Melbourne Eparchy Celebrates 45 Years of St. Volodymyr’s in Wollongong
On Sunday, August 4, Bishop Mykola Bychok, Eparch of Melbourne, presided over the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy on the occasion of the church feast and the 45th anniversary of the consecration of St. Volodymyr’s Church in Wollongong, New South Wales.
This was reported by the press service of the Melbourne Eparchy.
During the Divine Liturgy, Bishop Mykola was co-celebrated by Fr. Simon Ckuj, Protosynkellos of the Melbourne Eparchy and Administrator of St Andrew’s Parish in Sydney, and Deacon Vitalii Leheta.
In his homily, Bishop Mykola reflected on the Gospel passage, emphasising the importance of forgiveness in spiritual life. He stressed that, without forgiveness, there is no true way forward. Just as we receive forgiveness from the Lord, we must also be able to forgive our neighbours, as we ask in the Lord’s Prayer. The bishop noted that in the Gospel, we see God as both a just judge and a merciful father who forgives us for our sins.
The preacher also noted the importance of God’s church, as this year marks the 45th anniversary of the consecration of St. Volodymyr’s Church. “This church has become an island of God’s grace, love, hope, and closeness of our faithful to their Creator, but also the closeness of our faithful to their Ukrainian people,” the bishop stressed. Bishop Mykola expressed his gratitude to all those who contributed to the construction of the church, to the priests who served and continue to serve in it, and to those who have already passed away.
The joint prayer ended with a loud singing of the spiritual anthem of Ukraine, “God the Great, the One”. Afterwards, the faithful from Wollongong and guests from the neighbouring area, including parishioners of St. Andrew’s Church in Sydney, continued the celebration with a festive lunch.
During the lunch, many sincere words of congratulations were expressed by parishioners and guests. A representative of the parish council of St. Volodymyr’s Church spoke about the history of the church and its role in the life of the community. The attendees had the opportunity to view photographs depicting the history of the church, its construction, and the ministry within it.
Father Simon Ckuj, who provides pastoral care at St. Volodymyr’s, shared his memories of more than 20 years of service at the church. He mentioned the pioneers who built the church and worked on its beauty, sharing their faith and good deeds.
In conclusion, Bishop Mykola shared his impressions of his recent visit to Ukraine, telling the audience, in particular, about visiting the de-occupied territories and meeting with people who suffer from the war every day.
UGCC Department for Information
