About St. Sophia · Garner, North Carolina
St. Sophia Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church is a Byzantine-rite (Eastern Catholic) mission parish in Garner, North Carolina, just south of Raleigh. Founded in 2022 from the merger of two earlier Ukrainian Greek-Catholic communities — the Ukrainian-language mission of Saints Volodymyr and Olha and the English-language St. Nicholas Mission — it is the only Ukrainian Catholic church edifice in North Carolina. The parish belongs to the St. Josaphat Eparchy of Parma, Ohio (a Ukrainian Catholic eparchy in full communion with Rome), and serves both Ukrainian-heritage faithful and English-speaking Byzantine Catholics with two Sunday Divine Liturgies.
- Established
- 2022
- Patron
- St. Sophia (Holy Wisdom of God)
- Rector
- Father Matthew Schroeder
- Diocese
- St. Josaphat Eparchy of Parma, Ohio (Ukrainian Greek-Catholic); geographically located within the territory of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Raleigh.
Why belong here
St. Sophia is the only Ukrainian Catholic church building in North Carolina, and it is small enough that both Sunday liturgies — 8:30 a.m. in English and 10:30 a.m. in Ukrainian — are regularly at or near capacity with a mix of children, young adults and seniors. Worship is fully Byzantine: everything is sung between priest and people without instruments, with frequent incense, an icon screen, and a deep tradition of icons and chant. The parish welcomes English-speaking Byzantine Catholics, Ukrainian-heritage faithful, and anyone drawn to Eastern Catholic spirituality — and as a young, growing community (more than 100 families since 2022), there is real room to belong, serve and help shape its future.
Mass times at St. Sophia
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Confessions are heard 20 minutes prior to each Divine Liturgy
Welcome & Identity
St. Sophia Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church describes itself as 'a young parish' whose worship life combines two traditions — Ukrainian and English — under one roof. The parish emphasizes its place within the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), a sui juris Byzantine-rite Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with Rome, and within the St. Josaphat Eparchy of Parma, Ohio, under Bishop Bohdan Danylo.
- Patriarch: Sviatoslav Shevchuk (Head of the UGCC since March 25, 2011)
- Bishop: Bohdan J. Danylo, St. Josaphat Eparchy of Parma, Ohio
- Geographic location: within the territory of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Raleigh
History of the Parish
The community began more than two decades ago as a prayer group of Ukrainian Catholic families in the Triangle. By 2006 it had grown enough to purchase 3 acres at 8312 White Oak Road in Garner, and Bishop Robert Moskal formally established the mission as Saints Volodymyr and Olha. After Father Mykola Dobrutsky became the first resident pastor in December 2006, an outbuilding was converted into a chapel in January 2007.
- Father Mykola Dobrutsky named first resident pastor on December 21, 2006
- First chapel (a converted outbuilding) blessed January 2007
- Deacon Mark Shuey — the parish's first vocation — ordained to the priesthood in June 2007
Merging of the Two Communities
As English-speaking Byzantine Catholics joined the Ukrainian-language liturgy, Bishop Robert asked Father Mark to launch a separate English-language mission named St. Nicholas. After several locations in Cary, St. Nicholas found a home at Saints Cyril and Methodius Byzantine Catholic Church on Piney Plains Road. In 2014 the Saints Volodymyr and Olha mission began applying for Wake County building permits; the temporary chapel closed and liturgies moved to various sites, ultimately Renaissance Funeral Home in Raleigh.
- St. Nicholas Mission founded as the English-language counterpart
- Hosted by Saints Cyril and Methodius Byzantine Catholic Church, Cary
- Permit process opened 2014; temporary chapel closed for construction
Building of the New Church
Bishop Bohdan Danylo returned on September 15, 2019 to celebrate the formal groundbreaking and cornerstone blessing. Construction was slowed sharply by the Covid pandemic, but the building was finished in April 2022. The first Divine Liturgy in the new sanctuary was celebrated on Palm Sunday, April 10, 2022, and on Saturday, September 17, 2022 Bishop Danylo formally dedicated Saint Sophia Ukrainian Catholic Church before a crowd of more than 300.
- Groundbreaking and cornerstone: September 15, 2019
- First Divine Liturgy in the new church: Palm Sunday, April 10, 2022
- Formal dedication: Saturday, September 17, 2022, by Bishop Bohdan Danylo
Byzantine Worship & Liturgical Life
St. Sophia offers the full Byzantine liturgical tradition in a Ukrainian Greek-Catholic setting. The parish website and feature articles describe a worship space with a hand-painted icon screen, a liturgy where everything is sung between priest and people without instruments, and the frequent use of incense. Icons — visual expressions of faith shaped by inherited symbolism, prayer and centuries of devotional practice — carry both spiritual and cultural meaning for the community.
- Sunday 8:30 am — English Divine Liturgy
- Sunday 10:30 am — Ukrainian Divine Liturgy
- Vespers and weekday Divine Liturgies per the published weekly schedule
- A cappella Byzantine chant; no musical instruments
- Full iconostasis (icon screen) with hand-painted icons
Clergy & Pastoral Leadership
The parish is led by Father Matthew Schroeder, who has served as pastor since August 2, 2011. Archpriest Mark Shuey — the first priestly vocation of the original Saints Volodymyr and Olha parish — remains in residence, serves as Dean of the Mid-Atlantic region for the Eparchy, and sits on the Eparchy's board of consultors. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Raleigh likewise lists Archpriest Mark Shuey as Dean, Mid-Atlantic, and Father Matthew Schroeder as Pastor.
- Father Matthew Schroeder — Pastor (since August 2, 2011)
- Archpriest Mark Shuey — in residence; Dean, Mid-Atlantic; Eparchy board of consultors
Parish Schedule & Sacraments
The parish publishes a bilingual 'Schedule of Divine Services' on its website and a separate weekly schedule page. Sunday worship centers on the 8:30 am English Divine Liturgy and the 10:30 am Ukrainian Divine Liturgy. Confessions are heard 20 minutes prior to each Divine Liturgy. Weekday services, including 10:00 am Divine Liturgies and 5:30 pm Vespers, follow the published liturgical calendar of the Eparchy.
- Confessions: 20 minutes before each Divine Liturgy
- Sunday Divine Liturgies: 8:30 am (English), 10:30 am (Ukrainian)
- Weekday Divine Liturgies: 10:00 am
- Vespers: 5:30 pm (per published schedule)
Giving & Online Presence
The parish supports online giving through Tithe.ly at https://tithe.ly/give. Contact and community updates flow primarily through the parish email, [email protected], and the official website stsophiaugcc.com.
- Donate via Tithe.ly
- Parish email: [email protected]
- Official site: http://stsophiaugcc.com/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Mykola DobrutskyDecember 21, 2006 –
First resident pastor of the original Saints Volodymyr and Olha mission; blessed the converted outbuilding chapel in January 2007.
- Father Matthew SchroederAugust 2, 2011 – present
Current pastor; appointed during the construction era, oversaw the building of the new church, the merger of Saints Volodymyr and Olha with St. Nicholas Mission, and the 2022 dedication as St. Sophia.
- Deacon / Archpriest Mark ShueyOrdained priest June 2007 – present
First vocation of the parish; later named Archpriest and member of the Eparchy's board of consultors; remains in residence and serves as Dean, Mid-Atlantic.