INSIDE: l Ukrainian Journalists of North America meet – page 8 l Photo report: New metropolitan’s enthronement – centerfold l Community: New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania – page 15 THEPublished U by theKRAINIAN Ukrainian National Association, Inc., celebrating W its 125th anniversaryEEKLY Vol. LXXXVII No. 24 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JUNE 16, 2019 $2.00 Washington conference focuses on future Parties launch campaigns as Constitutional Court of Ukrainian Catholic Church in North America considers legality of pre-term Rada elections by Andrew Sorokowski According to the conference announce- ment, discussions would focus on the Special to The Ukrainian Weekly themes of the “Heart to Heart” program: WASHINGTON – Thursday, June 6, the “the beauty and art of living well in unity fifth day of the week-long events surround- with God and neighbor, youth and children, ing the inauguration of the ministry of and a grateful appreciation of God’s graces.” Metropolitan-Archbishop Borys Gudziak In his breakfast remarks, Metropolitan under the motto “From Heart to Heart,” Borys had called on his fellow clerics for a was devoted to a conference in Washington moratorium on criticism and negativity, on the future of the Ukrainian Catholic inviting all to a constructive discussion. Church in North America. With speakers on Taking place between Ascension Day and topics ranging from abuse to xenophobia, the Descent of the Holy Spirit, the confer- citing sources from Evagrius Ponticus to ence was envisioned as a prayer of God’s Jordan Peterson, the colloquium was nei- people “as we choose to trust and open our ther narrowly academic nor strictly ecclesi- hearts to the Lord and our neighbors.” At astical, but reached deep into the needs the center of its mission the Church would and concerns of laity as well as clergy. place youth, articulating the Gospel “in an Immediately preceding the conference, idiom of the 21st century.” the head of the Church, Patriarch Sviatoslav, The conference was open to all. Clergy presided over a hierarchical divine liturgy and laity of both the Latin and Byzantine at the Ukrainian Catholic National Shrine of rites, monks and nuns, Orthodox as well as Presidential Administration of Ukraine the Holy Family. The newly enthroned Catholics, young and old, Americans and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addresses the Constitutional Court of Ukraine on Metropolitan Borys and several hierarchs visitors from Ukraine and other countries, June 11 in Kyiv. The judicial body started hearings on the same day to determine officiated, while the Ukrainian Catholic whether the president’s May 21 decree calling for pre-term parliamentary elections is could be seen among the numerous partici- compliant with the Constitution. University choir sang the responses. pants. Father Morozowich introduced The conference participants then gath- Patriarch Sviatoslav, who led the partici- by Mark Raczkiewycz arguments for his May 21 decree and ered in the auditorium for breakfast. The pants in praying the “Our Father.” instead cited public sentiment. Rev. Prof. Mark Morozowich, dean of theol- University President John Garvey then KYIV – Constitutional Court hearings He said many factors point to the “spirit ogy at the Catholic University of America made the major announcement of the con- started this week on whether President of the law,” including low public trust of the (CUA), greeted the assembled hierarchs, ference: a $5 million gift from Bishop emer- Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s decree to call pre- legislature and popular support for dissolv- clergy, monastics and laity. Then the entire itus Basil Losten for Ukrainian studies at term parliamentary elections for July 21 ing the Verkhovna Rada. group, many in black monastic headdress CUA, focusing on theology, graduate studies are in compliance with the supreme law of “Society is very closely following this and robes, proceeded in the 90-degree heat and research. the land. matter… and I think you will make a fair across the CUA campus to Maloney Hall for Addressing the panel of 18 judges on decision, of which we won’t be ashamed the conference. (Continued on page 16) June 11, Mr. Zelenskyy eschewed legal before our people, all of Ukraine and our children,” Mr. Zelenskyy said. Referring to his lawyer, the president said his legal position is “indisputable and Philadelphia proclaims ‘Heart to Heart Week’ flawless” – one that he would prove in court. The main reason for calling snap in honor of new metropolitan-archbishop elections is the absence of a governing coalition, he argued. by Ulana Baluch Mazurkevich The hearing lasted all day as judges que- ried the president’s attorney on the specif- PHILADELPHIA – On Monday, June 3, ics of an existing governing coalition. the City of Philadelphia and the City After his opening statement in the Council marked the beginning of a new era morning, Mr. Zelenskyy left the courtroom, in the life of the Ukrainian Catholic commu- saying he didn’t want to pressure the pan- nity in America and the enthronement of el’s hearing or its ensuing deliberation. A Metropolitan-Archbishop Borys Gudziak. ruling is expected at the latest by the end of Archbishop Gudziak suggested that this month. the beginning of his ministry embody the The current Verkhovna Rada has so far embrace of “Heart to Heart” and the city voted not to dismiss the sitting minister of responded with a proclamation and cita- defense and foreign affairs and the chief of tion declaring the week of June 2 through the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), all of June 9 as “Heart to Heart Week.” Thus the whom have resigned. It also didn’t vote for spiritual embraced the temporal in the the president’s bill against illegal enrich- City of Brotherly Love. ment of public officials, a key requirement In the Chambers of the City Council, Courtesy of the Office of Allan Domb of international lenders and donors. council members joined in the reading of Mr. Zelenskyy has already tapped a the citation to Metropolitan Borys, which During the presentation of the proclamation of “Heart to Heart Week” in Philadelphia, in the City Council chambers (from left) are: Councilman Allan Domb, replacement for the country’s chief diplo- was followed by the reading of the procla- Eugene Luciw, Councilman David Oh, Ulana Mazurkevich (who organized the mat by nominating Vadym Prystaiko as min- mation, signed by Mayor James Kenney event), Metropolitan-Archbishop emeritus Stefan Soroka, Councilman Derek Green, ister of foreign affairs. He has been Ukraine’s Metropolitan-Archbishop Borys Gudziak, Councilman Al Taubenberger, the Rev. lead envoy at the headquarters of the North (Continued on page 7) Michael Hutsko, Councilwoman Helen Gym and Councilman Mark Squilla. (Continued on page 3) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JUNE 16, 2019 No. 24 ANALYSIS The Kremlin is actively working Ukraine slams Russia’s disrespect for law will issue a decision on jurisdiction. (RFE/ RL, with reporting by AP and AFP) Kyiv has urged an international arbitra- to assimilate Ukrainians in occupied Crimea tion panel in the Netherlands to hear its case Zelenskyy vows ‘tough’ response to Moscow about alleged Russian breaches of a United shines a light on this often neglected trend. by Paul Goble Nations maritime convention, accusing Ukraine says fresh clashes with Russia- Mr. Tymchuk is a member of the Verkhovna Eurasia Daily Monitor Moscow of “wholesale violations” of its backed separatists in the country’s east Rada and a leader of the Information rights in waters around Ukraine’s Crimea have claimed the lives of two of its soldiers, raising to six the number of Ukrainian The international community has devot- Resistance program that tracks develop- region. Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Foreign troops reported killed last week and ed significant attention to the actions of ments in Russian-occupied areas (Censoru. Affairs Olena Zerkal on June 11 told the prompting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Russian authorities in occupied Crimea to net, May 20). Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The to urge Moscow to “rein in” the separatists. repress, marginalize and force out Crimean According to Mr. Tymchuk, his group Hague that Russia’s objections to the panel’s The Defense Ministry said on June 7 that Tatars, a crime against humanity that believes that “humanitarian security in the jurisdiction were “without legal merit.” two Ukrainian soldiers were killed and 10 involves harassment, arrests and other broadest sense is an important component Alleged Russian violations in the Black Sea, were wounded after separatists opened fire kinds of mistreatment that are all too visi- of national security.” Consequently, humani- the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait showed with machine guns, anti-tank missiles, mor- ble (Krymr.com, May 29). And the world tarian security focuses on threats that many Russia’s “complete disrespect for the inter- tars, sniper rifles and grenade launchers, has also paid some attention to Moscow’s overlook because they seem abstract and national law of the sea,” Ms. Zerkal said. Kyiv efforts to relocate more ethnic Russians to far removed from the battlefield. But what is violating a ceasefire 23 times in a 24-hour has filed a series of legal complaints against period. In a statement, Mr. Zelenskyy said the Ukrainian peninsula, sending in happening in occupied Crimea with regard Moscow over its seizure of the Crimean pen- Russian officials to take over positions pre- to ethnic Ukrainians shows that is a mistak- Russia had loosened its control over the insula in March 2014 and its support for separatists, whom he called “mercenaries.” viously held by others (Idelreal.org, July 2, en view. Based on an examination of text- separatists in eastern Ukraine in a conflict He said: “The blatant violation of the Minsk 2018). But there has been far less coverage books and books for general use that that has killed some 13,000 people.