Clergy and Religious Encounter of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Canada

Dear Reverend Clergy, Religious and Faithful:

Glory be to Jesus Christ!
Christ is Risen!

At the end of May, the Eparchy of Edmonton will have the distinct privilege to welcome some 150 bishops, priests, deacons, sisters and monks from our five Ukrainian Catholic eparchies across Canada. This gathering will have as its focus the catechetical formation of our faithful. This same question was discussed last year in Ukraine.

Our Chancery Office has been working hard to prepare for this Encounter 2008 and for its success, like that of our last Encounter which took place in Winnipeg in 2005.

Our gathering will be blessed by the presence of the Father and Head of our Church, His Beatitude Patriarch Lubomyr, as well with the participation of the bishop-members of the Permanent Synod of our Church, who have chosen Edmonton to hold their quarterly meeting.

And that’s not all!

At 9:00 am, on Wednesday, May 28, albeit a weekday, His Beatitude together with our bishops and clergy will celebrate a Pontifical Divine Liturgy at Saint Josaphat Cathedral. I cordially invite all to take part in this solemn and historical gathering in prayer.

Following the Divine Liturgy, we will unveil and bless a life-size statue of our first bishop in Canada, Bishop Nykyta Budka, who was beatified by Pope John Paul II during his visit to Ukraine in 2001.

I am deeply moved by these events as they provide an opportunity for all of us to take pride in our Church and to work for its greater good.

Please pray for the success of the Encounter, and do plan to attend the Pontifical Divine Liturgy on May 28.

May the All-Holy Trinity bless you with joy and love.

Sincerely in Christ,

Most Rev. David Motiuk
Eparchial Bishop

1 May 2008