Issue 29, December 2010 UKRAINIAN REDEMPTORISTS OF THE YORKTON PROVINCE FULLY ALIVE A Bishop Velychkovsky Martyr’s Shrine Publication I N H I S H O N O R A DREAM COME TRUE this newly consecrated church. The faithful were able to come and vener- In the city of Ivano-Frankivsk, after ate the relics and each received a third years of struggle and prayer, a class relic and a holy card. The people church was finally built on the plot of eagerly received these “gifts” and were land, formerly belonging to the honored to have a Blessed Martyr as Redemptorists which the Soviets their patron. Blessed Vasyl was born confiscated. Blessed Vasyl was the and baptized in their city, and he religious superior of the monastery served here from 1935 to 1941. Many and had plans for this new church Bishop Volodymyr Vityshyn blessing the faithful. the Mother of God was consecrated by Bishop Volodymyr Vityshyn, the Ep- arch of Ivano-Frankivsk. A number of diocesan priests were present for this celebration and about 800 faithful crammed into this moderately sized church. The altar was consecrated with The 1st Class Relics of Blessed Vasyl a triple washing of holy water, wine, incased in the cross on the tetrapod The new church of our Nativity of the and rose water and then sealed in the Mother of God in Ivano-Frankivsk four corners with Holy Chrism. Then of the elderly people remembered or had heard of the Redemptorists who when World War II disrupted all his the church building itself was blessed throughout with holy water and the were their pastors and spiritual fathers. plans. (For the story of its history, refer to the December 2009 news- Bishop “sealed” the church by anoint- ing the four walls of the church with This new church is situated near the letter.) On September 21, 2010, university and a women’s hospital. May Mary Jane Kalenchuk and Fr. John holy oil. The Divine Liturgy continued and was gloriously sung by a choir. its ministry to these people grow and Sianchuk, C.Ss.R. were present at be fruitful. May God grant this new par- the blessing of this new Church. It A 1st Class Relics of Blessed Vasyl and ish many years of blessings! was a glorious experience. The new Многая Літа! church named after the Nativity of his icon were brought from Canada to NEW BEGINNINGS IN LVIV On September 11, 2010 in Lviv, Mary Jane and I began to distribute museum brochures In This Issue: to various churches. We came to the church of Transfiguration and left them on a ledge near the church kiosk. On Monday, September 13, we happened to be passing by this A Dream Come True - 1 church again. We decided to go in and see if our brochures were still there. The bro- New Beginnings - 1 chures were gone. The sacristy door was partly opened so Mary Jane and I entered and Thanks to Contributors - 3 saw a priest whom I did not know. I asked him whether he had seen the brochures. He responded that he had brought them into the sacristy and in clear english began asking Shrine Photos - 4 us whether we were from the Velychkovsky Shrine in Canada. He explained that he was Prayer to Blessed Vasyl - 4 intending to build a new church/parish in Lviv. He was going that Wednesday to Archbishop Ihor Wozniak to obtain permission for this project and to confirm the name of this church. Originally, he wanted to name it Ss. Peter and Paul, but when he saw our brochures he began considering to name the church “Blessed Vasyl Velychkovsky Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church”. Ihor was delighted to have a new par- praying that these “businessmen” would I immediately gave him reasons ish named after Blessed Vasyl Ve- simply hand over the property. why it would be historically impor- lychkovsky, we decided to meet in tant to have a church in Blessed Zboisk at the aunt’s house. Fr. Ivan, Mary Jane and I walked over to Vasyl’s honor. see this church in ruins. Fr. Ivan was She shared with us her relationship shocked. He could not believe that in with the Redemptorists. Her husband this day and age the Church has not yet was the brother of Bro. Irenij, who acted and has allowed this holy property lived with Blessed Vasyl in the apart- to remain in such a state of abuse. (The ment in Lviv. She described her family sanctuary is still used as storage for coming to Lviv and settling near the tires.) THIS CHURCH NEEDS TO BE Zboisk Re- RESTORED. It is a scandal that we demptorist Catholics would have a blind eye to the monastery. abuse of this holy ground. The church Fr. Ivan Kolodiy with his wife, Maria and and the Re- When the church was freed in the Fr. John Sianchuk, C.Ss.R. demptorists 1990’s, many churches were found to became a be in this state. The government re- Fr. Ivan Kolodiy was very serious haven of turned most of the properties and the about starting this new church. In hope and church restored them. This important our discussion, we mentioned the comfort for historical church has remained un- former Redemptorist Church in them. She touched since the fall of the Soviet Un- Zboisk and our struggles to restore saw the ion. We prayed here and asked that it. He shared with us his experi- church in God soon find a solution so that this ence with city officials and the Zboisk go church would again be a place of wor- process necessary in dealing with into ruins Fr. John blessing the walls ship. Both Blessed Vasyl and Blessed such matters. He was willing to and heard of the sanctuary of the help us in obtaining this church. that it had church in Zboisk We agreed that after his visit with become a the archbishop on Wednesday, we warehouse. Before the Redemptorists would visit the ruined church in were forced to leave, the icons and all Zboisk. We were overwhelmed the artifacts from the church were taken and hidden in various houses. In 1991 (when the church was again granted freedom) this property could not be reclaimed because it was in a military zone. There were attempts again made to obtain the property The property in Lviv of the new Blessed after the military left. By this time how- Vasyl Velychkovsky Ukrainian Greek ever, the Redemptorists had already Catholic Church started so many building projects that they were afraid to take on any more. Zenon Kowalyk were ordained to the Some time past and before long the priesthood here, as well as so many property was bought by some busi- other Redemptorists. Blessed Nicholas The ruined church in Zboisk nessmen (mafia). The aunt formed a Charnetsky helped to build this church. group, who began to search means of what had just occurred as this was reclaiming this church, however, they On our last day in Ukraine, Fr. Ivan and definitely the Providence of God. encountered many obstacles. Al- his wife took us to the property where though, high-rise apartments have Archbishop Ihor Wozniak had given per- On Wednesday morning, we met now been built surrounding this mission to build a church, naming it with Volodymyr, a carpenter, who church, the church remains un- Blessed Vasyl Velychkovsky Ukrainian was to rebuild the balcony at the touched. We were told that the per- Greek Catholic Church. Let us pray that Blessed Vasyl apartment/museum. son who built the apartments would both of these churches – the new We mentioned that we were going renovate this church, but as such church to be built and the historic later that day to see the church in there has been no action. From infor- church in Zboisk that needs to be re- Zboisk. He told us that his aunt mation found in documents she had in stored – be completed according to knew the history of the church and her possession, Fr Ivan was able to God’s holy will. had documents concerning its pre- contact the owners. They were willing sent ownership. After receiving to exchange this property for apart- Blessed Vasyl intercede for us! news from Fr. Ivan that Archbishop ments. However, we were reluctant to deal with them further since it seemed Submitted by Fr. John Sianchuk, C.Ss.R. that they could not be trusted. We are 2 THANK YOU!!! Your generous donations make it possible for us to conduct our ministry at the Shrine and to promote the knowl- edge 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 August 15th until November 15th, 2010 + 1000 D. Sikora Zenon Swydnycky Andrew & Pat Sirski Mary Sinclair Jenny Swydnycky Iris Smellie Catherine Torbiak +500 Ken & Bertha Stoyko Vladimir & Marlene Solman In memory of Gertie Adamko Harvey & Gloria Winn Mary Wach Jim & Helen Adamko Peter Wozney Nadia Trafananko Anonymous Fr. Nestor & Stella Yakiwchuk Steve Wuschenny In memory of husband Hnat, Nicholas & Ann Zulak Pauline Wuschenny Matrona Pisiak & Nicholas & Anastasia Zawada Nellie Zeaton Sophia Pisiak Ken & Julia Bailey In Memory of ... Dolores Daniels Therese Alarie Stan & Luba Sirdar +100 Leo Alarie William & Genevieve Berezny Agnes Bilowus Folk Arts Council of Winnipeg Inc. Barbara Pawlyshyn In Honour of ... Mychajlo & Anna Gembarsky Maria Borowec Rose Allin Katie Karalash Michael Borowec Eileen Dudzic Walter & Isabel Lukie Alex Bugera Baehnk children & grandchildren E.M.