The Ret. Rev. Mitred Archpriest Wolodymyr Woloszczuk, of Venice, pastor-emeritus of Presentation of the Most Holy Mother of God (St. Mary’s) Ukrainian Catholic Church in North Port will be 90 years young on Monday, June 13. There will be a festive reception at noon, Sunday, June 12, at the Ukrainian Catholic Parish Center, 1178 N. Biscayne Dr. (corner of W. Price Blvd.) in honor of Rev. Woloszczuk’s 90th birthday and 35 years of priestly service.
Rev. Woloszczuk and his wife Maria moved to Venice in 1994 after serving as pastor of Holy Spirit Ukrainian Catholic Church in Akron, Ohio.
He concelebrated the Divine Liturgy at St. Mary’s with Rev. Mitred Archpriest Dr. Ivan Tylawskyj, pastor of St. Mary’s, until Rev. Tylawskyj’s retirement due to his advancing age and failing health in 1998. Rev. Woloszczuk was assigned pastor by Bishop Robert M. Moskal, Ordinary of Ukrainian Catholic Diocese of St. Josaphat in Parma.
Being a member of the Ukrainian Catholic community in North Port, Rev. Woloszczuk was familiar with the needs of the parish. Under his guidance and leadership, supported by generous financial contributions of the parishioners, the painting of beautiful murals and icons by artist Ivan Denysenko, begun by his predecessor was completed. He arranged for various repairs and upgrades of the church properties, and he wrote and published a hard cover bilingual missal with daily, Sunday and Holy Day prayers and services. For his contributions to the parish, Bishop Robert Moskal conferred on him the title of Mitred Archpriest.
After his wife Maria’s death on Oct. 24, 2012, and in view of his age and declining health, Rev. Woloszczuk asked Bishop Robert Moskal to relieve him of active pastoral duties. In a letter dated Feb. 17, 2003, Bishop Moskal accepted his resignation.
Rev. Woloszczuk, using a walker, continues to attend many religious and civic affairs in our community, and continues to concelebrate the Divine Liturgies almost every Sunday. his health permitting, with Rev. Vasyl Petriv, current pastor.
Grateful parishioners and other members of the Ukrainian American community in North Port and vicinity will gather this Sunday. at the Ukrainian Catholic Parish Center to honor Rev. Woloszczuk, to thank him for his services and spiritual guidance and to sing him the traditional Ukrainian “Mnohaya Leeta!” (many-may years).
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The local Branch #56 of the “Soyuz Ukrayinok” (Union of Ukrainian Ladies) headed by Ann-Marie Susla, of Englewood, held its monthly meeting yesterday at the Ukrainian Catholic Parish Center. Officers and members wished each other healthy and safe vacations. There will be no membership meetings in July and August.
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Monthly membership meeting of Cpl. Roman G. Lazor Post #40 of the Ukrainian American Veterans, headed by Col. Roman Rondiak, USA (Ret.), will take place at 1:00 p.m., Friday, June 10, at St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Religious and Cultural Center in North Port. This will be the last meeting of the season: there will be no meetings in July and August.
Email: atanask@aol.com
Our Neighbors — The Ukrainians
by Atanas Kobryn
The 26th annual Memorial Day Program at Venice Memorial Gardens on Friday was a solemn and moving one.
Marjorie Dellecker of Venice Memorial Gardens did a superb job of organizing and running the affair. I felt honored and pleased to be able to represent at the program, as past national commander, the Ukrainian American Veterans, Inc. and North Port Cpl. Roman G. Lazor Post No. 40 of the UAV as its organizer and first post commander.
On Sunday May 29, Post No. 40 sponsored the traditional Panakhyda (requiem service) for the repose of souls of all departed veterans celebrated by Rev.Vasyl Petriv, pastor of Presentation of the Most Holy Mother of God (St. Mary’s) Ukrainian Catholic Church in North Port after the regular Sunday’s Mass.
Members of Post No. 40 and color guard led by UAV National Commander Ihor W. Hron formed a honor guard and rendered a hand salute during the singing of “Khrystos Voskres” (“Christ is Risen” – sang during the post-Easter season in lieu of“Eternal Memory.”) The church choir sang the responses and concluded with the singing of“God Bless America” with members of congregation joining in.
The Memorial Day observance Monday at Veterans Park in North Port, sponsored by American Legion Post 254, included a contingent of UAV Post 40 Members, led by UAV National Commander Ihor W. Hron, and members of the local Ukrainian American community participating with the post’s color guard.
Post No. 40’s wreath was presented by Hron and yours truly.
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The Post No. 40 monthly membership meeting will take place at 1 p.m. Friday, June 10, at St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Religious and Cultural Center. A luncheon will be served after the meeting, the last meeting for the season.There will be no meetings in July and August.
The North Port Milena Rudnycka Branch No. 56 of the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America, popularly known as Soyuz Ukrayinok (Union of Ukrainian Ladies) headed by Ann-Marie Susla of Englewood will hold its monthly membership meeting at 10 a.m., Tuesday, June 7, at the Ukrainian Catholic Parish Center, 1078 N. Biscayne Drive, North Port.
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Last month was a month of joy and a month of sadness. Ukrainians all over the world were overjoyed by the Ukrainian singer Jamala, of ethnic Tatar minority, winning the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest held in the Swedish capital, Stockholm.
Jamala dedicated her song “1944” about the mass deportation of Crimean Tatars during World War II by Soviet troops ordered by Stalin to her great-grandmother Nazylkhan who was deported with her five children to Central Asia along with the entire Crimean Tatar people – the peninsula’s indigenous, predominantly Muslim, population.
Another happy local occasion was an exhibit at the Ukrainian Catholic Parish Center of icons hand embroidered by the late Rev. Dmytro Blazejowskyj, who was a pastor of several Ukrainian American Catholic parishes in years 1946-1973.
Ukrainians in Ukraine and throughout the world commemorated in May murders by the Soviet Russian KGB agents of two prominent Ukrainian politicians and statesmen, Head of Government of Ukrainian National Republic Symon Petlura (May 25, 1926, in Paris, France), and a military and political leader, organizer and Head of Ukrainian Military Organization and Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists Yevhen Konovaletz (May 23, 1938 in Rotterdam, Holland).
Our Neighbors — The Ukrainians
by Atanas Kobryn (atanask@aol.com)
The Board of Directors of the Ukrainian American Club of Southwest Florida, headed by Daria Tomashosky, of North Port, met recently at St. Andrew’s Ukrainian American Religious and Cultural Center, known as “Oseredok” (the center, in Ukrainian). Reports of Secretary Doris Horbachevsky, Treasurer Nancy Wosny, Correspondence Secretary and Chair of Social Services Committee Halya Lisnyczyj, Chair of the Club’s Scholarship CommitteeVictor Lisnyczyj and Didusi Project coordinator Lieda Boyko were discussed, summarized by Tomashosky — and approved.
The board members also approved the continuation of funding to support families with small children in Ukraine whose breadwinners were either killed or severely wounded and incapacitated in the war against Russian invaders, to cooperate with Punta Gorda Cultural Heritage Center, and to cooperate with the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America (UNWLA) during its upcoming national convention in the spring of 2017.
There will be no monthly membership meeting from May through August. The next monthly membership meeting will take place at 3 p.m., Sept. 28, at the Oseredok.
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Members of the Cpl. Roman G. Lazor Post No. 40 of the Ukrainian American Veterans, Inc. headed by retired U.S. Army Col. Roman Rondiak will participate at the Memorial Day Program at Venice Memorial Gardens on Friday and at the “Panakhydas” (requiem services) for the repose of souls of all departed veterans which will be celebrated at the conclusion of the Sunday’s Divine Liturgies (Masses) on Sunday at Presentation of the Most Holy Mother of God (St. Mary’s) Ukrainian Catholic Church in North Port, and at Epiphany of Our Lord Ukrainian Catholic Church in St. Petersburg.
At 10 a.m., Monday, Memorial Day, members of UAV Post No. 40 will participate, as they do every year since the post’s formation, at the Memorial Day Observance at Veterans’ Park (next to the North Port Public Library) in North Port.
Post members are to wear Class B uniform at all aforementioned affairs.
The next monthly membership meeting will take place at 1 p.m., June 10, at the Oseredok. This meeting was originally scheduled for June 3, but it was rescheduled for June 10 due to many members’ inability to attend the June 3 meeting. A luncheon will follow the meeting.
There will be no membership meetings in July and August, however members will be asked to participate in the Ukraine’s 25th anniversary of independence celebrations Aug. 24, sponsored by the “Hromadskyi Komitet” (Coordinating Committee of Ukrainian American Organizations of North Port and Vicinity) headed by Vira Bodnaruk of Venice.
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The North Port Milena Rudnycka Branch No. 56 of UNWLA, popularly known as “Soyuz Ukrayinok” (Union of Ukrainian Ladies), headed by Ann-Marie Susla of Englewood, will hold its monthly membership meeting at 10 a.m., June 7 at the Ukrainian Catholic Parish Center, 1078 N. Biscayne Drive, corner of West Price Blvd.
Our Neighbors — The Ukrainians
by Atanas Kobryn
The monthly membership meeting of North Port’s Roman G. Lazor Post No. 40 of Ukrainian American Veterans, headed by Post Commander Col. Roman Rondiak, U.S. Army, retired, was held last Friday at St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Religious and Cultural Center, known as “Oseredok” (the center, in Ukrainian) in North Port. Following the delivery of reports by Post Adjutant John Czerkas, Finance Officer Oleh Sawkiw and other officers, members discussed at length the plans for memorial ceremonies at the funeral services for recently departed Post 40 member John Homick.
Homick, 87, of Warm Mineral Springs, passed away Monday, May 2, 2016. Born in Trenton, PA, he married Ann Katchmar in 1952 and moved to Bridgeport, Conn., where he worked until retirement. John and Ann moved to Warm Mineral Springs in 1992. John was a Korean War veteran, serving in the U.S. Army Signal Corps.
He was a member of the American Legion and of the Ukrainian American Veterans, originally in Connecticut and finally in North Port, where he served as finance officer of Post 40 for several years. In addition to his wife, Ann, to whom he was married for nearly 64 years, he is survived by two children and two grandchildren.
Funeral services began with the viewing and “Panakhyda” (requiem service) celebrated by the Rev. Vasyl Petriv, pastor of Presentation of the Most Holy Mother of God (St. Mary’s) Ukrainian Catholic Church in North Port, where John worshiped, at Farley Funeral Home, North Port Chapel. Veterans were standing in formation during the service, rendering a hand salute during singing of “Khrystos Voskres” (Christ is Risen — an appropriate conclusion of service during the post-Easter season instead of “Veechnaya Pamyat” — eternal memory) and then approaching the casket and saluting the departed comrade individually.
Requiem Divine Liturgy (Mass) was celebrated at St. Mary’s Church, whereupon John was laid to rest, with military honors, at Sarasota National Cemetery.
May he rest in peace — “Veechnaya Pamyat!”
Post 40 members also discussed at last Friday’s meeting the participation in the traditional Memorial Day Program atVenice Memorial Gardens on Friday, May 27, “Panakhyda” for the repose of souls of all departed veterans Sunday, May 29, and North Port official Memorial Day observance on Monday, May 30.
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Ann-Marie Susla, president of North Port Branch No. 56 of Ukrainian NationalWomen’s League of America, commonly known as“Soyuz Ukrayinok” (union of Ukrainian Ladies), regrets that she had to cancel this month’s membership meetings, first due to the Easter holidays and then due to the funeral of John Homick, husband of Ann Homick, a longtime active member of UNWLA.
The next monthly membership meeting will take place at 10 a.m., Tuesday, June 7, at St. Mary’s Parish Center.
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On May 8, Ukraine observed the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation, which pays tribute to victims of the 1939-1945 WorldWar II. The Memorial Day, proclaimed by the U.N. General Assembly, was introduced last year. It coincides with May 8, 1945, the day of Nazi Germany’s surrender.
Ukraine also celebrated on May 9, the day of victory over Nazi forces inWWII.
The law says that it is the sacred duty of the state and Ukraine’s citizens to respect the victory over Nazism, and to respect all veterans, members of Ukraine’s liberation movement, and Nazism victims.
Like many European countries, Ukraine now uses a red poppy to commemorate theWWII victims.
Atanas Kobryn covers the Ukrainian community for the North Port Sun. He can be emailed at atanask@aol.com.
Our Neighbors — The Ukrainians
by Atanas Kobryn
Celebration of Easter according to the “Old” Julian calendar, which Ukrainian Greek-Catholics and Orthodox in Southwest Florida follow, necessitated some changes in scheduling of meetings of some local Ukrainian American clubs and organizations.
Accordingly, this year’s Easter was celebrated May 1, and the next two days, Monday and Tuesday The North Port Branch 56 of the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America, headed by Ann-Marie Susla of Englewood, will hold its membership meeting at 10 a.m., May 10, at St. Mary’s Parish Hall, instead of the traditional first Tuesday meeting.
This change was necessitated because Tuesday, May 2, was a holy day and a Divine Liturgy (Mass) was scheduled to be celebrated at 10 a.m.
This change is only for this month. The June membership meeting will be held at 10 a.m., on the first Tuesday June 7, at St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Religious and Cultural Center, known as “Oseredok.”
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The monthly membership meeting of the North Port’s Cpl. Roman G. Lazor Post 40 of the Ukrainian American Veterans, headed by Post Commander Col.
Roman Rondiak, USA (Retired) of Osprey will be held at 1 p.m., Friday at the Oseredok.
The agenda of the meeting will include the post’s participation in the traditional Memorial Day Program at Venice Memorial Gardens on Friday May 27, and in the City of North Port Memorial Day Observance at North Port’s Veterans Park (next to the North Port Area Public Library).
The UAV Post 40 participation in these and in other civic and veterans affairs is legendary: very often the Post 40 members constitute the largest uniformed veterans contingent at the affair.
There will be two other issues discussed: date, and agenda of the June meeting (last meeting before vacation break), and the traditional “Panakhyda” (requiem service) for the repose of souls of all departed veterans to be celebrated at the conclusion of Divine Liturgy (Mass) at Presentation of the Most Holy Mother of God (St. Mary’s) Ukrainian Catholic Church on Sunday, May 29. The liturgy begins at 10 a.m., and “Panakhyda” will be celebrated a few minutes after 11 a.m.
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The management and staff of the popular “Nasha Kukhnya“ (our kitchen) of St. Mary’s Ukrainian Catholic Church regret to inform all customers and friends that it is suspending serving the traditional Fri. evening Ukrainian American dinners until the first weekend after Labor Day, and wish all an enjoyable, healthy and safe vacation.
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It is proper to recognize, to glorify and to thank all mothers (including great-grandmothers, grandmothers,godmothers, foster mothers, and expectant mothers) for their contributions to the human race on their special Mother’s Day this Sunday.
I salute all, including my own loving wife Katrusia, who is a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother in her own right, and wish them good health and the traditional Ukrainian “Mnohaya Leeta!” (Many, many years).
Atanas Kobryn covers the Ukrainian community for the North Port Sun. He can be emailed at atanask@aol. com.
Our Neighbors — The Ukrainians
The overwhelming majority of Christians in Ukraine, and many Ukrainian Canadians and Ukrainian Americans, will celebrate the Feast of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, known in Ukrainian as “Velykden” (The Great Day) on Sunday, May 1. Many other Orthodox and Byzantine Catholics, in addition to Ukrainians, celebrate “Velykden’” according to the “Old” (Julian) calendar, which sets this celebration after the Jewish Passover, or May 1 this year.
Preceding the Day of Resurrection is the Passion Week, which mandates, in addition to the traditional fasting, several wonderful and unique religious ceremonies. In many Ukrainian cities the practice of massive public marches with icons and veneration of Stations of the Cross is now in vogue after decades of repression by the occupational Communist Russia.
Locally, Presentation of the Most Holy Mother of God Ukrainian Catholic Church and St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Church serving Ukrainian Orthodox faithful will have several special services the rest of this week, including Vespers with the display and veneration of “Plashchanytsia” (Holy Shroud) on Friday, blessing of the food baskets Saturday, and, ending the cycle with the Resurrection Matins and festive Divine Liturgy Mass which includes “Khrystos Voskres!” (Christ has Risen) and other special hymns Sunday.
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The Ukrainian American Club of Southwest Florida, headed by Daria Tomashosky of North Port, held its 10th Scholarship Awards Luncheon on April 12 at Heron Creek Golf & Country Club in North Port. After a very brief business meeting, Daria called upon Professor Victor Lisnyczyj of North Port, chairman of the Scholarship Committee, to chair the affair.
Lisnyczyj introduced all nine past recipients of scholarships by displaying their photographs on the screen and reading the letters received from some of them. The letters were read by Scholarship Committee members Lidia Bilous, Ihor W. Hron, Katherine Steciuk and Gene Tomashosky.
This year’s scholarship recipient Marco Antonio Guzman, a Port Charlotte High School senior, was introduced and asked to read his winning essay, which dealt with the Chornobyl disaster. Marco is planning to study law or foreign service at the University of Florida. His academic awards include National Merit Scholar, National Hispanic Recognition Scholar, Horatio Alger Association Scholar and Advance Placement Scholar with Distinction. His other activities include National Honor Society, Math Honor Society, Model UN Debate Team President, and many community service involvements. He was presented an award certificate and $1,000.
Because it was the 10th “Jubilee” Scholarship Awards luncheon, the committee decided to make a second award.
The recipient was Emily A. Boykin, another PCHS senior, who plans to study art history and economics at the University of Florida. Her academic honors are too numerous to be listed here. She founded and led “ROS” (Respect Our School), recognized by Charlotte County’s School Board as a group of innovative excellence in the public school environment. She was a member of National Honor Society, Student Government Association, National ART Honor Society, “Parkside Parish” volunteer, Ponce de Leon nature park/bird sanctuary volunteer, and many others. She was also presented with a certificate and a scholarship award.
Atanas Kobryn covers the Ukrainian community for the North Port Sun. He can be emailed at atanask@aol.com.
Our Neighbors — The Ukrainians
by Atanas Kobryn
On April 26, 1986, the fourth block of the atomic power plant in Chernobyl, Ukraine — at that time officially known as Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, a de facto colony of Communist Russia known as USSR — exploded and the deadly radiation spread throughout Europe, but affecting mostly areas in Belarus, European Russia and Ukraine. This was the worst nuclear radiation exposure since the bombing of Japan at the end of WWII.
One person was killed immediately, more than two dozen of first responders were officially declared as dead shortly thereafter, but the real numbers of killed and injured will probably never be known. One million or more is a number being mentioned by many.
Military units without special protective clothing were ordered to clean up, and most of them either died or are suffering from the exposure until this day.
Assistance to Chernobyl victims continues to strain the budgets of both the national and local governments of Ukraine.
In accordance with policy and practice of the totalitarian Soviet regime, the truth about the disaster and the resulting deaths and injuries would have been kept a state secret, but the radiation failed to be stopped by the Iron Curtain, and the Swedish government was the first to sound the alarm. Soviet President Gorbachev finally made a public announcement several days after the explosion.
Members of the North Port and Southwest Florida Ukrainian American community will attend a “Panakhyda” (special requiem service) for the repose of souls of all Chernobyl victims at 5 p.m., Tuesday, April 26 at St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Church, 4100 S. Biscayne Drive. Following the service, a documentary film “Nature in the Chernobyl Zone” will be shown at St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Religious & Cultural Center, with a coffee and pastry reception afterwards.
All are welcome.
Commemorations of the Chernobyl disaster are taking place throughout the world, with mass rallies, prayers and other religious services, wreath laying, etc.
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Saturday, there will be a table with materials about the Chernobyl tragedy at the Earth Day observance between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. in Oscar Scherer Park in Venice. The Chernobyl table and exhibit are being sponsored by the Coordinating Committee of Ukrainian American Clubs and Organizations of North Port and vicinity headed by Professor Vira Bodnaruk of Venice.
Members of the North Port Branch #56 of Ukrainian National Women’s League of America headed by Ann-Marie Susla of Englewood, and of the Ukrainian American Club of Southwest Florida headed by Daria Tomashosky of North Port will provide majority of volunteers to service the table.
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All are invited to a special “Evening at the L’viv Opera Theatre” at 5 p.m. Sunday at the St. Mary’s Social Hall, 1078 N. Biscayne Drive.
Enjoy the on screen viewing, recorded live, of “Cavaleria Rusticana” by Pietro Mascagni, performed by acclaimed artists of the Ukrainian Opera.
Refreshments will be served. Donation: $25 per person. For tickets contact Natalie Sluzar at 941-429-5445, or Tetiana Silecky at 941-302-5054.
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My wife Katrusia and I wish all our Jewish friends and neighbors here in Southwest Florida and in Greater New York City happy and healthy Passover, which commences at sundown Friday.
Atañas Kobryn covers the Ukrainian community for the North Port Sun. He can be emailed at
atanask@aol.com.
Our Neighbors — The Ukrainians