Dear Editor:
In its January 30 statement, printed by The Weekly (February 12), the Chancery Office of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia announced that The Way will suspend publication as an online biweekly newspaper, in part because “surveys [conducted as part of the Chancery Office’s reevaluation of all existing communications operations] have indicated that a vast majority of Ukrainian Catholics within the Archeparchy do not access or utilize The Way in its present format and dissemination approach.”
As subscribers to The Way, we had never been offered an opportunity to take part in such surveys. We asked several fellow Ukrainian Catholics within the Archeparchy, and no one had heard of the surveys described in the announcement. Who were the respondents? When and how were the surveys conducted?
The prospective demise of yet another Ukrainian diaspora newspaper, which has served as an important source of church-related news and information since 1939, is a cause for concern. It behooves the Archeparchy to make a serious effort to solicit input from the community before making a final decision about The Way.
Respectfully,
Arlington, VA