On Sunday, March 26, 2023, Scouts BSA and Cub Scouts members from Pioneer and Fishawack Districts of Patriot’s Path Council joined parishioners at Immaculate Conception Ukrainian Catholic Church, Hillside, Union County, NJ to celebrate the Divine Liturgy and pray for those affected by the war and difficulties in Ukraine.

The service began with the singing of “God Bless America”. Scouts carried the following flags in procession: American (Eric Kimball), Ukrainian (Diego Otero) and Vatican (Oliver Agar). Attendees sang the American and Ukrainian National Anthems. Scouts Nicholas Shatynski read the Troparion and Kondakion, Arthur Hrycak read the Prokimenon and Tadas Simone read the Epistle.
Father Vasyl Vladyka, pastor of Immaculate Conception, gave a very informative and inspiring sermon that highlighted how the Scouts were truly living the Scout Oath and Scout Law by the actions they were taking to pray for and help those affected by the war in Ukraine.

After the Divine Liturgy, the Scouts submitted names to Father Vasyl Vladyka of their departed loved ones that Father Vasyl mentioned, name by name, during the Lenten Sorokousty Memorial Service. Father Vasyl will also mentioned individual names of the dearly departed that parishioners submitted, those that sacrificed their lives in the current war in Ukraine, as well as deceased long time Hillside resident and NY Yankees shortstop and announcer Phil Rizzuto and the individual names of Hillside resident family members who were murdered in the Holocaust / Shoah.
Afterwards, a reception was held in the church hall for all attendees.

Immaculate Conception Ukrainian Catholic Church, Hillside, Union County, New Jersey thanked all of the Scouts and their families that attended from troops and packs from Westfield, Cranford, Elizabeth, Scotch Plains, Byram, Linden, Rahway, Edison, Metuchen, Carteret and Parsippany. Special thank you to Jim Agar (Vice-President, Membership of Patriots’ Path Council, Adult Leader of Troop 73 Westfield, Troop 203 Scotch Plains, Crew 276 Byram, Ship 243 Linden, and Ship 228 Rahway and member of the Newark Latin Archdiocese’s Catholic Committee on Scouting), Orest Hrycak (Scoutmaster of Troop 75, Cranford) and Joe Shatynski (Troop Committee Member of Troop 173, Parsippany) for organizing this spiritually uplifting and special event.