Meath Park church of the Assumption of the B.V.M. constructed 1958-1959; R.M.490.

JANOW CORNERS-MEATH PARK — The church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the second church of the parish.

The first church was constructed in 1917 four miles south of Meath Park. Construction was initiated by Ivan Semchuk, Ivan Suchorab, Ivan Krawec and Roman Malovsky; once the logs were at the site and hewing of the beams was begun, they were joined by Dmytro Billay, Luts Krip, Ivan Tycholiz and others. Thus, the church was constructed and two years later, in 1919, the interior was plastered. The first Divine Liturgy in the church was celebrated by Rev. J. Fylyma (Prop. Knyha). Presently the parishioners maintain this church as a historical site in remembrance of the pioneer days of the parish and continue to utilize the parish cemetery nearby.

The second church was constructed between 1958 and 1959 on a two acre site in Meath Park. Bishop Andrew Roborecki blessed the foundation of the church on August 31, 1958 and the cornerstone on September 10, 1960. In 1958, Rev. W. Kostiuk celebrated the first Divine Liturgy in the uncompleted church structure.

The wood constructed rectangular church, 70 x 30 feet, stands on a high concrete basement and has a shingled gable roof and three front towers apexed by small cupolas. The central larger cupola contains a bell donated to the parish by the CPR. Entries at the base of the two side towers lead to the church basement which serves as a parish hall with kitchen facilities. The exterior of the church is finished with narrow wood siding. The interior has donnacona finishing and contains a sanctuary with the main altar and two adjoining sacristies, the nave with two small side altars, a vestibule and a choir loft. The two oil on canvas icons at the side altars, the Holy Mother of God with the Christ Child and Christ the Teacher, are the art work of Theodore Baran. Wooden pews in the nave provide seating for approx. 150 persons. The church has a wooden floor covered with linoleum and carpeted at the central aisle and sanctuary, a high angulated ceiling, electricity and central oil heating.

Construction costs totalled $20,000 and were covered by the generous donations and voluntary labour of the parishioners under the foremanship of Joseph Dembrowsky. Peter and Harry Lysak donated the two acre site while all details of the church construction were under the auspices of the parish executive and construction committee; the parish executive consisted of Rev. Walter Kostiuk, pastor, Wasyi Ewanchyna, Wolodymyr Wozny and Roman Brunwald; the construction committee consisted of Roman Romanchuk, Michael Ty-choliz, John Hawryluk and Stephan Lashta.

Ukrainian settlers began to arrive in 1907 and were predominantly from the Sokal, Borshchiv, Radekhiv and Ternopil counties. The first to arrive were: Roman Krawec, Dmytro Semchyk, Voytko Suchorab, Ivan Krayetsky, Dmytro Billay and Pylyp Korolischuk. They lived in mud and straw huts, used oxen to pull their plows and cleared the land of forests. The first Divine Liturgy in the community was celebrated at the local school by Rev. Peter Pasichnyk. From the earliest beginnings of the parish the women were united in the Women’s Church Auxiliary and made substantial contributions in the construction of both churches. The acquisition of all the necessary items for holy services is particularly attributed to Eva Suchorab and Olena Krip. In 1941 the parish consisted of 30 members (Prop. Knyha), in 1961, 40 families, in 1967, 35 members and in 1975 the parish registered 28 families and 3 single members (questionnaire). The parish in 1967 was under the directorship of Rev. John Worona, pastor, William Billay, Walter Krawchuk, Michael Tycholiz and James Billay.

The Ukrainian Catholic parish of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Meath Park is under the pastoral charge of Prince Albert.