What if, instead of having to open The Guardian to get our early morning cup of Fresh Hell, we could simply buy it from a street vendor? Sort of like Molly Malone, our street vendor is singing “Fresh Hell! Get your fresh hell here!” Our heroine, Hildegarde Torchwell – Strong, dramatic, a bit fiery, and […]
Category: Heros
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Mother’s Day 2025
Today is a reflective day. It is Mother’s Day in the USA, and, as you can imagine, it often times brings up bittersweet memories. Mother’s Day can be a time of warmth and gratitude, but also of longing and reflection. Memories of our mothers, grandmothers, or those who nurtured us can bring both joy and […]
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 […]
Pope Francis has passed and the world has lost a profoundly courageous voice—a shepherd who dared to speak uncomfortable truths in a noisy and often indifferent age. Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was not just the first pope from the Americas or the first Jesuit pope—he was the first in a long time to […]
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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 […]
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 […]
My Ukrainian ENGin buddy, and Friend of the BLOTT, has shared one of her favorite poems with us. Крилаby Lina Kostenko Kryla (Wings)by Lina Kostenko(Translated from Ukrainian by Elder G) А правда, крилатим ґрунту не треба. Землі немає, то буде небо. Немає поля, то буде воля. Немає пари, то будуть хмари. В цьому, напевно, правда […]
The current United States regime is cutting many vital services. In it’s wisdom, it defunded a true jewel of democracy – Radio Free Europe. Radio Free Europe (RFE) began in 1949, to broadcast news, current events, politics, and, interestingly, jazz to the eastern European countries trapped behind the iron curtain. Nicola Careem The Mission RFE/RL’s […]