Grand opening slated for Ukrainian American Cultural Center of N.J. (11/12/06)

Grand opening slated for Ukrainian American Cultural Center of N.J.

by Roma Hadzewycz

WHIPPANY, N.J. - The solemn dedication and grand opening of the new Ukrainian American Cultural Center of New Jersey takes place here this weekend on Saturday and Sunday, November 11-12. It is the realization of a long-held dream for Ukrainian Americans in northern New Jersey, who will now have a center that will accommodate the community's diverse groups and activities.

As The Ukrainian Weekly went to press, Father Roman Mirchuk, pastor of St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church, with which the new cultural center is affiliated, said he was excited about the weekend's events. "The biblical Exodus was a miracle. The grand opening and blessing are a miracle just like that. We are entering the Promised Land," he said.

Attending will be Metropolitan-Archbishop Stefan Soroka of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in the United States, Archbishop Antony of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A., Bishop Paul Chomnycky of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Stamford, Conn., Ukraine's Ambassador to the United States Oleh Shamshur and Ukraine's Consul General in New York Mykola Kyrychenko.

Father Mirchuk added that the ceremonies are expected to attract hundreds of Ukrainian community members, as well as state and local officials, among them Hanover Township Mayor Tony Franciolli (Whippany is part of Hanover Township).

The banquets on both days are sold out, with nearly 400 attending each.

Hundreds more are expected to attend the dedication and ribbon-cutting at the UACCNJ on Saturday, November 11, at 4 p.m., which precedes the cocktail hour and banquet that begin at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m., respectively. Afterwards, there will be a grand ball, beginning at 8:30 p.m.

On Sunday, November 12, the ceremonies begin at 9 a.m. with a final service at the old St. John the Baptist Church, followed by a procession to the new temporary church, located inside the cultural center, where a blessing at 10 a.m. will be followed by a pontifical divine liturgy at 10:30 a.m. An overflow crowd is expected, and faithful will be accommodated in an adjoining room and outside the temporary church. A banquet is slated for 12:30 p.m.

Gracing the temporary church is the iconostasis from the old church, which was moved approximately two weeks ago. The iconostasis, the work of Christine Dochwat, will be utilized in the daily chapel of the parish's new church once that is constructed, which, hopefully, said Father Mirchuk, will be soon. "We need and want our own church," he added. The architect of both the cultural center and church is Taras Dovbush.

Also on tap as part of the new center's opening is the blessing of the new parish rectory, which is scheduled for Friday, November 10, at 1 p.m.

The Ukrainian American Cultural Center of New Jersey is located at 60 N. Jefferson Road, Whippany, NJ 07981. For further information readers may call 973-887-3616.

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