University’s ‘U.S. Spring Tour’ Well Worth the Jaunt from Lviv
Stops to D.C., Florida & Philly Realize ‘Outpouring of Generosity’ for Ukrainian Catholic University
By Matthew A. Rarey
Special to The Ukrainian Weekly --- April 28, 2008
Fr. Borys Gudziak, rector of UCU, discussing Ukraine's secular crisis with author George Weigel: the keynote event at the Washington fundraiser hosted by UCU supporter John Hewko
NOW SAFELY BACK in Lviv, a delegation from the Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU) just completed a successful spring tour of the East Coast, spreading the good news about the only Catholic institution of higher learning in the former Soviet Union . Led by UCU's rector, the Rev. Dr. Borys Gudziak, the delegation visited old friends and reached out to new supporters, speaking at fundraisers in major metropolitan areas hosted by local committees and private benefactors with the support of area clergy.
The tour, which ended in Florida , kicked-off with two events in the nation's capital.
On Thursday, March 27, long-time local supporters of UCU gathered at an Italian restaurant for a timely update about the university. Following the benediction by Fr. Taras Lonchyna of Holy Trinity Church in Silver Spring , MD , Father Gudziak related the exciting new developments at UCU, thanking those present for their continuing support. The most prominent developments include:
● The newly instituted Ukrainian government's commitment-from President Yushchenko on down-to helping UCU achieve its academic and construction goals. For example, the new education minister, Ivan Vakarchuk, led the fight to recognize theology as a legitimate academic discipline at UCU, the only school in Ukraine to offer degrees in theology to laymen. And he calls UCU an integral member of his "personal think tank," applauding UCU's commitment to reforming the country's Soviet-style, cookie-cutter system of higher education.
This system, said Father Gudziak, "limits the innate potential that God has given to tens of thousands of students and intellectuals."
● The imminent groundbreaking of UCU's new, additional campus in Lviv, an ambitious project which has won the infectious enthusiasm of many supporters, including Pope Benedict XVI: His Holiness donated 100,000 euros from the gift money he received on his 80th birthday.
These developments would be elaborated upon throughout the tour. But the next event in Washington was a unique stop in the tour because it introduced UCU to a crowd mainly non-Ukrainian by heritage.
Held at the home of attorney John Hewko, a benefactor and former member of UCU's Senate (i.e., board of directors), the event was attended by prominent members of Washington 's political, educational, and cultural elite, with an especially strong turnout by members of the Roman Catholic community.
William Miller was one of the nearly fifty guests. He already was familiar with UCU, however, having served as U.S. ambassador to Ukraine from 1993-98. "It's a beacon of hope, accomplishing extraordinary work in Ukraine," he said. And his description would be elaborated upon as the evening progressed.
The evening's feature presentation was a discussion about the threat of secularism in Ukraine, held between Father Gudziak and best-selling Catholic author and commentator, George Weigel. (Mr. Weigel also serves on the Advisory Council of the Ukrainian Catholic Education Foundation, the Chicago-based non-profit organization which fundraises on behalf of UCU and facilitated the spring tour.) Both men talked at length about this particular challenge and how UCU is addressing it.
"UCU is a small school with a large and clear vision, providing a model for humane and Christian education in a country ravaged by Communism," declared Mr. Weigel. "Despite the threat that Western secular materialism poses to Ukraine's social, political, and religious life, however, Ukraine is very fertile soil [for an ongoing religious rebirth] that will yield a very rich harvest thanks in large part to UCU."
Father Gudziak elaborated upon Mr. Weigel's diagnosis of the secular threat.
“Secularism is a negation of the sacredness of life and the sanctity of freedom,” he noted. Through UCU’s educational and social-outreach programs, however, “we are offering reasons for hope.”
Both men answered audience questions late into the night.
From Washington, the tour headed north to Philadelphia. As in previous years, the luncheon fundraiser hosted on Sunday, March 30, by the Philadelphia Friends of UCU generated vital support for the university from the over 150 people in attendance.
Taras Lewyckyj, chairman of the host committee, and Ihor Shust, co-chairman, served as the masters of ceremony. These two leaders in the community devoted countless hours to ensuring the success of the event, and they were not disappointed.
As with all the stops along the tour, the luncheon began in prayer. The Most Reverend John Bura, auxiliary bishop of the Archeparchy of Philadelphia, gave thanks to God for guiding UCU and inspiring the generosity of so many. He and the succeeding speakers noted UCU's important role in the life of Ukraine. After suffering so long under Communism-a period during which the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church was banned by the Soviets-they described how UCU has become one of the leading academic institutions in the country, profoundly impacting the new generation of Ukrainians.
As proof, the audience heard from several UCU graduates who have embarked upon academic careers.
Fr. Andriy Mykhaleiko was the first UCU graduate to earn both a Ph.D. (from the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt in Germany) and be ordained to the priesthood. Today he teaches in UCU's theological faculty and serves as chief of staff in the rector's office.
Speaking in Ukrainian, he explained how UCU "aims at changing the idea of higher education in Ukraine. [We] present young scholars with the opportunity for further growth and development [by] creating the best conditions for self-fulfillment."
Like other UCU graduates who accompanied the tour, Father Mykhaleiko eagerly returned to his alma mater because he considers it a labor of love. "Many people who both study and work here perceive the university as their vocation," he said before thanking all the UCU benefactors present for supporting the institution with prayers and donations.
And he had excellent reasons for thanks this year. The luncheon raised over $130,000 in donations, including a $75,000 grant from the St. Sophia Religious Association of Ukrainian Catholics. On behalf of the Society, Dr. Leonid Rudnytzky presented Father Gudziak with the grant for UCU to conduct programs at the Institute of St. Clement, UCU's Rome campus, which was founded by Patriarch Josyf Slipyj in the 1960s.
In the spirit of giving, the Ukrainian Catholic Education Foundation (UCEF) awarded a gift of its own. An academic scholarship was presented to Natalia Zayshla, a teenaged student nominated by her principal at the local St. Basil Academy. Miss Zayshla accepted a scholarship to UCU's School of Ukrainian Language and Culture this summer. This six-week-long program helps young people of Ukrainian descent gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of their ancestral roots.
The pinnacle of the event was Father Gudziak's address, which is worth quoting at length:
"We are working hard to make sure there are future leaders [in Ukraine]. We really have to believe that we [speaking of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church] are not a second-class Church, nor Ukraine a cursed political project. We have all the potential that every other person and nation created in the image and likeness of God has. And in the end, that is the goal of [UCU]: to renew the sense of dignity in every Ukrainian ... a sense of joy, an atmosphere of peace. We can't command it, we can't engineer it, because, first of all, those things are graces, they are God-given. Second, we are small. ... There are 1,000 students at UCU. ... However, we can witness to ... the truth of Christ, to the values of honest academic inquiry, scholarly excellence, sacrificial service, joyful interaction. And then, what happens is what happens with the mustard seed. It's small, but then it flowers into a big tree."
Father Gudziak concluded with thanksgiving for the prayers and donations, and also a challenge: "Come and visit UCU. It's a good story, it's for real, and it's something you're helping to create."
This same inspiring message about UCU's unique role in Ukraine was repeated later in the week to smaller, yet equally enthusiastic gatherings of supporters in St. Petersburg and North Port, Florida. By the end of the first week in April, the UCU delegation had returned to Lviv to finish out the spring semester. This fall another delegation will return to the United States, with visits to Ukrainian-American communities already scheduled for New York City, Chicago, the Cleveland area, and Detroit.
In the meantime, the Ukrainian Catholic Education Foundation continues to work stateside, informing Americans about the academic and financial needs of the Ukrainian Catholic University .
Working closely with individuals and communities through the United States, the UCEF raises about half of UCU's annual operating budget of approximately $2 million. One of the effects of this assistance is to keep tuition low, allowing students to obtain a first-rate education they otherwise might not be able to afford. And the UCEF is operating at an outstanding level of efficiency. According to the American Institute of Philanthropy (www.charitywatch.org), a charity should spend at least 60% on programs and 40% on overhead. Of every dollar the UCEF raises, more than 84 cents goes to programs, ranking the UCEF among the most efficient and effective charities in the nation.
The UCEF strives to remain efficient while growing to meet the needs of UCU. John Kurey, president of the UCEF, has remarked that the organization's goal is to increase its efficiency, earning $10 for every $1 spent on fundraising. In an allusion to Jesus Christ's Parable of the Talents, Mr. Kurey believes that "if the UCEF has a choice between saving $10, or spending $10 in order to earn $100, there is no choice. We must spend the $10 and earn $100, because the needs are so great, and God wants us to use our gifts as best as possible to advance His work on earth."
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