On Sunday, November 16, 2003, the Color Corps participated in a celebration of 80 years of service to our Lord, Jesus Christ by Saint Michele’s Ukrainian Catholic Church in Cherry Hill, and the dedication and blessing of a Mohyla commemorating the 70^th anniversary of the famine-genocide in Ukraine.

Archbishop Stefan Soroka, the Ukrainian Catholic Metropolitan of the United States of America, led the services. Other dignitaries present were Bishop Walter Paska, John Adler, State Senator, and Marylyn Kalitan, Cherry Hill Councilwoman.

A TRAGEDY NOT TO BE FORGOTTEN

This year Ukrainians commemorate the 70^th anniversary of the man-made Famine-Genocide in Ukraine. Over 7 million Ukrainians, men women, and children, starved to death, and this occurred in a region of fertile black earth, a region known as the “breadbasket of Europe”

The Soviet government, under Stalin, seized the private farms and equipment of Ukrainians to carry out a forced collectivization and industrialization program. All foodstuffs and harvested grain were confiscated. Resistance meant exile, starvation, and death!

As we commemorate the 70^th anniversary of this Great Famine in Ukraine, we pray that this tragedy will not be forgotten nor ever repeated.

TO ALL OF THE PARISHIONERS OF SAINT MICHAEL’S MAY GOD GRANT YOU MANY HAPPY AND BLESSED YEARS!

MNOHAYA LITA!

If you have any questions about the Ukrainian Catholic Church, you can e-mail their pastor, the Very Reverend Protopresbyter John N. Ciurpita – Pastor Dean of Philadelphia at Stmikech@aol.com. Or the Metropolitan Archeparchy of Philadelphia, Ukrainian Catholic at ukrmet@catholic.org