Fr. Andrija was born in Bosnia and Herzegovina into a Ukrainian family. At the age of thirteen, he entered the Ukrainian Minor Seminary in Rome, where he began his journey of formation for the priesthood. After completing his studies at the Minor Seminary, he continued his theological education at the Pontifical Ukrainian Seminary of St. Josaphat on the Gianicolo Hill in Rome.
In 1998, because of the civil war in the former Yugoslavia, Fr. Andrija immigrated to Canada with his parents. Continuing to follow God’s call, he entered Holy Spirit Seminary in Ottawa, where he prepared for the priesthood and later earned a Master’s degree in Religious Education.
Fr. Andrija was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Stephen Chmilar in 2008 at St. Mary’s in Ancaster, Ontario.
Throughout his priestly ministry, Fr. Andrija has served vibrant parish communities in Thunder Bay and Hamilton. Today, he is the pastor of Sts. Volodymyr and Olga Ukrainian Catholic Parish in Cawaja and also serves as a chaplain with the local Catholic school board, where he accompanies students and staff in their faith journey.
Fr. Andrija has a special love for the outdoors and often finds spiritual inspiration in the beauty of God’s creation. He is passionate about working with young people and is committed to helping them deepen their relationship with Christ and grow as active members of the Church. He considers it a blessing to serve the faithful of Sts. Volodymyr and Olga Parish and looks forward to walking together in faith with the parish community.