On the occasion of the celebrating the prior of the parish fr.Kazimir Guzik OFMCap gave the Governor one of the oldest icon of the Holy Virgin Mary made by the first Christians. In its turn Viktor Bondar presented to the parish the icon of St.Nicholas.
The celebration began in the morning, when the procession marched out from the chapel in Komsomolska st. to the temple in Karl Marx Av. Including the local parishioners there were a lot of guests among the processionaries, who came from different places of the Ukraine. Walking down the central avenue of Dnipropetrovsk, they sang the songs of joy and glorification. Even the ruins of the temple, its destroyed roof and burnt walls couldn’t injure their happiness. Inside of the holy place they could see the figure of Resurrected Christ stood on a huge heap of rubbish, that was left by the previos ”owner”.
Before the worship there was a press conference for journalists of local and regional TV channels and printed sources.
Among the guests there were the first prior of Dnipropetrovsk parish p.Marcin Jankiewicz, who came from Poland on this occasion, the next prior fr.Pawel Tokarz, Vice Provincial minister of the Vice Province of Ukraine and Russia of the Order of Friar Minor Capuchin Blazej Suska, plenty of priests, monks and nuns from different dioceses. Extraordinary and Authorized Ambassador of the Republic of Poland in the Ukraine Jacek Kluczkowski and Consul General the Republic of Poland in Kharkiv Grzegorz Soroczynski also arrived in Dnipropetrovsk to enter in joy of the Roman-Catholics of Dnipropetrovsk.
The actual prior of the parish in Dnipropetrovsk fr.Kazimir Guzik OFMCap appealed to those present with the words of gratitude to God and everyone who were praying for the returning of the holy place in Dnipropetrovsk. He turned attention to the figure of Resurrected Christ who was the sign of God’s victory in hopeless case. After his short speech Auxiliary Bishop of Kyiv-Zhytomyr Stanislav Shyrokoradiuk consecrated the temple, aspersing it and present people with holy water.
The theme of Marian Buchek’s sermon was society relations. He reminded that a man who cut ties with God also severed ties with another one, and as a result it led to injury, disrespect and indifference in society.
Before blessing and ending of the Mass Vice Provincial minister of the Vice Province of Ukraine and Russia of the Order of Friar Minor Capuchin Blazej Suska thanked God for fr.Kazimir, for his devotion and faith. Then Bishop Emerity of Kharkiv-Zaporizhia Stanislaw Padewski and the first prior of Dnipropetrovsk parish p.Marcin Jankiewicz made a short speech.
At the end of the celebration everybody could have an admission.
Today the Roman-Catholic parish of Dnipropetrovsk has closed the chapter on its longstanding struggle for the St.Joseph’s church. This day the Economic Court of Appeal of Dnipropetrovsk has confirmed the proprietary right to the building of the church and has upheld the decision of the Economic Court of Appeal of Dnipropetrovsk d.d. 25.06.2009 about returning of the temple to the Roman-Catholic parish of St.Joseph.
During the court session the judicial disposition was pronounced. On Tuesday the Court will give full text of the decree to both parties, and then the parish will be able to use its proprietary right to the building of the church.
“The judicial process was within the law in the investigation of the case. The proprietary right was adjudged for the parish”, Vasil Shurpinov, the lawyer of the parish, added up the court session.
About 40 persons became the witnesses of the historical decree. Among of them were priests, monks, parishioners and journalists. The court judgment got a big hand. The parishioners offered each other the congratulations on the victory and then prayed near the temple.
Thank everybody, who was praying with us, thank all the journalists, who told about the problem of our church!
The prior br.Kazimir, OFMCap
The day of the 10th August, 2009 seems to be a conclusive day for the Roman-Catholic community of Dnipropetrovsk in the case of the returning of their temple. The sitting of the Economic Court of Appeal of Dnipropetrovsk is expected to be held this day. “Dugsbery, Inc.” doesn’t agree with the decision of the Regional Economic Court of Dnipropetrovsk, which is referring to the fact that the building of the temple is the property of the Roman-Catholic Church.
The sitting takes place on the 10th August at 11 o’clock a.m. in the Economic Court of Appeal of Dnipropetrovsk.
The future of the temple and the moment of its returning depend on the decision of the Economic Court of Appeal of Dnipropetrovsk.
Though the prayer protest lasts day by day without a stop, I ask everyone, who is reading these words, about a particular prayer for the panel of judges to judge rightly and for the attrition of the chief of the “Dugsbery.Inc” form the California, who did ill to our temple.
The prior br. Kazimir, OFMCap
Today it became known that the corporation “Dugsbery, Inc.” registered in California, USA didn’t agreed with the decree of the 19th of February of the Superior Ecomomic Court of the Ukraine, which had annuled the proprietary rights of the company on the building of the Roman-Catholic church in Dnipropetrovsk. It made a complaint to the Supreme Court of the Ukraine. As a result of this the trial was held up.
Love to Christ took to love to the Cross. Hatred to Christ takes to the Cross. If you disregard Jesus, you disregard the Cross. The Cross is a stumbling stone for ones and is a sign of love for others.
The illustration to this historical fact is a situation connected with the case of St.Joseph’s temple in Dnipropetrovsk, which still hasn’t been returned to the believers. From time to time hidden, concealed kingdom of the darkness, hatred and lawlessness showed its terrible face, camouflaged with lie and hypocrisy. Sacrilege, violation, contemptuous attitude to spiritual treasures cause our resolved protest against those ones who are responsible for the feeling of citizens’ safety. Here is some information, which I must give to the communities of the Diocese.
During the rally there was a meeting of a bielivers’ representative with employees of the Embassy. The authority of the USA was informed about oppresssions of the Roman-Catholic community in Dnipropetrovsk. The bielivers also delivered a letter addressed to the President of the USA Barack Obama, in which they asked for support. The letter was signed by over than 2,000 Roman-Catholics of the capital of the Ukraine.
We want to inform with great pain about sacrilege, which was made with the Crucifixion in front of the building of the Roman-Catholic church in Dnipropetrovsk. On the night of the 20th of February, 2009 some unknown persons turned the Cross, that was settled on the place of prayerful meetings. The Cross was outside of the pavement and didn’t stand in passers’-by way. Only spiritually blind people, disposed aggressively to all sacred things, could venture to do such an act, which is considered as an act of vandalism in all societies. That’s why we apprehend it as humiliation of our religious feelings and a sign of disrespect to the Roman-Catholic Church.
The Roman-Catholic parish is going to apply with a official letter to the public prosecutor of Dnipropetrovsk region, to the Administration of home affairs of Dnipropetrovsk and to the Governor with a petition about protection and investigation of those people, who are guilty of sacrilege.
In the evening the believers are going to meet near the Cross fo penitence pray.
The press-service of the parish
At noon the eminents visited the place near the Roman-Catholic temple, where the local Roman-Catholics had gathering for a long time. In the appeal to the parishioners the Ambassador marked that there was an agreement between Poland and the Ukraine about rending the religious communities assistance in access to Churches. The Polish authotities make efforts for support of religious communities on its territory and expect such actions from the part of the Ukraine. After short contacts with the parishioners Mr.Ambassodor and the provost of the parish came to locked door of the temple to pray.
Jacek Kluczkowski left the flowers near the door of the temple in the sign of honour.
The next action in program of the Ambassador’s visit was a meeting with the governor of Dnepropetrovsk region Victor Bondar. The situation of the Roman-Catholic temple in Dnipropetrovsk became the main theme of talks. Jacek Kluczkowski pointed out on the serious economical collaboration between Poland and Dnipropetrovsk region, the high development of trade operations, but at the same time he noticed one of the most difficult matters in the relations – destruction of the Roman-Catholic temple.
I turn to you with a request about gesture of solidarity and prayerful approval to the Roman-Catholic parish in Dnipropetrovsk.
We have trying to return our church building in Dnipropetrovsk for almost fifteen years. Today the Roman-Catholic church is ownership of American company “Dugsbery, Inc.”, registered in California. Its activities relates with the name of ex-prime minister of Ukraine Pavel Lazarenko, who asked for political asylum in America. He was convicted for financial abuse, and now he is under house arrest.
In the summer of 2007 contrary to all the building instructions “Dugsbery, Inc.” began to destroy the arch of the temple. The Roman-Catholic of Dnipropetrovsk and other parishes began the defence of the church.
The direct reason of new tide of the protest actions was a fact that “Dugsbery, Inc.” brougt a suit against our parish, demanding 200 thousand dollars. They say they supposedly incured great losses having no possibilities to reconstruct the building of the Church.
In order to resolve the conflict the Mayor of Dnipropetrovska proposed the American company to take other lots instead of the Roman-Catholic church. But this proposition was not enough to setisfy the expections of “Dugsbery, Inc.”.
From the 25th of January the permanent prayerful protest of parishioners has continuing on the street near the temple. The important moment of our protest is the action of sending letters to Embassy of the USA in different countries in order to draw attention to the activities of the aforementioned Corporation, which touches us painfully and hurt our religious feelings. There will be prayerful meetings in Dnipropetrowsk and in California (USA) near the offices of “Dugsbery, Inc.” and the headquarters of political party “Gromada”, which is headed by P.Lazarenko.
Therefore we apply to You, asking to write a letter to Ambassador of the USA in order to come interested in the activities of the American company, which persecutes the Roman-Catholics in Dnipropetrovsk. We want the Goverment and the society of the USA to defend us from the corporation “Dugsbery, Inc.” and ex-prime minister of Ukraine Pavel Lazarenko, who is connected with that company. The more people will join to the action of solidarity and our prayerful protest and send letters for approval of our parish, the more chances of positive result we will have.
The provost of the Roman-Catholic parish of St.Joseph br.Kazimir
Example of a letter:
Dear Mr. Ambassador!
We send You this letter in solidarity with Ukrainian Roman-Catholics in Dnipropetrovsk persecuted by the American company “Dugsbery, Inc.”.
This corporation is destroying the temple, the monument of architecture of XIX century, and demanding financial indemnity, so they offends the Roman-Catholic community of Dnipropetrovsk and hurt our religious feelings. We ask You to pay attention of becoming American state institutions on the activites of “Dugsbery, Inc.” and to defend us from the American convict, the ex-prime minister of Ukraine Pavel Lazarenko.
Name and surname, home address and signature.
