Published August 13, 2004
Magadan Catholics have beautiful church after many years of hard work
On entering the new Church of the Nativity of Jesus in Magadan, Russia, in early July, I was struck by the sight of a large stone slab leaning against the wall. It was inscribed in Russian. Upon inquiry of its pastor, Father Michael Shields, I learned that that is a commemorative plaque of the blessing of the cornerstone of the church that took place on the 25th of August in 2001.
Bishop Jerzy Mazur, who was at that time bishop of the diocese in which our parish in Magadan is situated, and I were both present for the ceremony as we joined the local community in looking forward in grand anticipation to the building project.
I was intrigued by the way our names looked in Russian. First Bishop Mazur, then Archbishop Francis Hurley, whose vision initiated the ministry in Magadan and the building of the church, and then me.
Beyond that, however, the inscription told a story of what we were in Magadan to celebrate on the occasion of the dedication of the church. It is a story of faith and endurance.
It was three years after the initial blessing of the cornerstone that we were able to gather for the festive dedication of the new Church of the Nativity of Jesus.
Those were three years of hard work and patience, at times of frustration and anxiety. But the patient endurance of the Catholic community in Magadan was to bear fruit in the form of the beautiful new church and Mercy Center that was dedicated on July 4.
During my visit during 2001 and again last month, I was privileged to hear some of the stories of the survivors of the labor camps around Magadan during the Stalinist era. These were stories of loss and intense suffering but also stories of faith and trust in God who at times seemed so far away from those exiles who were brought to the Russian Far East, so far away from their homes and families.
The new bishop, Bishop Cyryl Klimowicz of the Diocese of St. Joseph, whose offices and cathedral are hundreds of miles to the west in Irkutsk, was present to preside at the blessing of the Chapel of Martyrs erected in honor of those who suffered in the labor camps in the area and the dedication of the church.
Bishop Klimowicz was making his first visit to the parish in Magadan and I could tell he was moved by the stories of the survivors as well as by the faith of the people and the celebration of the dedication itself. With the help of a translator, we had some very fruitful discussions and I invited him to visit us here in Anchorage in order to get a sense of our own local church and to meet some of you.
Those of us who traveled to Magadan from Anchorage in early July for those ceremonies will not easily forget that experience. The hospitality and the faith of the local Catholic community were remarkable and at times overwhelming.
It was clear that these parishioners were justifiably proud of their new beautiful church and parish center and were deeply grateful for the leadership of their pastor, Father Mike, and the generosity of the American people who have made this construction project possible.
The work of completing the construction will continue for some time but the dedication marked a true milestone in the faith life of this community that has suffered so much in the past.
I want to thank all of you of the archdiocese who have been so generous in supporting the work of Father Mike Shields and Father David Means, and want to assure you that your generosity is deeply appreciated by the small Catholic community that continues to grow in faith and hope in the region of Magadan.
I’m confident that the relationship of the Parish of the Nativity of Jesus will continue to grow and deepen and that it will bear fruit in making us more devoted disciples of Jesus.
Let us continue to pray for our Catholic brothers and sisters there in Russia. We know that they themselves continually lift up prayers of joy and gratitude as they worship together in their beautiful new church and thank God for so many of us who have made that project possible.