Stornoway Cemetery (closed-no church)

Church of St. Josaphat constructed 1942-1948, 3 miles north-east ofStomoway; R.M. 243.

STORNOWAY — The church of St. Josaphat is the second church of the parish.

The parish founding members constructed the first church between 1906 and 1910 on a two acre site donated to the parish by Teodor Wintonyk. Bishop Nicetas Budka blessed the church in 1913; Archbishop Basil Ladyka visited the church and parish in 1935. The church served the parish for thirty years after which it was dismantled. The parishioners constructed the second church in 1942 to 1948 on a three acre site donated by Michael Zybchuk. Bishop Andrew Roborecki celebrated a pontifical holy service in this church in 1963.

The church is a wood constructed cruciform structure on a low concrete basement measuring 60 x 40 feet. It has three small frontal towers, an asphalt material exterior finish and a shingled gable roof which complements its cross shape. The church is west-east oriented with an east main entrance sheltered by a small roof. In the interior the church has wood panelled walls, a partly carpeted wooden floor, and a vaulted ceiling. Contained in the interior are an elevated sanctuary, sacristies, the nave with wooden pews, and a choir loft extending above the vestibule. Several years after the construction of the church, Dmytro Huziak artistically decorated its interior with the church patron painting behind the main altar, several smaller icons and decorative ornamentation. The church has electrical lighting and is heated by an oil heater.

A single bell wooden belfry stands near the church. The parish cemetery is across the road at the first church site.

Ukrainian settlement in this area began in 1904 from the Horodenka, Borschchiv and Husiatyn counties. The founding members of the parish were: Rev. Achille Delaere, CSSR, Stakh Winnicki, Yosyf Sholo-piak, Ivan Kohut, Maksym Sverhun, Martyn Prysliak, T. Wintonyk, T. Rohatynsky, V. Dembrovsky, Yu. Schab, Y. Ogrodnyk, Iv. Prezmyr, Iv. Zawada, Tymko Mysko, Iliya Shordiy, Mykyta Mysko, T. Kostiuk, M. Wintonyk and T. Yaholnitsky. Originating from this parish is Sr. Appolinaria Strutynsky, SMI.

In 1941, the parish consisted of 30 members with 63 children (Prop. Knyha), in 1961 there were 100 souls. In the succeeding ten years the parish faced a high rate of attrition; its last acting executive consisted of: John Solonenko, Steve Solonenko, Sophia (Zos’ka) Solonenko, Steve Bilyk, Ann Bilyk, Michael and Ludvyna Zawada, Edward and Ann Mysko, Anton and Eugenia Skotnitsky, Steve and Olesya Kowalyshen. From 1970, the remaining parishioners have either registered at neighbouring parishes or have taken permanent residency in Yorkton. In 1974 the church structure was sold to the parish at Bowsman, Manitoba; the Stornoway parish was thus closed.

The Ukrainian Catholic parish of St. Josaphat, Stornoway, was under the pastoral charge of Yorkton.