The Eastern Catholic patriarchs sing the Panikhida prayers at Pope Francis’s funeral. The heads of the Eastern Catholic Churches were also present at Pope Benedict’s, St John Paul II’s and St John XXIII’s funeral.
The presence of Eastern Christianity –Catholic and Orthodox– demonstrates eloquently the universality and diversity of the Universal Church, a church breathing with both lungs.
The youngest cardinals at the Funeral of Pope Francis:
Left is Cardinal Américo Aguiar, Portugal, 51; Cardinal Mykola Bychok CSsR, Melbourne, 45; on the right is Cardinal Giorgio Marengo, IMC, Mongolia, 50.
Cardinal Mykola Bychok is the Eparch of the Ukrainian eparchy, Melbourne, Australia.
Photo courtesy of Cardinal Mykola Bychok.
The chapter of the UGCC with the Permanent Synod and the bishops of the Philadelphia Metropolis held a number of meetings at the Conference of Catholic Bishops of the United States and the Congress.
Photo by : o. Taras Zheplinsky
Patriarch Sviatoslav is in the USA with the bishops of the Permanent Synod this week.
The Divine Liturgy served by Patriarch Sviatoslav, the Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Galicia, here at the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome.
Most of the Eastern Catholic Bishops of the United States gathered in St. Louis, Missouri, March 22-23 to discuss issues of common concern including catechesis, evangelization efforts, and temporal issues. Participants included Ukrainian Catholic, Byzantine, Maronite, Melkite, Syro-Malabar, and Chaldean bishops.
Archbishop Borys Gudziak made a presentation to the bishops on the situation in Ukraine and the Metropolia Humanitarian Aid Fund. The bishops present pledged their spiritual solidarity with the suffering people of Ukraine, and their financial support. They issued a joint appeal for peace in Ukraine. A Ukrainian Catholic Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the evening of March 22 in the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis with Archbishop Borys presiding. St. Louis Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski gave a stirring homily.
Bishop Bohdan Danylo of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of St. Josaphat in Parma presented the 2030 Pastoral Program of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church ‘The Hope to Which the Lord Calls Us’ and provided bishops with materials for its implementation. He focused on three points: closeness and practical attention to the poor and marginalized, the path to curing wounds and healing traumas, and the Christian family – a domestic Church.
The group thanked Bishop Kurt Burnette of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Passaic, for his leadership during the six last years. At that meeting, the bishops chose a new board. Bishop Bohdan Danylo was elected as the new president of the association of Eastern Catholic Bishops. Vice-president will be Bishop Frank Yohanna Kalabat of the Chaldean Eparchy of St. Thomas in Detroit. Bishop Paul Chomnycky of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Stamford will serve as secretary, and Bishop Francois Beyrouti of the Melkite Eparchy of Newton – as treasurer. Bishop Kurt Burnette is a trustee of the Eastern Catholic Association.
The Eastern Catholic Bishops will gather as a group in November at the annual meeting of all Catholic Bishops in the United States, and again next March in St. Louis.
Please watch a short documentary made by the Ukrainian Catholic University.
“If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.” (Meister Eckhart)
Thanksgiving is a time for us to recall and to deeply live the blessings of our lives, and to give thanks to God for His many gifts.
Let’s be grateful for what we have been given, both spiritually and materially, as we strive to courageously live the Gospel of Jesus Christ as Ukrainian Catholics. Thank you for your stewardship and all you do to serve the Lord and others in St Michael the Archangel Ukrainian Catholic Church and community!
We are particularly inspired by the superlative work done for our brothers and sisters in our beloved land of Ukraine. The Ukrainian Relief Project New Haven has been working incredibly hard and with great success. The work of so many near and far is truly a gift to relish and to keep perspective. We are grateful!
Let’s be grateful for the gift of the Eucharist that we receive when we come to the Divine Liturgy. The word “Eucharist” means “thanksgiving.” Indeed, what a superb blessing it is to be able to receive the Lord – body, blood, soul, and divinity – in the Holy Eucharist! This spiritual food strengthens us in our daily lives and on our daily journey to the Kingdom. The Eucharist informs and forms our lives to be fully alive in God.
Please know that you and your loved ones will be remembered in our prayers in a special way on Thanksgiving Day.
Happy Thanksgiving!
May Saint Michael the Archangel intercede for you and May God bless you!
Father Iura and Juliana
John Burger published his interview with Patriarch Sviatoslav today.
Some of our volunteers working to help our Ukrainian brothers and sisters.
We are grateful for their time, talent and humor in this great effort.
This is only a portion of our volunteers for the Ukrainian Relief Project New Haven! So many more help in their own communities and come to St Michael’s to deepen the collaboration and coordination.
May God reward them for their good work.
