Українська Католицька Едмонтонська Єпархія
Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Edmonton

EPARCHIAL NEWSLETTER
November 2008

UPCOMING EVENTS

During the month of November, the Eparchy of Edmonton conducts its annual collectionfor the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Catholic Church and the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Each year the Synod of Ukrainian Catholic Bishops and the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops are asked to speak out, give leadership and provide guidelines for the faithful on a wide variety of topics in our daily lives. In order for our bishops to be able to make proper judgements on modern topics, they must have the benefit of research and expert advice.

Research and gathering information requires staff, time and money. Findings ways to provide channels to the bishops from the people of God and ways of disseminating the thinking of the bishops to the people of God also requires staff, time and money. Through the yearly bishops’ collection, an appeal is made to all Catholics to be generous in supporting the work of their bishops.

Bishop David will ordain Deacon Basil Sych to the sacred order of the Priesthood on November 1, 11:00 am at Saint Paul Roman Catholic Cathedral, Saint Paul, Alberta.

Catholic Education Sunday is celebrated November 2. The Catholic Bishops of Alberta issued a pastoral letter on this year’s theme “Ready to Evangelize – A Life in Faith.”

Bishop David has convoked an Eparchial Sobor (Assembly) to be held November 8 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm at Ukrainian Youth Unity Complex (9615 – 153 Avenue), Edmonton. The theme of the Sobor is “Evangelization and the Ukrainian Catholic Church – Following in the Footsteps of Saints Cyril and Methodious, Apostles to the Slavs” («Євангелізація та Українська Греко-Католицька Церква – слідами свв. Кирила та Методія, просвітителів слов’ян»). An Eparchial Sobor is intended to assist the bishop in matters that regard the special pastoral needs of the eparchy. The 2008 Eparchial Sobor will be led by Rev. Stefano Penna, a much sought-after lecturer and preacher across Western Canada. Father Stefano currently serves as Dean of the Faculty of Theology, Newman College.

The Ukrainian Catholic Brotherhood of Canada – Eparchy of Edmonton is celebrating its 75th Anniversary. An Anniversary-Pushchennia will be held November 8 (immediately following the Eparchial Sobor) at Youth Unity Centre, Edmonton.

In tribute to the 75th anniversary, the Brotherhood sponsored the restoration of two icons commissioned by them in 1938 on the occasion of the 950 th anniversary of Christianity in Ukraine. The icons will be unveiled at the Anniversary-Pushchennia on November 8, then will be placed in the Basilian Fathers Museum, Mundare. The restoration of the icons is the first project of the Brotherhood’s Fond Spadshchyny – Heritage Fund.

The Ukrainian Canadian Congress (Canada) has launched a National Holodomor Awareness Week, November 16-23, 2008, drawing attention to the man-made famine which raged through Ukraine, claiming the lives of millions of men, women and children.

The Congress invites parishes to celebrate a panachyda service for the victims following the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, November 23, then ring their church bells (where they exist) ten times following the panachyda service.

The Congress has also initiated a Holodomor Awareness Fund aimed at raising awareness about the Famine among Canadians, including school-age children. Donations may be made payable to “Ukrainian Canadian Congress – Holodomor Awareness Fund” and mailed directly to Ukrainian Canadian Congress, 952 Main Street, Suite 203, Winnipeg, MB, R2W 3P4. For more information, visit www.ucc.ca.

The Ukrainian Canadian Congress (Edmonton Branch) invites clergy, religious and laity to mark the conclusion of the 75th Anniversary of the 1932-1933 Holodomor/Famine in Ukraine with a special memorial service at City Hall, Edmonton, on Saturday, November 22, at 12:00 pm (note change in time).

ANNOUNCEMENTS

On behalf of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, Metropolitan Lawrence Huculak, Bishop Dionisij Lachovicz, and Sister Janice Soluk, ssmi, made interventions at the 2008 Papal Synod of Bishops.

Pope Benedict XI, in his address to the new Canadian Ambassador to the Holy See, Anne Leahy, affirmed that Catholicism is the Cornerstone of Canadian Society.

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a Pastoral Message on the Occasion of the 40th Anniversary of the Encyclical Humane vitae.

The Commission for Social Affairs, Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, released a letter on Our Relationship with the Environment: the Need for Conversion.

The Ukrainian Catholic Bishops of Canada issued a letter to pastors clarifying the traditional offering “Дар Любови” – “Gift of Love.”

This year’s donations from the Annual Bishop’s Tea (October 5) totalled $9,715. The amount in its entirety will be used in support of the Religious Education Centre, Eparchy of Edmonton.

The proceeds from the second instalment of the national collection in support of the International Eucharistic Congress that was celebrated this year in Quebec City were $1,845, thus bringing the total contribution on behalf of the Eparchy of Edmonton towards the Congress to $3,675. Thank you!

This summer, Western Ukraine was ravaged by the worst flooding in a century. The faithful of the Eparchy of Edmonton contributed in total $28,389.74 in charitable relief through the Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA Canada) www.cnewacanada.ca. Thank you!

Recently, the functions and the responsibilities of the Presbyteral Council and the College of Consultors were divided into two separate bodies.

The Presbyteral Council of the Eparchy of Edmonton is a body of priests representing the presbyterate and which assists the eparchial bishop by its advice in those things that regard the needs of pastoral activity and the good of the eparchy.

The College of Consultors is a body of priests, chosen from the Presbyteral Council, who act as official advisors to the eparchial bishop in certain matters determined by law pertaining to the administration of the eparchy, and as a governing board when the eparchial see is vacant or impeded.

Catholic News Service launched its Bible Blog, a series of stories on books of the Bible or aspects of biblical study by some excellent scholars in Rome, the U.S. and Canada. Each scholar will post a 300-500 word piece almost daily throughout and after the world Synod of Bishops on the Bible, which runs Oct. 5-26 at the Vatican. The scholars and their proposed topics are:

• Sister of St. Joseph Mary Kate Birge, associate professor of theology at Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg, Md. She will blog on the letters of St. Paul and other books of the New Testament.
• Jesuit Brother Guy Consolmagno, Vatican astronomer and curator of the Vatican's meteorite collection. He will blog on astronomy in the Bible and how Scripture views the universe.
• Jesuit Father Michael Kolarick, lecturer on Old Testament/Hebrew Scriptures at Regis College, Toronto. He is blogging on the Book of Genesis.
• Crosier Fathers Glen Lewandowski, master general of the Crosiers and a member of the 2008 Synod of Bishops, and Jerry Schik, former novice director of the Crosiers. They will team-blog on the Gospel of Luke.
• Jesuit Father Scott Lewis, associate professor of New Testament at Regis College at the Toronto School of Theology and director of the Manresa Retreat Centre in Pickering, Ontario. He will blog on the Gospel of John.
• Catherine Murphy, associate professor of New Testament at Santa Clara University in California. She will blog on the Dead Sea Scrolls, John the Baptist, responsibility for Jesus' death, women in ministry in the early church and other New Testament topics.
• Uta Sievers, communications officer for the Social Justice Secretariat of the Society of Jesus in Rome, will blog on the Old Testament books of Ruth, Judith and Esther.

Links to the Bible Blog can be found in the special section, "Word of God: World Synod of Bishops," on the CNS home page, or in the CNS Blog, also located on the CNS home page.

Chorbishop John Faris, Deputy Secretary General, Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA), in his article “A Critical Mass? Christians in the Middle East,” offers a reflection on the richness of the Christian faith in the Middle East addresses the phenomenon of emigration. Is Christianity in its homeland evaporating?