukraine. As a particular church of the Catholic Church, it is in full communion with the Holy See. ...
hierarch. He served as the Titular Bishop of
Amathus
Amathus or Amathous () was an ancient city and one of the ancient royal cities of Cyprus until about 300 BC. Some of its remains can be seen today on the southern coast in front of Agios Tychonas, about east of Limassol and west of Larnaca. It ...
(until 3 November 1956) and the first Eparchial Bishop of the new created Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Toronto from 17 January 1948 until his retirement on 16 June 1998 (until 10 March 1951 with title of Apostolic Exarch of Eastern Canada; and until 3 November 1956 with title of Apostolic Exarch of Toronto).
Life
Bishop Borecky was born in the Ukrainian peasant family in
Ludwig Maximilian University
The Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (simply University of Munich, LMU or LMU Munich; ) is a public research university in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. Originally established as the University of Ingolstadt in 1472 by Duke Ludwig IX of Bav ...
in
Munich
Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...
, Germany (1936–1938). Borecky was ordained as a
priest
A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deity, deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in parti ...
on July 17, 1938. In the same year he went to
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
for the pastoral work and here he had a various pastoral assignments and served as parish priest in the parishes of Apostolic Exarchate of Canada.
On January 17, 1948, Fr. Borecky was nominated by Pope
Pius XII
Pope Pius XII (; born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli; 2 March 18769 October 1958) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 2 March 1939 until his death on 9 October 1958. He is the most recent p ...
and on May 27, 1948
consecrated
Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects (a ...
to the
Episcopate
A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of dioceses. The role ...
as the Titular Bishop of
Amathus
Amathus or Amathous () was an ancient city and one of the ancient royal cities of Cyprus until about 300 BC. Some of its remains can be seen today on the southern coast in front of Agios Tychonas, about east of Limassol and west of Larnaca. It ...
and Apostolic Exarch of
Apostolic Exarchate of Eastern Canada
The Eparchy of Toronto and Eastern Canada is a Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church ecclesiastical territory or eparchy of the Catholic Church in the eastern part of Canada, primarily Ontario.
The eparchy is a suffragan in the ecclesiastical province ...
. The principal
consecrator
A consecrator is a bishop who ordains someone to the episcopacy. A co-consecrator is someone who assists the consecrator bishop in the act of ordaining a new bishop.
The terms are used in the canon law of the Catholic Church, Lutheran Churches ...
was Archbishop Basil Ladyka.
Bishop Borecky was a one among co-founders of the Ukrainian Catholic Association "Sviata Sofia". He retired on June 16, 1998, and died on July 23, 2003, in the age 91.