Liturgy marks centennial of Ukrainian Catholic Church (12/29/85)

Liturgy marks centennial of Ukrainian Catholic Church

DETROIT - Several thousand Ukrainians met in Ford Auditorium here on Sunday, December 1, to conclude the yearlong celebration of the 100th anniversary of their Church in America. The divine liturgy of thanksgiving also initiated three years of celebrations in anticipation of the Millennium of Ukrainian Christianity, which will occur in 1988.

In a spirit of gratefulness during the Thanksgiving weekend, the people were led in the liturgy by Bishop Innocent Lotocky, leader of Ukrainian Catholics in the Midwest. Presiding was Archbishop Edmund Szoka of Detroit. Deacon during the service was the Rev. Andrew Onuferko.

The Combined Ukrainian Choirs of Detroit, under the direction of Paul Onachuk and Silvan Koltek, sang the beautiful responses to the ancient Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom. The Rev. Bernard Panczuk served as master of ceremonies. Msgr. Stephen Chrepta acted as chaplain to the archbishop. Twenty-four fourth-degree members of the Knights of Columbus stood as an honor guard to the hierarchs and clergy.

In his Ukrainian homily, Bishop Lotocky centered his attention on Christ, the Light of the World. "It was this Light that was brought to Ukraine 1,000 years ago by St. Volodymyr the Great and prince Yaroslav the Wise. And it was the very same Light that Ukrainian Catholics brought to the shores of the United States 100 years ago when they immigrated from their oppressed homeland in Ukraine in search of a better life."

The bishop concluded: "Let us all look to the great sacrifices and martyrdom of the Ukrainian people over these past thousand years. They left mountains of corpses and rivers of blood in testimony of their faith in Christ."

The Rev. Onuferko addressed the throng in English. His stirring words urged all Ukrainians to begin a spiritual renewal of Christianity in their hearts and souls. "Let us look to the faith of Fr. Ivan Wolansky and those early immigrants who came to the coal mines of Pennsylvania. They worked against tremendous odds to keep the faith. What they sowed in Shenandoah, Pa., 100 years ago has blossomed into a large and beautiful tree which is the Ukrainian Church in America."

He continued: "The objective of the coming Ukrainian Millennium of Christianity is not only to mark the historical significance the event had for Ukraine, but to deepen our faith and to carry the light of the faith we received from Volodymyr the Great to others in the world and especially in the United States."

After the liturgy, the priests of the Detroit Millennium Committee presented a beautiful hand-carved cross to Archbishop Szoka in behalf of all the Ukrainians in Detroit.

An interesting 48-page brochure titled: "The Ukrainian Church in America: Its Beginnings," was given to all the people who took part in the celebration. Author of the booklet was historian Osyp Krawczeniuk. The small book was published by the Detroit Millennium Committee and sponsored by The Ukrainian Selfreliance Detroit Federal Credit Union, Dr. Paul and Irene Dzul, Jaroslaw and Olga Duzey, Stefan and Anna Fedenko, and The Future Credit Union of Detroit.

Parishes and choirs participating in the commemoration were Immaculate Conception of Hamtramck (the Rev. Bernard Panczuk, pastor); St. Josapat's of Warren (the Rev. Constantine Wysochansky, pastor); Our Lady of Perpetual Help of Dearborn Heights (the Rev. John Lazar, pastor); St. John's of Detroit (the Rev. Joseph Shary, pastor).

Dr. Paul Dzul, chairman of the Detroit Millennium Committee, commented that "the Ukrainians of Detroit have made a great contribution to the civic, cultural and economic life of Detroit and its surrounding communities. We consider our Ukrainian Christian input, however, to be the most important contribution because it helped to mold the spiritual and moral character of Detroit. It is our hope that all the people of our Metropolitan Detroit area will join us in marking this historical moment of Ukrainian Christianity."