BRAMA, Jun 20, 2003, 9:00 am ET
Press Release
UCCA Discusses Famine-Genocide,Community Development With Ukrainian Orthodox Archbishop Antony
New York, NY - On Wednesday, June 11, 2003, the Executive Board of the Ukrainian Congress of America (UCCA) met with His Eminence Archbishop Antony of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA (UOC-USA). Having earlier attended a requiem service at St. Andrew's Memorial Church in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of His Holiness Patriarch Mstyslav's passing, the UCCA delegation was greeted by His Eminence Archbishop Antony and Hieromonk Daniel (Zelinsky), Office of Public Relations, in the Consistory offices of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in South Bound Brook, New Jersey. A meeting was held where relevant issues affecting the Ukrainian American community were discussed - the commemoration of the Ukrainian Famine-Genocide; aspects associated with the newest immigration of Ukrainians; and, continued cooperative efforts for the development of the Ukrainian community.
On the photo (from left to right): Marie Duplak, UCCA Executive Secretary; His Eminence Archbishop Anthony; Michael Sawkiw, Jr., UCCA President; Ihor Smolij, UCCA National Board Chairman.
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In greeting His Eminence Archbishop Antony and Hieromonk Daniel, the UCCA delegation, consisting of President Michael Sawkiw, Jr., Executive Secretary Marie Duplak, and National Board Chairman Ihor Smolij, expressed its sympathies on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the death of Patriarch Mstyslav [a formal statement was issued by the UCCA]. "We hold dear to our hearts the unselfish work and devotion that Patriarch Mstyslav exhibited in his years as leader of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church…his love for his nation, his heritage, and his vision of a unified Church," stated the UCCA president. The Archbishop accepted the warm remarks of the delegation and thanked the UCCA delegation for attending the requiem (panakhyda) service at the crypt.
As the community commemorates the 70th anniversary of the Ukrainian Famine-Genocide, the UCCA delegation summarized its yearlong observances, highlighted by the campaign to revoke New York Times correspondent Walter Duranty's Pulitzer Prize and the building of a memorial to the victims on the Ukrainian Famine-Genocide in Washington, D.C. The UCCA President thanked the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the United States and the Ukrainian Orthodox League for their letters of support before a hearing in front of the National Park Service. His Eminence Antony welcomed the initiatives presented by the UCCA and expressed support for their successful completion. Additionally, the UCCA delegation proposed several ideas to coordinate with the Ukrainian churches in the United States, namely a solemn day of remembrance on Sunday, November 16, 2003 with a panakhyda service followed by the tolling of church bells for 7 minutes (one minute for each million victims who perished as a result of the Famine-Genocide) and a food drive in our local Ukrainian churches to be donated to local food banks during the Thanksgiving season in memory of the millions of victims of Ukraine's genocide.
The mood of the discussion was very upbeat as the UCCA delegation continued to discuss other relevant issues affecting the Ukrainian American community. Of vital importance are programs to integrate the newest Ukrainian immigrants into the organized Ukrainian American community and into American society. His Eminence Antony described the vast number of new immigrants who attend church services, though remain reserved about joining church or community institutions. As a result, the UCCA delegation mentioned its latest endeavor to create an Informational Center for New Immigrants, which consists of courses in English as a Second Language (ESL), computer classes, citizenship training, cultural programs, etc. There was consent between the UCCA and the UOC-USA to exchange information about projects aimed at assisting the newest Ukrainian immigrants to become an integral part of the Ukrainian American community.
The unity of the Ukrainian American community was also an important topic of the discussion. Both sides expressed their desires for a community unified for the betterment of promoting active participation in projects relevant to maintaining our unique Ukrainian heritage in the United States. To this, the UCCA delegation mentioned its attempts in the past several years to unite the various community organizations, but no avail. "The unity of our community is paramount to our functioning as an active society," commented His Eminence Antony. Thus, with combined efforts from the Ukrainian churches and the UCCA, unity will always remain a goal for our community.
The UCCA delegation also presented His Eminence Archbishop Antony with a check for $500 to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church for the building of a Ukrainian Museum in South Bound Brook, NJ. The UOC-USA and the UCCA agreed to remain in contact regarding various programs of interest to the community. The UCCA looks forward to future dialogue with the UOC-USA on a regular basis.
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