www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Eparchial & Parish Events Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Dearborn, MI

I have the sad news to report that Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Dearborn, Michigan, is closing it's doors forever. This morning, His Grace Bishop Daniel celebrated Divine Liturgy with the Rector, Fr. Andrew Rogers; Fr. Paul Bodnarchuk of Holy Protection Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral; and myself as concelebrants.

Tomorrow, His Grace will do the very last liturgy with Fr. Andrew. One hopes the few reamaing faithful will find another spiritual home. The church simply couldn't continue with it's dwindling membership.

Fr.Thomas Loya said to me 10 years ago at a conference that if the Byzantine Catholic Church in America (he was speaking particularly about the Ruthenians) do not learn to evangelize, our church will be gone in 50 years.

This is very sad, but this is what happens when the Gospel becomes an ethnic possession rather than the joyous truth that all should hear. There is a reason that heretical Evangelical assemblies grow like weeds. The pastors tell their people that Jesus expects them to go out and get people "saved" and if they don't, the blood of those people will be on their hands at the Judgment. I know this, been there and done that as a former Evangelical.

We have the most beautiful Liturgy in the world. Why would anyone want to throw a rug over it and pretend it isn't worth sharing, even with those who are not of the same ethnic origins. Being Irish didn't mean a thing to me once I saw the Eastern Liturgy!

Here, the Liturgy WAS all in English. Fr. Andrew doesn't even speak Ukrainian. Here, even most of the old timers are English speakers. I suppose besides the usual reasons, another factor is the whole area around the church has been taken over by our non-alcohol drinking friends.
BTW, I studied the Irish language with a local lady originaly from Ireland. She was quite familiar with the Eastern Church, she and her husband had been married by a Ukrainian Catholic priest.

What I meant, dear Father, is not that the parish all spoke Ukrainian, but that there was the unspoken idea that only Ukrainians would be interested in the Liturgy.

As for the local and nearby Bible thumpers (I assume that is what you meant when you referred to "non-alcohol drinkers)

what a mission field!!!

Actually, for the locals, Arabic would have been useful for missionary work.Dearborn probably has the largest Arabic-speaking population in the New World.

Oh!

THOSE non-alcohol drinkers. Yeah, I forgot about the Islamization of Dearborn.

At least many are Chaldean, Assyrian, Maronite, and Syriac.. and have built a few Eastern Churches in the neighborhood, albeit not of the Byzantine variety.

May the memory of Holy Trinity be eternal and may the faithful of the parish be guided by the Lord in finding other parishes at which to continue their spiritual life.

For the record, I have a history of Holy Trinity of Dearborn as part of an overall collection of 1700 Orthodox and Greek Catholic parish histories.

I believe it may have a Greek Catholic parish at one time.They just celebrated 75 years, but the congregation appears to have been organised in 1924.

Just an update, after Bishop Daniel removed many of the Holy Objects from the Altar of Holy Trinity Church for use elsewhere, my deacon was able to rescue the seven branch candlestand from behind the Altar, plus two banners, a procession cross, and some other small items. The building's new owner, a Muslim, was willing to let him take them. The banners, one of which depicts St.Olga, my late wife's patron, and the candlestand, are now behind the Altar at Holy Ascension Serbian Orthodox Church in Ecorse, Michigan, where I have been serving the past six years. So I like to think that a part of Holy Trinity lives on at Holy Ascension Serbian Orthodox Church!

Bless Father Al!

How sad and yet how sobering.

May the Holy Spirit inspire us all to live the kind of life of prayer and communion with God which He wishes us to live for the building up of the Body of Christ!

Kissing your right hand, I again implore your blessing,

Zhiveli!

Alex

Perhaps the parishioners of Holy Trinity should have been holding a John 3:16 sign in front of the Mosque down the street on Friday's.

The eastern rite Catholic Churches in the USA are almost dead. Only Christ can save them from extinction. At this point, it doesn't look like Christ is interested in performing that miracle.

Dear Ray,

I really wish you would change your post above and refer to EC's as not wishing to pray to God in earnest to preserve their churches.

How do you know Christ isn't interested in performing this miracle?

Just because God doesn't do what we want, when we want it, doesn't mean HE doesn't want it.

Unless, of course, you have some sort of direct line go Heaven.

In that case, I defer . . .

Alex