Issue 30, March 2011 UKRAINIAN REDEMPTORISTS OF THE YORKTON PROVINCE FULLY ALIVE A Bishop Velychkovsky Martyr’s Shrine Publication CHURCH OF THE MARTYRS Ten years ago, Ukraine was preparing who was shot for simply being a nun. for the pastoral visit of the Servant of God Pope John Paul II . The Pope asked In 1945, in their effort to liquidate the the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church to Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, all present him a list of their martyrs so that the bishops were arrested. In December he could beatify them. Because of the 1945, Bishop Gregory Khomyshyn died religious persecution by the Soviets and a martyr for his faith in the infirmary of their liquidation of the church, the a Kyiv prison. Bishop Josaphat Kotsy- Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church had lowski, died in 1947 in a concentration many martyrs, even thousands of mar- camp near Kyiv. Bishop Nykyta Budka, tyrs: bishops, priests, religious, lay men the first Ukrainian Catholic Bishop of and women. In the short time allotted Canada, died in 1949 in a labour camp from the time of this announcement to in Karaganda, Kazakhstan. His corpse the time of the Pope’s visitation, the was devoured by wolves. Bishop Greg- church was able to obtain only the nec- ory Lakota died in 1950 in exile after essary documentation for 25 of these harsh labour conditions near Vorkuta, in martyrs: 8 bishops, 7 religious priests, 6 far northern Russia. The abbot of the eparchial priests, 3 religious nuns and a Studite monastery, Archimandrite layman. Of those who were chosen, one Clement Sheptytsky died in 1951 in a of them stood out, because of his popu- Nicholas Charnetsky and 24 Companion- harsh prison in Vladimir, Russia. An- Martyrs with Blessed Priest-Martyr lar opinion of sanctity by the many thou- Emilian Kouch other Basilian, Fr. Vitalis Bairak, also sands of faithful who regularly visited from Drohobych, died in 1946 after a his grave and sought his intercession: their way to visit a sick woman with the severe beating in prison. A young priest, namely Bishop Nicholas Charnetsky. sacraments. Fr Andrew Ishchak, refus- Fr. Roman Lysko, after refusing to deny The pope named this group of martyrs as ing to leave his parishioners and hide his Catholic faith, was arrested and was Nicholas Charnetsky and 24 Compan- with others, was dragged from his par- sealed alive in a Lviv prison wall. He ion-Martyrs. Among these ish, shot and stabbed to death. Fr. Seve- could be heard singing the psalms at the “companions” is our Blessed Bishop and rian Baranyk, a Basilian, was arrested in top of his voice. Fr. Nicholas Tshelskyi, Martyr Vasyl Velychkovsky. Drohobych. When the prison was separated from his wife and children opened by the Germans, his black (who were also arrested) and after en- As we begin to celebrate the 10th Anni- bloated body was found with a cross during extremely horrid conditions in versary of this event, it would be fitting carved into his chest. Another Basilian, the prison camps died a martyr in 1951. to briefly mention their names. All these Fr. Joachim Senkivskyi, also from Dro- A Redemptorist, Fr. Ivan Ziatyk was martyrs won their martyr’s crown under hobych was boiled alive in prison. A clubbed severely in prison camps on the persecution of the Soviet regime. Redemptorist, Fr. Zenon Kovalyk was Good Friday and died shortly after in The first of them was a Studite priest found crucified to the prison wall on 1952. Two Sisters of St. Joseph’s, Sr. Leonid Feodorov, ordained a Greek Zamarstynivska Street in Lviv. Since all Catholic and became the Exarch of the of the above happened in late June 1941, Russian Greek Catholic Church in 1917. and many on June 27th, the Pope de- In This Issue: th He was duly arrested and died in prison clared this day (June 27 ) as the feast in 1935. During the first Soviet occupa- day of Nicholas Charnetsky and 24 Church of the Martyrs - 1 tion (1939-41) in late June of 1941, Fa- Companion-Martyrs. During the sec- Thanks to Contributors - 2 ther Nicholas Kondrad and his cantor ond occupation of the Soviets in 1944, Shrine Visitors - 4 Volodymyr Pryima were shot in the the first martyr was a young 25 year old Shrine Information - 4 forest by the NKVD as they were on Sister Servant, Sr. Tarsykiia Matskiv, Prayer to Blessed Vasyl - 4 Olympia Bida and Sr. Lavrentia Herasymiv, both died as cal, electrical and physical torture during his last imprison- martyrs after enduring very inhuman living conditions in ment from 1968 to 1972, died in Winnipeg in 1973. He joined Siberia in 1952. Msgr. Peter Verhun, after years of impris- this bouquet of Ukrainian Catholic Martyrs. onment and labour camps, died a martyr’s death in the Krasnoyarsk territory in Siberia in 1957. At the same time, Pope John Paul II beatified separately Fr. Emilian Kouch, who died a martyr in 1944 in a German con- Many arrested priests returned from their first prison sen- centration camp in Majdanek, for helping the Jewish people tence and began working in the underground church. Be- escape persecution. Also beatified was Bishop Theodore cause the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church was now an Romzha of Transcarpathia. He was poisoned in a hospital as illegal body, one could be arrested simply for exercising he was recovering from a KGB intentional accident. He died one’s faith. Fr. Oleksii Zarytskyi was arrested again in in 1947. 1957 and sent to Karaganda where he met his martyr’s death in 1963. Bishop Nicholas Charnetsky returned from May their sacrifice for Christ, encourage us to live a life prison in 1956, a terminally man. He spent his remaining wholly given to God. years in prayer, guiding the underground church. As a result of his poor health, he died a martyr in 1959. Bishop Simeon O Holy Blessed Martyrs of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Lukach was rearrested in 1962. After severe interrogations, Church pray for us! he became critically ill and died a martyr in 1964. Bishop Ivan Sleziuk was also arrested again in 1962. In 1973, he was called in for an “interrogation” where he was placed in P.S. isolation and exposed to radiation for two hours. He died Pope John Paul II will himself be beatified by the two weeks later a martyr’s death in 1973. Finally, our Church on May 1, 2011. His beatification will be Bishop Vasyl Velychkovsky, who was subjected to chemi- shown live on EWTN. THANK YOU!!! Your generous donations make it possible for us to conduct our ministry at the Shrine and to promote the knowledge of Blessed Vasyl throughout the world. Thank you to all the contributors to the Bishop Velychkovsky Martyr’s Shrine. May Blessed Vasyl bless each one of you. Contributions listed below are from November 16th, 2010 until February 28, 2011. 25000+ Geraldine Koban Mary Benson In memory of Dmytro & Mary Werezak Michael & Ollie Komarnicki Dr. Kenneth & Josie Bessant Michael & Zenya Werezak Edith Kotyk Hazel J. Borodey Stan Kyba Dan & Lillian Burkart 1000+ Beverly Kyle and David Sokolowski Marianne Derkach Katherine Dankiewich Frank & Cynthia Lischynski Teresa Egan In memory of Mary, William, Michael & William & Anne Matview Fr. Edward Evanko Alexander Slukynsky Gerard & Regina Muench Alexandra Fedoruk Elizabeth Haughton Judy Odger Maria Fil Adrian & Vera Olenick Arnie and Theresa Filipi 500+ Joanna Pidperyhora Folk Arts Council of Winnipeg Inc. In memory of Mike and Bill Gulenchin Julia Saganski Robert and Elsie Fulawka Mary Anne Piercy Lorne & Olga Sakundiak Larry & Sandra German Fr.Theodore Harasymchuk William & Linda Skromeda Fredesvindo Glavan Elsie A. Tymchak Gerald Smysnuik Wirlana Holowka Ukrainian Catholic Brotherhood Bingo/ St. Anne's Ukr. Cath. Church UCWL Sofia Hull Breaker Account St. Michael's UCWLC Dan & Bella Kalenchuk St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church Mary Jane Kalenchuk 100+ Men's Club Joseph & Rosalia Kitz John & Marth Baluta Mary Stasiuk Fr. Josaphat and Joan Korchinski Rev. John and Marion Barszczyk Ukr. Cath. Church of Resurrection / Cathy Kowbel Vasilj Bartos Catechetical Education Program Rose Kozak Kateryna K. Bodnarchuk Peter & Joan Washchyshyn Fr. Methodius Kushko Mike & Terry Genik Michael & Frances Winkler Nick Labay Jean Gilbert Janice Leroux Dr. Peter Gnanapragasam <100 Dr. Joseph Lozinsky Knights of Columbus, Fr. Delaere Therese Allard and Paulette Roach Gary & Jan Lukie Council Albin & Lorraine Anderson Jean Maksymchuk John & Elsie Baryluk Joan Matlock 2 Emil M. Maybo Stephen & Katherine Dankewich Sloboda & Chelack families Peter Melnycky Katherine Dankiewich Terry & Gladys Sloboda Robert J. Moskal James Derkach Maria Tycholaz Deanne Nichols Annie Derkach Myrna Tycholaz Richard & Marietta Persian Fr. Yaroslaw Dybka, C.Ss.R. John Warrenchuk Loretta Perus Kchik, Markian Ernie & Diane Mee Carl Peters Augustus & Catherine Korchinsky Mrs. Kathleen Warrenchuk Alna Pizarro John Wilczynski and Beatrice Papiz Doreen Yurkowski Patricia Puchniak Gutiw/Shawaga Family Michael Yurkowski Evelina Quinto Phyllis Guitiw Ed & Alice Romanowski Yuzwa/Symak Family In Honor Of... Solito Roque Helene Yuzwa Cynthia Bryant Jean Rubel Victor Fedorowich Phyllis Sianchuk Winnie Rumore Laurie Kais W. Cybusznyk Isidoro Santos Fr. John Sholdak, Fr. Andrew Zayac, Leo & Christina Baluta Arthur Schamp Fr. Jerry Popieluszko, Rev. Harry Dmyterko Family Helen Schentag Lehotsky Jaroslaw & Julia Dmyterko Frank & Anne Shymko Walter Smadella Eloy Domingo Lillian Sianchuk Elsie Holuk Veronica Domingo Darlene Sidak Maurice Holuk Fr. Isidore Dziadyk D. Sikora Mike & Sharon Hood Stan & Luba Sirdar Mary Sinclair Alice Hood Ed Faseruk Iris Smellie Leo Hrankowski Orest & Margaret Fedorchuk Victor & Elsie Sorochuk Dr. Cliff Hrankowski Peter & Gilkeria Iwanuck Maurice & Rose Stadnyk Jurij Hwozdulych Stan & Luba Sirdar Joseph C. Stangl Stanislawa Stasiewicz Alexandra Hwozdulych Wayne Jonasson Jenny Swydnycky Shirley Kalupar Larry & Evelyn Tycholis Christine Walker Stan Kalupar Mary Jane Kalenchuk Willis and Jean Wilkinson Katie Karalash Phyllis Sianchuk Harvey & Gloria Winn Orest & Margaret Fedorchuk Kseniya Kavats William & Kathleen Zambrick Ernie Kindret Phyllis Sianchuk William & Mary Zaporzan Metro Lukie Olesya Kavats Nicholas Zimrose Michael Kuzminski Phyllis Sianchuk Ann Zulak Mrs.