Dear Editor:
I am profoundly grateful to The Ukrainian Weekly for spotlighting the Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Institute of Eastern Christian Studies in Mariana Karapinka’s fine article “Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Institute Receives Ukrainian Church’s Highest Award” (December 15, 2019).
However, I was saddened by Ms. Karapinka’s mischaracterization of the role played in the institute by the Very Rev. Dr. Andriy Onuferko. He is listed simply as a “staff member.” This grossly underestimates his actual contribution. As the founder of the Sheptytsky Institute, it’s longest-serving director and the person who invited Father Onuferko, his wife, Mariyka, and three children to move to Ottawa from Belgium because I desperately needed his help and expertise as the institute was rapidly expanding, please allow me to correct the record.