In the Fall of 1971, the Rev. Peter Lickman, newly appointed Pastor of St. Basil’s Church in Miami, recognized the need for expanding the Byzantine Rite Church in Florida by establishing a new Mission in Palm Beach County. A Mission was established in the Palm Beach area after consultation with and encouragement by Bishop Michael Dudick of the Byzantine Rite Diocese of Passaic. Bishop Dudick wrote a letter introducing his Byzantine Rite priests to all the Roman Catholic clergy in Palm Beach County, dated November 3, 1971.

Father Peter Lickman had acquired the services of Father Constantine Afrian Guiness. Father Guiness was a married Byzantine priest who came to this country in 1955 with his wife Stephanie and taught psychology in Chicago for five years. He moved to Dade County from Michigan for his health and offered his services to Bishop Dudick and was assigned to aid Father Lickman. They solicited the help of the Roman Catholic Parishes by visits, distribution of literature, etc. Their diligent efforts resulted in mutual cooperation in the location of a place to worship in the Byzantine Rite of the Catholic Church.

The first ‘home’ of the Byzantine Catholic Mission of the Palm Beaches was at the Cenacle Retreat House, 1400 South Dixie Highway, Lantana, Florida. The good Sisters of the Cenacle extended their hospitality for many years to this mission Parish. An advertisement announcing the Mission was placed in all the local newspapers, parish bulletins, etc., and the first Divine Liturgy was celebrated on November 20, 1971. Unfortunately, no written number exists of those who attended the First Liturgy, but Mrs. Kathy Salak and her son John were the Cantors.

In December of 1981, Father Guiness requested a name for this mission but this came later in 1975 when it was given the name of the Holy Apostles. For the time being it was called the ‘Byzantine Rite Catholic Mission.’ Father Guiness reported the details of the first Liturgy to Bishop Dudick. The sum of $370.00 was collected from November, 1971 to January, 1972. A baptism was held on January 1, 1972, and the first funeral was held on January 3, 1972. Attendance at the Liturgies during the first few months of its existence evidently warranted arrangements with Sister Murial Brown to keep on renting the Cenacle for the weekly liturgies. The location of the Cenacle being seven miles from Palm Beach and sixty miles from Miami was ideal for both priests and parishioners.

Fr. Guiness became seriously ill and died on July 22, 1972. The fate of the Mission fell into the hands of Fr. Peter Lickman of St. Basil’s in Miami. Due to the added responsibilities of Fr. Lickman, a Saturday evening Liturgy was established in September for the Mission at the Cenacle.

Fr. Lickman persevered many years in traveling the sixty miles to an from Miami to serve the Mission in addition to his duties at St. Basil's.  This was truly a sacrifice of love, in not only keeping his Parish in Miami solvent and growing while helping this Mission into existence.  The present Pastor, while visiting Miami several times, remembers traveling to the Cenacle to give relief to Fr. Lickman, by celebrating the Liturgy for Holy Apostles parishioners.

Holy Apostles was always made a part of the activities at St. Basil's, but began to form its own character.  A Slavic Dinner was held at the Cenacle on November 27, 1977, indicating growth and an interest in having its own social functions.

In 1978, Fr. Lickman received an assistant in the person of Fr. James Fiore, a bi-ritual priest.  Fr. Fiore was given almost exclusive care of the 'Lantana Mission' and its development.  St. Basil's parish, in the name of the Holy Apostles Mission, purchased a condominium in Sterling Village, Boynton Beach, as a residence for its priests.  With this temporary 'rectory' nearby, Services continued to be held at the Cenacle Retreat House Chapel in Lantana.  Attendance at weekly Liturgy grew from forty or so to over a hundred regularly.  The weekly collection also grew in proportion.

Under the auspices of Fr. Fiore, a normal parish life started to develop at Holy Apostles.  Trustees John Pushkar and Catherine Dalton were officially appointed, although John Pushkar acted as one almost from the inception of the Parish.  Meetings and regular activities were scheduled and a parish bulletin exclusively for Holy Apostles once again appeared weekly.  Dinners, fundraisers, and parish activities were held so that in one year half the debt on the condo (ten thousand dollars) in Sterling Village was paid back to St. Michael's Cathedral in Passaic.

Fr. Fiore and Trustees began to look at several parcels of land more centrally located and better suited to the needs of the parish but his subsequent transfer thwarted these measures.  In August 1979, Fr. Fiore was asked by the Bishop to take on larger responsibilities in Orlando.  The parishioners feted their first resident pastor at a local restaurant with a farewell dinner.

During the formative years of Holy Apostles parish, Roman Rite priests with bi-ritual faculties, serving in the Miami area, became interested in the pure form of Byzantine Monasticism.  Bishop Dudick purchased property in nearby Lake Worth as a possible site for a Monastery.  This property of ten acres included several unfinished buildings, a large house, airplane hanger, and sundry sheds.  Works was begun on these buildings with diocesan funds and the monastery was named 'The monastery of the Three Holy Hierarchs'.

Meanwhile, Holy Apostles Parish, with the aid of the Diocese, and the Florida parishes, and its own reserves, purchased property on nearby Military Trail for its own parochial development.  With the departure of Fr. Fiore and to not burden Fr. Lickman, Bishop Dudick decided to entrust the care of the parish of Holy Apostles to the priests of the Monastery that was in close proximity to the Cenacle.

Fathers Frank Wendt and Joseph Fishwick were assigned by the Most Reverend Bishop to administer the parish from September, 1979.  In June, 1980, a priest, new to the Diocese, Fr. William Saulnier, was sent to assist Fr. Wendt at the Monastery where a small chapel was begun at the residence.

In the fall of 1980, a new and full schedule at the Cenacle prompted the director, Sr. Murial Brown, to ask Fr. Wendt to relocate the Parish for the Sunday Liturgy.  Bishop Dudick and Fr. Wendt expected that the Parish would relocate on the monastic property which was enlarged by the purchase of an additional ten acres.  Being the Superior of the Monastery, Fr. Wendt was having the airplane hanger emptied and inner construction began with Diocesan monies for a monastic Chapel.  Mr. Robert Steuber, an architect from Palm Beach, donated his services in designing a suitable place for worship.

Monastic fundraising attempts did not work out and many projects begun with Diocesan monies ran out and had to be abandoned.  The large home which was to be the Monastery and living space for the priests, that was hardly fit for human habitation, was in the process of being remodeled.  At this time, Fr. Wendt requested that he be relieved of parish responsibilities, as the new monastery needed full-time attention, and also requested that a Diocesan priest be assigned to the parish.  Fr. Saulnier was then assigned as pastor.

Meanwhile, the parishioners had developed a strong aversion to any relationship with the monastery, and refused to go on the property due mainly to a lack of sanitary facilities, maintained and paved road, and the general shabbiness and deterioration of the property.  So, another site for the parish was temporarily secured in the place of a nearby funeral chapel.  However, this was short lived. Fr. Saulnier moved into the parish condominium.  Sadly, the monastery did not last as Fr. Wendt was the only monk who was left and his health was deteriorating rapidly and in October he was relieved of his duties.

By December of 1980, now with the monastery gone and with a pastor who would care for them, the parish decided to move the property as Bishop Dudick assured them that the Church was indeed theirs from now on!  With the Bishop's approval and trustees consent, Fr. Saulnier enlisted Mr. Robert Lubitsky, a parishioner, to move onto the property held by the Diocese and the parish on Military Trail was consolidated with frontage on Hypoluxo Road.

In January 1981,  Fr. Saulnier became seriously ill, and Fr. James Mitchko was sent to administer the Parish.  Shortly the Pastor was returuned and some concrete accomplishments began to take place; the Guild was established, comprising men and women of the parish with a focus on fundraising.  Icons were purchased and articles bought for the Church.  A visit from the Bishop in June of 1982 was made to assure the parishioners that a portion of the front property with its buildings along with Church and Rectory was theirs to keep.  Because of ill health, stress and traducement, Fr. Saulnier requested and was was transferred to his home state of Massachusetts.  Once again, Fr. Mitchko appeared on the scene for a few months to fill in until the present pastor was ready to take his new assignment.

On September 14, 1982, after a Pastorate of eleven years at Saint Nicholas of Myra Parish in Yonkers and White Plains, New York, Rev. Basil Kraynyak was transferred to Holy Apostles Church.  Having just completed the precarious transition of the Pastor from Yonkers to White Plains, where beautiful property along with with renovated buildings for Church use was made by him, Fr. Basil brought with him his tried experience to Lake Worth.  The parishioners of Holy Apostles were much demoralized and apathetic and their plight brought to this priest a new challenge.

Much effort and hard work was being expended on the part of the parishioners but was sporadic and uncentralized.  Forty acres of untamed property, many incomplete and unfinished buildings, lack of funds, and most of the parishioners in their 'golden years' seemed to overwhelm them.  They needed the firm hand and example of their dedicated new priest.

Uprooting himself after so many years from an established parish and accustomed to the basic needs, he brought along with himself a new altar for the Church, a tabernacle 9donated by the Bishop) along with the candlesticks, refurbished at his own expense, the Gospel Book, and other appointments he deemed necessary.  Appraising the situation, he investigated the possibility of starting a Bingo social.  Collaborating with the dean, Fr. Lickman, and parishioners, Fr. Basil enlisted their help and

located an area in a shopping center in Lantana suitable for this undertaking. Already by the end of November, with the consent of the Bishop and cooperation of the Trustees Julius Hugyo and John Toth, arrangements were made to rent the facility at Lantana Plaza. Parishioners Dolores Savarese, Josephine Rapacka, June Alaska, and Marlon Fable were instructional in making preparations for an opening of the Bingo operation in February of 1983 and continued to give their assistance to this day.

Meanwhile, Fr. Basil centralized all efforts to finish the uncompleted Church. He, himself, fashioned the distinctive onion-shaped dome in order to have a cross crown the building and set it apart from the others as the Church. Petitioning his family, he realized enough funds from his brothers to purchase the materials to construct the present icon screen, through the talents of one of the parishioners, Randy Legezdh, who is a carpenter.

The parishioners still have an aversion to the buildings on the southern end of the property considering them monastic and diocesan responsibility. Concentrating their efforts on the Hypoluxo Road frontage, they constructed the two-car garage into a kitchen to be used for fund raising projects. With this facility available to them, the parishioners initiated an Annual Church Picnic that still is the single largest fundraiser in which all the parishioners participate. The simple major problem confronting Holy Apostles at this time was the road leading from Hypoluxo Road to the Church. This was a dirt road that during the rainy season was a muddy travesty. Fr. Basil had contacts in New York with the O'Toole Foundation, a trust fund for charitable works that made a grant to the Holy Apostles Church in the sum of $10,000.

Part of this sum was used for paving a road from the Rectory to the Church and a small parking area in front of the Church. This allowed the parishioners solid ground to step out of their cars onto, upon arrival at the Church. Soon after, Bishop Dudick sent $10,000 for the construction of a shell road which at least 'proved a temporal solution.

Bingo became operational, but it would be many months before profit was to be realized. Work continued on the Icon Screen and the Icons painted by Elias Katsaros and purchased during Fr. Saulnier's time were finally installed in the Church. During this time, concrete walkways around the Church, Rectory, and Parish Center were installed and a Carillon Bell System was installed at a cost of $5,000 in the Church.

During the summer of 1983, work was begun on the Annex of the Church. The much-needed restrooms and a cry room with the windows, allowing more people to attend services were created. The men of the parish undertook during this time the task of renovating the farm house m the front of the property into a meeting hall (our Parish Center), somewhat small but adequate for the present. In the beginning of October 1983, members of the parish made their first pilgrimage to St. Augustine, Florida, to the Shine of our Lady of LaLeche and have made this an annual outing.

In March of 1984, work was finalized on the removal of over one hundred Australian Pines Trees , rimming the pond by the Church. These trees along with their roots were very messy which caused considerable clean up work. This work was subsidized by Diocesan Stewardship Funds. Meanwhile, at a cost of over $22,000, which was mostly absorbed by the Parish, a paved road one half mile long through the Diocesan property from Hypoluxo Road to the Church was finally paved. This meant that the old shed and storage buildings had to be torn down and burnt. The good men of the parish gave a helping hand for this hard work. Alan Kapron, a former seminarian from Lorain, Ohio, made his home in Florida and was enlisted by Fr. Basil as a parish Cantor in June of 1984.

Once this was done, Fr. Basil enlisted the help of a local compactor and member of the congregation, Mr. Mark Wink to but all the electrical lines to the Church and provide for better service. While doing this, preparation was made to have a fountain placed in the center of the parking lot in front of the Church. Miss Mary Demko kindly consented to donate this item at a cost of $3,000 in memory of her parents. Work was begun on the canopy or porch lining the front of the Church, which followed the original plan by the architect. However, with some modifications by Fr. Basil. This was needed due to the heavy downpours during the rainy season here in Florida.

Landscaping, sod, etc., was placed in front of the Church and a Grotto to our Lady of Lourdes was placed on the island in the middle of the pond, the gracious gift of the McGann family. A waterfall and plaque were installed there, the gift of Mary Demko. The fountain and Grotto were solemnly blessed by Bishop Dudick on our Picnic day in 1985. Bit by bit the grounds started to take shape; the road was lined with over a hundred princess palm trees leading to the Church.

Attention now was turned to the Rectory to make it more habitable and comfortable for the Pastor. The Pastor's bedroom was enlarged, new carpeting, new furniture, appliances, etc. were purchased and some of the rooms painted. A new roof for the rectory is the next priority, at a cost of over $7,000.

On April 5, 1986 the parish feted Fr. Basil on his 20th Anniversary in the Priesthood with a Testimonial Banquet at the Hyatt Palm Beaches Hotel, a truly eloquent tribute to the hard work of their pastor.

Fr. Basil soon after was a victim of a heart attack and subsequently underwent open-heart surgery. Well on the road to recovery with the assistance of Fr. James Fiore who was stationed here to help Fr. Basil over his set back, he celebrates with the family of Holy Apostles.

The parochial family has grown from thirty-five families in 1982 to over ninety at present. Along with numerical growth, the income has increased substantially. A school of Religion for the children of the parish has been initiated and with God’s help will grow. The Parish needs are great, but Holy Apostles has proven itself capable of even a heavier burden, namely that of a fledgling parish to take of, maintain, and progress this grand futuristic investment of forty acres on which is known ad Florida’s Gold Coast.

With the help of Almighty God, His Blessed Mother, and our Holy Twelve Apostles, may our Pastor and all our Parishioners and Friends and Benefactors be granted blessings of health, peace, and prosperity to continue the work of his Holy Church!