June Seniors 2019-06-26

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Wednesday, June 26, 2019 | www.YorktonThisWeek.com | Yorkton This Week

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Father Methodius Kushko: a life serving God

By Cory Carlick Staff Writer Everybody knows Father Methodius Kusho, the legendary, beloved priest of St. Mary’s Parish, who has been a pillar of the community over the last 50 years.

Ask anyone about Fr. Kushko’s commitment and work ethic, and chances are you’ll get a smile plus a story. Above all, though, they’ll probably tell you he never stops.

Why? Well, if the pulpit, tending to his congregation, and the Church weren’t enough, the energetic priest also was the voice — and the face! — of a long-running radio talk show on 98.5 The Rock, as well as a television series on Access 7.

Even the most energetic and enthusiastic of souls need a little downtime, though, and so, after 50 years, it’s time to hang up the cassock and collar for a well earned retirement, but not before sitting down with Yorkton This Week to tell us not only what was, but what’s next.

“Well, first of all, in 1964, I entered my career as being the assistant superintendent of schools in the Border Land school unit outside of Roblin, and I had to go to notiviate because I chose to be a priest that we call religious. You live in a community like this, you see — like this, [Yorkton] is a community, and you are a celibate with vows.

“So then, I had to do one year of novitiate and then I had to do two years of priest theology, and I just did one year of philosophy because I had a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Education.

“Then, they sent me to the University of Ottawa, and that’s where I got my Bachelors of Theology with distinction. They asked me to teach — do my seminary in Rock Land. I taught there for a while and I became a principal there, but they shut the place down.

“I served in a few Parishes — Preeceville, Russell and others, and then of course they appointed me to come

Priest, radio personality and TV host: all in a day’s work for Father Kushko, and a mere snapshot of his storied career with the Church. here.

“The interesting thing was that the first person that I met was our present director of the Rock, [Dennis Dyck] and he says, ‘Father, I need your help. The Government has asked us to have a program in Ukranian.’

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example, do that, you’re not going to get paid.

“You know, this is a very hard thing for people to believe, that the Federal government would ask that, but they did. So I said, ‘OK, I’ll have a radio program where I can interview people.’

“After that, I thought, I could do something more about that. I’ll have the Ukranian Divine liturgy for Sunday, eh? We’ll have the most important parts in it especially for people that can’t go to church. And that turned out to be something that... a program that other people were listening to during the week.

And people who are not Ukranian Catholic! ... That are born again Christian, you see. I’m a born again Christian.

“Then of course, a very fine gentleman I interviewed in our TV station, Access communications, asked me to break in this program in the Ukranian hour for interviewing people for whatever I wanted to do. So that’s how I got involved in TV also.

“At the present time, the program is still going on, and I have a very helpful assistant, you know, and she’s going to take the program over.

“On Sunday, I was 87 years old — that’s my birthday — and I’m being directed and sent to retire at St. Volodymyr Villa in Saskatoon. That’s a Ukranian Catholic institution for retired people. They tell me it’s a very wonderful place, and good, and so on.

“When I’m able to fin-

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ish, which will be August 1st but possibly sooner than that, I’ll be having to leave my friends in Yorkton.

“The most important thing that happened to me — and I must say this — that maybe our Catholic people won’t like — but when I studied at St. Paul University, it was right after Vatican II. And as you know, Vatican II almost split the Catholic Church apart. So I got very, very poor spiritual training from the priesthood. And I felt an emptiness within me. Consequently when I was ordained here on July the 5th 1970, right in the back door of this parish, I was then assigned to teach in Roblin, and it was right there that I felt that emptiness, you see.

A few years later, maybe six years later, I decided to go on a forty day silent retreat with the Jesuit followers in Ontario. So, I went, and there I met — there was about 45 of us [priests] and it’s interesting because silence is a great means of communication. You don’t talk to others; only on Saturday you have a half day. Sometimes you have a full day off. But you do on a daily basis with your director for about an hour.

“Now, there I met two priests. One was Father Smith from Winnipeg who was a missionary in Peru. He was an oblate missionary, and the other was a Jesuit from the Southern United States.

I asked them to take me through the Sinner’s Prayer so I could become a born again Christian.

And they did an excellent job! They taught me what it means, what are the benefits, what is the relationship between you and Jesus, you see, because it’s a development upon, and built upon, the graces you receive when you’re baptized. It’s built upon Baptism. Being a born again Christian doesn’t mean that you’re a Protestant, you know?

It’s strictly Scriptural.

Continued on Page A15

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KUSHKO Continued from Page A14 “After that happened, it changed my life. I was a different person completely. What I do mostly — what I’ve done mostly here, is I pray with people. I pray with people and people get healed.

“When I was Pastor in Ituna, and I was there for the longest time too, they tell me that I prayed [with] over six people who had cancer, and all of them got healed.

And there have been a lot of other people who got healed in many other things that I have prayed with. It’s a gift that the Lord has given me.

“When I was first assigned here, I used to go to the Catholic schools and teach religion too.

“One story I like to relate,” Father Kushko laughs, “is not a good story but I’ll relate it any-

way.

“One day, one of our students from here who lives in Calgary, he was in Grade 11. He says to me, ‘Father, would you come to Sacred Heart School and give a talk to the Grade 11 [class] that I am a part of.’ So, I did.

And you could hear a pin drop. Then he goes and takes me to another class room, and my goodness.

These kids. As soon as the teacher would ask them something, they would ask them or contradict them. I’ve never seen such a thing in my life!

“Anyhow, I used to teach... to the students.

So my friend says, ‘I have Father Kushko with me to talk to you,’ and I gave a talk to them on our faith, and you could hear a pin drop.

“A couple of days later a student comes to me

and says, ‘Father, I’m not a Catholic but I’ve been here for three years and you know that’s the best lesson I’ve ever heard taught at this school.’

“I thought, what were the other lessons like?

If that’s the best lesson...

I was speaking unprepared because I didn’t have time to prepare.

“The other thing I wanted to mention here, it just happened last year.

“The Knights of Columbus had their yearly convention. So, the St. Gerard’s here, they have a branch, and there was another in Yorkton.

“There is an activity in the Parish that we would go there and take part, so I went there. I came there and the Archbishop, Donald Boland was there from Regina, and our Bishop was there too, you know? So he says to me, ‘Father, would you

say the Grace at meals?’

Well, Kushko isn’t that foolish, you know? You don’t upstage an archbishop and a priest. No. So I go up to the front to do this, and a gentleman who’s the head of the Knights of Columbus in Regina says ‘Pick a short sermon.’

“Well, how do you pick a short sermon?” Kushko says, laughing.

“So I said, ‘O Holy Spirit. Please give me the words and tell me what to do. And sure enough, the Holy Spirit told me.

“On August 29th, 1970 just one month after I was ordained, I was returning from Swift Current at 4 o’clock in the morning and I fell asleep at the wheel of my car. When I woke up, my car was going into the ditch at 65 miles an hour.

“I turned my wheel and looked up, and there

was Mary the Mother of God. Every time I tell this I cry. She saved my life.”

Father Kushko had an encounter with the Prime Minister, too, as a lifelong Liberal.

“Well, I’m a life member of the Liberal party, and I have been for many years because at one time we had people like John Diefenbaker; we had Louis St. Laurent.

“The Liberal Party today is not what it used to be, and neither is the Conservative Party.

Well, they’re doing better though. Not as good as before, but, you know.

Diefenbaker was a real statesman, you know?

You knew what he stood for.

“I went to the Liberal meeting here, and Justin [Trudeau] was there.

“I came up to him, and he says to me, ‘Hello,

Father. I didn’t think that you, as a Catholic Priest, would want to talk to me.’

And I said, ‘Why not?

I knew your dad. But I came here to bawl you out, because you have no right to call yourself a Catholic and be for abortion.’

“He just almost froze, and he stood there.

“I said, ‘But Justin, I’m going to continue to pray for you.’

“One month later, I get a message from him. And he said, ‘Father, I want you to write to me.’ Since then, I’ve been writing to him.”

Undoubtedly, any new priest at St. Mary’s Ukranian Catholic Church will have rather large shoes to fill, but Father Kushko isn’t done yet: he’s got an autobiography in the works on his remarkable life.

Avoid aches and pains when gardening People who have not spent much time in a garden may not consider this rewarding hobby much of a threat to their health.

But as veteran gardeners can attest, gardening can contribute to nagging aches and pains that can force even the most ardent green-thumbers indoors.

Gardening is a physical activity that, despite its peaceful nature, can be demanding on the body.

Thankfully, there are several ways that gardening enthusiasts can prevent the aches and pains that can sometimes pop up after long days in the garden.

• Use ergonomic gardening tools. Ergonomic gardening tools are designed to prevent the types of aches, pains and injuries that can cut gardeners’ seasons short. Gardening injuries can affect any area of the body, but injuries or aches and pains affect-

ing the back, wrists and hands are among the most common physical problems gardeners endure.

Look for ergonomic tools that reduce the strain on these areas of the body.

Even arthritis sufferers who love to garden may find that ergonomic tools make it possible for them to spend more time in their gardens without increasing their risk for injury.

• Alternate tasks.

Repetitive-strain injuries can affect gardeners who spend long periods of time performing the

same activity in their gardens. By alternating tasks during gardening sessions, gardeners can reduce their risk of suffering repetitive strain injuries. Alternate tasks not just on muscle groups worked, but also level of difficulty. Remember to include some simple jobs even on busy gardening days so the body gets a break.

• Take frequent breaks.

Frequent breaks can help combat the stiffness and muscle aches that may not appear until gardeners finish their gar-

dening sessions. Breaks help to alleviate muscles or joints that can become overtaxed when gardening for long, uninterrupted periods of time. When leaning down or working on your hands and knees, stand up to take breaks every 20 minutes or the moment aches and pains start to make their presence felt.

• Maintain good posture. Back injuries have a tendency to linger, which can keep gardeners indoors and out of their gardens. When gardening, maintain good posture to prevent back injuries. Gardening back braces can protect the back by providing support and making it easier for gardeners to maintain their posture. Tool pouches attached to gardening stools or chairs also can be less taxing on the back than gardening belts tied around the waist.

Gardening might not be a contact sport, but it can cause pain if gardeners do not take steps

to prevent the onset of muscle aches and strains when spending time in their gardens.

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Wednesday, June 26, 2019 | www.YorktonThisWeek.com | Yorkton This Week

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JUNE 2019

Comedian Tom Liske, left, and musician Len Gadica, above performed at Yorkton Crossing last week.

Yorkton Crossing hosts concert

By Calvin Daniels Staff Writer Comedian and musician Tom Liske performed at Yorkton

Crossing.

Liske grew up in rural Manitoba and found a lot of humour in and around the farming community where he lived until about 15 years old,

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“Events in his life unexpectedly found him living in Los Angeles for most of his high school years where his life experience broadened and he found more humour in being a “fish out of water” in his new environment,” notes his bio.

“Upon returning to Canada, Liske bounced around with living in Victoria, BC, Calgary, AB and Winnipeg, MB. Eventually he settled in the place he really calls home - Saskatoon, SK.” Liske’s show is based on observational humour,

gentle sarcasm, boyish innocence and an “outsider’s” view of the world in general.

“What makes Tom stand apart from other comedic talent is the songs ... oh, the songs that you’ll be singing on the way home after his show! When he picks up the guitar it is apparent that Tom really enjoys performing and is having as good of a time as you are,” again notes his bio.

Liske’s career includes; having headlined the Calgary Comedy Festival, Edmonton’s Comedy Factory and the Rotary

International Comedy Festival, is a veteran writer/performer for CBC radio, and has performed with Mike McDonald, Derek Edwards, Smokey Robinson, Brent Butt, and the Smothers Brothers.

The day’s entertainment was started by the music of Len Gadica who was born and raised in Melville, and has been performing music practically his entire life.

“I first performed at a Christmas concert at age four,” he said in a recent Yorkton This Week article. “I sang and played the ukulele. My dad was

an accordion player too and played for local dances as a young man.

I became interested in taking accordion lessons when I was seven. At that time, before the electronic age of instruments, accordion was a very popular instrument.”

With those musical roots set so deeply, it is not surprising Gadica has stayed with music his entire life, recently releasing a new disc; ‘My Work is all Play’.

“This is my seventh old time album, and all the music on all the albums is original,” he said.

Coping with an empty nest Reconnecting with your spouse is one way to combat feelings of loss that can stem from a suddenly empty nest.

Many people find it rewarding to start a family and raise children. Watching kids grow through the years and sharing in their experiences can bring life to a household.

Mothers spend 18 years or more devoted to their children, and often their identities are defined as “Mom” above

all else. As a result, it can be difficult to think ahead to life without kids in the home, especially when children are toddlers or school-aged.

But children will someday grow up and move out, and the emotions that resonate when that day comes can be overwhelming.

Many parents feel a sense of sadness and loss when their last child leaves the family home.

Referred to as “empty nest syndrome,” these feelings are not officially labeled as a clinical mental health issue, but they are very real for many people. While parents encourage their children to become independent and branch out in their own lives, not every par-

ent can cope with an empty nest. The parenting and family resource Verywell Family states that mothers with empty nest syndrome experience a deep void in their lives that oftentimes makes them feel a little lost.

Moms who are feeling the pangs of sadness due to an empty nest can employ some strategies to alleviate these feelings.

• Keep friends close.

Use this opportunity to spend more time with close friends and put yourself first. Schedule all of those activities you may have temporarily put on hold while caring for children through the years.

• Make time for travel.

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New experiences can broaden anyone’s horizons. Travel as a couple or with a group of friends.

Put the focus on fun and then share the experiences later on with your adult children.

• Redefine yourself.

The experts at Psychology Today suggest finding new roles and interests to explore, or spend more time exploring existing hobbies. For example, if you’ve thought about doing community theater, do so now that you have some free time. Or maybe you’ve always had a goal of going back to school? Now may be the time to make that happen.

• Reconnect with your partner. Recall the years before you had children when it was only the two of you and devote time to making more memories as a couple. Plan date nights, go to sporting events, attend a summer concert, or pursue other shared interests.

• Change things up at home. Turn children’s rooms into spaces you can use for your own interests. One can be a crafting room or a home office. Another may be a home theater. No longer labeling those rooms as the kids’ spaces can help the transition.

Empty nest syndrome is real, but there are many ways to move past the mixed emotions synonymous with this phenomenon.

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