October 9, 2015

Razing America’s first megachurch

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Dear Editor:

In her article “How much is your heritage worth?”(August 23) Roma Lisovich expressed concerns that the first Ukrainian (Ruthenian) Catholic church in the U.S. would likely be razed before her article appeared in print. No doubt it will be by the time this letter is printed; a photo dated September 17 on the web showed only half the facade still standing.

In its early years it was said to have served about 15,000 parishioners, arguably making old St. Michael’s the first megachurch in America.

Ms. Lisovich is dismayed at Metropolitan Stefan Soroka’s decision to raze it and her feelings “that our collective history is being destroyed” are poignant and true.

However, the cold facts are that some religious communities survive and preserve their heritage much better than others. According to the 2015 Annuario Pontificio, the Ukrainian Catholic Church in America lost half of its members during the metropolitan’s 15-year tenure and now stands at 50,000. Even more startling is the drop in the Philadelphia Archeparchy itself: down 80 percent from about 70,000 to just 14,000.

Gone are the 1960s when the church had 590,000 members, and I am sure these factors weigh heavily on the metropolitan’s mind when he contemplates the future of his and our Church and community.

R. B. Worobec

Alexandria, Va.

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