LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (06/12/05)

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Why don't we have more married clergy?

Dear Editor:

Christopher Guly reports in the May 29 issue of The Weekly on his interview with Cardinal Lubomyr Husar during the Ukrainian Catholic Synod in Winnipeg that month.

In that article, the basic issue of married men as Ukrainian Catholic priests (a half-sentence) appears neglected compared to the attention given controversial and unlikely possibilities of women clergy (10 sentences) and of Cardinal Husar being elected pope (nine sentences).

The legitimacy to continue a married Ukrainian clergy was assured by the Polish and Roman Catholic authorities in Article 9 of the Union of Brest in 1596 which defined the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church. Nevertheless, most Ukrainian Greek-Catholic priests in recent history have been celibate. Why and how did this happen? How in 400 years did the majority of priests change from being a married clergy to a minority in the last couple of generations?

If "having a married clergy could also inspire more vocations in North America" (the half-sentence mentioned earlier), how would an abundance of married Ukrainian Catholic clergymen - considering that they were rejected in the early 20th century in the United States by some Roman Catholic hierarchs - be received this time by their brother celibate Roman Catholic priests and bishops?

Alec Danylevich, M.D.
Worcester, Mass.

The letter-writer is a Ukrainian priest's son and a neurosurgeon.

Re: Michael Terech and Zawada's reports

Dear Editor:

I am writing after reading the biography of Zenon Zawada in the May 22 issue of The Ukrainian Weekly. I read that he had received the Michael Terech Journalism Scholarship and felt that I had to write.

I knew Michael Terech when we were growing up on the Lower East Side of New York. His birthday was on March 22, two days before my birthday, and we would wish each other all the best and on occasion celebrate together. And, I am forever grateful to him for teaching me how to tie a necktie.

One Saturday night as I was on my way to a Plast vechirka, I remembered that boys had to wear a necktie to this particular vechirka, otherwise we could not get in. My father was at work, my mother did not know how, so I called Mike. He was two years older than me and knew how to tie a necktie, so he told me to stop by on my way to the vechirka. When I did, he did not merely tie it for me; he made me learn how to tie it myself (partially because he did not want to be bothered with this request again).

Again and again I could not finish the knot and again and again he untied my "babsky vuzol" and made me do it over. What I expected to be a one-minute activity then on to the vechirka turned into almost an hour of being in his apartment on Seventh Street. I was late for the vechirka, but I realized if I couldn't get my necktie tied, I wasn't getting in anyway. Another mutual friend was there and I probably made for good entertainment for them.

I repeated his instructions ("over, under, around and through") on my poor necktie until finally it happened. The necktie was tied. It looked very decent. I looked at it, then untied it, so I could do it again. I got it. And to this day, I know how to tie my necktie because of Mike Terech. That is the type of person he was: extremely good natured, always willing to help, and fair. My wife remembers him as one of the funniest and wittiest people she has ever known.

Why am I telling you this? I would like to suggest that Mr. Zawada, as part of his obligation to Mike for the Michael Terech Memorial Journalism Scholarship, learn more about Mike from his friends and family and incorporate Mr. Terech's principles in his reporting. That is the least he can do to memorialize Mike's good name.

For me, to have Mike's name associated with the slanted, muckraking news coverage and personal attacks that Mr. Zawada wrote concerning Ukrainian Minister of Justice Roman Zvarych, just does not seem to correlate.

Dr. Oleh Denysyk
Morris Plains, N.J.

Zvarych "issue" is over 30 years old

Dear Editor:

None of the points made in the criticism of Roman Zvarych's "résumégate" can be denied, but isn't it a bit like arguing over the deckchair arrangement on the Titanic?

Mr. Zvarych is involved in a far bigger picture than what foolish mistakes he made in the horrendous job market of the 1970s - a job market that was crippled by stagflation and where many college grads painted houses.

And anyone knows that it is incredibly difficult to "translate" U.S. degrees into Soviet ones. Everytime I met someone from the other side who spent the same years in school as me, they always somehow managed to have one or two more degrees.

And, absent any findings of similar missives in his current work, this hysteria over résumés of 30 years ago comes off as so much sour grapes.

What protection did a valid Ph.D. afford other nationalists such as Dr. James Mace? Despite his immaculate credentials, he was blacklisted and hounded to death for fighting the same fight as Mr. Zvarych.

If Mr. Zvarych is not working studiously for a free Ukraine, we deserve to see the facts. Has he committed fraud recently in his professional capacity to advance Ukraine? If all that his detractors can proffer are foolish errors of 30 years ago, then we must assume that his current work is acceptable if not laudable.

And if there is no beef, let's move on and let's investigate more pertinent matters such as prosecuting the 1947 mini-Holdomor that claimed 1 million or developing a professional infrastructure to pull Ukraine out of its relativist morass.

I think Mr. Zvarych demonstrated incredible vision and valor to risk all and renounce his U.S. citizenship to devote himself to a free Ukraine. And based on the incredible and surprising success of the Orange Revolution, if he ever comes back to the U.S., I hope he brings his résumé - it will be in great demand.

Yaroslaw Chelak
Morristown, N.J.

Why do we ignore the KGB Lounge?

Dear Editor:

The Ukrainian Weekly has devoted considerable space recently to discussion surrounding World War II and Stalin's crimes in Ukraine. This is all very good and The Weekly should be commended for this.

But, should we not look closer to home?

On East Fourth Street, right in the Ukrainian East Village, there is a popular and trendy bar called KGB Lounge. The bar is above the former local headquarters of the American Ukrainian Communist party. We all know what would be the reaction of Jewish groups if somebody opened up a "Gestapo Lounge" in the East Village or anywhere in New York City. They would be rightfully angered.

Why then does the Ukrainian community ignore a KGB lounge when the KGB, and its Cheka, GPU, NKVD predecessors committed massive atrocities against Ukrainians?

What we have once again is the unwillingness to treat Nazi and Soviet crimes against humanity with equal disgust.

Taras Kuzio
Washington

Beware of signs of parish's closing

Dear Editor:

Imagine this scenario: Within days your church trustees are suddenly fired; your church assets are seized; your priests are forbidden to serve the parish; communications go unanswered.

This happened to St. Wolodymyr the Great Ukrainian Catholic Parish of Monmouth County, N.J., and the parish termination was arbitrarily based on attendance, donations and availability of priests.

Be forewarned that the signs of your own church's imminent closing will be: 1. sharing of priests among parishes and curtailment of services; 2. requests for parish plans of growth and demographic statistics; 3. weekly auditing of monetary donations; and 4. headcounts at liturgies.

The archbishop by his own admission may attempt to close several more parishes and relocate others (as reported in the Philadelphia Inquirer on October 19, 2003).

Will your Ukrainian Catholic parish be next? Be prepared for the challenge to keep your church doors open!

John Lucyk
Red Bank, N.J.

The letter-writer is a parishioner of St. Wolodymyr the Great Ukrainian Catholic Parish in Monmouth County, N.J.

The Weekly offers forum for discussion

Dear Editor:

I would like to thank Prof.Yaroslav Bilinsky and Peter Hrycenko for taking the time to share their thoughts and responses to my letter of May 1 with the readers of The Weekly.

I agree wholeheartedly with both gentlemen that the details relating to the Famine-Holodomor and other war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by Stalin's regime should be researched and documented to the extent possible, and the story told for the world to see. These atrocities took place approximately 50 to 80 years ago, as such, one simply can not bring all of the architects and perpetrators to complete justice. Perhaps a handful of perpetrators and collaborators may be alive to this day, but likely the major architects of these genocidal crimes are already dead. I agree, there is a reasonable argument to pursue even the "low-level" murderers and war criminals, for even taking one innocent life is a crime against humanity.

In the same light, there may be Ukrainians still alive today who may have betrayed or murdered members of the opposing faction of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists. Perhaps these tragic events should also be examined by a similar commission?

Going forward with efforts of reconciliation in the spirit of forgiveness, without seeking revenge, does not equate, in my view, to "turning the other cheek" as Prof. Bilinsky suggested. The concept of "turning the other cheek" implies one should not defend oneself against an attack and accept further injury. More often than not, one must defend oneself resolutely.

Sometimes, however, it may be best not to respond. For example, take the case of Dr. Myron Kuropas, who was not just "struck in the cheek," but was kicked below the belt by Ukrainophobe bullies after his return from the Yushchenko inauguration. Bullies, filled with hatred and prejudice, are often motivated by the simple desire to perpetuate conflict. Perhaps those who unfairly attacked him have a selfish interest in manufacturing anti-Semitism. Ignoring them may deprive them of raw material.

Mr. Hrycenko has already given commentary on Steven Spielberg's coming Hollywood movie on World War II Ukraine. It sounds like he has already seen the previews. What is frustrating to me is that we, Ukrainians, as of today, don't have among us, or our friends, someone of the caliber and resources of a Spielberg to produce a Hollywood movie about Ukraine before, during and after World War II, from an objective Ukrainian perspective.

Slavko Nowytski's excellent documentary "Between Hitler and Stalin," has not, to my knowledge, been broadcast on any national TV or cable network in the U.S. Mr. Hrycenko is correct that we should "have the intellectuals and money to capture the communist war criminal story for the world to see."

I thank The Ukrainian Weekly for giving all of us the opportunity to discuss these difficult and often painful issues.

Dr. Yuri Deychakiwsky
North Potomac, Md.

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