St. Joseph the Betrothed Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church

St. Joseph the Betrothed Ukrainian Greek Catholic Parish
For the Glory of God and Future Generations!
41°58′14″N 87°50′14″W
Location	5000 N. Cumberland, Chicago, Illinois
Country	USA
Denomination	Ukrainian Greek Catholic
Churchmanship	Byzantine
Website	http://www.stjosephukr.com
History
Founded	August 1956
Founder(s)	Joseph Shary
Dedication	Bishop Jaroslaw Gabro
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Ukrainian
Architect(s)	Zenon Mazurkevich
Architectural type	Ultra-Modern
Groundbreaking	1975
Completed	1977
Construction cost	$1,750,000
Administration
Deanery	Chicago
Diocese	Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Chicago and the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia
Clergy
Archbishop	Stephen Soroka
Bishop(s)	Richard Seminack
Priest(s)	Volodymyr Kushnir
Pastor(s)	Mykola Buryadnyk, Thomas Glynn (associate)
Laity
Music group(s)	"Irmos" Choir, Kheruvym Chamber Choir

St. Joseph the Betrothed Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church is a Ukrainian church located in Chicago, Illinois and belonging to the St. Nicholas Eparchy for the Ukrainian Catholics. The building has an ultra-modern roof, comprising thirteen gold domes, symbolizing the twelve apostles and Jesus Christ as the largest center dome.

Church building

Interior

The interior of the church is completely adorned with Byzantine style icons (frescoes).

In the second level of the new structure are relief geometric patterns of crosses etched into the walls. These were left bare until in 1996 and 1997 the then new Pastor, Fr. Pavlo Hayda had them painted, and the gold domes restored. The iconostasis inside the church is a traditional Byzantine iconostasis with two tiers and is in the Modern Cossack Baroque Style.

In the rear, on the west end of the altar server and priest sacristy is the diminutive St. Paraskevia Chapel, (named after the saint from whom Fr. Shary's (see History) mother took her name). Daily morning services take place here, and the main sanctuary is used for celebrating Divine Liturgies on Saturdays, Sundays, and high holy days. The iconostasis in the chapel is the one remaining from the original church on this site.

Grotto

Across the way from the church is a grotto (Shrine) set up to Our Lady of Hoshiv with an altar sometimes used for outdoor services (such as Pascha Blessing). In 2006, Fr. Pavlo's wife, Christine, led a restoration and relandscaping of the grotto into a memorial garden to deceased parishioners.

History

In August 1956 Archbishop Constantine Bohachevsky appointed Fr. Joseph Shary to organize a new community. The first two Liturgies were celebrated at St. Patrick's High School Auditorium, with the first church being built at its current location. This building stands north of the current church building and is used as a Parish Life Center that houses offices, classrooms, and a hall. It is also home to the Selfreliance Ukrainian American Federal Credit Union's northwest branch.

As the community quickly expanded, Fr. Shary realized a larger church building was needed. He saw this as an opportunity to build a spectacular Church for "The Glory of God and Future Generations." The church, designed by architect Zenon Mazurkiewych of Philadelphia, was dedicated and consecrated by Bishop Jaroslav Gabro on May 22, 1977.

Milestones

The history of St. Joseph begins with Bishop Constantine Bohachevsky, Metropolitan of the Ukrainian Archeparchy of Philadelphia officially establishing St. Joseph Ukrainian Catholic Church on August 1, 1956. Father Joseph Shary was sent here as the organizing pastor, who upon his arrival to Chicago was met with an energetic group of Ukrainian Catholics, who were anxious to expand the Chicago community into the Northwest Side.

Timeline

August 21, 1956, Cardinal Samuel Stritch, permitted using St. Patrick's Christian Brothers High School facilities on Belmont Avenue, until the newly formed parish was financially in a position to purchase land to build a church. His Eminence promised all possible assistance in this endeavor.

In 1958 building began on Cumberland Avenue. The upper portion became the church, with the addition of pews, altars, etc. all gifts from Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish.

The lower hall became the hub of numerous events and activities such as many cultural, social and fund-raising functions. Parish praznyks, sviachenes, bake sales, choir rehearsals, rummage sales, children's programs, Ukrainian dance lessons, dances, and countless other activities.

On October 1, 1975 building the new church edifice began.

On May 22, 1977 Bishop Jaroslav Gabro dedicated the church.

Among the things that attracted a great deal of attention was the large rock near the ramp leading up to the entrance of the church. It is a piece of the Canadian Shield that found its way to the site where the new church was built. It was retrieved by the contractors during excavation of the foundation. The pastor saved it and had it placed in its present position after construction was completed in 1976.

In 1984 — a hand-carved iconostasis, designed in the Byzantine-Ukrainian tradition by Borys Makarenko, was installed in the church.

The interior of the new church next to the original one.

The Altar Rosary Society (ARS) has been a vital part of this parish. For fifty years this group of women promoted various Ukrainian cultural activities. Social events were also provided, bringing the varied groups together in a social atmosphere.

When the church was erected, The Altar Rosary Society covered the cost of the installation of the marble floor and apsidial wall. They also sponsored the royal throne, the altars, and the tabernacle. Additionally they provided and maintained the altar linens and many of the vestments

The Altar Rosary Society sponsored fashion shows, bake sales, yearly pascha sale, turkey raffles, bazaars, white-elephant sales, family picnics. Additionally, the members staffed the kitchen, and equipped the church hall kitchen for dinners, picnics, carnivals, breakfasts and other activities.

The main dome of the church depicting Christ on the dome representing him.

St. Joseph Church Choir was established in August 1956.

For one and a half years, the choir was trained and directed by Father Shary. Julian Pozniak, a qualified and trained cantor and experienced choir director, remained the sole director and cantor for St. Joseph’s until his retirement. Jaroslav Stefaniuk, with Julian Pozniak's guidance, became choir director and cantor, until his death in March, 2006.

Each Sunday the choir sang Divine Liturgy, caroled at Christmas time, and sang at various functions and events throughout the year, not only for the Ukrainian community, but at numerous events throughout the city, from many Roman Catholic parishes to the Museum of Science and Industry.

St. Joseph’s choir joined with St. Nicholas Cathedral Slavuta choir to become known as the Metropolitan Andrej Sheptytsky Choir of Chicago. The choir recorded an album of a newly commissioned composition of the Divine Liturgy, by Andrij Hnatyshyn. One of the most momentous performances by the choir was for the visit of Pope John Paul II in Grant Park, in 1979.

The successful week long ACRES OF FUN Festivals, and the Friday night BINGOs. They along with the PYROHY sales were by far the largest financial supporters of the parish, due in large part to the efforts of many volunteers who were recruited from the entire parish.

Many of the young parishioners were in the STS. CYRIL and METHODIOUS Youth Group, were altar servers, or belonged to both. They actively participated in the life of the parish, volunteering and helping at events, as well as participating in liturgical services. They volunteered in soup kitchens, participated in retreats and organized city wide youth nights.

Priests over the years

St. Joseph Parish is noted for being assigned pastors when they were in their twenties. The first pastor was Fr. Joseph Shary (after whom the parish is named, along with St. Josaphat in Munster, Indiana).

Pastors

• +Rev. Joseph Shary 1956-1982
• Msgr. William Bilinsky 1982-1983
• Rev. Andriy Chirovsky 1983-1985
• Rev. Mykhajlo Kuzma 1985-1987
• Msgr. William Bilinsky 1987-1995
• +Rev. Pavlo Hayda 1995-2007
• Rev. Mykola Buryadnyk 2008-Present

Current priests

Fr. Mykola Buryadnyk, Pastor.

Rev. Mykola Buryadnyk - Pastor

Mykola Buryadnyk was born November 28, 1977 to +Ivan and Olha Buryadnyk, in the village of Lybokhora, which is located in the Lviv region of Ukraine. Mykola grew up with his younger brother Ivan, in the village of Modrychi, where their father served as a priest.

Mykola attended the Pedagogical Lyceum, and upon completion in 1995, entered the Lviv Theological Academy and Holy Spirit Seminary. During his studies, he visited the United States on two occasions, once in 1999 and again in 2000, both times as a participant of a student internship program.

The year 2000 brought both sorrow and joy to the Buryadnyk family. In the summer Fr. Ivan Buryadnyk died tragically. That same year, Mykola married Oksana Spylchak and was ordained as a deacon. By the summer of 2002, then Deacon Mykola his Master of Divinity degree from the Lviv Theological Academy, and was ordained a priest by Bishop Yulian Woronowskyj, in Holy Trinity Cathedral in Drohobych, Ukraine.

Mykola and his wife, along with his mother and brother, moved to Chicago in 2002, where he was appointed to serve at Sts. Volodymyr and Olha Parish, by Bishop Michael Wiwchar. Since 2002, he has also worked as a part-time chaplain at Resurrection Medical Center. In April 2004, Mykola and Oksana, had a child, Ivasyk.

On January 1, 2008, Fr. Mykola was appointed the seventh pastor of St. Joseph the Betrothed parish in Chicago. Since his appointment, he has actively encouraged the formation and growth of the Vyshyvanka dance group, Boyovyj Hopak (Ukrainian martial arts), and Theater group "Homin".

Very Rev. Canon Thomas Glynn - Associate Pastor

Fr. Thomas "Tom" Glynn

Thomas Glynn was born July 12, 1932 to Tom and Pauline Glynn. He grew up with his brother Jack and many other relatives from Ireland on the south side of Chicago. After attending St. Basil's Grade School and St. Vincent Preparatory College in Cape Girardeau, MO., young Tom enrolled at DePaul University where he completed a Bachelor's Degree in Philosophy and Education. His love for education drew him to a career in teaching. While teaching at a boarding school on the northwest side of Chicago, Fr. Tom meet Fr. Shary, then pastor of St. Joseph Parish. It was through his friendship with Fr. Shary that Fr. Tom learned and felt a calling to join the priesthood in the Ukrainian Catholic Church.

Fr. Tom entered Catholic University and St. Josaphat Seminary in Washington DC, in 1960. On March 29, 1964, Fr. Tom became the first priest ordained to the newly established St. Nicholas Eparchy by the first Bishop Jaroslaw Gabro. After his ordination, he remained at St. Nicholas Parish until 1967.

For a brief period between 1967 and 1970 Fr. Tom served at St. John the Baptist in Detroit. He then returned to Chicago until 1977. From 1977 to 1984, Fr. Tom had the opportunity to serve the communities in the western part of the eparchy, at the parishes of St. John and St. Demetrius in Belfield, North Dakota.

In 1984 Fr. Tom moved back to Detroit where he earned a Master's Degree in Chemical Dependency. He was also completed Certification as Social Worker. Fr. Tom stayed in Detroit until 1989 serving the communities of St. John the Baptist and Our Lady of Perpetual Help while working as Spiritual Counselor at Sacred Heart Rehabilitation Center.

On June 1, 1989, Fr. Tom returned to Chicago to serve at St. Joseph Parish. He was bestowed the title of Canon by Bishop Michael Wiwchar in 1998, on the 34th anniversary of his ordination.

Rev. Volodymyr Kushnir

Fr. Volodymyr was ordained to the priesthood in October 2009. He is married to Oksana (Mendiuk), and they have a daughter Olya, who was born in 2004. He was assigned to St. Joseph parish, as associate, in 2010.

Rev. Pavlo Hayda

Fr. Pavlo Hayda (1964-2007).

Pavlo Denys Hayda was born in Battle Creek, Michigan on October 22, 1964 to Roma and Ihor Hayda. He grew up with three older siblings, Borys, Marko and Roman.

In his youth, Fr. Pavlo was an active member in the Ukrainian community as a member of the Ukrainian scouting organization Plast. Fr. Pavlo finished grade school and Fairfield College Preparatory School in Easton, Connecticut. In 1982 Fr. Pavlo spent the summer in Harvard, studying Ukrainian language and preparing for his college studies. Initially having the desire to study engineering, Fr. Pavlo felt a vocation to enter the priesthood, following in the footsteps of forebears who were priests, going back over four hundred years.

In 1982 Fr. Pavlo entered St. Basil's College Seminary in Stamford, Connecticut where he completed his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philosophy. Shortly after completing his studies at St. Basil's, in May 1986, Fr. Pavlo entered the St. Sophia Seminary for Priestly Formation and began his Master’s Studies at Catholic Theological Union in Hyde Park. Before completing his Masters Degree in Divinity in 1991, Fr. Pavlo would take an active part in many aspects of the Ukrainian community, specifically church community. He taught religion at the Saturday School of Ukrainian Studies "Ridna Shkola", actively worked on the committee commemorating the Millennium of Ukrainian Christianity and Ukrainian Youth for Christ Conventions, as well as sang in many choirs. It was through his work at Sts. Volodymyr and Olha Parish that he met his wife Christine. The couple married in May 1991.

St. George's Cathedral, Lviv

Without a free church in Ukraine, there was great difficulty for a married man to get ordained. After a brief visit with Archbishop Volodymyr Sterniuk in Chicago, Fr. Pavlo and his wife accepted an invitation to live and work in Ukraine. Fr. Pavlo and his wife traveled to Lviv, Ukraine, in February 1992. By the grace of God and the hand of Patriarch Myroslav Ivan Lubachivsky, Pavlo Denys Hayda was ordained to the holy priesthood in St. George's Cathedral on March 29, 1992. Ordination at St. George's Cathedral is not only significant for Fr. Pavlo because it is the seat of the worldwide Ukrainian Catholic Church, but also because his grandfather Jaroslav Kniahynyckyj was also ordained in St. George's Cathedral 65 years earlier by the hand of Andrej Sheptytskyj. Within days of his ordination, Fr. Pavlo was assigned to his first parish. St. Paraskevia in Kalynivka, Ukraine. This assignment was brief, for shortly before the birth of their first son Julian, Fr. Pavlo returned to Chicago. In October 1992 Fr. Pavlo was assigned to his second parish, that of St. Josaphat in Munster, Indiana, where he served the community of approximately 150 families for nearly three years.

By July 1995, change was again in the air. The day after the baptism of their second son Zachary, Fr. Pavlo and his family moved to St. Joseph Parish on the northwest side of Chicago. It is here in 2004 that the birth of twins, Elias and Dymytrij, occurred. His service at St. Joseph Parish have been very active, in particular with the re-activation of the Sts. Cyril and Methodius Youth Group the completion of the interior painting of the church and the re-painting of the domes. In addition to parish work, Fr. Pavlo has continued to work within the St. Nicholas Eparchy and community. He has worked actively to organize Eparchial Conferences, clergy retreats and has held the position of Presbyteral Council member and Consultor to the bishop. Fr. Pavlo also dedicated his Saturday mornings to teaching religion at St. Joseph Ridna Shkola.

Funeral Services for Fr. Pavlo

On September 4, 2007 Fr. Pavlo was riding his bicycle eastbound in the 1900 block of East Oakton Street in Des Plaines, Illinois from dropping off his car to be repaired. At about 11 a.m. he collided with an SUV as it was exiting the driveway of an apartment complex. Fr. Pavlo Hayda was pronounced dead at 12:27 p.m. at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois

On September 7, 2007 Fr. Pavlo's body lay in state under the main dome of the Church; an estimated 4,000 people are said to have filed past his casket in that day. That night a traditional funeral Parastas was held with various dignitaries and international guests as well as an Honor Guard from The Ukrainian American Veterans, the Knights of Columbus, and Ukrainian Scouting Organization, Plast. On September 8, 2007 Divine Liturgy and Funeral were served. Fr. Pavlo was then interred at St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery with military and scouting honors. Notably, a New Orleans jazz band played a traditional jazz dirge during a procession to the cemetery in the same fashion as that of a jazz funeral.

Gallery

• 

  View from the Choir Loft

• 

  St. Paraskevia Chapel Located behind the Apse of the main church

• 

  Ceiling of the church from the altar showing the dome

• 

  Iconostasis detail depicting the Theotokos.

• 

  Thirteen domes representing the twelve Disciples and Christ Pantocrator

External links

• Official website
• Photo slideshow of St. Joseph Church, Christmas 2009
• [1]
• Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saint Nicholas of Chicago
• List of the 10 most unique churches in the world