EDITORIAL: The National Shrine (10/17/99)

EDITORIAL

The National Shrine

It probably can be said that, had the rather small parish of the Holy Family in Washington had an inkling in the early 1970s of what they really were getting into for the next 25 years when they agreed to build not just a local church, but a national shrine for all Ukrainian Catholics in the United States, it is not at all certain that the project would have even begun. But such is the nature of optimism and faith. And, at the time, for most people the idea made good sense. Washington is the nation's capital, a location worthy of a national shrine, and though the local parish was small and not capable of funding and maintaining a large structure, promises of support and commitment were forthcoming from other parishes in the United States and Canada.

In fact, the original goal of $500,000 was reached, in retrospect, with relative ease. The 1970s, however, were a not-so-great time economically; the oil embargo kicked off almost a decade of double-digit inflation. Original building estimates were made obsolete by rising prices, and accumulated funds rapidly devalued. Throughout the country, multi-year building projects, such as the shrine, suffered similar fates: unexpected and radical increases in costs and delays in construction.

It was decided to complete the national shrine project, known as the Ukrainian Catholic National Shrine of the Holy Family, in phases - first the base of the building that houses the Shrine Center, next the outer structure of the church and then the completion of the inner structure. And fund-raising had to continue. Our typesetter at The Ukrainian Weekly, Awilda Rolon, has a particular affection for the shrine since the Rev. Joseph Denischuk, assistant pastor of Holy Family in the 1970s who traveled extensively promoting the shrine, would send us meticulous lists of contributors to acknowledge in our newspaper. Awilda estimates that over the years she must have typeset several thousand names for the shrine that were published in dozens of thank you ads and fund-raising appeals.

Adding to the expense of the shrine building project were mistakes in construction that resulted in a leaky roof. All further construction was halted and. only after prolonged negotiations and a lawsuit was the problem resolved. Throughout the country, Ukrainian Catholics, some of whom had contributed generously more than once to the shrine, were beginning to wonder if all was O.K. in Washington. Those in Washington were also beginning to wonder if all was O.K. Problems, delays, continuous fund-raising, changes in leadership wore down morale. Though the building of the shrine brought out deep commitment and dedication from many dozens of people throughout the years, nevertheless, a final, Herculean push to the finish was needed.

With the goal of completing the shrine by the new millennium, the past 18 months have been that final, Herculean push, under the direction of the Rev. Thaddeus Krawchuk and parishioner Walter Keyes, who was the project manager for the final phase of construction - the church interior.

The completed church is a lovely and peaceful space. The church and the Shrine Center, which includes meeting rooms, a library, a bookstore, a gift shop and an auditorium, should be visited in person, but they can be visited on the worldwide web at http://www.ucns-holyfamily.org/. The parishioners of Holy Family, who consider themselves to be stewards of the shrine, invite all to come to this sanctuary for Ukrainian Catholics in the nation's capital.

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