UCCA executive board members meet with Ukrainian Catholic metropolitan (07/15/01)

UCCA executive board members meet with Ukrainian Catholic metropolitan

by Tamara Gallo
Ukrainan Congress Committee of America

NEW YORK - Several members of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA) executive board had an audience with Archbishop Stephen Soroka of Philadelphia, metropolitan of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in the United States, on June 6, at his residence in Philadelphia.

Metropolitan Soroka greeted the members of the UCCA delegation, headed by its president, Michael Sawkiw Jr. Other members in attendance included Laryssa Kyj, executive vice-president; Marie Duplak, executive board secretary; Ihor Smolij, UCCA national board chairman; John Burtyk, head of the UCCA's Council on Aid to Ukrainians (CAU); Luba Silecky, executive board member; Myroslav Shmigel, executive board member; and Mykhajlo Kowalczyn, honorary head of the Philadelphia UCCA branch.

The meeting, lasting nearly an hour and a half, opened with congratulatory words from UCCA President Sawkiw. "Your Excellency," stated Mr. Sawkiw, "it is an honor to greet you on behalf of the umbrella organization, the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, and we welcome you to your new home in Philadelphia as head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in America."

After introducing the delegation, the UCCA president acquainted the archbishop with the goals and priorities of the UCCA in the 21st century. Among the common themes of discussion were the new Ukrainian immigrants and how to activate them within the Ukrainian community life. Both the archbishop and the UCCA delegation agreed that certain social services should be maintained to help the newest Ukrainian Americans adapt to their surroundings.

As the meeting continued, the conversation focused on the youth in Ukrainian American communities. "The youth, as our future," stated Metropolitan Soroka, "must be made aware that they are an integral part of our community and programs must be introduced to keep them active within our Church."

To that comment, many participants added their thoughts on how the Ukrainian American youth organizations SUM and Plast may cooperate with the Ukrainian Catholic Church to instill common values of Church and community.

One of the greatest challenges seen by both the UCCA and the leader of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in America is the change in Ukrainian American demographics. Both institutions have noticed that traditional ethnic "villages" in major U.S. cities along the Eastern Seaboard do not hold as many Ukrainians as in the past. For this reason, new churches, and also new UCCA branches, must be organized in areas not previously inhabited by Ukrainians. "Churches build communities," stated Archbishop Soroka, "we must be cognizant of that."

Towards the end of the meeting, the UCCA president thanked the metropolitan for allowing the delegation to meet with him. Metropolitan Soroka thanked the participants for their forthrightness and their devotion to the Ukrainian community. Both the metropolitan and the UCCA executive board members agreed to coordinate and cooperate in future projects to help strengthen the Ukrainian American community.

As a memento of the meeting, the UCCA delegation presented Archbishop Soroka with two UCCA publications: "The Ukrainian Heritage in America" (1991) and a recent copy of The Ukrainian Quarterly (winter 2000 issue), to which the metropolitan will receive a gratis subscription. A group photo with Metropolitan Soroka was taken in front of the chancery as a reminder of the meeting.

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