www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE: • The Kuchma inquiry: about murder or politics? – page 3. • Community honors Montreal journalist – page 8. • “Garden Party” raises $14,000 for Plast camp – page 10. THEPublished U by theKRAINIAN Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal Wnon-profit associationEEKLY Vol. LXXIX No. 15 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 10, 2011 $1/$2 in Ukraine Meeting with pope, UGCC leader A bittersweet day for Stryi omits patriarchal issue, for now Town mourns one hierarch and celebrates another that we are that Church which is devel- oping, and each Eastern Church which is developing is moving towards a patri- archate, because a patriarchate is a natu- ral completion of the development of this Church,” the major archbishop said at his first official press conference, held on March 29. He was referring to the Synod of Bishops held March 21-24. The sudden reversal revealed that the otherwise talented major archbishop has already begun the process of learning the ropes of politics and the media, as indi- cated by both clergy and laity. Major Archbishop Shevchuk was accompanied by several bishops on his five-day visit to Rome, including Archbishop-Metropolitan Stefan Soroka of the Philadelphia Archeparchy, Bishop Paul Patrick Chomnycky of the Stamford Eparchy, and Bishop Ken Nowakowski Zenon Zawada of the New Westminster Eparchy. Father Andrii Soroka (left) of Poland and Bishop Taras Senkiv lead the funeral The entourage of bishops agreed that procession in Stryi on March 26 for Bishop Yulian Gbur. raising the issue of a patriarchate – when presenting the major archbishop for the by Zenon Zawada Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk. Yet it first time – would have been “prema- Kyiv Press Bureau was the day before, in his native city of ture,” Archbishop Soroka told The Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church Stryi in the Lviv Oblast, that proved Weekly. STRYI, Ukraine. – The world’s exceptionally symbolic for the Ukrainian Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, “It would have been unwise, and Ukrainian Catholics turned their attention Catholic Church. patriarch of the Ukrainian Greek- to Kyiv on March 27 for the enthrone- Catholic Church. (Continued on page 17) ment of their new leader, Major (Continued on page 4) by Zenon Zawada Kyiv Press Bureau KYIV – The learning curve for newly Ontario establishes annual Ukrainian Heritage Day appointed Major Archbishop Sviatoslav TORONTO – The Ontario Provincial (‘Holodomor’) Memorial Day Act “In the context of the 120th anniversa- Shevchuk has already begun. After he Parliament on March 24 passed a bill (Canada), have recognized the genocide ry of Ukrainian settlement in Canada, it boldly declared he would ask Pope that proclaims September 7 each year as by famine that occurred in Ukraine from is appropriate for governments to Benedict XVI to consider granting the Ukrainian Heritage Day. 1932 to 1933 under the Soviet acknowledge the role of Ukrainians as Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church patri- Bill 155, the Ukrainian Heritage Day Communist regime led by Joseph Stalin. nation-builders in settling this country,” archal status, he opted for a tactful Act, proclaims an annual Ukrainian On August 24, 1991, the Ukrainian stated UCC National President Paul approach when meeting face-to-face. Heritage Day in the province of Ontario. Parliament declared Ukraine as an inde- Grod. “In this regard, I would like to He acknowledged that he didn’t men- During the debate of the Ukrainian pendent democratic state from the Soviet congratulate Gerry Martiniuk, MPP tion at all the Church’s decades-long pur- Heritage Day Act, members of all three Union. Canada was the first nation in the (Cambridge) for introducing the bill, and suit of a patriarchate during his March parties – Progressive Conservative, Western world to recognize Ukraine’s co-sponsors Donna Cansfield, MPP 31 private audience with the pontiff, Liberal and New Democratic – rose to independence. (Etobicoke Centre) and Cheri DiNovo, which he described as brief. voice their support of the bill and to “Ontarians of Ukrainian descent have MPP (Parkdale-High Park). We are “There wasn’t and won’t be excessive reflect upon the many contributions that left and continue to leave a historic pleased that all parties supported this importunity on this matter, from our end. Ukrainian Canadians have made to mark on our province. Their contribu- important legislation.” We will work,” Major Archbishop Ontario. tions span communities across Ontario Mr. Grod also congratulated UCC Shevchuk told the British Broadcasting The preamble to the bill notes: and are reflected in our economic, polit- Ontario Provincial Council President Corp. (BBC) in an interview published “The first official Ukrainian immi- ical, social and cultural life. Ukrainian Yvan Baker and his executive “on their the same day. “Our visit to the holy grants, Vasyl Eleniak and Ivan Pylypiw, Canadians have played an important hard work in making this very important father didn’t have as its goal raising the arrived in Canada on September 7, 1891. role in the development of Ontario into initiative a reality. “ He added, “In this issue about the patriarchate or our long- Soon afterwards, Ukrainian immigrants one of the most desirable places in the 120th anniversary of Ukrainian standing attempts for such development began arriving in Ontario in larger num- world to live and have contributed to Canadian settlement, we encourage the and completing the status of our bers and today Ontario is home to more making Canada the great country that it federal government and provinces to Church.” than 336,000 Ukrainian Canadians. is today. It is important to recognize and take measures to properly recognize the His stance was quite different just two There are over 1.2 million Canadians of celebrate these contributions.” contribution of Ukrainians to building days earlier in Kyiv, however, when he Ukrainian descent across the country. On March 30 the Ukrainian Canadian Canada.” was asked by a correspondent from the “Many Ukrainians fled their home- Congress congratulated the legislature The Ukrainian Canadian Congress is First National Television Network what land to find freedom from oppression in the province of Ontario and the the voice of Canada’s 1.2 million-strong he planned to discuss with the Pope and a better life in Canada. Both Ontario Ukrainian Canadian Congress Ontario Ukrainian community. The Congress Benedict XVI. and Canada, by way of the Holodomor Provincial Council (UCC-OPC) on the brings together under one umbrella all “Obviously we prepared very many Memorial Day Act, 2009, and the passage of Canada’s first Ukrainian the national, provincial and local points at the Synod which we must pres- Ukrainian Famine and Genocide Heritage Day. Ukrainian Canadian organizations. ent to the holy father. Truly we will say 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 10, 2011 No. 15 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFS Ukraine sends mixed signals President to meet all denominations Church. A sanctuary was set up on the steps of the building, and the faithful KYIV – President Viktor Yanukovych stood close by in the large open space in on free trade with EU, Russia told journalists on April 5 in Pavlohrad front of it. The choir was formed of that he intends to meet with representa- by Pavel Korduban Customs Union could change if a free priests and seminarians. (Religious tives of all the denominations, reports Information Service of Ukraine) Eurasia Daily Monitor trade agreement with the EU is not the Institute of Religious Freedom with signed by the end of 2011. The source reference to the press service of the head Ukraine finds it increasingly difficult Kuchma has another lawyer added that Ukraine could extract a tem- of the state. “It has long been my dream, to balance its relations between the porary benefit from membership in the but such a meeting with representatives KYIV – Former President Leonid European Union and Russia, which are Customs Union, although it is unclear in Kuchma (1994-2005) said on April 4 that viewed in Kyiv as equally important of all the denominations has not been both capitals what exactly Ukraine held so far. I will make efforts to do it on lawyer Viktor Petrunenko will be part of trading partners. While talks on political would lose if it opted against joining the his defense team in the criminal case association and free trade with the EU Holy Thursday, April 21, on the eve of union. the Feast of Light, Easter,” said the pres- opened against him. “My lawyer was slowed somewhat recently, Moscow is For the time being, Ukraine continues allowed to study [the criminal case],” he stepping up its pressure on Ukraine to ident. Speaking about relations between to prioritize the EU, but this may the Church and state, the president said on leaving another round of ques- join its Customs Union with Kazakhstan change, judging by the mixed signals stressed: “The role of the state is not to tioning at the Procurator General’s and Belarus. from Ukrainian officials after Mr. interfere in the affairs of the Church. At Office. Mr. Petrunenko was brought in as Membership in the Customs Union Putin’s statement in Minsk (Den, March the same time, we should provide equal a defense lawyer in the criminal case and free trade with the EU are mutually 17). conditions for the development of all the opened against Mr. Kuchma in place of exclusive. There are signs that Kyiv On March 17 Prime Minister Mykola denominations. The state policy will Ihor Fomin, who was not allowed by the may opt for the Moscow-led Customs Azarov told visiting European always promote that.” During the past Procurator General’s Office to defend the Union if the free trade talks with the Parliament Socialist group leader year, the All-Ukrainian Council of ex-president. Mr.