Remember this moment as we stand before Protection of the Mother of God Pokrova Ukrainian Catholic Church. It is more than just a building. It is a testament to faith and community.
Protection of the Mother of God Pokrova Ukrainian Catholic Church has a unique history. It began as St. Pius X Ukrainian Catholic Church in 1957. The name changed in 1988. This coincided with the celebration of 1000 years of Christianity in Ukraine.
Protection of the Mother of God Pokrova Ukrainian Catholic Church serves many. It ministers to Ukrainian Catholics in Texas. It also reaches those in Louisiana, New Mexico, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. The church falls under the jurisdiction of the Saint Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Diocese in Chicago. Bishop Richard Stephen Seminack leads this diocese. His leadership extends to Ukrainian Catholics west of the Mississippi plus Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.
In the United States, Archbishop Borys Gudziak is the head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church. He is based in Philadelphia. Sviatoslav Shevchuk leads the worldwide Ukrainian Catholic Church from Kyiv, Ukraine.
Rev Dr Dmytro Blazejowskyj was once a pastor here. He was a church historian. He co-founded the Saints Cyril and Methodius Slavic Heritage Day Festival. Rev. Mykola Dovzhuk is the current pastor. He and the parishioners invite everyone to join them. They celebrate the Divine Liturgy each Sunday at 10 am.
Protection of the Mother of God Pokrova Ukrainian Catholic Church is an Eastern Rite Catholic Church. Its traditions come from Greece not Rome. Byzantine is the word used to describe it. This is like how Roman describes Western Rite Catholics. The Catholic Church has about seventeen rites. Each offers a worship style for a group of Catholics.
The parishioners of Protection of the Mother of God Pokrova Ukrainian Catholic Church trace their roots to Ukraine. Ukraine is in Eastern Europe. It sits on the Black Sea’s northern shores. It is between Poland and Russia. Ukraine became independent in 1991. This happened after the Soviet Union fell. Ukrainians have their own language, culture, and history.
Inside Protection of the Mother of God Pokrova Ukrainian Catholic Church, you will find no statues. Instead, there are icons. Icon means image in Greek. Icons are flat paintings. They depict Jesus Christ, Mary, feast days, and saints. Icons follow traditional standards and are symbolic. They show a world changed by God.
The iconostas is a screen with icons. It sits in front of the altar. It reminds people that the altar area is holy. The icons unite worshippers with God. The central doors show the four evangelists.
The Divine Liturgy is what they call Mass here. Holy Communion uses both bread and wine. It is given with a spoon. Visitors who receive Communion at their home parish can do so here. Attending the Divine Liturgy fulfills the Sunday obligation. Catholics are welcome to experience many Eastern Rites. Catholic means universal. The variety of Rites shows this universality.
So, remember Protection of the Mother of God Pokrova Ukrainian Catholic Church. It is a beacon of faith. It is a home for Ukrainian Catholics. It is a welcoming place for all.