Immaculate Conception Ukrainian Church & Shrine
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The faithful of St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy in Chicago gathered on a crisp, sunny October
morning to consecrate the newly-built Immaculate Conception Ukrainian Catholic Church and Shrine of
the New Martyrs of Ukraine of the 20 th Century, in Palatine, IL. It was the first time in 44 years that a
new church had been consecrated in the Eparchy.
The much-anticipated day came after 14 months of construction; 15 years of fundraising efforts; and
after many roadblocks and challenges which were only exacerbated by the Covid 19 pandemic.
Fortunately, the parish’s spiritual directors, Pastor Mykhailo Kuzma and Associate Pastor Yaroslav
Mendyuk, provided constant prayer, encouragement, and leadership which kept the entire community
motivated and focused. Even during the hardest moments, the Building Committee lead by Michael
Panko and Financial Officer Lesia Stasiuk, never wavered. The volunteers kept working and
donations—somehow-- kept coming in, many from outside the parish, and many even from non-
Ukrainians. The parish is deeply grateful for the Selfreliance Federal Credit Union and its Foundation; as
well as the Heritage Foundation for their generous donations over the years. Without their financial
help, the project would not have been realized.
The Oct. 10, consecration and subsequent Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Bishop Benedict Aleksiychuk,
along with priests representing all the Ukrainian Catholic parishes in Chicago as well as the Ukrainian
Orthodox parish in Bloomingdale, IL. The event was enriched by the beautiful singing of the Immaculate
Conception Church Choir which was joined by the choir of the American Ukrainian Youth Association
Mykola Pavlushkova Branch in Chicago. One of the highlights of the ceremony was the blessing of a new
altar built by a master craftsman in Lviv. It had arrived from Ukraine only days earlier.
The new church is designed in the style of a traditional Hutzul wooden church. Architect Joseph Mycyk
took his inspiration from the church’s Hutzul bell tower which had been erected more than 30 years
earlier by original founders of the Parish. Mr. Mycyk was able to design the new church around that bell
tower making it one of the focal points of the new design and miraculously without having to move it
from its original spot. This created a beautiful transition between the old church and the new church.
Tragically, Mr. Mycyk succumbed to cancer two months before the blessing of the new church but his
vision, creativity and attention to detail will remain in the church for generations to come.
Beyond the design, the church features accommodations for 200 worshipers in the Nave; a lift and a
ramp for easy access for all; a parish office and conference room; and a large lower basement level for
parish gatherings.
Much work remains as the parish now re-focuses its efforts on paying the mortgage and securing funds
to furnish the interior of the church. In addition, the parish is committed to becoming a true place of
worship for all who seek to know Christ, and as its designation as an Eparchial Shrine, is committed to
spreading the ministry of the New Martyrs of Ukraine of the 20 th Century.
We are very grateful to all who continue to support the church!
God Bless
Expansion and reconstruction of Immaculate Conception Ukrainian Byzantine Catholic Church and Eparchial Shrine in Palatine, IL, has begun! The new Shrine will be dedicated to the Blessed Mother and the 24 Martyrs of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church who were Beatified by Pope John Paul II in 2001. When completed, not only will the new church be better equipped to accommodate the faithful in the northwest suburbs of Chicago but it will be a place where the faithful from the entire St Nicholas Eparchy and all faithful can come to venerate the 24 Ukrainian Catholic Martyrs – bishops, priests, nuns and laypeople-- who were murdered on account of their faith by the Soviets during the 20th Century.
Our new church is scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2020. We are racing to the finish and we need your help!!! We appeal to all in our community and beyond to donate to our building fund. We’ve set a goal of $350,000 for this GoFundMe campaign . We hope to achieve this goal with your help. No amount is too small. You can also help by sharing this information with your friends.
Your donation can be made in honor or in remembrance of a loved one or friend as a lasting legacy. If you desire, you can indicate your prayer intention along with your donation and our priests and congregation will add it to their prayer list. All of our donors are remembered in special prayer intentions at our church
Розбудову і реконструкцію української Греко-Католицької церкви та єпархіального відпустового місця в Палатайн штату Іллінойс розпочато! Нова святиня присвячена Пресвятій Богородиці та 24 Новомученикам Української Греко- Католицької Церкви беатифікованим папою Іваном Павлом ІІ у 2001 році. Після завершення проекту не тільки нова церква буде зведена для забезпечення духовних потреб вірян північно- західних передмість Чікаго, але це буде місце де вірні всієї єпархії і з поза її меж зможуть прибути щоб поклонитися і вшанувати пам`ять 24 Українським Католицьким Новомученикам- єпископам, священикам, монахиням і мирянам, замученим за віру радянською владою у ХХ столітті.
Завершення будови нової церкви очікується навесні 2020 р. Ми прагнемо до цієї мети і просимо вашої допомоги.
Звертаємося до всіх людей нашої громади і з поза неї з проханням скласти вашу пожертву на парафіяльний будівельний фонд.
Наша ціль зібрати $350,000 через кампанію GoFundMe, щоб покрити частину витрат що постали перед нами. Надіємось досягнути цієї мети з вашою допомогою. Навіть найменша пожертва не буде замалою. Рівнож можете нам допомогти поділившись цією інформацією зі своїми друзями і поширивши її на своїй сторінці у Facebook.
Пожертви можна складати в шану своїх покійних родичів чи друзів, щоб увіковічнити пам`ять про них, або якщо бажаєте, надішліть зі своєю офірою особливе намірення про молитву і наші священики і вірні додадуть його до парафіяльної книги намірень молитов за наших жертводавців.
morning to consecrate the newly-built Immaculate Conception Ukrainian Catholic Church and Shrine of
the New Martyrs of Ukraine of the 20 th Century, in Palatine, IL. It was the first time in 44 years that a
new church had been consecrated in the Eparchy.
The much-anticipated day came after 14 months of construction; 15 years of fundraising efforts; and
after many roadblocks and challenges which were only exacerbated by the Covid 19 pandemic.
Fortunately, the parish’s spiritual directors, Pastor Mykhailo Kuzma and Associate Pastor Yaroslav
Mendyuk, provided constant prayer, encouragement, and leadership which kept the entire community
motivated and focused. Even during the hardest moments, the Building Committee lead by Michael
Panko and Financial Officer Lesia Stasiuk, never wavered. The volunteers kept working and
donations—somehow-- kept coming in, many from outside the parish, and many even from non-
Ukrainians. The parish is deeply grateful for the Selfreliance Federal Credit Union and its Foundation; as
well as the Heritage Foundation for their generous donations over the years. Without their financial
help, the project would not have been realized.
The Oct. 10, consecration and subsequent Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Bishop Benedict Aleksiychuk,
along with priests representing all the Ukrainian Catholic parishes in Chicago as well as the Ukrainian
Orthodox parish in Bloomingdale, IL. The event was enriched by the beautiful singing of the Immaculate
Conception Church Choir which was joined by the choir of the American Ukrainian Youth Association
Mykola Pavlushkova Branch in Chicago. One of the highlights of the ceremony was the blessing of a new
altar built by a master craftsman in Lviv. It had arrived from Ukraine only days earlier.
The new church is designed in the style of a traditional Hutzul wooden church. Architect Joseph Mycyk
took his inspiration from the church’s Hutzul bell tower which had been erected more than 30 years
earlier by original founders of the Parish. Mr. Mycyk was able to design the new church around that bell
tower making it one of the focal points of the new design and miraculously without having to move it
from its original spot. This created a beautiful transition between the old church and the new church.
Tragically, Mr. Mycyk succumbed to cancer two months before the blessing of the new church but his
vision, creativity and attention to detail will remain in the church for generations to come.
Beyond the design, the church features accommodations for 200 worshipers in the Nave; a lift and a
ramp for easy access for all; a parish office and conference room; and a large lower basement level for
parish gatherings.
Much work remains as the parish now re-focuses its efforts on paying the mortgage and securing funds
to furnish the interior of the church. In addition, the parish is committed to becoming a true place of
worship for all who seek to know Christ, and as its designation as an Eparchial Shrine, is committed to
spreading the ministry of the New Martyrs of Ukraine of the 20 th Century.
We are very grateful to all who continue to support the church!
God Bless
Expansion and reconstruction of Immaculate Conception Ukrainian Byzantine Catholic Church and Eparchial Shrine in Palatine, IL, has begun! The new Shrine will be dedicated to the Blessed Mother and the 24 Martyrs of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church who were Beatified by Pope John Paul II in 2001. When completed, not only will the new church be better equipped to accommodate the faithful in the northwest suburbs of Chicago but it will be a place where the faithful from the entire St Nicholas Eparchy and all faithful can come to venerate the 24 Ukrainian Catholic Martyrs – bishops, priests, nuns and laypeople-- who were murdered on account of their faith by the Soviets during the 20th Century.
Our new church is scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2020. We are racing to the finish and we need your help!!! We appeal to all in our community and beyond to donate to our building fund. We’ve set a goal of $350,000 for this GoFundMe campaign . We hope to achieve this goal with your help. No amount is too small. You can also help by sharing this information with your friends.
Your donation can be made in honor or in remembrance of a loved one or friend as a lasting legacy. If you desire, you can indicate your prayer intention along with your donation and our priests and congregation will add it to their prayer list. All of our donors are remembered in special prayer intentions at our church
Розбудову і реконструкцію української Греко-Католицької церкви та єпархіального відпустового місця в Палатайн штату Іллінойс розпочато! Нова святиня присвячена Пресвятій Богородиці та 24 Новомученикам Української Греко- Католицької Церкви беатифікованим папою Іваном Павлом ІІ у 2001 році. Після завершення проекту не тільки нова церква буде зведена для забезпечення духовних потреб вірян північно- західних передмість Чікаго, але це буде місце де вірні всієї єпархії і з поза її меж зможуть прибути щоб поклонитися і вшанувати пам`ять 24 Українським Католицьким Новомученикам- єпископам, священикам, монахиням і мирянам, замученим за віру радянською владою у ХХ столітті.
Завершення будови нової церкви очікується навесні 2020 р. Ми прагнемо до цієї мети і просимо вашої допомоги.
Звертаємося до всіх людей нашої громади і з поза неї з проханням скласти вашу пожертву на парафіяльний будівельний фонд.
Наша ціль зібрати $350,000 через кампанію GoFundMe, щоб покрити частину витрат що постали перед нами. Надіємось досягнути цієї мети з вашою допомогою. Навіть найменша пожертва не буде замалою. Рівнож можете нам допомогти поділившись цією інформацією зі своїми друзями і поширивши її на своїй сторінці у Facebook.
Пожертви можна складати в шану своїх покійних родичів чи друзів, щоб увіковічнити пам`ять про них, або якщо бажаєте, надішліть зі своєю офірою особливе намірення про молитву і наші священики і вірні додадуть його до парафіяльної книги намірень молитов за наших жертводавців.
Organizer
Immaculate Conception
Organizer
Palatine, IL