About Saint Irene the Virgin and Great-Martyr [Ruthenian] · Portland, Oregon
Saint Irene Byzantine Catholic Church is a Ruthenian-rite (Byzantine) Catholic parish in North Portland, Oregon, named for Saint Irene the Virgin and Great-Martyr. Founded in 1988 as a mission under the patronage of St. Irene by Fr. Joseph Stanichar during the missionary expansion of what is now the Holy Protection of Mary Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Phoenix, it is one of the small Eastern-Catholic communities serving Byzantine Catholics in the Pacific Northwest. Worship is celebrated in the Byzantine tradition (entirely sung, with English and some Ukrainian), and the parish is in full communion with the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church. Although geographically within the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon, Saint Irene belongs to the Ruthenian Eparchy of Phoenix, which shepherds Byzantine-rite Catholics across the western United States.
- Established
- 1988
- Patron
- Saint Irene the Virgin and Great-Martyr
- Rector
- Rev. Vasyl Mutka (parish administrator, arrived end of 2019)
- Diocese
- Holy Protection of Mary Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Phoenix (Ruthenian); geographically within the Roman Metropolitan Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
Why belong here
Saint Irene offers Portland-area Catholics — Byzantine-rite faithful and Latin-rite visitors alike — an entirely sung Divine Liturgy in English and some Ukrainian, in the Byzantine (Ruthenian) tradition in full communion with Rome. Under Fr. Vasyl Mutka's steady care, the parish welcomes anyone searching for God, with prayer requests and questions about the Eastern Catholic Church welcomed personally. The community gathers weekly for the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, observes the Great Feasts (Dormition, Transfiguration, Nativity), and maintains a small, family-friendly tradition where all ages receive Holy Communion (distributed by spoon from the chalice) and standing replaces kneeling — a tangible taste of the Byzantine Catholic heritage in the Pacific Northwest.
Mass times at Saint Irene the Virgin and Great-Martyr [Ruthenian]
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sundays, before or after the Divine Liturgy
- By appointment
Welcome & Parish Identity
Saint Irene Byzantine Catholic Church in North Portland is a Ruthenian-rite (Byzantine) Catholic parish in full communion with Rome, named for Saint Irene the Virgin and Great-Martyr. The parish's website greets newcomers, visitors, and those 'looking for God' with an open invitation to attend the Divine Liturgy and to speak with Fr. Vasyl. The parish frames itself as a small Eastern-Catholic spiritual home for Byzantine-rite faithful and Latin-rite inquirers in the Portland–Vancouver area.
- Welcoming message invites visitors seeking a new church home
- Prayer-request and inquiry pathway via the website
- Listed on GCatholic as a Ruthenian-rite church in the Eparchy of Phoenix
Our History
Saint Irene was founded in 1988 by Father Joseph Stanichar as a Byzantine-rite mission of the (then) Eparchy of Van Nuys, serving the small but persistent Byzantine Catholic community of the Portland area. It belongs to the Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic tradition that traces its heritage through Saints Cyril and Methodius to Constantinople, brought to America by Eastern European immigrants. The parish was formally incorporated in Oregon in December 2016 and continues today as part of the Holy Protection of Mary Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Phoenix.
- 1988 — Mission founded under the patronage of St. Irene the Martyr by Fr. Joseph Stanichar
- Eparchy of Van Nuys (1981) renamed Holy Protection of Mary Eparchy of Phoenix on December 18, 2009
- Incorporated in Oregon as 'Saint Irene Byzantine Catholic Church, Portland' on December 2, 2016 (Registry #127179190)
Pastoral Staff
The parish is administered by Rev. Vasyl Mutka, a Ukrainian Greek Catholic priest who came to Saint Irene at the end of 2019. Fr. Vasyl was born in Soviet Ukraine while the Ukrainian Catholic Church was officially banned, was ordained in 2008 (a year after his seminary marriage — married priests are permitted in the Ukrainian Catholic Church), and emigrated to the United States in 2009. He and his wife have two sons, and he also serves as President and Registered Agent of the parish's Oregon nonprofit corporation. The previous pastor, Rev. Frank Knusel, is still referenced in parish directories and bulletins.
- Rev. Vasyl Mutka — parish administrator (since end of 2019); born in Soviet Ukraine; ordained 2008; came to U.S. 2009
- Rev. Frank Knusel — referenced as former pastor in parish directories and bulletins
Byzantine Liturgy & Schedule
Saint Irene celebrates the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom in the Byzantine (Ruthenian) tradition, entirely sung and in English with some Ukrainian. The Sunday schedule begins with the Third Hour (Liturgy of the Hours) at 9:40–9:45 AM, followed by the Great Incensation and the Divine Liturgy at 10:00 AM. Weekday Divine Liturgy is offered Monday through Saturday at 9:00 AM (except Thursdays), with Holy Days at 7:00 PM. There is no kneeling — the faithful stand or sit — and all ages receive Holy Communion, distributed by spoon from the chalice.
- Sunday: 9:40–9:45 AM Third Hour; 10:00 AM Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom
- Monday–Saturday: 9:00 AM (except Thursday)
- Holy Days: 7:00 PM
- Roman-rite Catholics properly disposed may receive Holy Communion
Sacraments
Confessions are heard on Sundays before or after the Divine Liturgy, or by appointment with Fr. Vasyl. Byzantine-rite baptisms, marriages, chrismations, and other sacraments are arranged through the pastor, in keeping with the Byzantine Catholic tradition.
- Confession: Sundays before/after Divine Liturgy, or by appointment
- Holy Communion: distributed by spoon from the chalice to all ages
- Other Byzantine-rite sacraments by arrangement with the pastor
Parish Life & Community
Saint Irene is a small but growing community, where families have been joining the Sunday Divine Liturgy and new sub-deacons and altar servers are being trained to serve behind the iconostasis. Major Byzantine feasts are celebrated with special liturgies and community meals — for example, the Feast of the Transfiguration with a Vesperal Liturgy at 7:00 PM, and the Dormition of the Theotokos with a festal potluck after the liturgy. Parish bulletins circulated in 2022–2023 (Nativity of Christ, Circumcision of Christ, 32nd Sunday after Pentecost, Zacchaeus Sunday) document a community observing the full Byzantine liturgical calendar.
- New sub-deacon / altar-server formation behind the iconostasis
- Community potluck on the Dormition and other feast days
- Parish bulletin published for major Sundays and feasts (2022–2023)
- Prayer-request ministry open to inquirers
Diocese & Wider Eparchy
Although its physical location lies within the geographic territory of the Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon, Saint Irene canonically belongs to the Holy Protection of Mary Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Phoenix, the Ruthenian-rite diocese serving Byzantine Catholics across the western United States. The eparchy was originally the Eparchy of Van Nuys (founded 1981), was canonically renamed and relocated to Phoenix on December 18, 2009, and has been led since 2016 by Bishop John Pazak, CSSR (with the Latin Bishop of Phoenix, Thomas J. Olmsted, named apostolic administrator sede plena in 2018).
- Canonically: Holy Protection of Mary Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Phoenix (Ruthenian)
- Geographically: within the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
- Eparchy founded as Van Nuys in 1981; renamed Phoenix December 18, 2009
- Same faith and seven sacraments as the Latin Church, with Byzantine customs and liturgy
Visit & Contact
Parishioners, visitors, and those simply curious about the Eastern Catholic Church are warmly invited to attend Sunday Divine Liturgy and to contact Fr. Vasyl for prayer requests, sacramental needs, or information about joining the parish. The parish office can be reached by phone or email, and the website maintains a bulletin archive and welcome page for newcomers.
- Address: 4630 N. Maryland Ave, Portland, OR 97217
- Phone: (503) 281-6744
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.saintirene.org/
- Sunday Liturgy begins ~10:00 AM; arrive a few minutes early
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Joseph Stanichar1988–(founding)
Byzantine Catholic Air Force chaplain from New York who established Saint Irene as a mission of the Eparchy of Van Nuys in 1988; he earlier founded the Washington-state Byzantine missions in Spokane, Seattle, and Olympia.
- Rev. Frank Knusel
Listed as pastor on parish directories; referenced in parish bulletins through the 2010s.
- Rev. Vasyl Mutkaend of 2019–present
Born in Soviet Ukraine; ordained 2008; married before ordination (as permitted in the Ukrainian Catholic Church); came to the U.S. in 2009; arrived at St. Irene at the end of 2019; also registered as President/Registered Agent of the parish corporation. The couple has two sons.