Official Publication of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia VOL. 71 - No. 10 MAY 30, 2010 ENGLISH VERSION Axios! Rev. Paul J. Makar Amidst the joyous exclamation of "Axios!" (He is Worthy!) by Archbishop-Emeritus Stephen Sulyk as he vested the newly ordained priest, and to the acclamation of "Axios! Axios! Axios!" from the congregation, Rev. Paul Jason Makar began his journey as a minister to the flock of Jesus Christ! The ordination of Rev. Paul J. Makar by Metropolitan-Archbishop Stefan Soroka was held at the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Philadelphia, PA, on May 16, 2010. Among those who celebrated with Rev. Paul J. Makar were members of his family including his father Rev. Deacon Paul Makar (who is a Deacon of our Archeparchy) and his mother Mrs. Anna Makar (who is the secretary of Assumption Ukrainian Catholic Church in Perth Amboy, NJ.) The entire clergy and faithful of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia offer our joyous wishes and greetings to Rev. Paul J. Makar as he continues his journey of service to our Lord and to all of our people. Na Mnohaya i Blahaya Lita! Watch videos from Rev. Paul J. Makar's Ordination on our Blog at www.thewayukrainian.blogspot.com An Interview with Rev. Paul Jason Makar - Questions asked by Teresa Siwak from "THE WAY" 1) QUESTION: How did the U.S. Navy and civilian your family environment life as an engineer, and help you form your becoming the stereotypical spirituality in becoming a “Christmas and Easter priest? Catholic,” I never forgot the customs and traditions MAKAR: One could say that I was raised in. Our that my family environment family always treasured played a pivotal role - our Ukrainian Catholic faith when I was a child, not and has always been a only was I encouraged to central part of our lives. participate in various Our faith is something that parish activities, serving as we try to humbly live in an altar boy, and being our daily lives, day in and taught various aspects day out. It was this deep about our Church and appreciation of our faith religion by the Missionary fostered by my family that Sisters of the Mother of drove me to come back God at Ukrainian to it with a renewed drive, Assumption School in Perth eager to learn what I had Amboy, NJ. I vividly forgotten, and eventually remember how my parents discerning the call to the and grandparents actively priesthood. participated in the life of the Church. I especially recall how my father went 2) QUESTION: What through formation for his made you choose this ordination to the challenging path of serving diaconate by Metropolitan God in a complete (emeritus) Stephen Sulyk. I surrender to His mission? people. Later, as I started luxurious life, who accepted accompanied him when he to renew my relationship God’s call of mercy and went to various parishes MAKAR: I would say that with God, I started to read followed the path to serving as a cantor and initially, when I was a about the saints and great redemption. I was remember the sacrifices he young boy, I was quite spiritual masters, such as especially struck by their made as he worked for interested in who a priest the desert monastics. I humility and compassion his theology degree while was. Here was a person was drawn in by reading to others, and I thought working full time to support whom I thought was a about some of the heroic about how little do we see his family. I also remember great and heroic man who choices they made in life, this in today’s day and my mother helping out in was called by God to lead but more importantly, and age. So I made the the parish, eventually the people in liturgical this was the fact that decision to follow God becoming the parish worship of God and surprised me the most, was and his call and I have secretary for Father Roman dedicated himself in service that they were people, not looked backwards Dubitsky. to the people by visiting ordinary sinners, often ever since. the sick, helping the poor, times rejected by society, Even in spite of “falling and working to spread and at other times, openly away” during my time in God’s love among the rejecting a successful and (continued on next page) May 30, 2010 2 An Interview with Rev. Paul Jason Makar (continued from previous page) 3) QUESTION: Was the as I was entering a life out many people, and the societal identifiers of an transition from “lay” to that would totally chance to be a living ikon extremely successful man “religious” life difficult? transform myself and my of God’s love for all at 30 years of age in life. What sacrifices did you way of living, so there was people. In our class on And yet, I am empty, I am have to make? What some tension there. One Ordained Ministries at not happy.” This, coupled were your gains? issue in particular was the Catholic University, our with a renewed interest of call to a celibate life – this professor there compared study in the bible and MAKAR: It was both easy shocked a lot of people the vocations of the reading the lives of saints, and difficult at the same and still does to this day. married and the celibate especially monastic spiritual time. It was easy in one A lot of people seem to life: “The celibate could masters (such as Antony sense that I felt a strong have expected me to be be said to image the of the Desert), sparked a sense of needing to make married, and even while I limitless breadth of God’s small flame that caused me sacrifices for the sake of was a seminarian, some love to mankind, for he is to really take a good look Christ and for others. In of my friends were trying called to minister to a very at myself and I saw how other words, I felt that I to convince me to be a wide range of people, spiritually empty I was. I had to make the transition married priest. I do not loving all as God loves all started going to Church by plunging in the deep deny the goodness of the of us. The married person regularly again at our end with both feet, and if married priesthood and I could be said to image church in Perth Amboy, that is what I had to do, think that the married life the limitless depth of God’s and was captivated with then I was going to do it! is just as amazing and full love, for in the marital a renewed sense of beauty It was hard though of grace and treasure as union, there is an in our liturgical traditions. because I remember how a celibate life. However, unmatched depth of love As I kept going to Church people were shocked and one of the things all between a man and (the music from our Church sad watching me sell my people need to do in life woman that is an imitation choir especially gave me house and car and getting is to really take time to of God’s love for each of inspiration), I found a rid of belongings, some of discern what they are us as individuals.” I think renewed sense of peace them dear and called for. And in my case, that the rewards of a and belonging. Life was sentimental, to make the as I discerned and went celibate priesthood are just still a bit rocky as my ex- transition. Some criticized through seminary, I most as rich as those of a girlfriend and I ended our me for doing that, but at strongly felt the pull to married priesthood; they relationship, and my work the same time, it was celibate life. only differ by essence and schedule was extremely liberating for I was no not by degree. demanding, but I felt more longer tied to material I think the gains outweigh and more at peace and things (in one sense, one the sacrifices made in my at home. At the same time, does not realize how much case. Yes, I gave up a 4) QUESTION: Do you I felt a strong pull to be a “junk” one accumulates successful life and the recall the moment in your more active in our Church. until you have to sell your chance to have a wife and life when you responded Thus, after some time of house and belongings and family and be a part of to God’s call? reflection and continued take that which is only the socially accepted norm reading of the bible, absolutely necessary for of success. But in turn there MAKAR: One morning, Church history and the your living needs!) is a distinct treasure that I was looking myself over spiritual lives of saints and God will provide for me, in the mirror and thinking monastics in our Church, I It was difficult also that in namely the opportunity to to myself, “I have a good made the decision to talk the process, my family and engage in, and develop, job as an engineer, I have friends would have to get a deep and rich prayer a house, I have a car, I used to a brand new “me” life, the capacity to help have a girlfriend, all the (continued on next page) May 30, 2010 3 An Interview with Rev.