******* Update – Bishop Chmilar has publicly reprimanded Fr. Terry Lozynsky and Father Lozynsky has issued a public apology. See the latest news here: https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/apr/07040403.html
By John-Henry Westen
TORONTO, April 3, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Michael Ignatieff, who gained much media attention last year as a candidate for Liberal Leader, became well known as a proponent of homosexual ‘marriage’. That fact, coupled with his stand in favour of abortion, has left Catholics astonished at the news that Ignatieff’s political nomination to continue as a Liberal candidate during the next election was seconded by a Catholic priest – Father Terry Lozynsky.
A press release last week from Ignatieff’s office noted that Ignatieff, “Member of Parliament for Etobicoke-Lakeshore accepted the nomination to seek re-election . . . during a packed meeting on Sunday afternoon at the Christ the Good Shepherd Parish at St. Michael’s Ukrainian Catholic Church in Etobicoke.”
The release noted that Ignatieff’s nomination was seconded by “Father Terry Lozynsky” and quoted Fr. Lozynsky as saying, “Michael is a passionate, principled, and effective advocate for Etobicoke-Lakeshore.”
The move to have his nomination meeting at a Ukrainian Catholic parish and have his nomination seconded by a Ukranian Catholic priest is cunning politics on Ignatieff’s part. Ignatieff, a Russian who was in academia in the US, has published remarks about Ukranians which some consider offensive.
Ignatieff was rated as pro-abortion by Campaign Life Coalition, the political arm of the pro-life movement in Canada. Moreover, during the Liberal Leadership debate last year he championed same-sex ‘marriage’ going so far as to say he would force all Liberal MPs to support the measure by forbidding a free vote in Parliament. (see coverage: https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/dec/06120106.html )
Calls to Father Lozynsky’s office at the Dufferin Peel Catholic District School Board were not returned by press time. Lozynsky’s Bishop, Most Rev. Stephen Victor Chmilar, Ukrainian Bishop of Toronto and Eastern Canada, was also not available for comment.
LifeSiteNews.com has learned that a Ukrainian Catholic MP who supports same sex ‘marriage’ is nevertheless held in good standing by the Ukranian Catholic leadership in Toronto. Borys Wrzewsnewskyj, MP (Etobicoke) was married on January 20, 2007, at St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic parish on Queens St. Toronto. Sources have informed LifeSiteNews.com that the priest who was first asked to do the wedding objected since Wrzewsnewskyj remains unrepentant of his voting in favour of the law to alter the definition of marriage. Another Ukrainian Catholic priest was allowed to preside over the marriage.
To politely express concerns:
Most Rev. Stephen Victor Chmilar
Ukrainian Bishop of Toronto and Eastern Canada
[email protected]
(416) 746-0154