Clergy, seminarians, monks and religious of the Eparchy gathered at St. 
Stephen Pro-Cathedral in Phoenix from September 21 to 25 for the annual 
Clergy Conference.  The sessions included a day of recollection, a seminar on Evangelization, a day of Eparchial business and the Ordination to Minor 
Orders for 2 seminarians. 

The Day of Recollection was given by Father Nicholas of Holy Resurrection Monastery, using the Spirituality of  Maximos the Confessor as it pertains to pastoral ministry as his topic.  Periods of reflection and a question and answer session were provided. 

Father Joseph Stanichar gave the input on Evangelization and provided workbooks for the participants.  He encouraged priests to love their people and gave practical ideas to build up parishes and missions. 

Eparchial business included a review of our Particular Law, Liturgical directives for Lent, Easter and the Liturgy; the financial report including Bishop’s Appeal;  the update of Vocational ministry and Religious Education. 

The contents and Statistics of the Ad Limina Report presented to the Holy 
Father in February, were also shared with the participants. 

Anthony Hernandez of Los Gatos, California and Luke Bell of Phoenix received the Minor Order of Lector and were tonsured by Bishop George Kuzma in conjunction with a Vesper Service.  A parish dinner followed in the Hall. 

Priests of the Van Nuys Eparchy participated in the 1998 Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Perpetual Help at Mount St. Macrina in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, September 4 to 7th. 

Very Rev. Stephen Washko, Rector of the Pro-Cathedral of St. Stephen at Phoenix, Arizona represented Bishop Kuzma, who was unable to attend. Rev. Joseph Hutsko and Rev. Robert Pipta also participated.  They celebrated Divine Liturgies, helped with Processions and in the Mystery of Reconciliation. 

Beautiful weather and the large number of pilgrims characterized the weekend, beginning with the Procession with the Icon of Our Lady from the Motherhouse to the Pontifical Altar where  Metropolitan Judson Procyk celebrated the opening Divine Liturgy assisted by concelebrating priests. Sister Ruth Plante, Provincial of the Sisters, welcomed the pilgrims at the conclusion of the Friday sessions. 

Two noteworthy events occurred during the pilgrimage, one the inclusion of the prayers of Matins, which drew large numbers of pilgrims, and the second, the Groundbreaking for Mt. Macrina Mausoleum by Metropolitan Judson M. Procyk, in an area opposite the present cemetery. 

The Children's and Teens program as well as the availability of Enrichment Sessions and Family and/or Pastoral Counseling Sessions were also included and well attended. 

Even the storm on Labor Day morning which necessitated the final Divine Liturgy being held in the main hall of the Retreat Center did not dampen the spirit of the pilgrims, who sang the responses full voice whether crowded inside or standing outside under umbrellas. 

On the evening of Thursday, September 24th the last evening of the recent Eparchial Conference in Phoenix, Bishop George ordained two young men to the minor order of the Lectorate. Ordination to the Lectorate is the first step on the road to ordination to the diaconate and priesthood. The ordinations took place at Saint Stephen Pro-Cathedral in the presence of eparchial clergy, religious, monastics, and seminarians as well as the newly-ordained lectors' relatives, friends, and fellow parishioners. The ordinations were followed by the celebration of Vespers. 

One of the newly-ordained lectors is Luke Bell.  He is a candidate for the Priesthood. He is currently in the beginning of his second year of theological studies at Mount Angel Seminary in Saint Benedict, Oregon. He is a member of Saint Stephen Pro-Cathedral in Phoenix. His pastor, Father Stephen Washko, presented him for ordination and assisted during the ordination. 

Anthony Hernandez  completed his studies at SS Cyril and Methodius Byzantine Catholic Seminary in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is a member of Saint Basil the Great Church in Los Gatos, California, His pastor, Father William O'Brien, presented him to Bishop George at the beginning of the ordination and assisted during the ceremony. 

Also assisting at the ordination was eparchial protosyncellus and chancellor Archimandrite Wes Izer, SDB. Father Robert Pipta, eparchial director of vocations, and Deacon Richard Wortman also assisted and led the praying of Vespers immediately following the ordination. Father Kurt Burnette served as cantor. 

The ordination to the minor order of lector or reader is actually the final part of a threefold ordination ritual. The bishop begins by laying hands on each of the candidates and praying that they may shine with the Light of Christ. 

He then gives each a lit candle thereby ordaining them to the order of candle-bearer. 

The candidates then chant the customary beginning prayers and five specific troparia invoking the saints. This constitutes the ordination to the order of cantor. Then the candidates approach the bishop to receive tonsure. The bishop, taking scissors, cuts some hair in the form of a cross from the head of each candidate. This signifies both a candidate's separateness from the mundane as he seeks to serve the church for the sake of the Kingdom and also signifies his humility as he is formally ordered by his bishop to begin a specific service to the church. 

Next, following the imposition of hands and prayer, the bishop presents each candidate with the Book of Readings and they go to the middle of the church and chant a reading from the Acts of the Holy Apostles  (6:1-7). The 
newly-ordained lectors are then vested in sticharia and, following a special instruction from the bishop, hear all present sing in behalf of them the Greek word "Axios" which means "He is worthy!" 

The ordination ceremony was followed by a pot luck dinner provided by the parishioners of Saint Stephen Pro-Cathedral. 

The entire evening was one of joy and hope. Joy was evident in the realization that both lectors Anthony and Luke had responded "yes" to God's call to service in the church and that their ordination was a sign of their progress and continuing formation for the sake of their own souls and the souls of those to whom they minister. Hope was manifested in these two men who are signs of growth and maturity in a small missionary eparchy and who, by fervent prayer and commitment, will be followed by many more men to service at the altar of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Metropolitan Judson M. Procyk participated in the plenary session of the Congregation for Eastern Churches held in Rome September 29 - October 2, 1998. 

The plenary session is held every ten years to discuss the activities of the Congregation and address issues of importance to the Churches at the present time. 

The gathering consisted of five sessions: Rights and Privileges of Eastern Catholic Patriarchs, Ecclesiastical and Canonical Problems regarding the Canonical Status of Catholics, The Responsibility of the Congregation regarding Liturgical Matters, Pastoral Care of Eastern Catholics in the Diaspora, and Initiatives regarding Formation and Studies of Seminarians and Religious of Eastern Catholic Churches. 

The Congregation for Eastern Churches is the dicastery of the Holy See entrusted with the care for and promotion of Eastern Catholic Churches.  In recent years this Congregation has taken an active role in encouraging the return of the various Eastern Catholic Churches to their authentic patrimony. 

Liturgical Renewal 

His Grace, Bishop George approved the format for the uniform celebration of the Divine Liturgy in the Eparchy of Van Nuys with an effective date of November 1, 1998. This Liturgy is to be celebrated in all parishes, missions and monastic communities within the Eparchy of Van Nuys. 
 

New Monastic Community Approved 

His Grace, Bishop George approved the Provisional Typikon of the Community of the Good Shepherd and established the Community as a Public Association of the Christian Faithful on October 1, 1998. 
 

Appointment 

His Grace, Bishop George has appointed the Reverend Jon Jensenas acting Hegumen of the Monastery of Christ the Good Shepherd, effective October 1, 1998. 

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-Nov. 1  *  Pilgrimage 
   Holy Resurrection Monastery 
   Newberry Springs, CA 

Nov. 8  *  Anniversary, Holy Angels 
   San Diego, CA 
   Divine Liturgy  10:30 A.M. 

Nov. 10 *  Pastoral Visitation 
   Good Shepherd Monastery 
   Tijuana, Mexico 

Nov. 14-15 *   Pastoral Visitation 
   Holy Protection, Denver, CO 
   Colorado Springs, CO 

Dec. 7-13 *  Pilgrimage, 
   Our Lady of Guadalupe 
   Mexico City

With the blessing of His Grace, Bishop George, the Very Reverend Archpriest Michael Moran, Rector of St. Mary Byzantine Catholic Cathedral in Van Nuys will be leading a Pilgrimage to the Holy Land from April 12 to 23, 1999 as a spiritual preparation for the new millennium.  For more information, please contact Father Archpriest Michael Moran at St. Mary Cathedral (818) 907-5511. 

Eternal Memory to +Mr Basil Hutsko father of Reverends Joseph and Basil Hutsko, Sister Kathleen Hutsko SSMI, and husband of Mary Hutsko.