ST. ATHANASIUS PARISH – REGINA

50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

{submitted by Marie Brigidear and Father Basil Malowany}

{photos by Marie Brigidear}

Rt. Rev. Mitrat Rudolph Luzney

Rt. Rev. Mitrat  Luzney

On October 8 & 9 2016, St. Athanasius church celebrated its 50th Anniversary. Back in 1966, under the direction of Rt. Rev. Mitrat Luzney, St. Athanasius became the second Ukrainian Catholic parish in Regina.

For our 50th Anniversary, the parish centre (Msgr. Luzney Hall) was very elegantly decorated to greet our many former and present parishioners and guests.

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Adeline, Robert Wuschenny with Angela Malowany

On Saturday October 8, the first evening of our celebration, music played in the background, while the Hosts and Hostess greeted each guest with a drink and a piece of bread. In the hall there were displays of events that happened in the parish for each decade.

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 Ted Dusyk, First Parish Counil President

The display of the first decade of the parish (1966 – 1975) consisted of a replica of the Church complex. This was build By Ted Dusyk, the first president of the parish. Ted proudly explained how he made the model and where he obtained the pieces he needed for the dome and trees around the display model.

Greetings and a short history of the parish was given. Opening grace was a song by Bishop Bryan Bayda, C.Ss.R. Following a lovely meal, a tribute to Rt. Rev. Mitrat Luzney, was given by Myron Herasymuik, the first chairman of the building committee when the church was built.

 

The celebration continued on Sunday, October 9 with  Pontifical Divine Liturgy was celebrated with the current parish priest Fr. Basil Malowany and former parish priest Fr. Walter Kostiuk, con-celebrating with Bishop Bryan Bayda, C.Ss.R., with parish greetings and presentations to Bishop Bayda.

 

An anniversary brunch followed this Divine Liturgy with congratulatory greetings and toasts offered by those present along with socializing and well wishes from all present for the continued success of St. Athanasius Parish.