APOSTOLIC EXARCHATE for UKRAINIAN CATHOLICS IN GREAT BRITAIN
14. Newburgh Road, London W. 3.
Tel. 01-992-1732 Ref Gl.*78
30-th August, 1978
Laudetur Jesus Christus!
The Right Reverend Gilbert Thurlow,
Dean of Gloucester Cathedral,
Pitt Street, Gloucester Reverend and dear Dean,
Our Chancery Office in London has been alarmed by some Members of our Gloucester Community and even from other localities that a group of «Ukrainian Catholics» will sing the Vespers (or the Holy Liturgy) at your Cathedral on September 10-th in the evening.
As you probably know there is a split in our Ukrainian Community in this country since 1975, when our Cardinal Joseph Slipyj appropriated himself of the title «Patriarch» in spite of the Holy See’s refusal to create a Ukrainian Patriarchate and grant him the title in question.
Our Bishop Augustine Hornyak and many loyal priests had no choice but to accept the Holy See’s decision, against which some supporters of Cardinal Slipyj’s unfounded claim have rebelled. This rebellion has gradually spread in Ukrainian diaspora and especially in this country. The dissidents in Great Britain are mainly from among the political party of the revolutionary-nationalists, called Banderites, who are a clandestine organization of Ukrainians, The Former Combatants, Ukrainian Youth and Ukrainian Women Organization. There are also some politically neutral, who became the victims of the patriarchal propaganda.
Ukrainians in Gloucester are also divided: one group is against me, as the legal Parish Priest of The Good Shepherd Church at Derby Road, and they have organized a shameful demonstration on the opening day of that church, last December. But I have many supporters in Gloucester and its area.
The rebels are trying to «legalize» themselves and to do everything to prove externally that they still belong to Rome. But the Vatican’s position is firm: Cardinal Slipyj is not a legal Patriarch and your action is a rebellion and defiance. The Hierarchy of the Catholic Church in this country is also supporting Bishop Hornyak who is the only Authority of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Gt. Britain.
Now I go to the point: The Vespers at your Cathedral, Reverend Father, have nothing to do with our Ukrainian Catholic Church in the country, neither with me as the legal priest for Ukrainian Catholics at Gloucester. The organizers or sponsors of these Vespers have only a propaganda purpose in mind and another attempt to «legalize» themselves. I don’t know how it happened that they have obtained the permission to use you Cathedral, since Canon Roche told me, that the Bishop of Gloucester stands firm on the decision of the Vatican in respect of the Ukrainian patriarchal dispute, thus respecting the principles of the Catholic Central Office in Rome.
The appearance of this rebel group at your Cathedral, dear Dean, will certainly create a great confusion among local Ukrainians and local Roman Catholics and even harm our ecumenical relations.
The feelings especially of my loyal people in Gloucester, who belong to the Good Shepherd’s Church at Derby Road will be very hurt at seeing the rebels who organized a shameful demonstrations on the opening day December 18-th 1977, — are now to some extend «legalized» in the City of Gloucester. And who knows? Some clashes could occur at the Cathedral or after The Vespers…
My humble and sincere advice to you, Reverend Dean, is: please stop this group of fanatics to appear in your Cathedral! If you fail to do so, then you must risk some unpleasant consequences and take in time some precautions, in case of picketing The Vespers, this time from the part of loyal Ukrainian Catholics and maybe Roman Catholics.
Hoping that you will understand my writing to you and the position of our Ukrainian Catholic Church in this country and my personal situation, as of the responsible pastor for Ukrainians in Gloucester,
I remain,
Yours fraternally in Christ,
(Very Rev.) Stephan Wiwcharuk STD.,
Chancellor & P. Priest
