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The 2014 Archieparchial Sobor was held on Saturday, October 25, 2014 in the Cathedral Social Hall, 827 North Franklin Street, Philadelphia. Attending from our parish: Melanie Fedynyshyn, Michael Lawrence, Joan Zaleski, Deacon Paul Makar and Fr. Ivan . Our parishioner Helen Cheloc also attended on behalf of a Financial Office of the Archdiocese. Thank you for attending and representing our our congregation at the Sobor.

Assumption Parish received an award of excellence from the Royal Garden Club by the Bay for beautifying the City of Perth Amboy, NJ. Thank you for acknowledging the efforts of our parishioners to make the house of God an appealing place to worship and serve the Lord . But as much as the grounds and buildings are beautiful, even more beautiful is our parish family. We have a wonderful sense of community and a faithful sense of commitment to do God's work in the world. We invite you to join us each week in our Weekend Services!

by Mrs. Bernstein’s Terrific Third Grade The Terrific.
Third started backed to school with an art project that was anything but ordinary! A glyph is defined as a symbolic figure or picture. Students were tasked to create individual glyphs using symbols that represented answers to a set of questions. The questions included: How many children are in your family? What is your favorite subject? What is your favorite free time activity? How many pets do you have? Once the glyphs were completed each one was framed. Next, the students became super sleuths as they tried to discover the glyph’s true identity!

The Terrific Third Class of 2020 started the year by creating newspaper articles about themselves. With five new students to ACS, the articles gave students the opportunity to share with their classmates and build community.

Slava Isusu Christu! Glory to Jesus Christ!

The Philadelphia Archeparchy has produced a new DVD entitled "Why I Come to Church." It very simply and vividly expresses the thoughts and views of many different people as to the importance and value in their life of coming to Church. It invites people to think about their own reasons to come to church.
 
Watch DVD on YouTube  
http://youtu.be/zR7e-6M4Chs
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Watch DVD on Vimeo
http://vimeo.com/106418994
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Metropolitan-Archbishop Stefan Soroka has implemented this evangelization initiative in the Philadelphia Archeparchy "to bring greater vibrancy to the expression of our faith in our parishes."

In commenting on the importance of this evangelization initiative, Metropolitan Stefan stated, "All of our parishes have experienced the loss of good souls over the past decades for many reasons, most of which are unknown to us.  You and I share a mission to give special and renewed vigor to searching for those who have found themselves lost or at a distance from our Church for whatever reason. . . . We hope this DVD will become an instrument for those who have been lost to reflect on the importance of coming to Church and thereby inviting them to return."

He continued, "I ask all of our faithful to become missionaries in actively distributing this DVD to their family members, neighbors and friends.  I am hopeful that this will stir the hearts of some to consider returning home to their parish."

This DVD is available on the various social media sites: Archeparchy Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Vimeo and Instagram.  The faithful are also encouraged to seek out these sites and to share the DVD electronically with all of their internet contacts.…

On Sunday, August 31, 2014 , Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Perth Amboy, NJ and the Ukrainian Women’s Association (135 Dept.) sponsored a special day for children dedicated for "Peace and Security in Ukraine through the eyes of children". Our youngest parishioners wrote letters for peace and draw heartbreaking pictures to support Ukrainian soldiers who are fighting separatists in eastern Ukraine. All drawings and letters will be sent to the war zone in Ukraine to specific military units. Thank you to all children for not growing indifferent.

Many thanks to all who responded to the Clothing Drive for the families of deceased and living Ukrainian soldiers. Over 2000 lbs. of items,  including  new and gently used men’s, women’s, children's clothing, shoes, socks, boots, first aid supplies and toy were sent to Ukraine to help the families of deceased and living Ukrainian soldiers and  those who fled their homes. Special thanks to our volunteers  for compiling the clothing into over 50 large packages. Please continue to pray for peace in Ukraine!

On Saturday, August 23, 2014 over 100 persons of Ukrainian descent together with many others gathered at the Perth Amboy, New Jersey City Hall to raise the blue and yellow flag of Ukraine in acknowledgement, commemoration, and celebration of the 23rd anniversary of the Independence of Ukraine. Many of the attendees were dressed in the traditional and colorfully embroidered Ukrainian blouses, shirts, and dresses.
 
Mr. Michael Szpyhulsky, Principal of Assumption Catholic School in Perth Amboy, served as master of ceremonies. The opening prayer and remarks were offered by Reverend Ivan Turyk, Pastor of Assumption Ukrainian Catholic Church in Perth Amboy. He recalled the long time suffering that Ukrainians have endured at the hands of others, including religious persecution and the lack of human rights. Father Turyk asked those in attendance to continue to pray for peace and to reach out to American governmental representatives to do more in supporting the Ukrainian nation in its independence and in its continued quest for a free and open democracy. The Assumption Church Choir “Boyan” followed his words with the singing of “God Bless America”. New Jersey State Senator Sam Thompson of the 12th District addressed the people.
 
Other speakers were Mr. Oleksiy Budukevych, Manager of the Perth Amboy branch of the Ukrainian National Federal Credit Union, and Mr. Alexander Gologovski, a naturalized US citizen who travels to his homeland several times each month to deliver aid to families that have suffered under horrendous conditions resulting from the conflict with mercenary rebel forces in Eastern Ukraine. He also supports activities to prevent human rights violations.  Mrs. Melanie Fedynyshyn, president of St. Ann Society of Assumption Church, was keynote speaker. She reviewed the contributions that Ukrainian immigrants and Ukrainian Americans have made to the United States of America as well as to the city of Perth Amboy.
 
Mayor Wilda Diaz read and presented a proclamation to Reverend Turyk. A group of children dressed in traditional Ukrainian costumes offered a Ukrainian flag to be raised and flown on the City Hall Circle flag pole. Choir “Boyan” sang the Ukrainian national anthem. As the ceremony concluded the crowd sang “Bozhe Velyky Yedyny”, the spiritual anthem of Ukraine, which asks for God’s help in troubled times.

written by Mrs. Melanie Fedynyshyn.
 

We Americans of Ukrainian ancestry together with native born Ukrainians join with residents of Perth Amboy and the surrounding communities to acknowledge, commemorate, and celebrate the independence of Ukraine—the land of our heritage.
 
Ukraine has long known the cost that freedom demands. As a nation whose very name implies “borderland”, we have heard the sound of the boots of invading armies. We have known manipulation by empire builders, treachery from false allies, and loss due to war and artificial famine. As a result, our people have developed a fierce desire for self-determination, personal God-given liberties, and equal justice. This aspiration for independence has prevented us from falling away.
 
 The fact remains that Ukraine has its own language, its own history, and its own culture—Ukraine is a nation. Many have tried to rewrite our history, even now, almost hoping to dissolve us or make us into a people whose history is written with invisible ink —and we can never let that happen.
 

The land of our fathers is the second largest country in Europe, and with a population of over 46- million, it lies roughly between Poland and Russia, yet many Americans could not find it on a map. Some would say that they love the colorful costumes, dancing, food, music, and the rich Ukrainian traditions, especially during the Christmas and Easter Holidays. When asked about what they know about the country of Ukraine, some might say that Ukraine is known as “Breadbasket of Europe,” but very few would know that in the early 1930’s, between 6-million and 9-million Ukrainian men, women, and children were deliberately starved to death by order of the Communist dictator, Joseph Stalin. He was determined to “teach a lesson through famine” and liquidate the backbone of Ukrainian nation. There on the rich black earth that could yield such agricultural abundance, Stalin’s soldiers were directed to sweep through villages and confiscate hidden grain and eventually any and all food in the homes of Ukrainian farmers. At the height of the famine in 1932, it is estimated that they died at the rate of 30,000 a day while Stalin continued to export millions of tons of Ukrainian grain to other nations, including the U.S. Those who perished in the Great Famine, or Holodomor as we call it, died the slow and demoralizing death by hunger inflicted by the Soviet government— a directive that has been all but ignored by history books.
 
A decade later, millions of Ukrainians suffered incredible hardships and death in the German slave labor camps of World War II. After the war, those who could find sponsors came to this country to start new lives, learn and speak the American language, and build churches and schools for their children and grandchildren. They all had stories, incredible stories of survival and hope, and a belief and love for these great United States. They knew the cost that freedom demands and they came to become Ukrainian Americans.
 
But history knows that Ukrainian Americans have long known the cost that freedom demands, for the archives show that they fought in the war for America’s independence.  General George Washington’s register lists the names of Mykola Bizun, Ivan Lator, Petro Rolyn, and Stepan Zubley, among others. Likewise, Ukrainian immigrants served in the Union Army during the American Civil War, while their sons and daughters served in World War I. The Second World War saw thousands of Ukrainian Americans serve in the armed forces, and many from our own Perth Amboy served bravely, were injured, some captured, and some gave their lives. My late father in law, Army corporal John Fedynyshyn, took part in the invasion at Normandy. Although he survived the carnage of Omaha Beach, he was captured by the Germans and taken as a prisoner of war to one of their camps where he remained for the duration. He knew the cost that freedom demands. He went on to enjoy a full life and later became a lieutenant in the Perth Amboy Police Department.. My uncle, my father’s only brother, Navy Lt. Peter Slahetka, served on the mine sweeper USS Montegomery, where he was killed in the South Pacific. He knew the cost that freedom demands. Another Ukrainian American and son of Perth Amboy, my cousin, Army Lieutenant Stephan Kosmyna was a recipient of the Silver Star as well as having received a battlefield commission for bravery under fire. A plaque to commemorate his accomplishments hangs in the Perth Amboy High School Hall of Fame together with others of Ukrainian ancestry. These are just three that have personal significance for me but there are many others whose stories can be told. And let us not forget that Perth Amboy’s Rudyk Park, on State Street, was named for the first Ukrainian American to give his life in World War II, Army PFC Stanley Rudyk. All these men, as well as the men and women who served In Korea, Viet Nam, Iraq, and Afghanistan, as well as those who served in peace time have known the cost that freedom demands.
 
Ukrainian Americans have long loved and served the city of Perth Amboy, in the fields of law enforcement, education, medicine, chemistry, pharmacy, history— the list goes on. There is now even a bank, the Ukrainian National Federal Credit Union, standing proudly at the intersection of Amboy and Hall Avenues. A short distance away, beginning with our church on Alta Vista Place, our people have built an entire block in this city, driven by our desire to worship God, to assemble our people, and to educate our children. Our Assumption Catholic Church, rectory, school, and convent— all lovingly maintained with a sense of love and civic pride— contribute to what is good, unique, and beautiful about this city.
 
 From the first wave of Ukrainian immigration in the early 1900’s until today, we members of the Perth Amboy community with Ukrainian heritage have known how precious freedom is. As we stand today, near a replica of America’s own liberty bell, we raise  the standard of blue and yellow to fly next to the red, white and blue. May they both fly as symbols of virtuous patriotism, God -given personal rights, and equal justice. May the memory of the blood that was shed for America’s freedom and the blood that continues to be shed for Ukraine’s independence keep us ever mindful of the cost that freedom demands.…

A flag raising ceremony and a short program on the occasion of the 23rd Anniversary of Ukraine’s Independence will be held on Saturday, August 23, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. at City Hall Circle at 260 High St. The raising of Ukraine's flag will take place to show our support for the Ukrainian nation, that is committed to peace, democracy, sovereignty and national unity.  This event is open to the public. ALL are welcome! Organizers: Assumption Ukrainian Catholic Church and the Ukrainian National Federal Credit Union in Perth Amboy, NJ. Come and be counted!

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