Celebrating Archbishop- Emeritus Stefan Soroka's 17 Years of Service
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COMMEMORATIVE EDITION Official Publication of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia VOL. 79 - No. 11 JUNE 03, 2018 ENGLISH VERSION Celebrating Archbishop- Emeritus Stefan Soroka’s 17 Years of Service in the Archeparchy of Philadelphia You are invited to join in the Moleben (Intercessory Prayer) to the Mother of God on Sunday, June 10, 2018 - 3:00 pm in the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 830 North Franklin Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as we offer Praise, Gratitude and Thanksgiving to God for Blessing the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia with THE MOST REVEREND STEFAN SOROKA, METROPOLITAN-ARCHBISHOP EMERITUS and his dedicated years of service in the Photo: http://ssmi-us.org/ vineyard of the Lord. August 5, 2017 Metropolitan Archbishop - Most Reverend Stefan Soroka Date of Birth devout Catholics, November 13, 1951 in regularly participating the City of Winnipeg, in Church life and Province of Manitoba, receiving the Sacraments CANADA. of the Church. Life-long members of Ss. Vladimir Family Background and Olga Cathedral, FATHER - IWAN Winnipeg. SOROKA, born in Zablotce, Radymno Stefan Soroka, along region, Western Ukraine with his only sibling twin on May 19, 1920, brother, Joseph, were deceased on September baptized and raised 5, 1993. MOTHER - within the Ukrainian ANNA GALEK, born Catholic faith. His brother in Szczurowa, Poland Joseph, a (retired) police on October 15, 1920, officer in Winnipeg, deceased on September is married to Dawn 3, 1973. Parents married (Fewchuk) and has two in the Catholic Church in children, Ann and John. Austria, August 1945 and immigrated to Canada in 1951. Parents strongly Education Seminary, Washington, • Ph.D. of D.C. Philosophy (Social • Master of Social Work), May 1985, at Work, October, 1978 The Catholic University at the University of of America, Washington, Manitoba, Winnipeg, D.C. Dissertation: "The Canada. Practicum: Relationship between Organizational Stressors and Priests' Perception of Stress." • Bachelor of Sacred Theology (Pontifical Program), May 1982 at The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. • Seminary Metropolitan Stefan with his parents, Anna formation at St. Josaphat and Iwan and his twin brother, Joseph Ukrainian Catholic (continued on next page) JUNE 03, 2018 2 Metropolitan Archbishop - Most Reverend Stefan Soroka (continued from previous page) Group Counseling Ordination with Incarcerated Sex Offenders. Installed as the sixth Archbishop of the • Bachelor of Social Ukrainian Catholic Work, May, 1973 at the Archeparchy for University of Manitoba, Philadelphia, and Winnipeg, Canada. Metropolitan for Fr. Stefan Soroka baptizing Emilia Radawetz Seminarian Stefan Soroka (1981) Ukrainians in the United and Archbishop of the States of America on Winnipeg Archeparchy), February 27, 2001, at Most Reverend the Cathedral of the Cornelius Pasichny (then Immaculate Conception, Bishop of Saskatoon, Philadelphia, PA by Canada), and Most His Beatitude, Lubomyr Reverend Walter Paska Cardinal Husar, (then Auxiliary Bishop Patriarch of Ukrainian for the Philadelphia Greek Catholic Church. Archeparchy). Consecrated as Auxiliary Ordained to the Bishop for the Ukrainian Holy Priesthood on Catholic Archeparchy June 13, 1982 at Ss. of Winnipeg, Canada, Vladimir and Olga on June 13, 1996, Cathedral, Winnipeg, at Ss. Vladimir and by the Most Reverend Olga Ukrainian Maxim Hermaniuk, Catholic Cathedral, CSsR, Metropolitan for Winnipeg, by the Most Ukrainians in Canada Stefan Soroka attending St. Josaphat Reverend Bzdel, CSsR and Archbishop of Ukrainian Catholic Seminary in (Metropolitan of Canada Winnipeg. Washington, DC JUNE 03, 2018 3 Excerpts from an interview in “The Way” from November 5, 2006 with Metropolitan-Archbishop Stefan Soroka conducted by Iryna Ivankovych-Bloshchynska Social Worker for to renewed life an before people and to God’s power in Probation Services archeparchy which, I speaking. I still hold that our lives. God invites to the priesthood. believe, has so much in awe - it’s God’s work, and challenges me to Unusual, isn’t it? potential, but seems to be not my wish. I would let go, and leave the Do you recall the asleep. I wonder where rather be watching direction and place to moment in your life all the children and youth from a distance, yet I Him. I have never said when you first heard are? Then, I look at the feel myself propelled by no to an assignment, God’s voice in your few quality catechetical God to lead, to be His and have respected that heart? programs offered in a messenger. That is so God speaks through portion of our churches remarkable to me. It is our superiors. Blessed Metropolitan Stefan and wonder why not to me outstanding that a Mother Teresa of Soroka: I heard God’s everywhere? I believe boy from poor immigrant Calcutta told me that voice yet as a young parents want the best parents in the poor area personally, and she was boy, but as a teen I was for their children and of Winnipeg would be right. too shy to admit. I also will seek the best. Many able to achieve such a wondered how as a of our parishes seem to high posiiton. It speaks shy person, I could ever offer little beyond Sunday stand before people Divine Liturgy. That’s and speak to them. I the challenge - to get also experienced some our excellent clergy to reservation because motivate themselves and of my poor Ukrainian the faithful to reach out speaking skills - and try - even if there is sometimes hardcore only one or two children. Ukrainians really turned Jesus will send more if off friends to the Ukrainian He sees hope for His language! Therefore, I children. What is most decided on social work rewarding is when you as a compromise - both see fruits of your efforts at not feeling worthy for and rejoice for them, for priesthood, and also God. as an opportunity for a family of my own. Stefan Soroka as a man of success. Stefan Soroka Which acheivement Stefan Soroka as a man of prayer. as Metropolitan. do you consider the How would you describe your What are the most most outstanding intimacy with God? challenging and the and remarkable most rewarding part one? Metropolitan Stefan Soroka: I feel of your serving? closest to God in nature, in the woods, Metropolitan Stefan along the shores. God seems to be loudly Metropolitan Stefan Soroka: Sometimes, present in the silence of the woods and in Soroka: Challenge of I still cannot believe the waves at the shore. renewing and bringing it, especially standing JUNE 03, 2018 4 The Coat of Arms of Metropolitan Stefan Soroka The Coat of Arms is surmounted by a bishop’s mitre in the center, flanked by the cross and crozier, all symbols of a Bishop’s pastoral office in the Ukrainian Catholic Church. The left side presents the Mother of God with hands raised in prayer, placing the Archeparchy under her protection. The Archbishop thus invokes her maternal love and intercession for himself and his people. The right side depicts a heart, recalling the greatest commandment, “love God with your whole heart... and love one another as yourself” (Luke 10:27). The letters “IC XC, NI KA” within the heart, center Jesus Christ as the conqueror of our hearts, calling the Archbishop and his people to live Christ-centered lives. The flame within the heart recalls a particularly favorite Scriptural passage of the Archbishop, that of Luke 24:32, “Did not our hearts burn within us while He explained to us the Scriptures.” These words encourage our passionate love for the Scriptures. The background on the right side depicts the American flag – the domain of the Metropolitan. The Ukrainian embroidered towel centered by the maple leaf expresses the Archbishop’s Ukrainian Canadian ancestry. The towel recalls St. Stephen (a towel is draped in his hands on icons of St. Stephen), elected to serve by the early apostles and martyred for his faith. The motto, “One Who Serves,” expresses the Archbishop’s role as a successor of the Apostles, called and ordained to serve Christ and His people (Luke 22:27). JUNE 03, 2018 5 2000 In a statement, Archbishop Stephen Sulyk said he has known his successor since 1981, when Archbishop Soroka was a seminarian at St. Josaphat Seminary in Washington. “He has been a colleague and a good friend, especially as we gathered in synodal meetings of our Ukrainian Catholic Church,” he said. “His youth, his enthusiasm, and his dedication will enable him to bring a new vitality to our church as we journey into the 21st century.” Posted in “The Way” December 3, 2000 2001 Cardinal Husar and Archbishop Montalvo led Metropolitan Soroka to the Episcopal chair, the “cathedra” where he was seated, or “enthroned” after the Apostolic Nuncio exclaimed, “Receive this pastoral staff with which you are to shepherd Christ’s flock entrusted to your care. Axios!” February 27, 2001- Installation of Metropolitan Stefan Soroka as Metropolitan-Archbishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia JUNE 03, 2018 6 2001 The Cathedral Children Host Archbishop Stefan at their Annual Easter Egg Hunt on Palm Sunday - April 8, 2001 Spring Clergy Conference 2001 at St. Francis Center for Renewal in Bethlehem, PA. Mr. Henry Winkler, popularly known as “The Fonz” from the show “Happy Days”, gave a stimulating presentation during the luncheon on the value of self-confidence in one’s life. One full day of a three-day conference on Globalization and Health was held at the United Nations was devoted to the commemoration of the Chornobyl nuclear disaster. Pictured are Rev. Bohdan Lukie, C.Ss.R of Newark, Mr. Henry Winkler and Archbishop Stefan. April 25-27, 2001 JUNE 03, 2018 7 2001 Metropolitan-Archbishop Stefan Soroka meets Pope John Paul II (now Saint John Paul II) during the Pope’s Pastoral Visit to Ukraine in June 2001 Vocation’s Committee of the Archeparchy Archbishop Stefan, Sr.