Appointment of a bishop for Catholics of Rusinian rite in the United States

In the nineteenth century, there was a mass emigration of Greek Catholics from Austria-Hungary and later from Poland and Czechoslovakia to the USA, where large Greek Catholic communities were formed. Gradually, there appeared a deep need for spiritual, cultural, and social custody of numerous Greek Catholics. In 1907, Pope Pius X appointed Soter Ortynsky Bishop for all Greek Catholics, considering them one entity and natives of Austro-Hungary. Ortynsky was very enthusiastic in this position. In particular, he invited the Basilian sisters, created an orphanage for 200 children, organized a number of youth organizations and a school for cantor-teachers. In 1913, under Bishop Ortynsky, the United States Diocese grew into a formation independent from local Catholic bishops. In the end, there emerged ethnic contradictions, in particular, between Rusins who came from the territories of Subcarpathian Rus and Presov region and Ukrainians who came mainly from Galicia. This was the reason for appointing another bishop for the Rusin Catholics, who belonged to the Union of Uzhhorod, which lead to the split of the only denomination of Greek Catholics in the USA. In order to avoid conflicts, Vasyl Takach was appointed the new Bishop for the Rusins from Subcarpathian Rus and Presov. The circumstances of the time and the threat of deepening conflict forced the Apostolic Capital to designate a separate hierarchy for the Rusins.

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