About Sacred Heart [Ukrainian] · Johnson City, New York
Sacred Heart Ukrainian Catholic Church is a Byzantine-rite (Ukrainian Catholic) parish located at 230 Ukrainian Hill Road in Johnson City, New York, serving the Broome County area's Ukrainian community. Founded in 1944 by the Basilian Order of Saint Basil the Great and now under the Ukrainian Diocese of Stamford, the parish offers Divine Liturgy in both Ukrainian and English, maintains the distinctive three-domed wooden church consecrated in 1977, and is home to the long-running Nezabudky Ukrainian Dance School and other heritage organizations.
- Established
- 1944
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus (Преcвятого Серця Христового / Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ)
- Rector
- Very Rev. Archpriest Teodor B. Czabala, Jr.
- Diocese
- Ukrainian Catholic Diocese of Stamford (Eparchy of Stamford). Geographically, the parish sits within the territory of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse.
Why belong here
Sacred Heart is one of only a handful of Ukrainian Catholic parishes in upstate New York, offering Byzantine-rite Divine Liturgy celebrated in both English and Ukrainian to a tight-knit congregation of about 75 families. It pairs traditional Ukrainian Catholic spirituality — the iconostasis, leavened bread, communion under both species, and Marian devotions like the Mother's Day carnation offering for Birthright of Binghamton — with active cultural and community life, including the long-running Nezabudky Ukrainian Dance School and parish fundraisers such as the annual Easter Bazaar, golf tournament, and pyrohy/holubtsi work parties.
Mass times at Sacred Heart [Ukrainian]
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Confessions: anytime upon request / Сповідь: на прохання
Welcome to Sacred Heart Ukrainian Catholic Church
Sacred Heart Ukrainian Catholic Church is a Byzantine-rite parish devoted to fostering a strong sense of community through faith-based activities. It is a welcoming place where individuals and families can gather to worship, learn, and grow together. The parish provides regular church services rooted in the Ukrainian Catholic tradition alongside various fundraising events aimed at enriching the community and supporting parishioners.
- Regular church services honoring Ukrainian traditions
- Fundraising events for community support and outreach
- Opportunities for spiritual enrichment and fellowship
Our History
The parish's roots stretch back to the first Ukrainian families who arrived in the Binghamton area around 1902 from Scranton and Olyphant. After decades of effort, parish leaders — most notably Paul Potochniak — purchased and renovated a former Methodist church, which was consecrated on November 19, 1944. The Basilian Order of Saint Basil the Great founded and administered the parish for 28 years. The current wooden church and rectory were dedicated in 1977, the same year the first English Divine Liturgy was celebrated, and 1988 saw the opening of the parish hall and the Millennium of Christianity in Ukraine.
- First Ukrainian immigrants in Binghamton area: c. 1902 (cigar factory workers)
- Early worship at Saints Cyril and Methodius (Franciscan)
- First Ukrainian Catholic Divine Liturgy in area by Fr. Ortinsky
- Nov 19, 1944 — church consecrated; Fathers Venyamin Baranyk and Maxim M. Markiw officiated
- 1956 — switched to Gregorian calendar; picnic grounds pavilion built
- 1972 — Basilian Order returns administration to the Bishop after 28 years
- 1977 — new wooden church and rectory dedicated; first English Divine Liturgy
- 1988 — new parish hall opens; Millennium of Christianity in Ukraine celebrated
One Church, Many Rites — The Ukrainian Catholic Tradition
Sacred Heart belongs to the Ukrainian Catholic Church, one of the Eastern (Byzantine) Catholic Churches in full communion with Rome. The parish explains the key differences between the Latin (Roman) and Ukrainian Byzantine rites for visitors and inquirers.
- Leavened square Host (Greek symbol of perfection) vs. round unleavened Roman host
- Holy Communion under both species (bread and wine) distributed with a small golden spoon
- Distinct priestly vestments
- Liturgy celebrated on an antimension (cloth with relics of the Saints) instead of relics embedded in the altar
- Iconostasis (icon screen) separates the sanctuary from the nave
- Sign of the cross made with three fingers (right to left) honoring the Holy Trinity
- Adoration of the Eucharist by bowing and signing the cross, rather than genuflecting
Sacred Heart of Jesus — Feast and Patron
The parish is named for the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ (Преcвятого Серця Христового). The feast is celebrated with parish traditions including the Mother's Day carnation offering in honor of both mothers and the Blessed Mother.
- Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Mother's Day carnation fundraiser for Birthright of Binghamton
Architecture — A Wooden Church in the Carpathian Tradition
Sacred Heart's striking wooden church was modeled after the folk architecture of wooden churches of the Carpathian Mountains of Ukraine. Architect Appolinare Osadca designed the three-domed structure, which rises roughly 80 feet and overlooks the valley. The interior includes a central square nave, a polygonal sanctuary, and a narthex with choir loft. The New York Landmarks Conservancy recognizes the site for its unique Carpathian Orthodox Folk style.
- Style: Carpathian Orthodox Folk
- Architect/Builder: Appolinare Osadca
- Three-domed wooden structure, ~80 feet tall
- Icons and iconostasis by the Denysenko family (father and son)
- Copper side altars and Stations of the Cross by Rem Bohutyn
- Recognized by the New York Landmarks Conservancy (Sacred Sites program)
Clergy and Staff
The parish is led by a Ukrainian Catholic Archpriest of the Eparchy of Stamford.
- Pastor: Very Rev. Archpriest Teodor B. Czabala, Jr. (Парох: Всесвітліший Протоієрей Теодор Б. Чабала)
Sacraments
Pastoral guidelines for the celebration of the sacraments at Sacred Heart are published in both English and Ukrainian in the weekly bulletin. Families are asked to meet with the pastor before setting any date.
- Baptism (Хрещення): minimum 2 weeks' notification before desired date
- Marriage (Вінчання): meet with the pastor PRIOR to setting a date
- Anointing of the Sick (Єлеопомазання): anytime upon request
- Confession (Сповідь): anytime upon request
- Do NOT set a date before speaking with the pastor
Ukrainian Heritage & Cultural Life
The parish maintains a robust calendar of cultural and heritage activities that have sustained Ukrainian identity in Broome County for over a century. The Nezabudky Ukrainian Dance School of Binghamton is a centerpiece, delighting parishioners and the wider community for more than fifty years. Food traditions are also central: the parish organizes regular pyrohy and holubtsi work schedules and runs an annual Easter Bazaar.
- Nezabudky Ukrainian Dance School of Binghamton (50+ years)
- Pyrohy and holubtsi (cabbage rolls) parish work parties
- Annual Easter Bazaar
- Former parish drama group and national chorus (performed on radio/TV 1957–1969)
- Millennium of Christianity in Ukraine commemoration (1988)
Outreach and Charity
Sacred Heart parishioners support a number of local charitable causes through parish life. The Mother's Day carnation fundraiser benefits Birthright of Binghamton, helping mothers and girls in crisis pregnancies. The annual Golf Tournament raises money for the Parish Scholarship Fund.
- Birthright of Binghamton (Mother's Day carnations)
- Parish Scholarship Fund (Annual Golf Tournament)
- Skerpon Catholic War Veterans post (local Catholic War Veterans activity)
Visiting and Contact
Parishioners and visitors can reach Sacred Heart by phone, email, or in person. The rectory and parish hall have separate phone lines. Weekly bulletins are posted online and are the best source for current schedule changes and announcements.
- Address: 230 Ukrainian Hill Road, Johnson City, NY 13790
- Rectory phone: (607) 797-6293
- Hall phone: (607) 797-6294
- Rectory email: [email protected]
- Website: www.sacredheartucc.org
- Weekly bulletins published online
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Ortinsky
Celebrated the first Ukrainian Catholic Divine Liturgy in the Broome County area (held at St. Joseph's Lithuanian Church on Clinton Street)
- Fr. Venyamin Baranyk, OSBM1944-
Basilian Order; co-officiated at the consecration and first Divine Liturgy on November 19, 1944
- Fr. Maxim M. Markiw, OSBM1944-
Basilian Order; co-officiated at the consecration and first Divine Liturgy on November 19, 1944
- Order of Saint Basil the Great (Basilian Fathers)1944-1972
Founded and administered the parish for 28 years before handing administration to the Bishop in 1972
- Very Rev. Archpriest Teodor B. Czabala, Jr.2004-present
Current pastor; previously assistant pastor at St. George Cathedral and pastor of Ascension Ukrainian Catholic Church in Sayre, PA (2012-2014); educated at St. Thomas Aquinas Pontifical University and Albertus Magnus