About Us
Our History
The Ukrainian Saturday Ridna Shkola, under the care of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Sts. Volodymyr and Olha, UGCC, in Winnipeg continues more than a century of Ukrainian schooling in the province of Manitoba, Canada.
The parish chronicle records that in 1913 a Ridna Shkola operated at the parish with 100 children. The school was founded through the efforts of Fr. Mykhailo Olenchuk, and lessons were taught by the seminarian Vasyl Baleshta. Parents and other supporters of Ukrainian schooling in Canada took an active part in the work of the school. In those days cooperation between parents and the parish school was taken for granted, and it bore good fruit in the upbringing of the young generation.
The pupils took an active part in parish life, and the children’s society «Діточа Громада» was founded — a credit to the whole Ukrainian community of Winnipeg. Within a few years enrolment had grown to 200. On 21 August 1917 more than one hundred children of the school received their First Confession and Holy Communion. In 1918 over 200 children enrolled.
From 1921 to 1924 the school ran every evening from 5:00 to 7:30 pm, since the children attended public school in the morning. In this period almost 600 children learned their mother tongue. Alongside reading and writing there were lessons in grammar, the history and geography of Ukraine, singing and gymnastics, held on Saturdays. In July and August the school worked mornings and afternoons. Drama and sports clubs met at the school, and concerts and performances at the Prosvita Institute drew audiences of 1,000.
From 1924 to 1932 the school gradually declined for various reasons and for a short time closed altogether. On 15 February 1934 it was revived. Fifty-five children enrolled immediately, and the Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate helped with the teaching.
In the years that followed the school grew. There were rises and falls, but thanks to the devoted work of directors and teachers, children were always taught here despite every difficulty. At first the school rented the Immaculate Heart of Mary School at 650 Flora, with lessons during the week and on Saturdays. When that school’s principal declined to renew the lease, teaching continued in various public school buildings on Saturdays only. In recent years renting schools became costly, which made teaching difficult, and during the Covid pandemic schools stopped renting rooms altogether. Lessons now take place in the parish halls of the cathedral.
Registration for 2026–2027 is open
It is plain as day that the Native Home will not rise unless there is a Ukrainian monolith…
Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky