Legacy of Father Roman Galadza to be honoured with commemorative naming in Brampton
Published November 16, 2023 at 10:25 am
The city is making plans to honour the life and legacy of one of Brampton’s most beloved faith leaders, Father Roman Galadza.
A pastor for more than 50 years at Brampton’s St. Elias The Prophet Ukrainian Catholic Church, Galadza died peacefully with his family close by on Aug. 1. A proud member of the city’s Ukrainian community, Galadza was also the father of Canada’s ambassador to Ukraine, Larisa Galadza.
“Father Roman Galadza was an unbelievable human being,” Coun. Michael Palleschi said at a Brampton Committee of Council meeting on Wednesday. “He was larger than life, he was always happy and doing great things in the city.”
The committee passed a motion put forward by Palleschi on Wednesday asking the city to make a commemorative naming in honour of Galadza and his contributions to Brampton. City staff have been instructed to report back to council with possible locations for the naming at a later date.
“The love that he had for the City of Brampton, for the residents and his congratulation was massive,” Palleschi said.
Palleschi recalled how Galadza and his father, the late Brampton Councillor Paul Palleschi, would share an embrace when they would meet saying it was like a “comedy routine” watching the “two big guys” give each other a hug.
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Mayor Patrick Brown said the Galadza family spent hundreds of hours volunteering to help Ukrainian refugees in Canada fleeing the Russian invasion, calling him “a lion for the Ukrainian community in our city.”
“Father Roman was Blunt, he was honest, he was direct and he cared about our city, and I think is a beautiful symbol of our city’s appreciation for someone who has such a long history in Brampton,” Brown said.
Father Galadza was ordained on Aug. 1, 1970, in Toronto before heading to St. Michael the Archangel Church in Welland where he served for five years before moving to Brampton to start St. Elias Parish.
He died on the 53-anniversary of his ordination as a pastor.
The Galadzas took concerns about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to Brampton City Council in April of 2022 as Brampton’s Ukrainian community raised funds for humanitarian efforts in Ukraine.
Father Galadza is survived by his wife Irene, his children and several grandchildren.
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