The Value and Importance of UCWLC – Part One
This is my speech delivered at 32nd UCWLC National Congress in Edmonton, July 7th, 2010. However, I have outlined my ideas in more depth.
To understand the value and importance of our organization, we need to go back to the initial stages of the first Ukrainian immigrants’ arrival and settlement in the Western Prairies of Canada. Throughout the long history of the Ukrainian immigrant settlement, there was also a long and harsh history of non acceptance and rejection of Ukrainians in Canada.
As new Canadian citizens, the Ukrainian settlers faced oppression at many levels: the Ukrainian language was rejected and mocked, and employers discriminated against and frequently exhibited out-right racism towards the Ukrainian settlers. There are many of us who still remember the enactment of many types of prejudice on Ukrainians and the sustainment of these prejudices for many years.
I personally experienced discrimination during my high school and college days. When I finished my course at the College, the Dean called me into his office and said, “Lena you have done very well, however, you will never get a job with your name [my name was Tychkowsky].” I asked him how he would change it, and he said, “just retain the 3 last letters, ‘sky.’ Had I taken his advice, I would have begun my professional life as ‘Lena Sky.’
What I want to point out here is that the settlers were able to deal with the many struggles they faced through the Grace of God. In particular, the Ukrainian Catholic Brotherhood of Canada was formed at that time to deal with the many and varied problems affecting the rank and file of early Ukrainian Canadians in Canada. It was organizations such as Ukrainian Catholic Brotherhood, the UCWLC and, in particular, the Ukrainian Canadian Congress that magnificently assisted the early Ukrainian settlers in living in Canada and aided in the slow process of having these settlers become respected as full-fledged citizens of Canada.
The past 66 years of the UCWLC proves that we have what it takes not only just to survive but also to accomplish a great deal. We are supported by our parish priests and bishops. We often hear our Ukrainian bishops say that the UCWLC has been a pillar of spiritual and financial support for the Church. As UCWLC members, we all are encouraged when we read the greetings from our bishops in our national congress books. The bishops acknowledge that the UCWLC has made significant and lasting contributions to the preservation, growth and expression of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in each of our five eparchies.
Our glorious past is now recorded in history. Today, our organization, with a history of over 65 years, needs to adjust to the new challenges in our ever changing modern world.