Informacija od gazetŷ Podduklianske novinky i www.rusyn.sk
We, the citizens of the today very sorely-tried land under Dukla,
express deep dissatisfaction and disappointment over the ill-considered
and insensitive decision of the Greek Catholic bishopric in Prešov to
transfer out of the Svidnyk district/okres Father Jaroslav Popovec
effective 1 October 2004. With today’s considerable departure of
bright people from the Svidnyk region/okres is for us an irrecoverable
loss of a spiritual leader, very organizationally
experienced and an integral and
well-known person who with decisive action has brought about:
- positive visibility of the Svidnyk
district/okres,
- preservation and restoration of national cultural monument wooden
churches,
- maintenance and development of the cultural and religious
Cyrillo-Methodian traditions of Rusyns in our beautiful but today
socially, economically, and intellectually depressed region.
It
is only by a small miracle that during the time of the difficult
economic situation in eastern Slovakia in the years 1999-2004 under the direction of Father Jaroslav
Popovec the amount of 20 million Slovak crowns (about USD 630,000) was
directed to this district/okres for the restoration of 8 wooden Greek
Catholic churches that were in a precarious state of disrepair, in
these villages: Šemetkivci, Krajnje Čorne, Korejivci, Hinkivci,
Dobroslava, Prykra, Bodrudžal and Nyžnij Komarnyk.
For
the further successful advancement of cultural and religious activities
in the Svidnyk region, the experienced and capable Father Jaroslav
Popovec is irreplaceable. His knowledge of social and
organizational connections, his exemplary and very sensitive and with
faith-filled Christian manner has access to many without regard to the
factions of worldview, religious confession, political or nationality
affiliation.
Most reverend Bishop ThDr. Jan Babjak,
We the undersigned request that you retract this unfortunate
decision and we request the return of Father Jaroslav Popovec to the
Svidnyk district/okres as the pastor of your planned new parish in the
city of Svidnyk. Consideration of our request would be evidence
that you are not indifferent to the fate of our land and that you wish
to at least take into account and act on the interests of us living
here, who are striving to preserve and develop the traditions of our
ancestors.
Petition
Committee:
1. Michal Vaňko, committee chairman, mayor of Šemetkivci
2. Ján Franko, committee vice-chairman, mayor of Hinkivci
3. Marta Frančaková, mayor of Korejivci
4. PaeDr. Ján Rusinko, Svidnyk
5. Bc. Milan Babej, Svidnyk
6. Anna Ferkaninová, mayor of Nyžnij Komarnyk
Information courtesy of Podduklianske novinky and www.rusyn.sk