3 minute read
Spasa Maskalyk Ukrainian Catholic Church 100th Anniversary Celebration
Spasa Maskalyk Ukrainian Catholic Church 100th Anniversary Celebration
Michelle Pinon - News Advertiser
The same pioneering spirit that built Spasa Maskalyk Ukrainian Catholic Church near Mundare 100 years ago was in full view during its centennial celebration on Aug. 17.
Attendees, about 50 in total, recited The Lord’s Prayer before delving into a delicious perogy lunch. Following that, Church Board President Stephen Blanchette thanked board members for helping organize the event. “First of all, I’d like to give a special thank you to Dennis Fedoruk and Cliff Moroziuk. Without them I honestly don’t think that any of us would be here in this building. It most likely would have been dilapidated or torn down. These two guys are absolutely indispensable for this church. I’d also like to thank our board members Harry Kyshyk as well as Debbie Zazula our treasurer. Jamie (Libon) is our brand new vice president, his sister Jessica (Libon), Sophia (Blanchette) and brother Nick (Nicholas Blanchette).
We’re here to celebrate the 100th anniversary of this building. It is a testament to the spirit of hard work and perseverance of our ancestors who built and maintained it that it still stands today.
For anyone who knows me, you probably know I’m not the most religious person, however, I still value in this building and its history. It is, in honour of this history, and of those ancestors, and our community’s history that I agreed to became the president. It is the continued mission of our board to preserve the building so that they (ancestors) are not forgotten. Of course, if it weren’t for the hard work and determination of those who settled this land and established this church, most of us would not be here today.
We do not wish Spasa to become like so many other rural churches. Once prominent landmarks of this province and its unique communities are now dilapidated, being torn down and forgotten one after the other. As most of us do, I have family members in the graveyard here. I would like to always see a church on these sacred grounds as that is how our ancestors knew it and intended to be buried with a view of this beautiful church ever present from their graves.”
Blanchette gave an overview of the church’s history before stating, “We’ve come a long way in the last decade, although they (renovations) are not complete yet, I’m happy to say that we will continue as long as it takes to get this church back to how it should be, how our ancestors would have remembered it. None of this would be possible without community support and I believe it is important to say that without younger people getting involved with this project it will all be for nothing.”
Blanchette, did not belabour the point, thanking everyone for attending the celebration and allowing the vision and work of board members to carry on. Looking around the interior of the church, much of which has been freshly painted during the past week, there is no doubt that the mission continues to live on in the hearts and minds of these hard working and determined group of individuals.
