Saint George Missionary Parish, Thunder Bay

Saint George Missionary Parish, Thunder Bay

Priest: Fr. Georgije Tubonjic (administrator; 431 279 6776 / georgije1@gmail.com)

History

The missionary parish in Thunder Bay was founded on September 19, 1971, when Fr. Bogdan Zjalic gathered the local Serbs who formed the parish's administrative and supervisory board.

Bosko Dimitrijevic was elected as the first president. Other members of the board of directors were: vice president Nikola Zuber, secretary Ostoja Majdanac and treasurer Jovan Stepanovic. The supervisory board consisted of: president Lazar Vranjkovic, Djura Kovacevic and Luka Kremenovic. The number of members of the missionary parish was twenty. The first administrator was Fr. Bozo Dragicevic who came from Duluth, Minnesota. The Serbs from Thunder Bay fulfilled their religious needs in the Ukrainian Church.

Already in 1975, in April, four hectares of land were purchased. A small wooden building was soon erected on the land, which served as a gathering place for the local Serbian community. The consecration was performed by priests from Winnipeg and Duluth in 1976. The godfather of the land was Nikola Sukalo and his wife Dusanka.

With the great efforts of the membership and all parishioners, in 1982, a Serbian Home was built on church land. This building became the religious and social-national center of all Serbs in the area of ​​this parish. The consecration of the home was carried out on November 13, 1982, and was performed by: priests Lazar Kostur from Duluth, Nikodim Pribojan from Winnipeg, Ukrainian priest Nikola Maluzhinsky and a Greek priest from Thunder Bay. The godfather of the Serbian Home was Vidoje Jovanovic with his wife Milica.

Serbian bishops have visited this small colony on several occasions. Between 1972 and 1974, Bishop Sava visited the parish in Thunder Bay twice. Bishop Hristofor stayed in this place twice in 1983, and Bishop Georgije on several occasions – for the first time in 1984.

Although the number of Serbs in this colony is declining, and this part of Ontario was not settled by many newcomer families in the 1990s, every effort is being made to maintain church life in the parish of St. George. The Serbian sisters from Thunder Bay are at the forefront of this, who have always encouraged the settlers and whose efforts and dedication have solved many problems.