In the quaint town of Ituna, Saskatchewan, the striking Sacred Heart Ukrainian Catholic Church stands as a prominent landmark. Erected in the 1960s, the church was originally designed to accommodate a large congregation during significant religious events like Easter and Christmas, when it would overflow with worshippers, necessitating the use of extra seating even outdoors, as remembered by 85-year-old lifelong church attendee Nettie Lutz.
Over two decades ago, as the number of parishioners dwindled and the church aged, substantial repairs became necessary, requiring additional funds. This marked the beginning of a perogy-making initiative to generate revenue for maintenance, with Lutz and other community members coming together to produce, roll, and fry thousands of these traditional Ukrainian dumplings. Alongside efforts to support the local Roman Catholic church, volunteers have worked tirelessly, attracting patrons from afar who are willing to drive hours to purchase bags of perogies from the town of Ituna.
The collective effort has resulted in an estimated one million perogies being crafted by volunteers, if not more, since the initiative’s inception. This dedication to selling perogies to support the church underscores a profound admiration and commitment to Ukrainian culture among individuals like Lutz and fellow parishioner Taras Korchinski.
Korchinski emphasized the importance of preserving cultural heritage, expressing concern that once lost, it may never be regained. Despite not residing in Ukraine, he feels a strong connection to the country and empathizes with the challenges faced by Ukrainians following the Russian invasion in 2022. As both Korchinski and Lutz, approaching 80 years old, acknowledge their eventual limitations in continuing the perogy-making tradition, the future of their cherished church remains uncertain.
While reflecting on the legacy they are creating, Korchinski acknowledged the inevitability of demographic changes within the parish, recognizing that the majority of parishioners may soon be in nursing homes or laid to rest. Nevertheless, he affirmed that the volunteers’ contributions and the church itself will forever be ingrained in the history of Ituna.
As Lutz observed the dedicated volunteers engaged in a perogy-making event—kneading dough, filling, and shaping the dumplings by hand—she expressed appreciation for being part of a remarkable community effort. Despite uncertainties about the church’s future, she is confident in the quality of their perogies and the exceptional individuals behind their creation.