Detroit community fetes Cardinal Lubomyr Husar (08/10/03)

Detroit community fetes Cardinal Lubomyr Husar

by Irene Pryjma

WARREN, Mich. - The Detroit Ukrainian Catholic Deanery, at the invitation of the Very Rev. Dean Basil Salkowski, OSBM, pastor of St. Josaphat Ukrainian Catholic Church, on June 1 hosted a very special banquet - in honor of the first official visit of the Head of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, at St. Josaphat Church Center in Warren, Mich.

This banquet was also a fund-raiser for the new informational center and Cathedral of the Holy Resurrection of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church being built in Kyiv, Ukraine.

With a capacity audience of parishioners and faithful attending, the event was opened by master of ceremonies Vasyl Kolodchin, world head of the Ukrainian Patriarchal Society, who greeted the gathering.

The clergy were ushered in, and then Cardinal Husar entered to thunderous applause. St. Josaphat's Choir, directed by Maestro Volodymyr Shesluk sang the "Patriarchal Hymn," and the Very Rev. Salkowski delivered the official welcome.

Next, elementary school children Larissa Woryk and Alexander Taha welcomed the honored guest with the traditional bread and salt, and high school students Khrystyna Ignativ and Volodymyr Pasishnyk presented him with flowers while everyone spontaneously and wholeheartedly sang "Mnohaya Lita."

Before the dinner the Rev. John Lazar, Pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Dearborn, Mich., gave the invocational prayer and the choir sang "Our Father." After dinner the master of ceremonies introduced the guests seated at the head table-parish priests of the Detroit Deanery. At the conclusion of the dinner Dr. Mark Farion played the bandura and sang three dumas/cantatas.

Mr. Kolodchin welcomed Patriarch Lubomyr and spoke of the sobor (cathedral) in Kyiv and how important it is to support its construction. Then the Very Rev. Volodymyr Petriv, pastor of St. John the Baptist Parish in Detroit, Mich., introduced Cardinal Husar with words of welcome. He emphasized the importance of the Sobor project and how it will benefit the reemerging Church in Ukraine.

On this Sunday, the Feast of the Holy (Nicea) Fathers of the Church, Cardinal Husar addressed a capacity audience of parishioners and faithful from the parishes of the Detroit Deanery at a banquet fund-raiser at St. Josaphat Ukrainian Catholic Church. This was the primate's first official visit to the parish. He thanked the Deanery for the invitation, the schoolchildren for their greetings, Dr. Farion for the musical interlude and the people for coming to this event.

He greeted his listeners warmly and, at the outset, reminded them that even the humblest of donations toward the building of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Sobor in Kyiv merits recognition much as the widow's mite in the Bible. He also stated that much has been said about his predecessors, Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky and Patriarch Josyf Slipyj, and not enough about his immediate predecessor Cardinal Myroslav Ivan Lubachivsky. The late Cardinal Lubachivsky, he said, the bridge from the dark era of communism to the 1989 reemergence of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church from the underground, had a very important role in bringing our Particular Church into its own in the newly independent and democratic Ukrainian republic (1991).

A Sobor Committee was formed in Kyiv to provide technical and financial aid to the project, whose theme is "Sanctity of a United Nation." Cardinal Husar emphasized that the building of the Sobor of the Holy Resurrection in Kyiv will reflect this symbol of unity in faith, and a return to Christianity's original roots in Ukraine. As such, it will be a cathedral for all Ukrainians in Ukraine as well as in the global diaspora, he continued. It will not be a parish unto itself, but will also serve as a gathering place for Ukrainians who belong to the eight other parishes in Kyiv. This Sobor community will be an informational center for the Patriarchal Society and the Sobor Committee, and a centerpiece of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church. It presents an opportunity for Kyiv and the eastern regions of Ukraine to get to know the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church.

In the past, eastern Ukrainians had been convinced by the ruling authorities that the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church was full of evil people - bandits and murderers - and warned not to associate with them. They are now seeing for themselves how false these representations were. Present-day civil authorities have, in general, received us warmly and have expressed their good wishes at the laying of the cornerstone, and during construction, Cardinal Husar related.

Kyiv residents - 90 percent of whom are non-Catholic - are showing a very positive interest in the building of the Sobor, and, indeed, are also asking for an immediate place of prayerful worship. To this end, the construction of a small chapel on part of the property is now under serious consideration, he added.

The primate urged understanding of the Ukrainian people and their suffering during 75 years of communism, under a regime that sought to enslave and to eliminate their very hearts and souls, leaving them bereft of religion and God. Fortunately this did not happen, he continued.

In Ukraine progress toward democracy has been slow, even with some regression. The cardinal underscored that it is our duty to support the Ukrainian people and reinforce their positive endeavors. The strength of the nation depends on its individuals and internal unity.

As to the building of the sobor, Cardinal Husar said its completion is expected in about a year and a half to two years. He encouraged all who have Internet access to observe the daily progress of the sobor's construction at (www.kyivpatriarchalsobor.org/ukr/develop), to interact with it by offering suggestions and to come for its dedication.

After the Patriarchal address, the Very Rev. Salkowski thanked the Patriarch for his informative and insightful speech. Then the Very Rev. Daniel Schaicoski, OSBM, pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Hamtramck, Mich., offered the benediction.

The Detroit Deanery Banquet Committee was composed of 33 people who worked diligently and effectively to produce this event. Committee co-chairmen were - the Very Rev. Salkowski and Mr. Kolodchin; other members were Roma Dyhdalo, secretary; Myron Woronowycz, treasurer; Eugene Repeta, finance; Lida Wroblewski, banquet program; Lida Jachnycki, public relations; Dr. Paul Dzul, audit; and Volodymyr Dyhdalo, decor.

A total of $200,000 was raised - a truly great and generous gift to Ukraine's Holy Resurrection Sobor project from the Detroit area Ukrainian Catholic faithful.

| Home Page |