Exaltation of the Holy Cross finally opens its doors

After 30 years of faith and hard work, the Ukrainian Catholic parish has a church

- Photo supplied This multi-hued stained glass window adorns the new Holy Cross Church.

By RAMON GONZALEZ
WCR Staff Writer
Edmonton

Exaltation of the Holy Cross Ukrainian Catholic Parish finally has a proper place of worship for its 282 registered families.

The new 12,000 square foot facility, completed 28 years after the parish was established, is an impressive contemporary landmark that features a 450-seat worship space, a large choir loft and balcony, a crying room, a traditional Byzantine icon wall and stained glass windows.

It is said its traditional Western Ukrainian design and signature roofline will create a cultural and spiritual landmark for the area.

The former church building - a multipurpose facility that parishioners had been using as a church for the past 19 years - was incorporated within the new facility and redesigned as a 415-person banquet hall complete with dance floor plus community meeting rooms and a kitchen.

Motiuk blesses

Edmonton Bishop David Motiuk blessed the new church at 9003-153 Ave. on Sept. 15. About 800 people, including Premier Ed Stelmach and Mayor Stephen Mandel, attended the blessing.

More than 500 people showed up the following day to mark the parish feast day - the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

"The (opening) day was very successful," said Father Greg Faryna, the pastor for the past four months.

- Photo supplied A traditional Byzantine icon wall captures the church's spiritual heritage.

"It was a very special day because parishioners have been working so hard for (nearly) 30 years to build a proper church and it's finally done."

Construction of the new facility began in May 2006 under Father Don Bodnar and was completed this month at a cost of $2.7 million.

Fundraising

About $900,000 has been raised in the last three-and-a-half years through direct contributions, pledges, sponsorships, perogy suppers, special events featuring dinners and silent auctions, raffles, 50/50 draws and garage sales.

The Knights of Columbus is helping to raise the remainder.

"It's incredible the amount of work, the fundraising, that has been done by the parishioners," Faryna said.

"There has been a lot of dedication by a lot of people here."

Holy Cross began as a parish without a home some 28 years ago, but the dream was always to have a church.

Parishioners worshipped in various facilities, including the chapel of Newman Theological College and Dickinsfield Junior High School, before they built the multipurpose hall in 1988.

But the facility, which could only seat up to 300 people, was not practical. If there was a wedding, the parish could only host the church service or the reception - not both because the facility was too small.

Now the wedding ceremony can be held in the church and then the reception take place at the hall next door.

Multi-purpose facility

Attached to the hall are a new Sunday school room, a new boardroom and a drop-in centre for seniors and youth.

"If anything (the new church) helps legitimize the community," Faryna said. "They have been working so hard as a parish for such a long time now to have a church proper to come and worship in."

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