Eparchial Newsletter  August 1998  Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Van Nuys  8131 North 16th Street  Phoenix, Arizona 85020-3999  Voice: (602) 861-9778  Fax:    (602) 861-9796  E-mail: EVNizer@aol. com

His Eminence, Metropolitan Judson M. Procyk, head of the Byzantine-Ruthenian Catholic Church, in collegial union with the Bishops of the Metropolitan Church of Pittsburgh, has promulgated a codification of statutes that become the particular law of the Metropolitan Church.

The Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches gives authority to sui juris churches to enact laws for themselves, to legislate on matters relegated to particular law in the canons.  Sui juris churches are those churches that are self-governing within the Catholic communion, of which the Byzantine-Ruthenian is one.  These laws become binding on all the Christian faithful of the Church upon promulgation by the competent legislator.

Canon 167 gives authority to the Council of Hierarchs of Metropolitan Churches to develop such laws and enact them once notification has been received from the Apostolic See of the reception of these acts.

The process of codifying the particular law for the Metropolitan Church of Pittsburgh was begun in 1995 with the establishment of an intereparchial canonical commission.  Representatives of each of the four eparchies were appointed by their respective bishops to serve on this commission.  After revision and review by the Council of Hierarchs, a final draft was sent to the Apostolic See.

Working on the draft were Rev. Richard Whetstone, JCL of the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh; Rev. Robert Hospodar, JCL of Passaic; Rev. Nicholas Rachford, JCL of Parma, and Rev. Philip Acquaro, JCL of Van Nuys.  The Most Rev. Andrew Pataki, JCL, Bishop of Passaic, served as episcopal advisor.

In July His Eminence, Metropolitan Judson received notification from the Apostolic See of the reception of these laws.  As head of the church, it is his responsibility to promulgate them. The laws deal with a variety of issues pertinent to the life of the Byzantine-Ruthenian Church sui juris.

The Council of Hierarchs, desiring the renewal of the spiritual, liturgical and canonical life of the Metropolia identified its goals as education, worship, evangelization, and ecumenism according to the authentic traditions of the Christian East.

The Byzantine-Ruthenian Catholic Church is one of the first known Eastern Catholic Churches to have enacted laws related to the entire code of canons on the church-wide level.  Other Eastern Catholic Churches have enacted laws related to specific areas of the canons.

These laws supercede any previous published eparchial statutes and are binding throughout the Church.

Three Basilian Sisters currently serving the Eparchy of Van Nuys were honored recently on the occasion of their Jubilees.  Sister Celestine has been a religious for 51 years, the last 7 years in the Eparchy of Van Nuys, where she serves as Eparchial Treasurer.  Sister Christopher, celebrating her Golden Jubilee, has served the Eparchy for 8 years in varied positions, most recently as Pastoral Assistant at the Pro-Cathedral.  Sister Madeline, likewise a Golden Jubilarian, has only served here 10 months as Eparchial Secretary.

A Vesper-Liturgy in St. Stephen Pro-Cathedral initiated the festive occasion.  Most Reverend George Kuzma, Eparchial Bishop, presided at the Liturgy celebrated by Very Rev. Stephen Washko, Rector of the Pro-Cathedral. Concelebrating with him were Rt. Rev. Wesley Izer, SDB, Protosyncellus; Rev.
Jon Jensen, Hegumen of the Monastery of the Good Shepherd of Tijuana, Mexico; and Rev. John Dorich, retired.  Present also for the occasion were Father Nicholas, Hegumen of Holy Resurrection Monastery in California accompanied by Brothers Basil and Moses, Rev. Philip Acquaro, CSB, Pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Gilbert, and Brother Narciso from the Monastery of the Good Shepherd in Tijuana.

The three Sisters renewed their religious vows aloud before Holy Communion and received individual blessings from Bishop George at the conclusion of the services.

A banquet followed in the parish hall with over 150 guests present.  The Sisters were asked to share a little of their lives at the conclusion of the meal.  All three are from Pennsylvania and spent most of their religious lives teaching in the schools of the eparchies.  They expressed gratitude for the kindness of those responsible for the celebration and for the privilege of serving in the Van Nuys Eparchy.

The Right Rev. Wesley Izer, SDB made the Pastoral Visitation of St. Nicholas of Myra Byzantine Catholic Church in Anchorage, Alaska, from July 3 until July 9.   Due to the 4th of July weekend, the Visitation was low-keyed.  The usual meetings were not held, but parishioners took the opportunity to speak with Father Wes privately during the Sunday 4th of July picnic.

One of the major objectives of this weeklong visit was to check land holdings the parish had received during the pastorship of the Right Rev. Mitred Archpriest Michael Artim.   Accordingly, Father Stephen Greskowiak, the Pastor of St. Nicholas joined Father Wes, for an expedition down the Kenai Peninsula to look at property holdings in Homer and Kenai.   With the assistance of Mitred Archpriest Michael and two parishioners, Father Wes also reviewed property in southeast Anchorage.  The purpose was to determine which properties would be beneficial for future church sites or be considered as investments.

Alaska is growing and there will be need for more churches there in the future.  The fastest area of growth seems to be the north of Anchorage in Wasilla where a number of St. Nicholas’ parishioners already reside.

The parish and the Eparchy are indebted to Mitred Archpriest Michael for his vision of providing for the future.

Representing the Most Reverend George M. Kuzma Bishop of the Eparchy of Van Nuys, the Right Rev. Wesley Izer, SDB solemnly blessed the newly- enlarged church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in an evening ceremony on July 15, 1998.   Father Wes was assisted by the Rev. Christopher Zugger, Pastor, the Very Rev. Stephen Washko, Syncellus for the Southwest, and two former pastors: the Rev. Joseph Hutsko, currently pastor of Holy Protection Church in Denver, and the Rev. John Dorich, retired.  The Rev. Robert Pipta, Administrator of St. Gabriel Church in Las Vegas, served as Master of Ceremonies, thus enabling the services to flow without any difficulties. The well-rehearsed Cantors under the direction of Diane Prokipchak, chanted the responses.

The newly-enlarged church and hall facility was almost the exclusive work of the parishioners.  Men, women, children spent many a Saturday since 1995 giving their time, talents, and energy —sometimes even blood— so that the parish could have a larger church in which to worship and a larger parish hall in which to socialize. Parishioners Steve Horner and Liam Claus greeted Father Wes at the beginning of the services with the traditional gifts. They were chosen in recognition of their many hours of work in helping to enlarge the church-hall addition.

Approximately 200 clergy, religious and faithful witnessed the blessing of the exterior of the church and then entered the church for the blessing of the interior and the iconostas.

At the homily, Father Wes thanked Father Chris and the parishioners for their faith, trust, and love of God that resulted in this fine building. Father also encouraged them to remember that they have to see themselves as part of the Eparchy and continue to be missionaries proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the Southwest.

Sept. 21-25 Eparchial Clergy Conference
    Phoenix, Arizona

Oct. 6-8 Council of Hierarchs
   Phoenix, Arizona

Oct. 19-22 Inter-Eparchial Liturgy Commission
   Phoenix, Arizona

Oct. 21-22 * Board of Regents Meeting
   Mt. Angel Seminary,       St. Benedict, OR

Oct. 24-25 * Pastoral Visitation,  St. Gabriel
   Las Vegas, NV

Oct. 30-31 * Pilgrimage,
   Holy Resurrection Monastery
   Newberry Springs, CA

St. Basil the Great Church
in Los Gatos, California
has new phone numbers:
Voice:  (408) 871-0919
Fax: (408) 871-0911

Our prayerful condolences to:

• Rev. Alex Mills of Tucson on the recent death of his mother Ellen;
• Rev. Mr. John Miller of Gilbert on the death of his mother Helen; and
• Seminarian Paul Voida of Anaheim on the death of his mother Elaine

Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord:

I went to take this opportunity to present the results of our Annual Bishop's Appeal.

First and foremost I wish to thank each of you who participated in our Appeal. Your sacrificial gift is a sign of your continued commitment to the Lord and His Church. Without your dedication, we could not go forward as a Church. I am very appreciative of you commitment!

As I state my gratitude, I am also somewhat dismayed at the participation level. I pray that this is not a sign of the lack of faith or commitment of some of our members to the Church and its work of spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Again this year the Appeal's is being placed into a Parish Contingency Fund from which our parishes in the future will be able to take short term loans. I am hopeful that, by the time I retire in two years, the Fund will be close to half a million dollars.

Once again I thank each of you who have supported and continue to support the Bishop's Appeal. May the Lord reward you abundantly with His peace and love.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

s/ Bishop George

Bishop of Van Nuys

* Will Receive Rebate