LUC ACTION League of Ukrainian Catholics Spring 2014

Л і ґ а У к р а ї н ц і в К а т о л и к і в В е с н а 2014

League of Ukrainian Catholics Contin- A highlight of the 75th Annual National Convention of the League of Ukrainian Catholics was the election of a new ues to Grow and Produce New Branches Preliminary Meeting of LUC NF in September at St. Nicholas Church Hall Sister Thomas, new president Marion Hrubec … National Board of Officers. The theme of the 2013 Convention for the League of The following are the newly elected National Board mem- Ukrainian Catholics this year was “Strong Roots – We are bers: the Branches called by Christ to Blossom”, and they did. National Spiritual Director: Very Rev. Marijan Procyk The membership of the LUC recently gathered in Buffalo, Immediate Past President: Elaine P. Nowadly New York, to convene the 75th Annual National Convention President: Marion C. Hrubec and to celebrate the 80th year of the League’s founding by Vice-President: Helen Fedoriw +Metropolitan A. Senyshyn (then Fr. Ambrose) in Chicago Recording Secretary: Christine Olszewski on August 19, 1933 at the Chicago World’s Fair. Corresponding Secretary: Sr. Cecelia Sworin, SSMI The purpose of the organization, then as now, is to pro- Treasurer: Elaine P. Nowadly

Mary Beth & friends mote and share our Ukrainian Catholic faith and heritage Membership Director: Janina Everett with others. The Ukrainian Catholic Youth League, as it was Religious Director: Sr. Olga Marie Faryna, OSBM originally known, was a lay apostolate organization with an Convention Procedures: Maria La Paglia Handing the banner over to Johnstown Chapter for 2014 Conv. apostolic commission, approved by the Hierarchy making Publicity Director: Paul Ewasko it an official work/organization of the Church. The General Business meeting was opened by Elaine P. Nowadly, National Board President and Convention Chair- person. Rev. Marijan Procyk, Spiritual Director, led the group in prayer. Also in attendance was Basil Losten, Emeritus, an invited guest and longtime supporter of the League. The highlight of the meeting was the Nominating Com- mittee report of the candidate names submitted for election of new officers. Marion C. Hrubec, chairperson of the Nom- inating Committee presented nominated slate, followed by Sister Theodosia, the Notafrancesco’s … at welcome party Katie with Doris Wodzinski & John Godzuk discussion and voting. Assembled delegates accepted the nominations, thus establishing the new National Board.

The newly elected Board was approved by the delegates. Discussion was held regarding the location of the next

convention - the Central Pennsylvania Council of John- stown, Pennsylvania, offered to host the national gathering At St. Nicholas Ukrainian of Buffalo, NY, in October 2014. Bishop Emeritus Basil Losten administers the oath of office Invited guest and supporter of the League, Bishop Basil to newly elected National Officers (left to right): Janina Losten, recommended a Council be organized in the Silver “Yanka” Everett, Membership Director: Elaine P. Nowadly, Im- mediate Past President and current Treasurer; Marion C. Panachyda for deceased Members of LUC Spring, Maryland area. His suggestion was enthusiastically Hrubec, President; and, Helen Fedoriw, Vice-President. accepted by a delegate from Maryland. All those in attendance were witness to the fact that in- It is with great pleasure that the National Board and the deed “strong roots do lead to many branches – old and new membership of the League of Ukrainian Catholics moves – that blossom”. This Papal Year of Faith coupled with our forward, eager to work with the Hierarchy and clergy of the Patriarch Sviatoslav’s message to each of us to be active , fulfilling the original purposes of the founders participants in building vibrant parishes reaffirms the pur- of the League and taking up the task of working within our pose of the League of Ukrainian Catholics, founded by parishes to create, in Patriarch Sviatosalv’s words, those +Bishop Senyshyn - to promote and share our Ukrainian “vibrant parishes” that will insure the continuation of our Dora Horbachevska introducing M. Speaker Orysia Tracz ß Sunday Liturgy at Saint Nicholas with Bishop Basil Catholic faith and heritage with others. Ukrainian Catholic faith and heritage. League of Ukrainian Catholics Visiting the area churches 25th Anniversary

75th Annual Convention Annual Awards

The Sister John Paskevich Memorial School Endowment Award: Matthew Goodman, a seventh grader Pupil at St. Nicholas School, Minersville, PA Nom. by the principal, Sister Thomas Hrynewich, SSMI

Burse Awards:

Philadelphia Archeparchy The Bishop Jaroslaw Gabro Burse Rev. Deacon Walter Pasichnyk

Nominated by Metropolitan with the birth of the Blessed Mother and ending with the Stamford The Metropolitan Burse Dormition. Father Rastko Trbuhovich, Pastor of the church, On the Saturday afternoon during the 75th Annual Con- was not able to show us around, but he left us in the capa- Roman Choba vention of the League of Ukrainian Catholic, those mem- Nominated by Bishop Paul Chomnytsky ble hands of his wife, Presbytera Victoria, who explained bers and friends attending the Convention had the oppor- the various icons and history of the church. We left up- St. Josaphat Eparchy (Parma) tunity to visit three Churches in the Lackawanna, NY area. The Metropolitan Constantine Bohachevsky Burse lifted. God is glorified in the extraordinary beauty. The first church we visited was Our Lady of Victory Basil- Subdeacon Joseph Matlak ica. OLV, as it is commonly called, was built in the early

Nominated by Bishop 1900's by Father Nelson Baker. It is patterned after St. Pe- St. Nicholas Eparchy (Chicago) ter's in Rome. Father Baker, known as Padre to the Poor, In October, Bishop celebrated his 25th The Metropolitan Andrew Sheptytsky Burse established an infant home and orphanage among other Anniversary of his ordination. Since he was not able to be with us at the convention, and we could not acknowledge Frank Avant things on the property of Our Lady of Victory. At Father Nominated by Bishop Richard Seminack Baker’s crypt in the Basilica, people pray for his canoniza- Bishop Paul's anniversary at that time, V. Rev. Marijan Pro- cyk, Spiritual Director, and Immediate Past President, Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate tion. We arrived at the Basilica at the right time, one wed- The Metropolitan Joseph Schmondiuk Burse ding was leaving and another coming in so we had a Elaine Nowadly, took the opportunity, at the 100th Anniver- Sister Kathleen Hutsko, SSMI chance to look around without disturbing anyone. sary Celebration of St Basil's Ukrainian Catholic Church in Nominated by Sister Kathleen Hutsko Lancaster, NY, to extend our Congratulations and Best Wishes to Bishop Paul and present him with a gift from the Sisters of the Order of St. Basil the Great LUC National Board and all the members of the League of The Martianna Zebron Burse Ukrainian Catholics. Axios! Sister Rose Anna Bukaczyk, OSBM Our last visit was to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Ukrainian ======Nominated by Sister Dorothy Ann Busowski, OSBM Catholic Church (formerly Holy Ghost Church), where Sis- Holy Dormition Byz. Fransciscans (Sybertsville, PA) ter Thomas led us in prayer and a church hymn to conclude The Bishop John Stock Burse our visits. It was a prayerful experience. Michael Bezruchka Nominated by Father Jerome OFM

** Missionary Sisters of Mother of God The Patrick Bilon Burse Do not have a Burse awardee due to the education require- ment but are requesting support for two Cathechists who are starting a new Catechetical program at the Cherry Hill, NJ parish:

Sister Maria Kelly and Sister Martin Rodko Nominated by Sister Timothea Konyu MSMG The next stop on our visit was St. Stephen's Serbian Ortho- dox Church. When walking into the church, the most com- Congratulations to the winners of the mon word uttered was “Wow!” After six years of working Sister John Paskevich Memorial School on the writing of the icons in the church, the work was com- Endowment Award and Burses Awards! pleted this past spring. Icons cover every inch of the wall, May the Lord bless you abundantly! even the switch plates and thermostats are part of the icon. Sister Zenovia and members of National Board at the LUC The ceiling of the church depicts icons of church feasts. L.U.C. à Let Us Care You can look up and see the whole church year, starting North Anthracite Council Meeting, Nov. 3, 2013 Retreat, preached by Fr. George Appleyard, April 4-6, 2014