Metropolitan Mykhayil

Metropolitan Mykhayil

Metropolitan Mykhayil Javchak Champion (Michael Javchak Champion) is the Metropolitan Bishop of New York City and America for the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church.

Coat of Arms of Metropolitan Mykhayil and the UAOC in North & South America

Archbishop Michael J. Champion, a native of Peekskill, spent 20 years of ministry in the Cleveland, Ohio area. He graduated from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA and received a Master of Arts Degree in Theology from St. Mary Seminary and Graduate School of Theology in Cleveland in 1993. Ordained to the priesthood in 1997, he became a bishop of Cleveland in Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church in 1999.

In December 2002 bishop of Cleveland Michael Yavchak-Champion supported the ideology of UAOC-Sobornopravna.^[1]

Archbishop Michael Champion took on the leadership of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church in the Americas (UAOC-Sobornopravna) in 2004, after the retirement of Metropolitan Petrovich. At the April 2004 convocation of the regular Metropolitan synod, the Council of Hierarchs of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church of North & South America and the Diaspora officially accepted the resignation of Archbishop Petrovich, who voluntarily asked to retire due to health reasons.

In 2004-2005 within the UAOC-Sobornopravna in the USA, took place the events that changed its status. The UAOC of North and South America, headed by Metropolitan Michael (Yavchak-Champion), joined with UAOC in Ukraine, and on April 21, 2004 declared Metropolitan Mefodiy (Kudriakov) to be their Primate.^[2]

Metropolitan Mykhayil Javchak Champion returned to Northern Westchester in 2005, where he relocated the church's administrative office and founded the Holy Spirit Ukrainian Parish. He supported in 2005, Metropolitan Mefodiy (Kudriakov) in his conflict with Archbishop Ihor Isichenko. ^[3]

In February 2006 Metropolitan Mefodiy (Kudryakov), Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine, worldwide primate of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAOC) made a pastoral visit to the United States, at the invitation of Metropolitan Mykhayil Javchak Champion. ^[4] They concelebrated the Divine Liturgy together and visited church communities. Likewise in 2005, 2007 and 2008, Metropolitan Mykhayil made official visits to the Primate of the UAOC, Metropolitan Mefodiy (Kudriakov) in Kyiv. ^[5]

In 2007 Javchak Champion said, that his church supports Cardinal Husar, Archbishop Vozniak and brothers and sisters of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in this time of Latin traditionalist intrusion among the faithful in Ukraine.^[6]

In 2007, while on an official visit to the Primate of the UAOC, Metropolitan Mefodiy (Kudriakov), Metropolitan Mykhayil visited Ternopil, and had interview with Ukrainian journalists ^[7]

After the untimely death of Metropolitan Mefodiy on February 24, 2015, Metropolitan Michael sent official condolennces and promulgated an official period of mourning for the death of the church's visible head. Due to developing and uncertain political/ecclesiastical developments in Ukraine, subsequent to the death of Metropolitan Mefodiy, the UAOC in the USA has chosen a path of autonomy, while respecting the hierarchy in Ukraine, but remaining faithful to the ideals of Metropolitan Mefodiy and the 15 years of the Kudriyakov primacy.

The ministry has led the Archbishop to travel extensively, visiting parishes around the world, including Ukraine, Ecuador and Colombia. Metropolitan Archbishop Michael works extensively in inter-religious ministry, having served for four years of the Peekskill Area Pastors Association (PAPA), the largest interfaith organization in northern Westchester County. In 2008, was a participant historic Yale conference "Loving God and Neighbor in Word and Deed", a workshop on the document "A Common Word Between Us and You". The event gathered religious scholars and activists from around the world and was co-sponsored by Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad of Jordan and the Yale University Center for Faith and Culture's Reconciliation Program.

The Archbishop has long been a proponent of liberation theology and took an early interest in the development of the Latin American church. He studied the Spanish language for eight years, at the high school and university levels. Champion is convinced of the need to act in the interests of justice, equality and the dignity of all people, speaking often as an advocate for the rights of immigrants and any persons who are marginalized or experiences bias. He has been a co-chair of the Cortlandt Taskforce on Diversity. In these years, Archbishop Michael has reached out extensively to the Latino and Ukrainian immigrant communities in his area and serves an inclusive and progressive community in the greater Peekskill area, which celebrates a familiar liturgy while welcoming all, regardless of their state of life. The church has also conducted a weekly breakfast program as a gesture of hospitality for local immigrant workers. ^[8]

In 2011, New York became the sixth state to legalize same-sex marriages. At that time Archbishop Michael Champion of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church in Buchanan and president of the Peekskill Area Pastors Association (PAPA) opened his local parish to same sex couples wishing to marry. He said that the freedom to marry is a civil right all Americans should have.

“I certainly think it’s a matter of civil rights, and the more equality we have amongst people in this country the better,” Champion said. While the state has legalized gay marriage, Champion pointed out churches in the state are not required to recognize or perform them. “I do realize there are some faith leaders that may not agree with performing same-sex unions, however they are not obliged to do so,” Champion said.^[9] His parish of Montrose, NY in 2011 began to offer weddings to same-sex couples.^[10]

Using the Spanish language translation of his name, Miguel José Javchak Champion is also a member of "The Independent Catholic Church of the Americas" (ICCA), which is a separate denomination from the UAOC, within the universal Catholic-Christian Church. He is Bishop of the Diocese of New York, and Vicar for Hispanic Ministries.^[11]

Sources

• Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church - Official website of UAOC in America (English, Spanish, Ukrainian)
• Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church - Official website of Press Service of UAOC in Ukraine(Ukrainian language)

References