Parish History
Before and after the first World War, poor economic conditions forced large numbers of Europeans to leave their homes to seek opportunities across the ocean. Many Ukrainians settled in New Jersey, finding work on farms or in factories. Among these early pioneers were John Iwaniw, who came to the United States in 1905, Elias Shygera in 1910, Dmytro and Anna Bukovecky in 1916.
In 1912, Johns-Manville Corporation built a large factory in Manville, New Jersey. Many ethnic groups found employment here, among them approximately 900 Rusyny and 132 Ukrainians. The ethnic groups tried to maintain their customs, religions, and culture by gathering near their own churches. After World War II, the number of immigrants in Manville and the vicinity increased significantly; among them were more Ukrainians. They came to the USA with deeply rooted emotional and religious ties to their church and their ethnic heritage.
In the beginning, these Ukrainian immigrants (primarily from Halychyna Galicia) joined the parish of St. Mary Byzantine Rite Church. It was their wish to continue their religious and ethnic traditions. However, it was not an easy task. When Elias Shygera proposed to the pastor at St. Mary's that a Ukrainian cantor be allowed to assist at liturgy, and that a Ukrainian flag be flown, the suggestion was rejected. The Ukrainian community did not submit. Instead, they chose to leave St. Mary's and create their own parish. Between 1948 and 1949, they organized a committee whose goal was to establish a Ukrainian Catholic Church. The members were: William Stack, Joseph Gerechka, Charles Evanylo, Elias Shygera, and Michael Bukovecky.
The committee contacted Fathers Joseph and Theodosij Atamaniuk, two brothers who lived in Trenton. They agreed to serve liturgy for the Manville Ukrainian community at the Ukrainian National Association Hall at 5 Colfax Street in Raritan, New Jersey.
With the support of Rev. Joseph Atamaniuk, the Manville Ukrainian Catholic community held its first meeting on March 13, 1950. The main topics of discussion were building a church, raising funds, and increasing the number of parishioners. A business committee was appointed: Joseph Gerechka - president, Max Rudiak - vice president, Michael Bukovecky - financial secretary, Wasyl Lada and Elias Shygera - auditors.
Applications for permission to hold Ukrainian liturgies in neighboring Roman Catholic and Greek Catholic churches were denied. This gave the committee the incentive to purchase property with the goal of building their own church. William Stack, Charlie Evanylo, and Dmytro Bukovecky volunteered to take care of the matter. With their own money, they bought six lots, deeding the ownership to the Manville Community Corporation, under the supervision of Most Rev. Archbishop Constantine Bohachevsky, Metropolitan of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Philadelphia. The church was incorporated on October 4, 1950. On October 14, 1950 in Firehouse No. 2 in Manville, Ukrainian families from Manville and the surrounding towns met in order to discuss the necessary steps in organizing and building a new church. Rev. Joseph Atamaniuk served as an advisor on church matters. At this meeting a new church committee was named, including: William Stack, Michael Bukovecky, Elias Shygera, Jacob Danyluk, Joseph Gerechka, Alexander Nahirny, Charles Evanylo, Michael Gaber, Michael Zacharko and Max Rudiak.
At a meeting on December 11, 1950, plans were accepted for the construction of a church. Our first Ukrainian Catholic liturgy was celebrated by Rev. Joseph Atamaniuk on January 7, 1951, in the Ukrainian National Hall in Raritan. February 7, 1951, the Bishop Chancery appointed Rev. Makar Mychajliw as pastor of our new parish. He celebrated liturgy in Raritan throughout the year. An opportunity arose to purchase a church building from the Emanuel Baptists, who were building a new church. On November 14, l951, we bought the building on South Third Street in Manville for $3,000.00. William Stack and Charles Evanylo signed all the documents pertaining to the purchase. An official name was chosen: St. Michael Ukrainian Catholic Church. Donations of money, time, and a great deal of hard work expanded the original small building to meet our needs. The renovations were begun immediately, and lasted until 1956.
On Christmas January 7, 1952 (by the Julian calendar), all our dreams were realized as we celebrated our first liturgy in our own church. The building took on the appearance of a church in the spring of 1954, when Michael Bukovecky built and paid for the church tower. By November of the same year, Alex Melnyk completed the bell tower and installed the bells. Bohdan Landwijt organized the painting of the church with the help of other parishioners. The main icons were
donated by Ivan and Katherine Iwaniw. The painting of St. Michael The Archangel by the artist Mykola Butovych was commissioned by the Bukovecky family. The chandeliers were the gift of the Obszanski family. These lights were refurbished and installed by Anna and Wasyl Stack.
That same year, the parish became more active in social areas. In February, Michael Demchyshyn started directing a choir and served as a cantor. He also resurrected the Saturday Ukrainian classes, originally initiated by Elias Shygera. The women of the parish organized the Apostleship of Prayer, which was chartered on November 22, 1954. The first president of that group was Anna Stack.
On February 22, 1955, the parish was honored by the second visitation from Archbishop Constantine Bohachevsky of Philadelphia. To celebrate the major renovations of our church, the parish held a banquet on November 18, 1956. Among the guests present were Fathers Joseph Atamaniuk of Trenton, W. Tanczak of New Brunswick, M. Sozansky of Newark, and our pastor, Makar Mychajliw.
The following families sacrificed in many ways to make it possible for us to preserve our heritage and our Ukrainian Catholic faith. They were the families of: Wasyl Bileckyj, Dmytro and Michael Bukovecky, Paul Worobij, John Hnidj, Michael Gaber, Jacob Danyluk, Wasyl Dobosz, Michael Zacharko, John Iwaniw, John Kepsza, Bohdan Landwijt, Alex Palahicky, Dmytro Rochman, Wasyl Stack, Dmytro Fedoriw, Elias Shygera, and many others.
In 1912, Johns-Manville Corporation built a large factory in Manville, New Jersey. Many ethnic groups found employment here, among them approximately 900 Rusyny and 132 Ukrainians. The ethnic groups tried to maintain their customs, religions, and culture by gathering near their own churches. After World War II, the number of immigrants in Manville and the vicinity increased significantly; among them were more Ukrainians. They came to the USA with deeply rooted emotional and religious ties to their church and their ethnic heritage.
In the beginning, these Ukrainian immigrants (primarily from Halychyna Galicia) joined the parish of St. Mary Byzantine Rite Church. It was their wish to continue their religious and ethnic traditions. However, it was not an easy task. When Elias Shygera proposed to the pastor at St. Mary's that a Ukrainian cantor be allowed to assist at liturgy, and that a Ukrainian flag be flown, the suggestion was rejected. The Ukrainian community did not submit. Instead, they chose to leave St. Mary's and create their own parish. Between 1948 and 1949, they organized a committee whose goal was to establish a Ukrainian Catholic Church. The members were: William Stack, Joseph Gerechka, Charles Evanylo, Elias Shygera, and Michael Bukovecky.
The committee contacted Fathers Joseph and Theodosij Atamaniuk, two brothers who lived in Trenton. They agreed to serve liturgy for the Manville Ukrainian community at the Ukrainian National Association Hall at 5 Colfax Street in Raritan, New Jersey.
With the support of Rev. Joseph Atamaniuk, the Manville Ukrainian Catholic community held its first meeting on March 13, 1950. The main topics of discussion were building a church, raising funds, and increasing the number of parishioners. A business committee was appointed: Joseph Gerechka - president, Max Rudiak - vice president, Michael Bukovecky - financial secretary, Wasyl Lada and Elias Shygera - auditors.
Applications for permission to hold Ukrainian liturgies in neighboring Roman Catholic and Greek Catholic churches were denied. This gave the committee the incentive to purchase property with the goal of building their own church. William Stack, Charlie Evanylo, and Dmytro Bukovecky volunteered to take care of the matter. With their own money, they bought six lots, deeding the ownership to the Manville Community Corporation, under the supervision of Most Rev. Archbishop Constantine Bohachevsky, Metropolitan of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Philadelphia. The church was incorporated on October 4, 1950. On October 14, 1950 in Firehouse No. 2 in Manville, Ukrainian families from Manville and the surrounding towns met in order to discuss the necessary steps in organizing and building a new church. Rev. Joseph Atamaniuk served as an advisor on church matters. At this meeting a new church committee was named, including: William Stack, Michael Bukovecky, Elias Shygera, Jacob Danyluk, Joseph Gerechka, Alexander Nahirny, Charles Evanylo, Michael Gaber, Michael Zacharko and Max Rudiak.
At a meeting on December 11, 1950, plans were accepted for the construction of a church. Our first Ukrainian Catholic liturgy was celebrated by Rev. Joseph Atamaniuk on January 7, 1951, in the Ukrainian National Hall in Raritan. February 7, 1951, the Bishop Chancery appointed Rev. Makar Mychajliw as pastor of our new parish. He celebrated liturgy in Raritan throughout the year. An opportunity arose to purchase a church building from the Emanuel Baptists, who were building a new church. On November 14, l951, we bought the building on South Third Street in Manville for $3,000.00. William Stack and Charles Evanylo signed all the documents pertaining to the purchase. An official name was chosen: St. Michael Ukrainian Catholic Church. Donations of money, time, and a great deal of hard work expanded the original small building to meet our needs. The renovations were begun immediately, and lasted until 1956.
On Christmas January 7, 1952 (by the Julian calendar), all our dreams were realized as we celebrated our first liturgy in our own church. The building took on the appearance of a church in the spring of 1954, when Michael Bukovecky built and paid for the church tower. By November of the same year, Alex Melnyk completed the bell tower and installed the bells. Bohdan Landwijt organized the painting of the church with the help of other parishioners. The main icons were
donated by Ivan and Katherine Iwaniw. The painting of St. Michael The Archangel by the artist Mykola Butovych was commissioned by the Bukovecky family. The chandeliers were the gift of the Obszanski family. These lights were refurbished and installed by Anna and Wasyl Stack.
That same year, the parish became more active in social areas. In February, Michael Demchyshyn started directing a choir and served as a cantor. He also resurrected the Saturday Ukrainian classes, originally initiated by Elias Shygera. The women of the parish organized the Apostleship of Prayer, which was chartered on November 22, 1954. The first president of that group was Anna Stack.
On February 22, 1955, the parish was honored by the second visitation from Archbishop Constantine Bohachevsky of Philadelphia. To celebrate the major renovations of our church, the parish held a banquet on November 18, 1956. Among the guests present were Fathers Joseph Atamaniuk of Trenton, W. Tanczak of New Brunswick, M. Sozansky of Newark, and our pastor, Makar Mychajliw.
The following families sacrificed in many ways to make it possible for us to preserve our heritage and our Ukrainian Catholic faith. They were the families of: Wasyl Bileckyj, Dmytro and Michael Bukovecky, Paul Worobij, John Hnidj, Michael Gaber, Jacob Danyluk, Wasyl Dobosz, Michael Zacharko, John Iwaniw, John Kepsza, Bohdan Landwijt, Alex Palahicky, Dmytro Rochman, Wasyl Stack, Dmytro Fedoriw, Elias Shygera, and many others.
