Former Prime Minister Campbell on Ukraine

Ethics, enterprise, and equity - these are words I  would like to hear more often when discussing the future of Ukraine.  Possibly the most important of them would be ethics - the ethics of a free and democratic state building a bright and prosperous future for all its citizens. 

Thankfully, the Ukrainian Canadian community has communicated long and well with our elected officials, and besides concerning themselves with the wellbeing of Canadians, many of these gracious individuals are doing more than simply listening intently.  In fact, besides the Observer Mission to monitor the upcoming Parliamentary Elections in Ukraine on October 28th, Canadian officials from Prime Minister Harper, to Former Alberta Premier Stelmach, to Former Prime Minister Campbell are advocating for Ukraine's democratic freedoms.

http://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukraine/former-canadian-premier-free-trade-area-with-eu-better-for-ukraine-than-customs-union-with-russia-314752.html

Sviato Pokrova 2012

Today, October 14, is a festive day for Ukrainians everywhere.  Whether you are involved in church life, or a patriot, this is the Day of Ukrainian Cossacks.  Like many things in the Ukrainian life, today has many layers of complexity. 

Today is Pokrova, the day recognizing the act of intercession of the Theotokos, the Blessed Virgin Mary, over the people of the Blachernae church in Constantinpole.  According to Eastern Orthodox Sacred Tradition, in the tenth century on this day, St. Andrew the Blessed Fool for Christ, rose for prayers, and at four in the morning, he saw the dome of the Blachernae church open and the Virgin Mary enter, moving in the air above him, surrounded by the Holy Angels and Saints. She knelt and prayed with tears for all the faithful. St. Andrew and his disciple St. Epiphanius saw it, and the people were amazed.

In the same spirit, the Virgin Mary has appeared in various sites in Ukraine, and over the centuries has become the protector of Ukraine. 

Pokrova is also tied to the Ukrainian Insurgent Army UPA and has indeed become a day recognizing the struggle for national liberation.  But complexity its is by-line. 
Of course, history is all dependent upon who writes the words.  As I have recently read in the book Bloodlands by Timothy Snyder, people don't frequently have many choices during war, and during the course of Ukraine's last century (and for many before it seems) the people have been vulnerably between a rock and a hard place.  Difficult to choose options when you have none, and yet somehow the world goes on. 

The Ukrainian political movements of the 1920's and 1930's were fighting foreign and domestic enemies.  The organization mentioned above was formed to protect the people from repression and exploitation by the various "ruling bodies", and drive to the goal of an independent, free and unified state.  Extremely difficult circumstances dictated the acceptance of violence as an acceptable tool.  Hindsight is 20/20, and historians can interpret the strategic errors those in the trenches were too busy to sort out. 

Тарас Петрененко Україна
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bF-hynOwRA&feature=share

Warrior heritage of Ukrainian Cossacks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7rqdQ7dgCM&feature=share

 

http://ukrainiancalgary.blogspot.ca/2012/10/giving-thanks_7.htmlFor Ukraine, for its diaspora, for Ukrainians everywhere, on this October 14th, whether you like red borsch, green or white, greetings on this day of Pokrova!  (The photo is from Edmonton's Borsch Fest 2012 - wish I 'd had the chance to attend!

http://ukrainiancalgary.blogspot.ca/2012/07/borshch-fest-ukrainian-male-chorus.html






 

Charity Golf Tournament UOCC Red Deer

Last summer I started taking golf lessons.  Spent some time with a pro and actually enjoyed myself.  Then spent some time with the family, just hitting a bucket of balls.  For a workaholic like me the idea seemed so frivolous.  Actually, I have poor eye hand coordination, but it is becoming a necessary part of social life these days.  So, I am off to the golf course again very soon. I hope to get good enough to not embarrass myself at the tournament in August - the fundraiser tournament for the Red Deer Ukrainian Orthodox Church. 

Maybe you can join the group for this worthy cause!  If spending time with a good group of people is a blessing, then share this blessing with the mission minded Ukrainian Orthodox Church leaders in Red Deer.  They are hoping to gather funds for the building of their new church in Red Deer. 

Fundraising Golf Tournament in Calgary on August 11, 2012

Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Mission Parish of Red Deer is hosting a charity golf tournament in Calgary on August 11, 2012 to help raise funds for their church building. The tournament is at Silverwing Links Golf Course, at 3434 48 Avenue, NE • Calgary, AB and tournament will begin at 1:30 pm. Registration opens at 12:30. The fee is $150.00 and includes 18 holes of golf, a wonderful steak dinner, and a cart rental. Dinner only tickets are $50.00. Please contact Dobr. Julie Chrapko at 403-453-5407 or orthodoxrd@gmail.com for a registration form or if you have any questions. Registration closes July 28 or when the tournament is full.

Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Mission was organized in 1999, and since its inception has been served by five pastors - priests from the UOCC, including Father Sawchenko, Father Powalinsky, Father Pozdyk, Father Bilous, and Father Chrapko. The long held dream of having their own Ukrainian Orthodox church in central Alberta is slowly coming to fruition.  The mission parish is growing steadily and meets for Liturgy and other pastoral activities at the Parkland Funeral Home in Red Deer on two Sundays a month.  Once a month the members gather for Vespers and Catechism Lessons.   

Dobrodijka Julie Chrapko was pleased to share this information with all of you.  She hopes you will participate in this venture and, on behalf of the Red Deer UOCC mission, thanks everyone for their prayers and support!