CANADA COURIER

by Christopher Guly

The new Progress biweekly

My first full-time job in journalism was serving as assistant editor of the now 38-year-old Winnipeg-based Progress (Postup) Ukrainian-English newspaper. That was 17 summers ago.

My editor was Msgr. Gerry Rudachek, who ran the English section since 1960. The late Msgr. Semen Izyk served as editor-in-chief. We had no computers. I would poke out copy on an old manual typewriter. After editing and layout, the pages would look horrendous with red-ink markings.

Pity the folks in typesetting, I would always think - because my prose was green and far less worthy of much work.

But I remember that summer job with much fondness. It helped cut my teeth in my profession. In a final report to the then-federal Department of the Secretary of State, which funded my term position at Progress, Msgr. Rudachek wrote, "Chris did a lot of work and is serious about his work." I blush at the first remark and now agree about the second.

However, Progress, as I once knew it, is no more.

Late last fall, the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Winnipeg, which ran the old newspaper, launched a new version that now blends Ukrainian and English copy throughout - and one that obviously relies on computers to produce the final product.

Msgr. Rudachek, now in his 80s, has retired. So has long-time typesetter Anton Borys, who recently served as Ukrainian editor. Msgr. Izyk's old, two-story residence in the city's North End, where the paper was published, has also been sold to a local Christian youth group.

Its new home is in the consistory, and Auxiliary Bishop Stefan Soroka has become the biweekly newspaper's new editor. Helping out is a 10-member board of directors along with a four-member committee that is charged with restructuring Progress' content and look.

"We set goals that would make the newspaper more based on the Catholic faith as opposed to general Ukrainian-Canadian news," said Winnipeg City Councillor John Prystanski, who heads the restructuring team. The new Progress is part of a $950,000 ($688,000 U.S.) overhaul campaign undertaken by Metropolitan-Archbishop Michael Bzdel, which includes the construction of a new residence for him and Bishop Soroka, and the renovation of the existing residence to house up to four retired priests.

So far, the 9,000 copies of Progress' first three issues - as of the end of 1996 - have been distributed free of charge to the archeparchy's parishes. Though subscriptions are available, Mr. Prystanski said the goal is to make the newspaper self-sufficient through advertising revenue.

Writers and columnists, who cover issues involving young people, seniors and the community at large, are unpaid. But the work of several correspondents is featured - along with numerous photographs, many of which include the bishop-editor in group shots. And, there are a considerable number of ads throughout the newspaper.

Furthermore, Progress does what it is supposed to do. There is a little bit on papal teachings, quite a few articles on faith and traditions, and items on people and events in the Winnipeg Archeparchy. More are written in English than Ukrainian, which is also deliberate, explained Councillor Prystanski. "We wanted people to read every single page," he explained.

Still, the ghosts of the old Progress still haunt its successor. News stories are still several months old and are mainly written in a non-journalistic style. But that is not my major concern.

During my days with Postup, Msgr. Rudachek invariably included a column titled "The Vacuum Cleaner," which had nothing to do with dustballs. It featured a list of jokes my old boss culled from various publications and which I always thought only he appreciated.

For example: "It was visiting day at the insane asylum. One of the inmates imagined himself to be an artist, and he was busily engaged in dabbing at a blank canvas with a dry brush. A visitor, wishing to humor him, asked what the picture represented.

" 'That,' said the patient, 'is a picture of the Israelites being pursued through the Red Sea.'

" 'Where is the sea?' asked the visitor.

" 'Why, that's rolled back to allow the Israelites to pass.'

" 'Where are the Israelites?'

" 'They've just gone by.'

" 'Then where are their pursuers?'

" 'Oh, they'll be along in a minute.' "

For me, the concept and title of the column was what made "The Vacuum Cleaner" un-funny. But now the column is gone, and suddenly I miss seeing it. Nothing has replaced it, though a "Dear Baba" advice column has appeared without a byline.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, February 9, 1997, No. 6, Vol. LXV

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