Local congregation designated apostolate of Saint Nicholas Eparchy

IC by photo Marie Mischel

+ Enlarge

The Most Rev. Richard Stephen Semiack, Bishop of Saint Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy in Chicago, receives flowers from Ivanka Tomashchuk during his visit to Utah. He celebrated the Sunday Divine Liturgy on Dec. 13 at Saint Jude Maronite Church in Murray.

MURRAY - A winter's storm provided no deterrent to a small group of people hungry to have the Word celebrated in the tradition of their homeland.

On Dec. 13, the Most Rev. Richard Stephen Seminack, Bishop of Saint Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy, celebrated the Sunday Divine Liturgy at Saint Jude Maronite Church. He had traveled from Chicago at the request of some Utahns who are seeking to establish a Ukrainian Greek Catholic parish here.

The Ukrainian Church is an Eastern rite church; its liturgy is conducted in vernacular Ukrainian.

The Eparchy has many missionary parishes in the 17 states it covers, Bishop Seminack said, but this is the first time there has been a request for a visit to Utah. About 75 people attended the service, which also included the opportunity for confession and a meeting with the bishop to discuss establishing a parish.

"I was surprised by the number of people who came out in the snow and the slush," Bishop Seminack said.

"There are so many Ukrainians here, and they would like to continue their traditions," said Anna Gogosha, 91, who attended the event with her husband, Vasil, 95; her son, Orest; and her daughter-in-law, Becky. Ukrainian church traditions "are very, very nice," Anna said, "and that's what everybody misses so much."

Anna and Vasil Gogosha were born and raised in the Ukraine. After World War II, they moved to a Ukrainian community in New York State, where they spent 58 years. Three years ago they joined their son and his family in Utah. Being able to celebrate Mass in the Ukrainian tradition, she said, "For me, I cannot express...For me, it's very important."

Miroslava Slyusarchin is a more recent immigrant to Utah. Her grandfather was a pastor in the Ukrainian church and spent 10 years in Siberia after the church was banned by Soviet leaders. Slyusharchin was born in the Ukraine and came to the United States 11 years ago, leaving her children in her home country. Currently she works for Myriad Genetics. "It was very hard for many years because I didn't see my kids," she said. Now, one son lives in the U.S. while the other lives in the Ukraine.

"It was wonderful to have the service in Ukrainian," she said, adding that she is hopeful a parish will be established in Salt Lake to make it easier for people in her community to attend church.

After meeting with the group, Bishop Seminack qualified Utah as an apostolate, said Oleh Kernytskyy, who organized the event. If the group reaches 40 people, they can become a mission; they will need at least 100 active families to establish a parish.

Bishop Seminack said he plans to send a missionary priest at least four times a year to conduct the Divine Liturgy. Msgr. Bill Bonczewski, pastor of Saint Jude Maronite Parish, has offered his church as a meeting place for the Ukrainian Greek Catholic apostolate.