Published November 18, 2005
Visit from Russian bishop a rich experience for all
It was an emotional moment for Bishop Cyryl Klimowicz of Irkutsk, Russia, as he turned to speak at Mass to the parishioners of St. Michael Parish in Palmer.
Bishop Klimowicz, bishop of what he describes as the largest diocese in the world, was saying thank you to the parishioners of St. Michael, whose former pastor, Father Michael Shields, was now serving in one of the bishop’s parishes, Nativity of Jesus in the city of Magadan.
There was a touch of emotion among many of the parishioners also. They had sent their pastor in September 1994 to a ministry in a city in Russia, a city about which we in Anchorage and Palmer knew very little. Magadan was still mostly closed to outsiders, in a nation not yet very welcoming to foreigners.
Bishop Klimowicz was very joyful to visit St. Michael when he spent two weeks in the Anchorage Archdiocese last month (for news coverage, go to www.catholicanchor.org and open the Nov. 4 issue).
In 2004 Bishop Klimowicz traveled for the first time from his see city, Irkutsk, to Magadan, a four-hour flight (about the distance from Anchorage to San Francisco).
It was a great relief to find a parish, already in existence for 13 years, with two priests in a very remote place where it would be lucky to have even one. And there was the new church, ready to be dedicated.
In Palmer, the bishop was surprised to learn that the festive Mass celebration at St. Michael was the same every Sunday, not just a special one for him. The reception afterward gave him a chance to mix with the parishioners and even to sing a few songs in Polish with some of the parishioners.
As we drove back to Anchorage, Bishop Klimowicz commented that he wished he could have visited many of the parishes to thank the people of Anchorage for their support of the Mission to Magadan. And, showing that he had picked up the way of a bishop, he hoped that the people in Alaska would continue to support the mission and its priests in Magadan. (One more priest, from Poland, is now at the parish.)
This past March I met and visited Bishop Klimowicz in Irkutsk for the first time. I was able to repeat the invitation already extended to him by Archbishop Schwietz in July 2004.
Traveling with me were two Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, Sister Jean Marie Williams of Anchorage and Sister Maria Stec of California.
Sister Stec, fluent in Russian, Polish and English, was the official translator. Sister Jean Marie, who speaks English and Russian, had visited Magadan multiple times and was now ready to join two sisters from the Daughters’ Polish province to establish a convent in Magadan.
On my March visit, one of the messages that came through clearly from the bishop and some of the priests was the abuse of women so common in Russia. The women have no rights when it comes to abuse. Often when a woman lodges a complaint with authorities she is immediately considered to be the guilty party.
In Anchorage we took Bishop Klimowicz to observe how we respond to the tragedy of the abuse of women. We visited AWAIC (Abused Women’s Aid in Crisis), the shelter for abused women and their children. It is a closed facility, for the obvious reasons, but we were permitted to visit and have an explanation of the program.
All of us visitors were very impressed.
Next we spent an afternoon with the state’s judicial system. Staff members explained how the court system of the state responded to complaints of abuse. We attended a meeting with staff members, observed court proceedings before a judge and had a conversation with a female state trooper who recapped calls for help.
I was proud of what I observed and learned.
Bishop Klimowicz was somewhat overwhelmed by what he learned. He knew that he would not find the same thing in Russia. He knew he could not provide the same services and shelters. He does not have the resources of personnel and money.
But at least he has seen firsthand what can be done and what might be hoped for: a system that respects human dignity and the rights of women.
We had several social functions during his stay to acquaint him with local people who had personally been involved with Magadan.
On his final night he was hosted by Theology on Tap, the young adult program for theological discussions. Bishop Klimowicz talked to the group about the church in Russia.
Bishop Klimowicz has now returned to his diocese, enriched by what he experienced here. Sister Stec, after two weeks of nonstop translating, is back in California.
This is one visit in which both the visitor and the hosts had a rich experience.