 |
Metropolitan Church of
Pittsburgh to Observe 75th Anniversary |
The Metropolitan Church
of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, Passaic, Parma and Van Nuys) will
celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Exarchate of
Pittsburgh with ceremonies at the David L. Lawrence Convention
Center in Pittsburgh for October 3, 1999. The day’s events
will begin with the celebration of Hierarchical Divine Liturgy
followed by a banquet. This event is significant not only for
the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh, but for all the eparchies that
comprise the Metropolia since it is from the present archeparchy
that all three eparchies came into existence.
The history of the
Ruthenian Catholic Church in the United States began in the late
1880’s with the immigration of numerous families and individuals
from Eastern Europe. As these people settled in various
regions of the country, they began to build churches and request
priests from their homeland. There was, however, no central
authority for the fledgling churches. The early decades were
spent in attempting to organize them into some sort of
structure. This effort was briefly aided by the appointment of
Basilian Bishop Soter Stephen Ortynsky. His premature death,
however, left the young church once again without episcopal
leadership.
It was not until
1924 that canonical status and recognition would be given to this
young church with the appointment of Bishop Basil Takach on March 8.
It was on this date that Rome established an exarchate for Greek
Catholics of Carpatho-Rusyn, Hungarian, Slovak and Croatian descent.
This exarchate would continue to grow and flourish over the
years. Its continued development was recognized in 1963 when
the Exarchate of Pittsburgh was raised to the status of an eparchy
and divided to form the Eparchy of Passaic.
The continued growth
and stability of the Ruthenian Catholic Church was again recognized
in 1969 when an additional eparchy was created in Parma, Ohio and
the entire church was raised to a Metropolia. In 1981 the Eparchy of
Van Nuys was established for the Western States. These four
eparchies comprise the present Metropolitan Church of Pittsburgh and
will join together in celebration in early October. A logo has been
designed in commemoration of the event depicting, in iconographic
form, the Mother of God spreading her mantle over the four
cathedrals of the Metropolia. The theme of the event is “God
reigns, Mary Protects, We Proclaim”.
Saint Thomas
Hall Blessed
GILBERT,
ARIZONA - Much to the delight of parishioners, Bishop George
surprised all by arriving at St. Thomas along with Protosyncellus
Archimandrite Wesley Izer, SDB and retired Father John M.Dorich. The
occasion was the blessing of the new parish educational/social hall
on the feast of the parish, St. Thomas Sunday. He was greeted with
the festive pealing of bells from the beautiful gold onion-domed
bell tower and the presentation of the traditional bread, salt and
keys by Advisory Board member Jeffery Sims and Guild president
Rosemary Ziarkowski. Father Wes celebrated the Divine Liturgy joined
by Fathers Philip Acquaro, CSB, William Skurla, John Dorich and
former pastor Douglas Lorig.
At the conclusion a
procession formed while singing “Christ is Risen” and everyone
gathered in the patio of the new building. Bishop George first said
the blessing for the large cross carried by Advisory Board member
and construction finance officer Valerie Provenzano, then the
blessing for the large Icon of Juan Diego and Our Lady of Guadalupe
(reflecting the parish’s roots) held by Virginia Hill, Advisory
Board member and construction secretary. Once the building was
blessed and sanctified by Bishop George, everyone entered and shared
in the abundant buffet provided by the parishioners. Many
contractors as well as the architect, Al Cappello, and other guests
were in attendance. Every place in the hall (with a 128-seat
capacity) was filled. Parishioners expressed special thanks to
Almighty God that Bishop George was able to be present. It was truly
a feast for the Feast!
Financing for the
$300,000 project came from many sources. A $60,000 low interest loan
from the Bishop’s Appeal, grants from the Basilian Fathers of
Assumption University-Canada ($25,000), the Koch Foundation
($10,000) and the Catholic Near East Society ($10,000) provided
some. Many sacrifices and gifts from parishioners and
friends as well as the hard work of the Parish Guild added more.
Local Roman parishes allowed Father Philip to come and preach on
behalf of St. Thomas. Father served as the General Contractor and
was assisted by John Roman, Valerie Provenzano and Virginia Hill.
After six months of hard work the project that was begun five years
ago came to completion. The hall has a gift shop/parish office,
warming kitchen, handicap accessible restrooms and storage.
Eparchial Consultors
Meet
The annual meeting
of the College of Eparchial Consultors and Presbyteral Council was
held on April 20 and 21 at the Pastoral Center in Phoenix. Present
for the meeting were His Grace, Bishop George, Right Reverend
Archimandrites Wesley Izer, SDB and Francis Vivona, Right Reverend
Mitred Archpriest Joseph Stanichar, Very Reverends Stephen
Greskowiak and Stephen Washko. The Consultors/Presbyteral
Council serves the Bishop in making decisions for the Eparchy.
Some of the issues discussed and reviewed were: new missions and
parishes, financial reports, Bishop’s Appeal, Clergy Conference
and Retreat, Updates on the Deacon Program, Monasteries,
Seminarians, Liturgy and Bishops’ meetings.
Father Deacon Anthony Hernandez
Ordained
| Subdeacon
Anthony Hernandez was ordained to the Sacred Order of Deacon
by His Grace, Bishop George at St. Stephen Pro-Cathedral in
Phoenix on April 22, 1999. Concelebrating the Divine Liturgy
were the Right Reverend Wesley Izer, SDB, Protosyncellus; Very
Reverend Stephen Washko, the Pro-Cathedral rector; and
Reverend William O’Brien, Administrator of St. Basil the
Great Church in Los Gatos, California who presented the
candidate to Bishop George. |
 |
|
Father Deacon Richard
Wortman served as Deacon for the Liturgy and the Reverend Robert
Pipta, Vocation Director, served as Master of Ceremonies. A
number of priests, religious and laity joined the Hernandez family
in witnessing the ordination. Father Deacon Anthony was born on June
18, 1961 to the late Jesse and Consuelo Hernandez. His love
for catechetics came from his parents who were active in
catechetical ministry among the Hispanics. Anthony is employed
by Our Lady of Peace Church in Santa Clara as Director of Religious
Education where he coordinates the religious education program for
over 700 from pre-school to Catechumenate.
As a member of St.
Basil the Great Byzantine Catholic Church in Los Gatos, Anthony
expressed the desire to be a celibate deacon. He studied two
full years at SS. Cyril and Methodius Byzantine Catholic Seminary in
Pittsburgh in preparation for diaconal ministry in our
Eparchy. While studying at the Seminary, Anthony also wrote a
textbook for high school Eastern Christian Formation that is being
piloted in a few parishes prior to printing. Bishop George has
assigned Father Deacon Anthony to minister at St. Basil the Great
Parish in Los Gatos.
Male Monastery
Superiors Meet
The heads of five
Eastern Catholic monasteries of men in the United States met for the
first time from April 13-17 at Holy Cross Monastery in Washington,
DC. The purpose of the meeting was to facilitate an exchange
of ideas, fraternal mutual support, and the strengthening of
monastic life that is true to an authentic Byzantine tradition. The
meeting was blessed by His Eminence Achille Cardinal Silvestrini,
Prefect for the Congregation of Eastern Churches, who in a letter
stated explicitly the need to have flourishing, authentic Byzantine
monasteries for the vitality of the Eastern Church in America.
A highlight of the
meeting was an audience with His Excellency Gabriel Montalvo,
Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to the United States. Present for the meeting
were: Right Reverend Archimandrites Boniface of Holy Transfiguration
Monastery in Redwood Valley, California, (Ukrainian-Chicago) Gregory
of Exaltation of the Holy Cross Monastery in Miami, Florida
(Byzantine-Passaic), Joseph of Holy Cross Monastery in Washington,
DC (Ukrainian-Philadelphia), Father Hegumen Leo of Holy Trinity
Monastery in Butler, Pennsylvania (Byzantine-Pittsburgh) and Father
Nicholas of Holy Resurrection Monastery in Newberry Springs,
California (Byzantine-Van Nuys).
Eparchial Calendar
May 6 & 7
Council of Hierarchs’ Meeting
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
May 7 & 8
Byzantine Catholic Seminary
Pittsburgh, PA
Seminary
Advisory Board
May 23
Pentecost Sunday
St.
Nicholas Church
Fontana,
California
May 29 St.
Elizabeth Seton Church
Tucson, AZ
Tucson
Liturgical Conference
9:15
AM Keynote Address
Rt. Rev.
Archimandrite Wesley Izer, SDB
10:45
AM Divine Liturgy
June 15-17
Orientale Lumen Conference
Catholic
University of America
Washington, DC
June 18 Holy
Protection Church
Denver,
Colorado
25th
Anniversary
Divine
Liturgy 5:30 PM
June 20-July 3
Byzantine Catholic Seminary
Pittsburgh, PA
Deacon
Candidate Classes
June 27 Peter’s
Pence Collection
July 6-9
Inter-Eparchial Liturgical Commission, Phoenix, Arizona
Eparchial Appointments
His Grace Bishop
George has announced the following pastoral assignments:
The Reverend John
Bernardi is relieved of his responsibilities as Administrator of St.
Nicholas Byzantine Catholic Church in Fontana, California because of
health concerns effective April 8, 1999.
The Right Reverend
Archimandrite Wesley Izer, SDB in addition to his eparchial
responsibilities is appointed Administrator of St. Nicholas
Byzantine Catholic Church in Fontana, California effective April 8,
1999.
His Grace, Bishop
George has accepted the following into the four-year Deacon Program
for the Eparchy of Van Nuys: Joseph Casmus, Our Lady of Wisdom
Church, Las Vegas, Nevada; John Montalvo III, St. Stephen
Pro-Cathedral, Phoenix, Arizona; and Joseph Wargacki, St. George
Church, Olympia, Washington.
Bishop’s Appeal
Income
(May 17, 1999)
Albuquerque (Zugger)
$7,740.00
Anaheim
(Vida) $4,550.00
Anchorage (Greskowiak)
no report
Denver (Hutsko)
$1,000.00
Fontana (Izer)
$1,150.00
Gilbert (Acquaro)
$1,764.00
Italo Greeks (Vivona)
$4,475.00
Las Vegas (Pipta)
$8,880.00
Los Gatos (O’Brien)
$1,200.00
Olympia (Durka)
no report
Phoenix (Washko)
$17,616.00
Portland (Burnette)
$2,800.00
Sacramento (Izzo)
$5,000.00
San Diego (Rybarczyk)
$9,145.00
San Luis Obispo (Idranyi)
$4,020.00
Seattle (Stanichar)
$9,600.00
Spokane
(Logan) no report
Tucson (Skurla)
$5,485.00
Van Nuys
(Moran) $8,525.00
TOTAL
$92,950.00
Build for the Future
Support
the 1999 Bishop’s Appeal - Ends June 30th |
