70th ANNIVERSARY OF THE SUPPRESSION OF THE GREEK CATHOLIC CHURCH IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA

Today we commemorate the suppression of our Greek Catholic Church in the territory of modern day Slovakia. This is a sad day in our history, but we must not forget our past.  Rather, we must recall it and draw strength and courage from the intercession of those who stood up for the truth and who were persecuted for it. Among these brave leaders we celebrate Bishop Gojdič and Bishop Hopko, whom we venerate as martyrs.  Below are pictures of Blessed Bishop Paul Gojdič, as well as pictures from the Sobor in Prešov.

After the government of Czechoslovakia was overthrown in February 1948, the communist state authority included amongst its greatest enemies the Churches which had distanced themselves from the communist ideology. Gradually, the plan of total elimination of the Greek Catholic Church in Czechoslovakia became part of the communist fight against the Catholic Church. The possibility of such a scenario in Czechoslovakia was already suggested by the post-war elimination of the Greek Catholic Church in Ukraine and Romania. The communist representatives in Czechoslovakia decided to carry out a gradual “Orthodoxisation” of the Greek Catholics. This plan received the code name Action P (Orthodoxisation). Several trials of Greek Catholic priests and monks took place, male and female monasteries of the Greek Catholic Basilian order were closed, and so called return committees were created in municipalities to support the conversion of Greek Catholics to the Russion Orthodox Church.
The culmination of Action P was the Large Council (Sobor, religious gathering) that took place on 28 April, 1950 in Prešov. Orchestrated by the communist state authority, it was supposed to look like an internal meeting of Greek Catholic priests and worshippers. The delegates approved a document called “A Manifesto to the Greek Catholic Clergy and the worshippers of Czechoslovakia” which was prepared beforehand and which disbanded the union of the Greek Catholic Church with the Holy See and the Pope and voiced their wish to convert to Orthodoxy. The government approved the outcome of the Sobor and the Greek Catholic Church was thus, de facto outlawed. On the day of the Sobor the Greek Catholic Bishops Paul Gojdič and Basil Hopko were arrested. Afterwards, pressure began to be applied to priests and worshippers to accept Orthodoxy. Greek Catholic priests who refused to convert were gradually removed from their parishes and sent to Labor Camps or interned.

Excerpt from brochure by EURÓPSKA SIEŤ PAMÄŤ A SOLIDARITA

The Very Rev. Eugene Raymond Linowski was born in Cleveland, Ohio on April 25, 1930 and baptized in St. Hyacinth Church on June 8, 1930.  His father, Stanislaus Linowski, came from Stopnica, Kielce, Poland and his mother, Mary nee Walas, from Oleśnica, Kielce, Poland.  Fr. Linowski had three siblings, all of whom preceded him in death: Jeanette (Stieber), Stanley, and Chester. His father died on May 26, 1932 and shortly afterward his mother re-married John Kosoń who was born near the Nowy Korczyn region of Kielce, Poland.  Fr. Linowski attended St. Hyacinth parochial school from 1936 to 1939 and Immaculate Heart of Mary School in Cleveland from 1939 to 1944.  He also attended A.B. Hart Jr. High School and South High School in Cleveland from 1944 to 1947.  In 1947 he began to think seriously of the priesthood and attended St. Bonaventure Minor Seminary and High School for his senior year from which he graduated in June, 1948.  From August 1948 to May 1949, Fr. Linowski stayed with the Resurrection Fathers in Chicago, Illinois.  

In August 1949, Fr. Eugene Linowski entered the novitiate of the Polish Franciscan Fathers in Pulaski, Wisconsin.  Having completed his novitiate year, Fr. Linowski, then known as Frater Pacific, continued his college and philosophy studies at St. Francis College, Burlington, Wisconsin and graduated with a B.A. degree in philosophy in June 1954.  His theology studies were taken at Our Lady of Lourdes Seminary in Cedar Lake, Indiana (1954-1955) and at Christ the King Theological Seminary in West Chicago, Illinois (1955-1959).  His ordination to the Priesthood took place on June 1, 1957 in St. Raymond Cathedral in Joliet, Illinois by the Most Rev. Martin D. McNamara.  Fr. Linowski received bi-ritual faculties shortly after his ordination due to his interest in the Byzantine Rite.  

After completing his fourth and fifth year of theology in West Chicago, Illinois, Fr. Linowski was assigned to missionary work in the Philippine Islands.  From 1959 to 1963, Fr. Linowski was vice-master of novices, master of the Lay Brothers, lector of philosophy for the clerics, teacher of Latin and English for the Franciscan and diocesan minor seminarians of Calbayog, Samar, teacher of philosophy and religion at the Franciscan Christ the King College, Calbayog, Samar, and in his last year a missionary parish priest in San Isidro, Samar.  During all these years since 1953 he maintained a deep and abiding interest in the Polish and Russian languages hoping to be a missionary to Russia someday.  On his return to the United States in October 1963, Fr. Linowski was assigned home-mission duties first in Ben Avon, Pennsylvania and then in Canton, Massachusetts.  

Fr. Linowski began applying for his release from the Franciscan Order in 1964 and was assigned to St. Cecilia Parish in Cleveland, Ohio in August 1965.  On December 1, 1965 he was assigned to St. Casimir Parish in Cleveland where he fulfilled his duties as an assistant pastor until 1970.  Fr. Linowski was granted permission to teach at St. Mary College and SS. Cyril Methodius Seminary in Orchard Lake, Michigan beginning in June 1970.  From 1966-1970 Fr. Linowski took graduate courses in Slavic and Eastern European Languages at Case Western Reserve University and history courses at John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio.  He was also a chaplain for two years at Marymount Hospital in Garfield Heights, Ohio (1970-1972).   

Fr. Linowski was incardinated in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland in 1969.  From 1972 to 1974, Fr. Linowski first served our Eparchy in the capacity of Parochial Vicar/Administrator of Holy Spirit Church in Parma, Ohio.  As a member of the Cleveland Diocese, however, Fr. Linowski then served as an associate pastor of St. Mary’s Parish in Chardon, Ohio (1974), and St. Rita’s Parish in Solon, Ohio (1975).  

  Fr. Linowski was incardinated in the Eparchy of Parma in 1976 but moved to the newly formed Eparchy of Van Nuys and served as pastor and then rector of St. Mary Cathedral in Van Nuys, California from 1976 to 1982.  In 1982, under Bishop Emil Mihalik, Fr. Linowski returned to the Eparchy of Parma and served as the first resident Pastor of St. Andrew Church, Mentor-on the Lake, Ohio (1982-1987) where he was a great influence for growth in our Eastern Catholic identity.  In 1987, Bishop Andrew Pataki re-assigned Fr. Linowski to serve as Pastor of St. John Chrysostom Church, Columbus, Ohio where he faithfully served until his retirement in 2003.  Bishop Pataki also appointed Fr. Linowski as Protopresbyter of the former Central Ohio Protopresbyterate, which he held from 1987 to 1988.  Fr. Linowski also served as the Pastor/Administrator of St. Barbara Parish, Dayton, Ohio from 1992 until his retirement in 2003.  He taught at Ohio State University and was also a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus and Chaplain to the Third and Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus.

Fr. Linowski is survived by his nephew Fred Kowalski and other cousins, nieces, and nephews. The Office of Christian Burial, consisting of a Parastas during Bright Week and the Funeral Divine Liturgy, was celebrated by Bishop Milan Lach, SJ at St. John Chrysostom Byzantine Catholic Church on April 17, 2020 at 11AM.    The Very Rev. Marek Visnovsky, Very Rev. John Kachuba, and Rev. Robert Jager (current administrator of St. John Chrysostom Parish) concelebrated the Divine Liturgy, but were the only other clergy present as attendance was restricted due to the COVID-19 situation. Interment was at Holy Spirit Cemetery in Parma, Ohio.

Bishop Andrew Pataki in a letter re-assigning Fr. Gene from St. Andrew’s to St John Chrysostom (June 26, 1987):  

“We take this opportunity, in the name of the Church of Parma, to acknowledge with grateful appreciation your priestly ministry and devoted apostolic endeavors expended for the spiritual and physical growth of this new Parish in the life of our eparchy.  Much has been accomplished in liturgical renovation and equipping and furnishing of the Parish facilities.  Your pastoral zeal, paternal care and concern have invited many to be part of this Parish.  This was evidenced by the surprise party arranged spontaneously, during which your Bishop was present and was pleased to note the love and concern your faithful expressed for their Pastor occasioning the thirtieth anniversary of his priestly ordination.  Although the Parish is small and the priest’s accommodations are just adequate, the generosity of your people, as well as your personal sacrificial generosity is great in the eyes of the Lord.  Though your stay in the Parish was short, you will always be fondly remembered for the pastoral shepherding of Christ’s flock.  Although it is difficult for you to leave, we know that your priestly heart and loyalty respond to the call of Christ in this new assignment in another part of His vineyard.”