www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Prayer Father Pavlo Hayda

I was able to attend Fr. Pavlo's funeral. He is a friend of mine. The church was definitely overflowing, even the choir loft was filled. It was a visual tribute to the number of lives he touched through his short ministry. I know he did mine. Fr. Shyan, a good friend of his, flew in from Australia with soil from there to throw into his grave. The Choir sounded as though angels themselves has come to sing for him. He looked so at peace and so happy. There were no visible signs of the tragedy he suffered. It was difficult to watch his beloved wife, Christine say good bye and even harder to witness his children saying good bye. He brought so many people closer to their church, closer by understanding all the wonderful meanings of our faith. He worked to help young people understand the Greek Catholic church, why we differ from the Romans and why we should embrace that which we were born into. It truly is sad that we lost such a young priest who still had so much to offer. A man who was able to reach out to young people when they were turning away and bring them back.
Now my prayers are turned to the Theotokos, that she may comfort his family and give them the strength they need to carry on without Fr. Pavlo. I also pray to her that she guide his sons to continue in his footsteps.
Vichnaya Pam'yat!

Does the Ukrainian Church have a plan to help the widow and family or are they just left to fend for themselves?

CDL

I really don't have the answer to your question because Ukrainian married priests in Amercia have only recently come to be. Fr. Pavlo was very young, 42, and his is the first death amoung the married priests that I know of. I do know that the Self Reliance Federal Credit Union has established an education fund for the boys. As I find out more information, I would be happy to keep you informed.

Thanks so much for the update. Unfortunately I couldn't get anyone to cover down here and was unable to attend. Very pleased Fr. Mychailo (Szyan) was able to come - he was deacon at V&O for many years. It is wonderful that Samopomich set up the educational fund. I pray all will be generous to support Pani Dobrodivka and the children.

Він був Людиною з Великої літери!

Він не перетворював церкву в організацію, а, натомість, створював у ній атмосферу домашнього затишку...

Він щиро радів кожному з нас, парафіян, вітаючи широкою посмішкою і закликаючи приходити частіше, щоб разом прославляти і оспівувати Боже Ім�я...

Він був нашим прикладом для наслідування як священник, як сім'янин, як друг, як вчитель, як особистість, як Господня дитина...

Його зірка не згасла! Вона палахкотить і сьогодні у серцях багатьох!

Ми певні, що, Господь, наш справедливий суддя, не просто забере о. Павла до себе, а прийме його в свої гарячі обійми.

З любов'ю, скорботою та щирими молитвами...

Парафіяни церкви Св.Йосипа,

Марія та Ігор Назар

I am in shock to this day...
He was the reason we all were going to St. Joseph's. So kind, wise, always with the smile...

My little poem...

Хто був для нaс Павло Гайда...
Для тiла-чистая вода,
Для сердця-теплий промiнь сонця,
Дух Украiни у чужий сторонцi.
Вiн був, и е i завжди буде
До Бога шлях шукати людям.....

В молитвах людских вiн воскрес
И усмiхается з небес...

(Перепрошую, не маю всiх украiньских букв)

Оленка

I knew Father Pavlo and attended his funeral. There were many happy occasions where he served our family sacramentally.

It certainly was shocking to hear of this accident and five from our family were able to attend the funeral liturgy and burial.

It will be very hard for this family in the future, not only monetarily, but emotionally. Any one who can help with prayers, letters and donations to the Hayda Education Fund at Self Reliance Credit Union would be blessed by God, I am sure.

Father Pavlo was a great teacher, as well as a wonderful priest. Even in his death, I believe he was still teaching us - Not one of us lives forever; always be prepared for we don't know what the time of our deaths will be.

I would like to share our family's personal experience at the funeral which in the midst of our tears brought us comfort:

As the liturgy proceeded, my mother noticed at a certain point that the sunlight began to steam in and light up the face of Father Pavlo. She nudged me to look, and it was what I would call amazing: the sun, which although it was a bright sunny day, did not usually shine into the church proper, since most windows are stained glass and the high upper windows in the dome area usually don't allow the sun to fall to the ground level. But now, AT THE TIME OF THE CONSECRATION PRAYERS, the sun was shining fully on Father Pavlo's face, and remained there until the final prayers of the consecration, lighting his face with brightness. In my mother's words, she felt he was almost smiling at that time. Following this time, there at no other time any sunlight shining upon Father Pavlo for the rest of the funeral liturgy and eulogies.

What I took from this (the lesson taught and learned): this, the consecration, was the center of this priest's life, and it should be the center of our too. And my mother and family and myself take great joy from this one last lesson that Father Pavlo gave to us all!

May God hold Father Pavlo in eternal memory!

This is still such a tragedy to me and I did not know him at all. And a grief and loss not only to his wife and children and entire family, but to the Church as a whole. Why was he taken when we so desperately need priests like him? One day we'll hopefully find out why. Eternal memory!