Orest N Lawryniw

Timmins Times

After the last few years of turmoil, it is time to break the silence and let the general public become aware of the history and plight of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Timmins. In the 1940s Ukrainians, along with other ethnic peoples, were settling in the Porcupine Camp. Many had left their homeland because of Communist oppression and war, to come to Canada to search for a better life for themselves and their families. The Ukrainian community grew and needed a place of worship. These proud pioneers banded together and decided to build a Church, a meeting place, and a place of worship. Most of these pioneers toiled in various prosperous mines in the area, and, after putting in a full shift of work, went to the site of the Church and put in the equivalent of another day’s work helping to pour a foundation, and start the construction of the first Ukrainian Church in Northern Ontario. After the foundation was poured, benches and tables were built for the church hall. All the work was donated labour, as was much of the material for the Church. In the late 1940s the first mass was celebrated in what is now the Church hall of St George’s Ukrainian Catholic on Cedar Street South in Timmins. From the start the Church was self-sufficient, not relying on any money from the Eparchy of Toronto. Fundraising was conducted in various forms. Bingos were held in the Church hall as well as monthly bazaars, penny sales, raffles, weekly picnics, concerts, along with the sale of perogies and cabbage rolls which to this day are still a sought after item.

In the early 1950s the congregation celebrated its first mass in the new Church, built on the foundation laid by our Ukrainian pioneers.In the last few years the Church has gone through changes and turmoil, loss of parishioners, but not the loss of its identity or self-sufficiency.

Through their enterprising ways the congregation was able to still keep the Church self-sufficient. Although now few in number, they still were able to hold their heads high and proudly say "This is OUR Church."

Also, over the last few years there has been a change in the leadership of the Church by the installation of a new bishop in Toronto. With these changes came undue sadness and pain for the remaining Ukrainian community in Timmins.

The few families remaining used every means possible to sustain the Church, and they did it admirably. Unfortunately for them, the Bishop of the diocese decided to "abandon" his flock of parishioners in Timmins. Church property used as a weekly picnic gathering place not only for Ukrainians, but for anyone who wanted to attend, was sold.

Property valued at well over $150,000 was sold for $27,500 without consultation of the parishioners. Only after the sale did the parishioners find out about the fate of the property. Angry and disappointed they contacted the Eparchy in Toronto in writing and by phone over the course of many months. All correspondence and phone calls were unanswered. They felt ignored, and cheated by their Church leaders. Soon word came that the Church was on the real estate market. Again parishioners were not consulted or advised of the actions being taken by their Church leaders. Only in seeing the Church in real estate listings did they realize "Their" beloved Church was being sold. All requests for accounting were ignored. All the hard work of the Ukrainian community had come down to everything being taken away from them. This is their reward. This is the current state of the Ukrainian Church in Timmins. This is what the Ukrainian Eparchy has done to its people who not only built, but supported and worked for the Church. This is a sad day for Ukrainians, not only in Timmins and surrounding area, but everywhere. What can be done? The Ukrainian community is at its wits end. Legal and personal opinions vary.

Is this the sad end of the Ukrainian Church in Timmins? Is this the reward our pioneer mothers and fathers are expected to accept? Unfortunately there is no answer. The church should be declared a historical or heritage site being it was the first Ukrainian Church in Northern Ontario. It is rich in history and culture, and all this will be lost if something is not done soon.

The unique icons and paintings in the Church will be lost forever. We as Ukrainians ask you the reader, you the person who attended our Church functions such as bazaars, penny sales, bingos and concerts, you the person who enjoyed Ukrainian culture to help us in our cause.

Give us ideas, give us strength, give us support, but above all, give us HOPE and help us save our Church before it is too late.