A part of our popular ongoing series: Sin! Because some day, WLBOTT will be recognized as a spiritual, moral, and digestive force, let’s try our hand at defining sin. It would be very difficult to include “eating a cheeseburger during Lent” into this definition. Here’s what we came up with: If the goal is to […]
Category: Brotherhood/Sisterhood
Elder JimZim has provided us with some Fresh Hell. Gentle People: I think all this talk of deities and anti-deities will send us all to Hell (Norway, that is). I have travelled past this village several times when going to Trondheim. Hell is 10 degrees latitude north of Edmonton and features two post offices. Most importantly, it […]
We Will Not Be Moved [ed. note: images in this post are AI generated] “No Nos Moverán” (“We Shall Not Be Moved”) has deep roots in labor movements and civil rights struggles in both the U.S. and Latin America. In Spanish-speaking communities, it became a hymn of resistance—against fascism, against dictatorship, and now, against state […]
The Red Viburnum is a beautiful plant, with white flowers and bright red fruit. A 150 year old patriotic Ukrainian song, celebrating the beauty of the Red Viburnum, compares the strength of the Ukrainian people with the resilience of this flowering shrub. Oh, the Red Viburnum in the MeadowOh, in the meadow red viburnum bent […]
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Celebrating ENGin!
ENGin, the non-profit that connects English speakers with Ukrainian students, is celebrating their 5th anniversary! OUR VISIONWe will use the power of conversation to connect a million globally-minded citizens of emerging democracies with English speakers worldwide, forging supportive, authentic relationships, building a foundation of English fluency, and opening doors to academic and professional opportunities. You […]
What can Vasyl Velychkovsky’s life teach us in today’s troubled world? That’s a deeply meaningful question, — and one worthy of time, reflection, and many conversations under twine-strewn stars. We do live in troubled times. We hear the old boots of authoritarianism echoing down new hallways, polished with modern excuses and rationalizations. And yet, in […]
After all that he endured in the Soviet Union—the interrogations, the years in prison and the gulag, the constant surveillance—Vasyl Velychkovsky’s final years in Canada offer a deeply moving chapter: a time of fragile recovery, quiet leadership, and enduring spiritual witness. The Turning Point: Release and Exile In 1969, after suffering a heart attack in […]
Let’s take a thoughtful turn into the life of Vasyl Velychkovsky. Vasyl Velychkovsky’s time in the Soviet gulag at Vorkuta stands as one of the most harrowing and powerful parts of his story. He had already endured interrogation, arrest, and sentencing for refusing to renounce his faith and his allegiance to the Ukrainian Greek Catholic […]
Today we look at the fascinating story of how a dissident Ukrainian Catholic priest ran a cathedral out of his small apartment in eastern Ukraine, and ended up in Winnipeg, Canada. Now considered a saint by the Catholic Church, Ukrainian priest Vasyl Velychkovsky was an amazing man. Among his accomplishments: Vasyl Velychkovsky’s life exemplifies steadfast […]
In the previous BLOTT, we reviewed Elder X’s claim that WLBOTT had a wanton disregard for reality. It should be noted that Elder X is from Canada. Because of the language barrier that exists between Canada and the United States, we’re not sure of Elder X meant wanton or wonton. First, we had to educate […]