COMMUNITY CHRONICLE: Pastor bids farewell to parish in Newark, N.J. (09/26/04)

COMMUNITY CHRONICLE: Pastor bids farewell to parish in Newark, N.J.

by Ksenia Hapij

NEWARK, N.J. - Summer is a time when people travel and very often one sees less people in church and at social functions then at other times of the year. But on August 29, St. John's Church in Newark was as full as it had been last Easter. Parishioners of St. John's gathered together to pray at the farewell liturgy for Father Bohdan Lukie CSsR, who had been their pastor for the past five years.

Father Lukie is a caring priest and an excellent administrator, who always challenged his parishioners to pray together, to work together and to play together. He created a warm atmosphere in his parish, and it was heartwarming to see that his parishioners appreciate him.

Many people came - both young and old, representing every facet of the large parish that he has served. There were those whom he had baptized, those whom he united in the sacrament of holy matrimony and those whose loved ones he buried.

In his sermon Father Lukie said: "I remember the many opportunities that we united prayer, as a parish family, most fondly. As I leave all of you behind, my precious memories, my sincere prayers and my heartfelt love for you goes with me always and everywhere ... I will never forget your kindness and warmheartedness."

"It has been a privilege to serve you, and for his I give thanks," he continued. "I had hoped to continue to serving all of you but God's ways are not always our human ways. My superiors have asked me to leave pastoral work after 37 years of service and to re-direct my steps into full-time preaching the Word of God as a Redemptorist missionary and I have accepted."

Father Lukie will first travel to Ottawa for courses in Eastern Theology, then to Ukraine to improve his Ukrainian language and from there to different countries, different eparchies and different parishes. "I dream to give witness to the word of God and to invite Ukrainian people to grow in the love of Jesus," he said.

Father Lukie concluded his farewell remarks by saying: The word 'do pobachennia' means 'until we meet again.' And so I say 'do pabachennia' sincerely and lovingly for I truly hope to see all of you again. But before we meet again I ask that you please remember me in your prayers and I, in turn, promise to pray for all of you."

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