About Nativity of the Mother of God [Ukrainian] · Springfield, Oregon
Nativity of the Mother of God Ukrainian Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic parish located at 704 Aspen Street in Springfield, Oregon, that celebrates the Byzantine Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom. Founded in 1979 by a small group of faithful from the Eugene area — most of whom were Ukrainian or had Eastern Catholic roots — it began as the Byzantine Mission in Eugene and is today part of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saint Nicholas in Chicago, which covers the western United States. The parish sits in a distinctive historic Ukrainian-American neighborhood in western Springfield whose streets bear Ukrainian place names such as Poltava and (now) Kyiv. The current pastor is Fr. Richard Janowicz, who has led the community since December 1981 and is assisted by two deacons and a pair of cantors.
- Established
- 1979
- Patron
- Nativity of the Mother of God (Theotokos)
- Rector
- Fr. Richard Janowicz
- Diocese
- Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saint Nicholas of Chicago
Why belong here
Nativity is a small, welcoming Byzantine Catholic community that celebrates the Eastern Ukrainian liturgical tradition while embracing converts and families of many cultural backgrounds. Visitors can pray the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom each Sunday, join weekly Bible studies (including a parish-wide study of the Gospel of John with Fr. Richard), take part in the Sunday Coffee Social, and engage with active Ukraine relief outreach. Its unusual setting — a historic Ukrainian-American neighborhood in the Willamette Valley — and the personal, multi-decade stability of its pastor make it a distinctive spiritual home for anyone drawn to Eastern Catholic spirituality in Oregon.
Mass times at Nativity of the Mother of God [Ukrainian]
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Before or after any service (by request)
Who We Are
Nativity of the Mother of God Ukrainian Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic parish in Springfield, Oregon, within the Eparchy of Saint Nicholas of Chicago, which covers the entire western United States. The parish is led by Fr. Richard Janowicz as pastor and dean (protopresbyter) of the western-U.S. deanery of the eparchy, with two deacons — Christopher Scheck and Justin Coyle — and two cantors, Joe Escobar and Jeremy Morton, supporting the liturgical life of the community.
- Pastor: Fr. Richard Janowicz
- Deacons: Christopher Scheck, Justin Coyle
- Cantors: Joe Escobar, Jeremy Morton
- Eparchy: Saint Nicholas of Chicago (Ukrainian Catholic)
- Deanery: western United States (Washington, Oregon, California, Montana, Wyoming, Arizona, Texas and adjoining states)
History of Nativity Parish
The parish was founded by a small group of faithful from the Eugene area whose organizing efforts began in August 1978 and produced the first Byzantine Rite Liturgy on February 12, 1979. Originally known as the Byzantine Mission in Eugene, it became a parish in December 1979. Fr. Richard Janowicz was assigned as the first full-time pastor in December 1981, services moved to the Marist High School chapel, property at 704 Aspen Street in Springfield was purchased in January 1983, and the church building was completed in 1990 with the first Divine Liturgy celebrated there on Christmas Day. The parish was transferred from the Ruthenian Catholic Bishop of Parma to the Ukrainian Catholic Bishop of Chicago to better serve its Ukrainian identity.
- 1978 — organizing efforts begin (August)
- 1979 — first Byzantine Rite Liturgy (February 12); parish status granted in December
- 1981 — Fr. Richard Janowicz assigned as first full-time pastor (December)
- 1983 — property purchased at 704 Aspen Street, Springfield (January)
- 1989/1990 — church building constructed and completed
- 1990 — first Divine Liturgy in new building celebrated on Christmas Day
- Transfer to the Ukrainian Catholic Bishop of Chicago for pastoral care
The Divine Liturgy
The rite celebrated at Nativity is the Byzantine rite, which originated in the ancient Church at Constantinople. The Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is most often used, though it is not the only liturgy available within the Byzantine tradition. At Nativity the majority of the Divine Liturgy is prayed in English, with some responses and prayers in Ukrainian. Worship in the Ukrainian Catholic Church is characterized by a strong sense of God's holiness, reverence for the Mother of God and the Saints, a humble dependence on God's mercy, and a strong tradition of congregational singing without instrumental accompaniment, with traditional melodies adapted to the liturgical texts.
- Byzantine rite, Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom
- Mostly English, with some Ukrainian responses and prayers
- Three parts: The Preparation (Prothesis), the Liturgy of the Word (with readings and the homily), and the Liturgy of the Sacrifice of the Eucharist
- Congregational singing without instruments
Schedule of Services
The parish gathers for Divine Liturgy on Sundays and on selected weekdays, with regular Bible studies and a parish Coffee Social rounding out the rhythm of the week. Confessions are heard before or after any service upon request.
- Sunday — Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m., followed by Coffee Social
- Wednesday — Divine Liturgy at 9:00 a.m.; Third Hour at 9:00 a.m.; Bible Study (Gospel of John with Fr. Richard) after Third Hour
- Saturday — Divine Liturgy (per parish schedule)
- Monday — Bible Study (Philippians and Colossians with Carl Olson) at 7:30 p.m.
- Tuesday — Sixth Hour at 12:00 p.m.
- Confessions — before or after any service, on request
Parish Life & Ministries
Beyond the regular Divine Liturgy, Nativity offers Bible studies for adults, a Sunday Coffee Social, an RCIA / OCIA (Becoming Catholic) process, cantoring, deacon ministry, and active outreach to Ukraine. The parish also hosts an annual Ukrainian cultural festival on its grounds.
- Sunday Coffee Social
- Bible Study with Fr. Richard Janowicz (Gospel of John)
- Bible Study with Carl Olson (Philippians and Colossians)
- RCIA / OCIA (Becoming Catholic)
- Cantors: Joe Escobar and Jeremy Morton
- Deacons: Christopher Scheck and Justin Coyle
- Ukraine relief outreach
- Annual Ukrainian Festival
The Ukrainian-American Neighborhood of Springfield
Nativity sits in a small but distinct Ukrainian-American neighborhood in western Springfield. According to Fr. Janowicz, a Ukrainian developer created the subdivision in the 1970s and named its streets after Ukrainian cities and places — including Poltava Street, named for the city the developer's parents came from. The City of Springfield has since renamed one street from the Russian spelling 'Kiev' to the Ukrainian 'Kyiv' at the request of parishioners of this church, reflecting the parish's role as a cultural anchor for Oregon's Ukrainian Catholic community.
- Subdivision developed by a Ukrainian developer in the 1970s
- Streets named for Ukrainian places, including Poltava Street
- Street name changed from 'Kiev' to 'Kyiv' by the City of Springfield on parish request
- Annual Ukrainian Festival originally held downtown before moving to the parish grounds
Contact & Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office through Fr. Richard Janowicz by phone at (541) 726-7309 or by email at [email protected]. The church is located at 704 Aspen Street, Springfield, Oregon 97477, and a map is published on the 'Who We Are' page of the parish website. Sunday Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m. is open to all visitors.
- Address: 704 Aspen Street, Springfield, Oregon 97477
- Phone: (541) 726-7309
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://nativityukr.org/
- Sunday Divine Liturgy: 10:00 a.m., all are welcome
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Richard JanowiczDecember 1981 – present
First full-time pastor; assigned by the Ruthenian Catholic Bishop of Parma, Ohio in December 1981; previously served the community as a Byzantine Mission meeting at Marist High School chapel; oversaw purchase of 704 Aspen Street property in 1983, completion of the church building in 1990, and transfer of the parish to the Ukrainian Catholic Bishop of Chicago. Also serves as dean (protopresbyter) of the western-U.S. deanery of the Eparchy of St. Nicholas.