A local church is celebrating a big milestone. Our Lady of Perpetual Help Ukrainian Catholic Church in Lackawanna held a special 100th anniversary Divine Liturgy on Sunday.
The church welcomed Bishop Paul Chomnycky, a prominent hierarch of the Ukrainian Catholic Church who traveled to Western New York from Stamford, Conn., for the celebration.
Chomnycky highlighted the importance of being in Lackawanna for the event.
"It's 100 years, which is a big milestone in the life of a parish," he said. "It's important that the leader of the church would come and help the people to, first of all, remember the past, the founders and the benefactors and those who sustained the church during the past 100 years to celebrate today.
"And also to help them to look towards the future, because 100 years is ... we don't know how long this parish is going to be here. Hopefully, it will be for a long time."
During the liturgy before a standing-room-only audience, the bishop shared the importance of having churches like Our Lady of Perpetual Help because they serve the needs of all people, including refugees who come to America for greater opportunity, but also provide something more than just tangible needs.
"We have to look after our physical needs first," he said. "We have to have a roof over our heads. We have to have food to fill our stomachs. We have to have a job, work that fulfills us both physically and spiritually, but above and beyond everything else, there is this need for God.
"Especially our people that came from Ukraine, they were always very faithful people."
The history of the first Ukrainian refugees in the area dates back over 100 years, following World War I. Other significant waves came following World War II and the fall of the Soviet Union.
"Unfortunately, with the war in Ukraine, there has been an influx of refugees and those who have been trying to escape the Russian invasion of Ukraine," Chomnycky said. "So they've all kind of added to our community here."
The bishop added that the Eastern Catholic Church is not only a place for those of Ukrainian descent, but it has made efforts to be more welcoming to all people while maintaining tradition over the years.
"For many years we were sort of an insular church that you had to show proof of your Ukrainian identity, your Ukrainian roots," he said. "But I think as a Church of Christ, our doors are open to everyone."
A representative from Senator April Baskin's office was in attendance Sunday to help recognize and honor the church’s major milestone.
