Funeral Card for Protodeacon Taras

Thursday February 22, 2024 7:00 PM

• Full Funeral Service (about 1.5 hours)
• Small lunch to follow.

Friday February 23, 10AM

• Divine Liturgy
• Prayers for the Departed
• Lunch
• Internment at Vanscoy after the lunch.

Officiant: The Very reverend Archpriest Phillip Eriksson, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Canada, Orthodox Church in America.

Assisted by: Father Leonard Herrem, Rector of Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church, Saskatoon, Dn Maximus Fergusson, and other clergy.

Pallbearers: Keith Wallace, Subdeacon Gregory Rychlo, John Syrnick, Anika Mang, Ben Machnee, Peter Mielke.

A Memorial Coffee Reminiscence of our Dear Brother Taras:
From the earliest days, we remember him as a black-haired man with sparkling dark eyes, always full of humor. He had returned from seminary in Winnipeg, and often was at Mohyla Institute where I was living.
He shouldered the tragedy of his childhood in that big accident. The church became his haven, and provided for him a community, a respected and well carried out diaconate and a beautiful closeness with Father Orest, of spiritual and emotional benefit, and which resulted in many funny anecdotes (eg. foofoo valve).
His interest and respect for Ukrainian culture helped to bring him to the church. I remember at Mohyla Institute on Saturday nights while others were going out carousing, he and Zenovia Semenuk would be sitting downstairs practising the Galician tones for next day, which he would sing at All Saints church which met at Mohyla for many years.
The joy of meeting the love of his life, Gail, which I believe, was somehow connected with a visit to to Humboldt with one of the Rachey boys (also members of the parish), which resulted in a beautiful home life and the raising of three lovely children.
God provided and we rejoice! What a brother in Christ!
We are left with many happy stories, including him arriving on the doorstep of Baba and Deedo Shalashny with cottage cheese or yoghurt from the Dairy, which had somehow perhaps been mislabelled and could not be sold. They would say, “Taras was here”, and so he brightened their days! He complimented our cabbage rolls many times over… He appreciated people!
This was gist of our memorial coffee today and in remembering him we are filled with joy. His earthly sufferings are over, his confession of the truth of the Resurrection was solid.
Katya and Vasil Szalasznyj

Psalm 45(46)
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
Though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea:
Though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.
God is in the midst of the city, it shall not be moved;
God will help it when the morning dawns.
The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter;
He utters his voice, the earth melts.
The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.
Come behold the works of the Lord;
See what desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;
He breaks the bough, and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.
“Be still, and know that I am God!
I am exalted among the nations,
I am exalted in the earth.”
The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.