Greek Catholic Union of the USA
Encyclopedia
The Greek Catholic Union of the USA is the oldest continuous fraternal benefit society
for Rusyn
immigrants and their descendants in the United States
.
Founded as the Greek Catholic Union of Rusyn Brotherhoods in the USA (GCU) in Wilkes-Barre
, Pennsylvania
on 14 February 1892, it was headquartered for most of the 20th century in the heart of Pittsburgh
, Pennsylvania
's steel valley in Homestead
. In 1987 it moved to a large tract of land in suburban Pittsburgh near Beaver
.
The original goals of the organization were to unite Greek Catholics in America who spoke the Rusyn language
; to provide insurance for its members; and to encourage education. Its flagship publication was Amerikansky Russky Viestnik
.
GCU was active politically in the early twentieth century, especially in securing a place for Rusyns in the new nation of Czechoslovakia
. Also GCU consistently opposed the notion that Rusyns are Ukrainians
, arguing instead that they are a distinct nationality. GCU membership peaked in the 1920s at over 130,000 in more than 1,000 lodges throughout the United States.
In the 21st century, when Rusyn Americans are well integrated into American society, GCU operates largely as an insurance organization with assets of over $500 million. It also manages Seven Oaks Country Club
and a housing development community on its estate.
Benefit society
A benefit society or mutual aid society is an organization or voluntary association formed to provide mutual aid, benefit or insurance for relief from sundry difficulties...
for Rusyn
Rusyns
Carpatho-Rusyns are a primarily diasporic ethnic group who speak an Eastern Slavic language, or Ukrainian dialect, known as Rusyn. Carpatho-Rusyns descend from a minority of Ruthenians who did not adopt the use of the ethnonym "Ukrainian" in the early twentieth century...
immigrants and their descendants in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Founded as the Greek Catholic Union of Rusyn Brotherhoods in the USA (GCU) in Wilkes-Barre
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre is a city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the county seat of Luzerne County. It is at the center of the Wyoming Valley area and is one of the principal cities in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area, which had a population of 563,631 as of the 2010 Census...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
on 14 February 1892, it was headquartered for most of the 20th century in the heart of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
's steel valley in Homestead
Homestead, Pennsylvania
Homestead is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA, in the "Mon Valley," southeast of downtown Pittsburgh and directly across the river from the city limit line. The borough is known for the Homestead Strike of 1892, an important event in the history of labor relations in the United...
. In 1987 it moved to a large tract of land in suburban Pittsburgh near Beaver
Beaver, Pennsylvania
Beaver is a borough in and the county seat of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States, at the confluence of the Beaver and Ohio Rivers. As of the 2000 census, the borough population was 4,775, having dropped from 5,641 in 1940....
.
The original goals of the organization were to unite Greek Catholics in America who spoke the Rusyn language
Rusyn language
Rusyn , also known in English as Ruthenian, is an East Slavic language variety spoken by the Rusyns of Central Europe. Some linguists treat it as a distinct language and it has its own ISO 639-3 code; others treat it as a dialect of Ukrainian...
; to provide insurance for its members; and to encourage education. Its flagship publication was Amerikansky Russky Viestnik
Amerikansky Russky Viestnik
Amerikansky Russky Viestnik was the longest-running Rusyn-American newspaper in the United States.The paper was the official publication of the Greek Catholic Union of Rusyn Brotherhoods, a fraternal benefit society based in Pennsylvania...
.
GCU was active politically in the early twentieth century, especially in securing a place for Rusyns in the new nation of Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
. Also GCU consistently opposed the notion that Rusyns are Ukrainians
Ukrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
, arguing instead that they are a distinct nationality. GCU membership peaked in the 1920s at over 130,000 in more than 1,000 lodges throughout the United States.
In the 21st century, when Rusyn Americans are well integrated into American society, GCU operates largely as an insurance organization with assets of over $500 million. It also manages Seven Oaks Country Club
Seven Oaks Country Club
Seven Oaks Country Club is a private golf course in Bakersfield, California. The course has 27 holes , with a total length of 10,592. The golf course was designed by Robert Muir Graves, and is a championship course. Between 1992 and 1993, the golf course hosted the Bakersfield Open, a PGA national...
and a housing development community on its estate.