BRAMA, May 10, 2005, 1:00 pm ET
Letter
The truth, the half-truth, and the lie.. - a response to 'The good, the bad and the ugly'
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John Fitzgerald Kennedy Library Home Page
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I would like to respond to the article by Mr. Peter Woloshchuk published in The Ukrainian Weekly on April 24, 2005. As a pastor of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Boston, I am compelled to defend the community I serve and my own family from such unjust remarks.
The truth: The visit of President Viktor Yushchenko to Boston on April 5, 2005, during which he received the Profiles in Courage Award at the Kennedy Library was a great success! It was a very memorable and exciting day for all of us fellow Ukranian-Americans who took time off from work and school, brought their parents, grandparents (some even in wheelchairs), and children to greet and welcome the true People's President of Ukraine, Viktor Yushchenko.
The half-truth: As Dean of Boston of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, Stamford Eparchy, I had a great privilege and honor to be a part of the welcoming group, which also included Very Rev. Mitred Roman Tarnawsky, pastor of St. Andrew's Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Boston, and three girls from our Ukrainian community: Oksana Hoshowsky, Natalka Hoshowsky, and my daughter Marta Nalysnyk. The girls dressed in Ukrainian national costumes, welcomed President Yushchenko with the traditional korovai while I presented an icon of the Mother of God. Neither my wife nor my son were part of the welcoming group. If such a discussion ever took place, I am curious, as to how Mr. Woloshchuk managed to learn about all of this when he did not attend a single committee meeting? Most honestly, Mr. Woloshchuk made his remarks based on "she said, he said", truly credible sources…
The lie: Mr. Woloshchuk stated in his article that Soyuz Ukrainok of Boston "suddenly decided to take an interest in Nastya Ovchar…after they learned of Kennedy family interest". Members of the Boston branch of Soyuz Ukrainok and both Ukranian parishes Christ the King UCC and St. Andrew UOC) visited Nastia almost immediately upon her arrival to Shriner's Hospital and assisted her mother Olia Ovchar in any way she needed providing financial and moral support. This was two weeks prior to President Yushchenko's visit to Boston during which the Kennedy family learned about Nastia's story. Our Ukranian community in Boston including Soyuz Ukrainok has a long history of helping families whose children receive follow-up treatment at not only Shriners but many other medical facilities around Boston, by providing room, board, and financial support. Mr. Woloshchuk's unfair criticism of those who, out of compassion, sincerely offer help to those in need shows his lack of involvement in the every day life of our Ukrainian community.
According to Mr. Woloshchuk it was "ugly" to welcome President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko with an icon and traditional korovai (see Note below). One can only imagine that Peter Woloshchuk lost (if he ever had) respect for our rich Ukrainian spiritual and cultural heritage. I am wondering which values he cherishes and promotes among his fellow members as the "head of the Ukrainian Americans for Democracy in Ukraine (UADU)", the existence of which the vast majority of the Boston Ukrainian community was not aware until the publication of his recent article. Mr. Woloshchuk owes an official public apology to the Ukrainian community of Boston (which he attempts to represent despite his lack of involvement with either of the Ukranian parishes nor any of the Ukranian organizations, except his own UADU) for his inappropriate and disrespectful remarks made in his article. Our Christian faith teaches us "To err is human and to forgive is divine". The "selo", which this "professor" tries to correct on how to behave in public, are ready to forgive, if he has the simple human decency to apologize.
Fr. Yaroslav Nalysnyk
BRAMA Note: A reference to the 'korovai' ceremony was made in Mr. Woloschuk's op-ed under his rubric 'The Ugly'. However, it does not appear to be a criticism of the ceremony itself. Read within the context of the dittoed reference from an earlier bullet point, Mr. Woloschuk's comments refer to not having choreographed the presentation in order to permit photographers to capture the moment in stills.
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