Three Significant Anniversaries Celebrated at the Ukrainian Catholic Parish in Geelong
On Sunday, 18 October, the Parish of the Protection of the Mother of God in Geelong celebrated its patronal feast and three significant anniversaries in its history: the 60th anniversary of the consecration of the church, the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Brotherhood, and the 40th anniversary of the blessing of the bell tower. Parishioners, members of the Ukrainian community and guests gathered at the church to give thanks to God for the parish’s long history.
The celebrations began with a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy presided over by His Eminence Mykola Cardinal Bychok, Eparch of Melbourne. Concelebrating with him were Fr. Myroslav Vons, Parish Administrator in Geelong; Fr. Andriy Mykytyuk, Syncellus for the Laity and Administrator of the Cathedral Parish in Melbourne; and Fr. Zenon Racki, Administrator of the Parish of Saints Volodymyr and Olha in Adelaide. Deacons from Melbourne and Ardeer also assisted at the Liturgy.
In his homily, Cardinal Mykola emphasised that the three anniversaries being celebrated by the parish this year were, above all, an opportunity to thank God for all those who had helped build and shape the parish community over the decades: “These are more than just a few anniversary dates. Behind each of them are people, families, prayers, hard work, sacrifices, struggles, joys and hopes. They represent several generations of people who, at different times, came to this church to have their children baptised, to be married, to go to Confession, to receive Holy Communion, to bid farewell to their loved ones and to pray together. It was here that they found comfort in times of trial, support in moments of sorrow and joy in sharing their faith with one another. And so today, we are doing more than simply remembering the past. We are giving thanks to God for His faithfulness, for His presence in the life of our parish and for all those through whom He has worked and continues to fulfil His will.”
Reflecting on the Gospel Parable of the Sower, the Cardinal compared the history of the parish to a seed that had borne fruit through the faith, dedication and sacrifices of many people. He paid particular attention to those whose service had often gone unnoticed: “Seventy years is an entire human lifetime. Over these decades, many men and women have served their parish. They were not always in the spotlight. Often, their work went unnoticed. They organised events, offered their help, cleaned, raised funds, supported the priests, cared for the beauty of the church and attended to the needs of others. Yet it is through such small acts that the great life of the Church is built. This also reminds us of the seed in today’s Gospel. A seed is small, almost insignificant. But when it falls on good soil, it can bear abundant fruit. Perhaps much of what the members of the Brotherhood did seventy, fifty or thirty years ago seemed small and unimportant at the time. Yet today we can see the fruits of their efforts. And so today, we give thanks to God for everyone and everything.”
Cardinal Mykola also encouraged parishioners not only to look back on the past with gratitude, but to reflect on the legacy they would leave to future generations: “Today, we stand at the crossroads of generations. Behind us lie 70 years since the founding of the parish brotherhood, 60 years since the consecration of the church, and 40 years since the consecration of our bell tower. Ahead of us lies the future. The question today is not only what we have received from previous generations, but also what we will pass on to the generations to come. Will we pass on only the church building, or will we also pass on a living faith? Will we pass on only our traditions, or will we also pass on a love for Christ? Will we pass on merely memories of the past, or will we give future generations a present and a future in which they, too, can encounter God?”
At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, Fr. Myroslav thanked Cardinal Mykola, the clergy, parishioners and guests for joining together in prayer. He also expressed his gratitude to all those whose hard work and sacrifices over the years had sustained the life of the parish.
The celebrations continued with a festive luncheon, where parishioners and guests had the opportunity to spend time together, recall significant moments in the parish’s history and share in the joy of the occasion.
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