Category: Mission

Eastern Catholic Bishops Gather in St. Louis

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.

Participants of the meeting: Most Rev. Frank Yohanna Kalabat, Bishop of the Chaldean Eparchy of St. Thomas in Detroit; Most Rev. William Skurla, Metropolitan Archbishop of the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh; Most Rev. Kurt Burnette, Bishop of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Passaic; Most Rev. Francois Beyrouti, Bishop of the Melkite Eparchy of Newton; Most Rev. Nicholas Samra, Emeritus Bishop of the Melkite Eparchy of Newton; Most Rev. Joy Alappatt, Bishop of the Syro-Malabar Eparchy of St. Thomas; Most Rev. Paul Chomnycky, Bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Stamford; Most Rev. Borys Gudziak, Metropolitan Archbishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia; Most Rev. Bohdan Danylo, Bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of St. Josaphat in Parma; Most Rev. Elias Zaidan, Bishop of the Maronite Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon in Saint Louis; Most Rev. Gregory Mansour, Bishop of the Maronite Eparchy of St. Maron in New York.

Report by Bishop Bohdan

Thanksgiving Day 2022

“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

Volunteers with the Ukrainian Relief Project New Haven

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.

Ukrainian Relief Project New Haven Update for March 26

On Friday, March 25, Carl Harvey (one of the coordinators of the Ukrainian Relief Project) was in Danbury meeting with people who are helping the Ukrainian Relief Project.

Here’s Carl Harvey’s review of Friday:

“Ihor Rudko, our UAV National Commander, CT Commissioner of Veterans Affairs and I met with the owners of a Plumbing company in Danbury this morning at 11:30. They have 6 pallets of humanitarian aid that they collected last weekend that will be coming to New Haven tomorrow (TODAY, Saturday, March 26). We also visited St. Joseph’s Catholic School in Danbury where we met with the Grade 5 and 6 students, their teachers and Principal plus Governor Lamont, the Mayor of Danbury and the state representative.

“They have collected all of the kinds of items that children in Ukraine need and packed them in a knapsack. They also included a personal note in the knapsack that they have donated.

“It is NO exaggeration when I tell you that there are at least 800 plus knapsacks in piles in this very large assembly room. It is a PHENOMENAL sight to behold. It is going to require a 40 foot container to transport all of it to a specific church in Poland to help the Ukrainian refugees that have arrived in the town where this church is located close to the border. Chris Komody and I have already discussed how we will proceed to get this shipment over there.

“We will also be getting a container from Eagle Leasing tomorrow morning (TODAY) to store the boxes that we already have and ready to ship.”

Thank you for your continued interest and generous work for our Ukrainian sisters and brothers.

In friendship, let’s keep all in prayer.

Ways to Give to the Humanitarian Relief Project New Haven

Dear Friends,

Some of you have asked about the ways to give. Here’s the financial ways and then there’s the volunteering ways. Come Saturday to help. More info to follow.

We ask for your support first and foremost in prayer, asking Our Lord to keep us on the right track. Rather than seeing this as fundraising, we believe God has always provided the sustenance needed to continue this humanitarian mission. Both the Ukrainian American Veterans and Knights of Columbus are non-profit, tax exempt organizations. Donations are tax-deductable. Should the Holy Spirit move you to offer assistance in feeding our sheep (literally), you can donate online (https://givesendgo.com/G2ZXR) or we can accept checks made payable to the following organizations (see below).

God bless you for your generosity.

Financial Help

For Humanitarian Help
To give online: https://givesendgo.com/G2ZXR

To mail your donation:
KofC Council 16253
St. Michael the Archangel Church
569 George Street
New Haven, CT 06511-5301
Checks payable to: KofC Council 16253
In the memo: St. Michael’s Ukrainian Humanitarian Relief Fund

For Medical Supplies

To mail your donation:
Mr. Carl R. Harvey
Ukrainian American Veterans Post 33
PO Box 972
Orange, CT 06477
Checks payable to: Ukrainian American Veterans Post 33
In the memo: Ukrainian Soldier Welfare Fund

To purchase items online and have sent to the Church:
Humanitarian items to collect are found on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2DC0A0NXSAR5N

You have may have the items sent to the Church:
St. Michael the Archangel Church
569 George Street
New Haven, CT 06511-5301

“Give something, however small, to the one in need. For it is not small to one who has nothing. Neither is it small to God, if we have given what we could.” (St. Gregory Nazianzen)

A summary of our charitable work

Here is a summary of our charitable work for the Ukrainian Relief Project New Haven.

It is important to keep a Christian perspective according to the mind of Jesus: “Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me” (Matthew 25: 45). Indeed, our work for our Ukrainian brothers and sisters can only make sense from the point of view service: feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, giving drink to the thirsty, providing medications to the sick, binding and cleaning the wounds of the attacked, and welcoming the stranger.

You may be aware that the Hebrew Torah instructs 36 times to care for the stranger — far more than it commands to observe the Sabbath or any other law.

Likewise, there may be awareness the Islam teaches: “Your Lord is sure to give you so much that you will be well satisfied. Did He not find you an orphan and shelter you? Did He not find you lost and guide you? Did He not find you in need and make you self-sufficient? So do not be harsh with the orphan and do not chide the one who asks for help; talk about the blessings of your Lord” (Q.93:6-11).

Ultimately, our work of charity for Ukrainian is based on the dignity of responding to the human need. Our humanity is moved to serve and to have concern for the other person. Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Starting in the First day of March, we have accomplished the following:

  • shipped 1,166 cartons with an approximate weight of 22,700 pounds
  • boxed up and ready to go approximate 750 more cartons packed with an approximate weight of 18,500 pounds
  • approximate 4,500 pounds of assorted materials in process to be packed into approximate 150 cartons in process partially filled

Thus far, our parishioners and friends have sent to Ukraine 45,700 pounds –2,066 pieces

The critical items (medical supplies) went by air in pods at a cost of $ 2.30 per pound and the balance was containerized and went by sea.

We are receiving more donations of materials on a daily basis.

We are continuing our collection efforts and need medical supplies, new clothes, winter coats etc and financial donations to pay for the shipping.

Yale New Haven Hospital together with private persons have been terrifically generous in donating medical supplies that have been shipped by air. The medical supplies were tailored and sent based on specific requests from the hospitals in the Ukraine.