October 7, 1975.
His Holiness, Pope Paul VI
Praise Be To Jesus Christ!
Your Holiness:
As spiritual leaders of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Eastern Canada, we feel a particular responsibility to voice our concern regarding the negative attitude of the Eastern Congregation towards our Church and especially towards His Beatitude Archbishop Major Josyf Slipyj, the question of the Ukrainian Patriarchate and the disregard of the terms of the Union of Brest-Litovsk in 1596 which guaranteed our Church autonomy and the preservation of all her rights and customs.
From the outset, as a result of her distance from Constantinople, our Ukrainian Church experienced a particular autonomy. Her synodal administration was capable of infusing inner life and force into the Church since it could act and react to the spirit of the times in a specific locality.
Tragically forced to flee their native land, our Ukrainian people carried in their hearts a burning love for their Church and as they settled in the diaspora they quickly founded local churches where they could worship God in their unique manner. Unfortunately, due to many political, social and religious circumstances, we presently see our Ukrainian Catholic Church emerging as an empty shell, divorced from a solid theology and synodal administration and stripped of a beautiful rite. We have become a stumbling block and an object of ridicule to our Orthodox brethren since we are neither rooted in the western tradition nor able to realize our true eastern identity. This crisis situation has been compounded by the misunderstanding we have experienced from the Latin Church, which has, as a result of her ignorance of our heritage and rights, forced us to conform to the norms of a rite which is alien to the eastern ethos.
There has been an effort on the part of some bishops, priests and faithful to reverse this tragic course and in a few instances they have been successful. With the release of His Beatitude Josyf Slipyj from Siberia most Ukrainian Catholics saw this great man as a leader, «Patriarch», who would unite the Ukrainian Catholics in the diaspora into a strong church and community that would be open to the Holy Spirit.
Vatican II declared that the Eastern Churches have the solemn duty to return to their ancient traditions. Nevertheless, His Beatitude has been thwarted in his many attempts to accomplish this mandate. Do we detect, therefore, on the part of the Eastern Congregation, a covert effort at annihilating a people of the Church that have sacrificed so many lives to preserve that which is One, True and Holy?
We, Ukrainian Catholics in Canada and, we may add, in the free world, are rooted in history. We recognize and are thankful that God has called us to be His people in this particular nationality, this particular Church and this particular Rite. We manifest our support for our beloved Patriarch and Father, Josyf Slipyj and humbly beseech God that living with diversity and trusting in the Holy Spirit «All may be One».
Very Rev. Canon John Tataryn, Pastor of St. Demetrius Church,
Rev. Eugene Halitski, Pastor of Holy Cross Church,
Rev. Michael Charyna,
Rev. Julian Mykytyn,
Rev. Wasyl Bryniawsky,
Rev. Andrew Kormanik,
Rev. Bohdan Ostapowych, Pastor of St. Michael’s Church,
Rev. Roman Hankevych, Pastor of Holy Protection Church,
Rev. Jaroslaw Haymanowych,
Very Rev. Nicholas Komar, Pastor of Sts. Cyril & Methodius Church,
Rev. Edward Yarema, Pastor of Holy Ghost Church,
Rev. Emil Iskat, Pastor of St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church,
Very Rev. Basil Dzurman, Pastor of Sts. Vladimir & Olga Church,
Very Rev. John Pereyma,
Very Rev. Matthew Berko, Pastor of St. Mary’s Dormition Church,
Very Rev. Canon Leo Chayka, Pastor of St. Mary’s Protection Church,
Rt. Rev. Peter Chomyn, Pastor of Dormition of the Mother of God Church,
Very Rev. Canon George Kowalsky, Pastor of the Holy Protection of The Blessed Virgin Mary
hurch,
Very Rev. Marian Butrynsky,
Rev. Anthony Zouzal,
Very Rev. Canon Julian Habrusevich,
Rev. Terence Lozynsky, Assistant Pastor, St. Demetrius Church,
Rev. Stephen Smyk, Pastor of St. George’d Ukrainian Catholic Church
Rev. Andrew Sinai,
Rev. Ostap Goshulak,
Rev. Deacon Stephen Wojcichowsky, St. Demetrius Church,
Rev. Willian Kondusky,
Very Rev. Wolodymyr Zolkewych,
Rev. Roman Nabereznyj,
Rev. Eugene Bobownyk,
Rev. Roman Hrobelsky,
Rev. Deacon George Sytnyk, St. Demetrius Church,
Rev. Deacon Ihor Chabursky,
Rev. Roman Galadza, Pastor of St. Michael’s Church,
Very Rev. Myron Stasiw,
Rev. John Girhiny,
Rev. Wolodymyr Sharanewych,
Very Rev. Canon Iwan Syrotynsky,
Very Rev. Canon Markian Stefaniw,
Ukrainian Catholic Clergy Attending the Annual Retreat at the Queen of Apostles Renewal Centre, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
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«And l saw the dead, small and great, stand before God: and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out those things which were written in the books, according to their works.»
