The Second Annual Sheptytsky Institute Study Days will take place from July 2 to 4 in Ottawa. This year’s theme is Eastern Christian Spirituality. The plenary speakers will be Archimandrite Robert Taft, Fr. John Behr and Martha Shepherd. For more information download the brochure, poster and registration details at www.ustpaul.ca/sheptytsky/news.

Unity 2009 “Life on the Edge” will take place August 13-16 at Mount Mary Retreat Centre, Ancaster, Ontario. Unity is sponsored by the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Canada and is a national celebration for young adults ages 18-35, helping them better to understand, embrace and celebrate their Byzantine Catholic faith. For more information, contact Millie Schietzsch, Eparchial Youth Director or visit www.unity2009.ca.

2009 Presbyteral Council Meetings: 2:00 – 5:00 pm, Chancery Office: October 5 (Providence Centre), and November 2.

2009 Annual Clergy Retreat: October 5 (5:00 pm)– 9 (9:00 pm), Providence Centre, Edmonton.

2009 Clergy Conferences: 10:00 am–4:00 pm, October 9 (10:00 am- 2:00 pm,Providence Centre), and November 3.

2009 College of ConsultorsMeetings – in conjunction with Presbyeral Council meetings, or as otherwise convoked.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Pope Benedict XVI appointed Bishop Hlib Lonchyna, curial bishop of the Patriarch of Kyiv-Halyc, Ukraine, as Apostolic Visitator for Great Britain.

The Pope has sent a Letter to the Priests of the world for the occasion of the Year for Priests, which has been called to mark the 150th anniversary of the death of St. John Mary Vianney. A copy of the letter is attached.

The Synod of Bishops, through its Catechetical Offices, is preparing to publish its first worldwide catechism for the Ukrainian Byzantine Rite Catholic Church, which is set to transform catechesis throughout the rite. Six years in the making, the historic book is almost finished – and will be published in 2010. See attached for further into.

Catholic Life for Life and Family (COLF) issued a new publication on assisted procreation entitled “High-Tech Babies... Exploring New Challenges to Human Dignity.”

Bill C-384 – An Act to Amend the Criminal Code (right to die with dignity) was recently introduced into the House of Commons. Should this bill be adopted, assisted suicide and euthanasia would be legalized in Canada. Two COLF documents can help give formation to Catholics faced with this new attack on human life and dignity:

• Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide: Urgent Questions; and
• Living, Suffering and Dying... What For?

You will also find on their website (www.colf.ca) a Workshop Guide on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide entitled Life in the Balance. This guide can be downloaded for free and used by individuals, families and parishes in educating themselves on the issues at hand.

The Ukrainian Catholic Bishops of Canada appointed Rev. Michael Winn as Rector of Holy Spirit Seminary, Ottawa. Father Michael did his own priestly formation at Holy Spirit Seminary. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1993 by Metropolitan Maxim Hermaniuk for the Archeparchy of Winnipeg. In 2005, he completed graduate studies (M.A.Th. and L.Th.) in Eastern Christian Theology (specializing in liturgy) at the Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Institute at Saint Paul University, Ottawa. He served until now as pastor of Holy Eucharist parish in Winnipeg.

At the same time, the Bishops express their gratitude to Rev. Andrei Kachur, who served as Rector of Holy Spirit Seminary from 2007-2009. Father Andrei continues his priestly ministry within the Eparchy of Saskatoon, while continuing to serve as Judicial Vicar of the Ukrainian Catholic Marriage Tribunal of First Instance.

The Alberta Catholic Bishops issued the attached “Pastoral Reflections on Nuclear Energy,” inviting our faithful to study and reflect upon the serious ethical questions concerning recent proposals to build and operate commercial nuclear reactors in the Province of Alberta.

An ecumenical delegation of ten leaders from Canadian churches and church organizations, a hereditary Indigenous chief from British Columbia and partners from Ecuador and Nigeria traveled in Alberta from May 21 to 27 to learn more about the tar sands and their impacts on people and the earth.

The delegation was organized by KAIROS (www.kairoscanada.org), which does social justice work for eleven churches and church-related organizations. As Christians, we seek a positive role in the care of God’s creation, right relations among peoples, and economic justice – all of which raise questions about the Athabasca tar sands. The delegation issued the attached statement.