Українська Католицька Едмонтонська Єпархія
Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Edmonton

EPARCHIAL NEWSLETTER
December 2007

UPCOMING EVENTS

Eparchial Clergy, Clergy Families, and Religious – Saint Nicholas Gathering, Friday, December 28, 11:00 am Divine Liturgy (all clergy invited to concelebrate), followed by a Christmas dinner and visit by Saint Nicholas, Exaltation of the Holy Cross Parish, Edmonton. Join Bishop David in a relaxing and casual day at the newly constructed Holy Cross Parish as the eparchial clergy, their families and female and male religious come together in fellowship to celebrate the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord and exchange best wishes of peace, hope and joy for the New Year.

The 2007 Annual Parish Reports (general info, parish census and sacrament statistics) are to be forwarded to the Chancery Office prior to December 31.

Parishes and organizations are once again invited to share the joyous news of Our Lord’s Birth with Bishop David with the age-old custom of Christmas Carolling. Please contact the Chancery Office (780.424.5496) to schedule a time on the following dates: December 29 (2:00 pm – 6:00 pm) and 30 (2:00 pm – 6:00 pm); January 20 (2:00 pm – 5:00 pm).

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is observed in Canada between the two Sundays within which January 25 falls. The Week of Prayer seeks to increase unity in the body of Christ by gathering different traditions for prayer and worship together. On the 100th Anniversary of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, the Edmonton and District Council of Churches invites you to a time of worship and prayer on January 20, 7:00 pm, at Covenant Christian Reformed Church, 19010 – 87 Avenue, Edmonton (87 th Avenue just east of Anthony Henday); theme – Pray Without Ceasing. For more info, contact Covenant Christian Reformed Church at 489-7802.

2008 Presbyteral Council/Consultors Meeting: 2:00 – 5:00 pm, February 25, April 14, September 29, November 4, Chancery Office.

2008 Clergy Conference: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm, February 26, April 15, September 30, November 5.

Metropolia Sobor 2008 : The entire hierarchy, clergy, religious and monastics of the Winnipeg Metropolia will assemble May 26-28, 2008 in Edmonton for a unique conference to reflect on the theme of the mission of our Church: “Evangelization Through Catechesis.” See pastoral letter (пасторальний лист) for further information. Please note that the 2008 Metropolia-wide Assembly will take the place of the 2008 Annual Clergy Retreat.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Pope Benedict XVI issued his second Encyclical, Spe savli, which is dedicated to the theme of Christian hope.

Ecclesial Communion, Conciliarity and Authority is the final document of the plenary assembly of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church. The meeting focused on theme of the Nature of the Church and was held in the Italian city of Ravenna from October 8 to 14 under the presidency of Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, and His Excellency Ioannis, metropolitan of Pergamo.

The annual Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, which was held in Philadelphia (USA) from September 27 to October, 6, 2007, has elected new members to the Permanent Synod. The Fathers of the Synod, after carrying out the appropriate procedure, confirmed the list of members of the Permanent Synod of Bishops of the UGCC: Archbishop Ihor (Voznyak), Bishop Paul (Chomnycky), Bishop David (Motiuk), and Bishop Vasyl’ (Semenyuk).

His Beatitude Lubomyr promulgated the Resolutions of the 2007 Patriarchal Synod of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Bishops, held in Philadelphia-Doylestown-Washington, USA, on September 27 – October 6, 2007. The text in English and Ukrainian are available from the Ukrainian Catholic Church website.

The Ukrainian Catholic Bishops in Canada issued a Pastoral Greeting on the occasion of the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord.

Bishop David promulgated a new document entitled Parish Pastoral Council Guidelines. The Guidelines are an important tool for existing parish pastoral councils to help better understand their role in relation to their pastor, with whom they collaborate, and with their parish, whom they serve. Parishes are invited to familiarize themselves with the Guidelines, renewing themselves as true places of prayer and worship, where the faithful encounter God’s love and mercy. The Guidelines take effect January 1, 2008.

The Holy See Press Office announced the program of celebrations organized to mark the 150th anniversary of the apparitions of the Immaculate Conception to Bernadette Soubirous in Lourdes, France. A Jubilee Year will be held, due to run from December 8, 2007, Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, to December 8, 2008, and to take place within the context of the new evangelization. It is expected that some eight million pilgrims will visit Lourdes for the Jubilee Year.

For your information is a reflection in English by Father Damian MacPherson, S.A., entitled “Celebrating the Centenary of Formal Prayer for Christian Unity.” As you will note in the text, 18 January 2008 “marks the centenary year of organized prayer for Christian unity.” Father MacPherson is Director of Ecumenical and Interfaith Affairs for the Archdiocese of Toronto. He also serves as a CCCB representative on the National Christian Muslim Liaison Committee, as well as representing the CCCB on a number of committees of the Canadian Council of Churches.

His Excellency, Bishop David, and the entire Chancery staff and volunteers extend to the clergy, religious, monastic, and faithful of the Eparchy of Edmonton a joyous celebration of the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord and prayerful best wishes for the New Year.