His Grace Bishop Daniel addressed the Convention delegates on behalf of Metropolitan Constantine and the President of the Consistory of the UOC of the USA, His Eminence Archbishop Antony, clergy and faithful of the Church. In his remarks, the Bishop reflected upon his personal experience as a chaplain in the US Army Chaplain Corps: “In my personal experience, working closely with hundreds of young men and women of our military forces I have come to the conclusion and a firm belief that the covenant between our nation, or any nation, and those who served in the armed forces is one of the most sacred covenants in the world.” His Grace continued: “The freedoms – of the press and of religion, etc. and the rights – to vote, etc. – are granted to us and they are courageously protected at all times by the men and women who have served and continue to serve in our armed forces.”
“As we all know, however, freedoms do not come without cost. We of Ukrainian heritage know this well. There is a price that we pay for them. Our ancestors in Ukraine, fighting for their rights and freedoms understood, as do modern day Ukrainian Americans, because of their heritage, the importance of independence and freedom. I am here with you to pay tribute to the thousands of brave Ukrainian Americans who have answered the call of duty, who have paid that price. Many have died defending our freedom, paying the ultimate price. Many have suffered debilitating physical and mental injuries in their service. We owe them more than we can ever offer them for their sacrifice. Today, I bow my head before you, who represent them all, in gratitude for your service and witness, for your willingness to ensure the bright future for future generations. As we can probably all agree – as long as there are men and women who are willing to, we must be willing to honor that service.”
