ST. MICHAEL PARISH IN WOONSOCKET, RHODE ISLAND ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF SERVICE
The parish of St. Michael the Archangel in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, celebrated a century of existence on October 26, 2008, with a Pontifical Divine Liturgy of Thanksgiving celebrated by His Excellency Bishop Paul Chomnycky, O.S.B.M., the Eparch of Stamford, and a banquet attended by nearly 200 people.
The day almost got off to an ominous start as a powerful storm front passed through Rhode Island the evening just before the celebration. However, St. Michael must have been looking out for his little parish as the skies suddenly cleared up just as the parishioners and their honored guests began showing up for the service. The morning and the rest of the autumnal day turned out to be clear, cool and crisp with bright blue skies and bright orange, red and yellow trees.
The storm left one symbolic reminder of the parish’s difficult past: over the church’s front door, a banner announcing the centennial celebration was hanging by just one corner. Given that the parish almost ceased to exist in the 1930s, it was a gentle reminder of troubles long past. However, just like that banner, the parish did not come down, and with a little repair, is doing quite well.
The highlight of the day was the Divine Liturgy. Greeting Bishop Paul with the traditional bread and salt were John Lemieux and John Tkach, trustees of the church, and greeting him with flowers were several children from the parish: Olexandra Klufas, Larissa Klufas, Stefan Minyayluk, Danylo Karkhut and Olexander Komanrynsky.
Assisting Bishop Paul during the Liturgy were Rev. Msgr. Roman Golemba, the pastor of St. Michael’s, Very Rev. Bohdan Danylo, rector of St. Basil’s College, Rev. James Morris, pastor of St. John the Baptist in Salem, Massachusetts, Rev. Ivan Mazuryk, dean of men at St. Basil’s College. Seminarians from St. Basil College sang the responses.
During the Divine Liturgy, Bishop Paul told the parish that it takes time and effort and sacrifice to build a parish and nurture it through the years. He reminded the parish of its history and the struggles endured by those who founded the parish and kept it going during turbulent times. Bishop Paul also reminded the parish that it has served as an example to other parishes in maintaining its Ukrainian Catholic traditions.
Following the Divine Liturgy, it was off to the Coachmen’s Lodge in Bellingham, Massachusetts. Joining the parishioners were Very Rev. Edward Canon Young, pastor of Ss. Peter & Paul in Ludlow, Massachusetts, and the Holy Ghost parish in South Deerfield, Massachusetts; Very Rev. Archpriest Dr. Yaroslav Nalysnyk, Dean of the Boston Deanery, and Pani Imosch Luba Nalysnyk; Rev. James Morris, pastor of St. John the Baptist of Salem, Massachusetts, and Pani Imosch Joy Morris; Rev. Anthony Perkins of St. Michael’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Woonsocket and Pani Matka Tina Perkins; Rev. Edward St-Godard, pastor of the Catholic Church of the Holy Family in Woonsocket; Rev. Gerald F. Finnegan, SJ, pastor of St. Charles Borromeo in Woonsocket; and Rev. Vasily Lickwar, pastor of Dormition Orthodox Church of America, Cumberland, Rhode Island.
Welcoming the guests and introducing the speakers at the dinner celebration was Olga Santos, a life-long parishioner of St. Michael’s. Gift pens for everyone at the dinner were generously donated by Cathy and Paul Lalanne in memory of Joseph and Mary Wasylean. Music was provided by Alexander Chudoij.
The keynote speaker for the day was John Kun, Vice President of the USA-Ukraine Foundation, and a former parishioner at St. Michael’s. In addition to his speech, John brought a special gift for the parish. Back in 1967, the pastor of St. Michael’s at that time, Rev. Joseph Galysh, loaned a book about St. Josaphat to John. In 1989, a fire destroyed the parish rectory and the library it contained. However, John had held on to the book, thus saving it from destruction. Recently, he came across the book again, and brought it with him to the centennial celebration, returning it to the parish.
Another speaker at the banquet was Irene Klufas, who joined the parish over 50 years ago. She remembered when she first joined the parish one had to arrive early in order to get inside the front doors. Mrs. Klufas also reminded her fellow parishioners to thank God for all of His blessings and to pray for His continued assistance in maintaining the parish.
After the speeches and the dinner, many of the parishioners stayed in the hall to catch up with former parishioners who had returned for the celebration. A few bought centennial books that had been published for the occasion, Alexander Chudoij continued to play. Slowly, a few at a time, the parishioners returned to their homes and the wait staff began to clean up, rolling the tablecloths into large linen balls. With the end of the festivities, the work for the next one hundred years of St. Michael’s in Woonsocket began.
Article by Cornel Osadsa
Photographs by Bohdan Komarynsky