National University of Ostroh Academy officials visit Pennsylvania (01/19/03)

National University of Ostroh Academy officials visit Pennsylvania

by Dr. Myron B. Kuropas

PITTSBURGH - Following their successful sojourn to Minnesota, land of 10,000 lakes, "Team Ostroh" - Dr. Ihor Pasichnyk, rector of the National University of Ostroh Academy, and Natalia Lominska, vice-rector - turned their attention to Pennsylvania, the Keystone State, historically Ukrainian America's most significant locale.

It is to Pennsylvania that our earliest pioneers immigrated. Pennsylvania was the birthplace of the Ukrainian Catholic Church. It was here that all three of our remaining fraternal benefit societies, the Ukrainian National Association (UNA), the Ukrainian Fraternal Association (UFA), and the Providence Association of Ukrainian Catholics, were born. Our three major newspapers - Svoboda, America and Narodna Volya - were established here. Pennsylvania is home also to the Ukrainian Catholic metropolitan, Manor College, and the United Ukrainian American Relief Committee. More Ukrainian Americans live in Pennsylvania than in any other state.

Our first stop was Pittsburgh. The first mutual benefit society, now UNA Branch 53, was organized here in 1888 and formally established in 1892, two years before the formal birth of the Russkyi Narodnyi Soyuz, precursor to the Ukrainian National Association (UNA). Pittsburgh was also the birthplace in 1914 of the now defunct Ukrainian National Aid Association (UNAA).

The first Ukrainian church in Pittsburgh was the Ruthenian (now Ukrainian) Catholic Church of St. John the Baptist, founded in 1891 by the legendary Father John Stefanovych of the famed "American Circle" of Ukrainian Catholic priests. Father Stefanovych was president of the UNA from 1902 to 1904.

A Presbyterian church was organized in 1903 and St. Volodymyr's Ukrainian Orthodox Church came into being in 1926.

Our visit began with liturgy at St. John's Ukrainian Catholic Church, where we were graciously welcomed by the pastor, the Rev. Deacon Michael Levy, Ph.D., and a number of parishioners who invited us for coffee.

The next stop was the radio studio of Michael Komichak, known in the community as the "mayor" of the Ukrainian Pittsburgh. Mr. Komichak had been advertising the Ostroh reception for over three weeks in both English and Ukrainian.

The Ostroh meeting, organized by Prof. Kathryn Dowbenko, was scheduled for the Cathedral of Learning of the University of Pittsburgh where some 50 people of all ages warmly greeted the visitors from Ostroh. Prior to the presentation, we visited the very impressive "Ukrainian Room," a community-wide project that showcases Ukrainian history, folk art, literature and music in the Cathedral. To my knowledge, the room is the only one of its kind at any American university.

That evening Dr. Pasichnyk, Prof. Lominska, Michael Komichak, my wife, Lesia, and I were guests of Rostyslaw and Katherine Dowbenko for a sumptuous sit down-dinner, where all of us had an opportunity to thank Mr. Komichak and the Dowbenkos for a highly successful Ostroh debut in Pittsburgh.

The following weekend we were off to Philadelphia, "City of Brotherly Love." On the way to the reception at the Ukrainian Cultural Center in Jenkintown, we visited Manor College where the president, Sister Mary Cecilia Jurasinski, showed us around. As we toured the facilities, the Ostroh visitors were amazed at what the Basilian sisters had accomplished. They were especially impressed with the modern library and the state-of-the-art dental laboratory in which future Manor dental technician graduates have an opportunity to hone their skills.

Equally amazing was the Ukrainian Heritage Center located on the premises. It was obvious that Ukrainian culture is near and dear to the hearts of the Basilian nuns at Manor. Ukrainians and non-Ukrainians alike have an opportunity to learn Ukrainian Easter egg-making and embroidery in the center. The latest addition, a Basilian Spiritual Center, directed by Sister Marina Bochnevich, OSBM, was most impressive as well. Our tour ended with a delicious lunch in the convent.

During the tour we also visited a computer lab in which some older nuns were become computer literate. "How wonderful it is for the Catholic Church to have nuns such as these," exclaimed Dr. Pasichynyk. "They are spiritual and yet in touch with the real world. I would like our religious to see what I've seen here."

The reception at the Ukrainian Educational and Cultural Center was organized by the dynamic Orysia Hewko and the indefatigable Ulana Mazurkevich, longtime Philadelphia activists. Once again, the reception was warm, friendly and productive.

Our trip to Pennsylvania was beneficial for everyone who participated. Ukrainians in Pennsylvania had an opportunity to meet and greet outstanding educators from Ukraine, and the Ukrainians from Ostroh had a chance to learn more about our community. Over and over again, one heard our visitors voice amazement at what Ukrainians in the United States have been able to accomplish.

"We knew so little about America's Ukrainians," Dr. Pasichynyk kept telling me. "The Soviets tried to convince us that Ukrainians in America didn't care about Ukraine, that they assimilated and cared only about their own well-being. Coming here has made me realize that like everything else the Soviets told us, it was all a big lie. The love, commitment and dedication of your people to the Ukrainian cause is something many of our people still need to learn."

Before returning to Ukraine, the two Ostroh professors visited Washington, where they were greeted by a group of Ukrainian Americans brought together by The Washington Group president Ihor Kotlarchuk. Also attending was Nataliia Holub, third secretary of the Embassy of Ukraine, who stated that it was "wonderful to hear so much that was positive about Ukraine."

Also on the itinerary were Milwaukee, where the two Ostroh professors were hosted at a dinner by Volodymyr and Maria Pyskir and their close friends; the Ukrainian Research Institute at Harvard, where they met with Profs. Roman Szporluk, Ihor Sevcenko and other Harvard dignitaries; and Soyuzivka, where they were guests of UNA President Stefan Kaczaraj.

Some $22,000 was collected for the National University of Ostroh Academy during the monthlong visit of "Team Ostroh." Ukrainian Americans who wish to donate to this one-of-a-kind institution of higher learning can write checks made out to "Ukrainian National Foundation/Ostroh" and send them to Myron B. Kuropas, 107 Ilehamwood Drive, DeKalb, IL 60115-1856. All donations are tax-deductible.

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