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Metropolitan
Church of Pittsburgh Celebrates 75th Anniversary
His
Eminence Metropolitan led the festivities celebrating the 75th Anniversary of
the establishment of the Byzantine Catholic Church at the David L. Lawrence
Convention Center in Pittsburgh on Sunday, October 3rd. The main hall of the
Convention Center was transformed into a magnificent cathedral with proper
sanctuary appointments and iconostas needed for the proper celebration of the
Hierarchical Divine Liturgy. Over 2,700 faithful gathered in the packed Center
to greet over 200 religious and priests, 14 Latin Rite Bishops and 10 Eastern
Bishops who concelebrated the Liturgy with Metropolitan Judson. Also in
attendance were a number of Orthodox priests and Bishop Kyril of the Orthodox
Church in America and Metropolitan Nicholas of the American Carpatho-Russian
Orthodox Diocese of Johnstown.
In
his homily the Metropolitan Judson called the clergy and the faithful to enter
the new millennium as an American Byzantine Catholic Church. He stressed that we
can no longer be an ethnic enclave, but must share the great treasure of our
Christianity with all who seek Christ. "Christ, His Gospel, and His Church
cannot be confined or restricted by ethnicity!" Our traditions are not to
preserve a culture but rather to express the Christian message in ways that
people can understand. While our traditions are beautiful and to be treasured
"we must express the faith in a new way, in the culture in which we live
and the language which we speak!"
Following
the Liturgy, a banquet was served at the Convention Center. The featured speaker
was His Eminence William Cardinal Keeler, Archbishop of Baltimore. In his
address he asked for forgiveness for the inappropriate behavior of the Latin
Catholic Hierarchy of the United States
towards the Eastern clergy and faithful especially in the last century.
At
the conclusion of the banquet, Metropolitan Judson thanked all those who had
participated in any way over the last 15 months to make the celebration a
joy-filled reality.
A
310 page Directory of the Parishes of the Metropolitan Church of Pittsburgh was
given to each participant at the banquet. The Directory has the history of our
Church, each Eparchy, and each parish in the United States. Copies of the
Directory will be made available for purchase in the near future. Also a special
commemorative issue of the Byzantine Catholic World will be published in
November.
Particular
Law Promulgated
The
much-anticipated Particular Law of the sui juris Byzantine Catholic
Metropolitan Church of Pittsburgh came into effect on October 1, 1999.
Originally
set to be promulgated last year after it was received by the Holy See, the
Congregation for Eastern Churches in Rome requested a more precise revision due
to some miscommunications and misinterpretations of the text by the media and on
the internet. The Commission members—a canonist from each of our eparchies
along with the Episcopal Moderator, Bishop Andrew Pataki—traveled to Rome and
met for three days to refine the text.
The
purpose of the Particular Law is to set norms for our Metropolitan Church that
are left up to an Eastern Church by Canon Law. The result is that most of the
Particular Law restates what is the actual practice in our Church, but not found
in the Canon until now.
Seminarians
Visit Parishes
Four
seminarians from the Eparchy of Mukachevo, the original eparchy of the Byzantine
Catholic Church, were brought to our Eparchy of Van Nuys this summer. Bohdan
Zeikan, the son of an underground priest, went to Holy Protection Parish in
Denver CO. Ivan Bliashin, Petro Beres, and Viktor Bohiv went to Our Lady of
Perpetual Help Parish. Viktor is the grandson of a deported priest, and his
family was "labeled" as counter-revolutionary by the USSR as a result.
Ivan was beaten as a child for his belief in God, and Petro’s parents were
persecuted for their activity in the underground Church.
In
both parishes these four young men took on odd jobs to raise money to help pay
for their tuition. They taught classes in the parishes, sang in the choirs or
served at the Liturgy, and gave a witness of their commitment to the
Greek-Catholic Church of Mukachevo. All of them were impressed by the diversity
of our parishes, and the fact that the parishes must reach out to all people.
In
Mukachevo Eparchy, the peasants and some educated people have remained loyal to
the Church during 45 years of persecution and 10 years of difficult re-building.
Unfortunately nearly half the province’s people are not affiliated with either
the Eparchy or the Russian Orthodox Church. Protestant missionaries from the US
are very active in trying to create new Evangelical churches and so disrupt
families and villages, as happens so often here among Hispanic immigrants.
The
seminarians went back with a determination to encourage people inside the Church
to work to bring others into the Church. They also were impressed by the
enthusiasm of the young people here for the Church.
On
August 14 - 15, all four spoke at the Annual Mission Society Conference.
Presentations on the economic hardship, lack of medical care, government
restrictions on church life, the plight of abandoned children and elderly sick,
and recollections of the executions and deportations of family members moved
those attending.
The
Mission Society of the Mother of God of Boronyavo resolved to assist the
Miloserdiya (Mercy) Orphanage, managed by Petro Beres’ mother (who herself is
suffering from serious illness from working in Soviet factories); continue to
help the seminarians (whose tuition in Rome is mostly paid for by Aid to the
Church in Need and Oriental Congregation but who have absolutely no income for
living expenses, books, etc); spread the word in parishes; and continue to pray
to Our Lady for American vocations and the building up of our Church in the US.
Bishop's
Appeal Moneys Disbursed
With
the conclusion of a very successful Bishop’s Appeal, the Appeal funds are
being distributed. One hundred thousand dollars has been placed in the Fund for
Short Term Church Loans. Sixty thousand dollars in parish rebates has been
mailed to parishes this month. The remaining seventy thousand dollars will be
used to enhance the Seminary Fund and the Priests’ Retirement Fund, to repay a
portion of the Eparchy’s loans to parishes, to make a donation to the
Byzantine Catholic Seminary Library, and to use as seed money for the next
Appeal.
The
following parishes have received rebates:
Anaheim
(Vida) $6,540.00
Anchorage
(Greskowiak) $5,015.00
Fontana
(Izer) $1,860.00
Gilbert
(Acquaro) $2,460.00
Italo-Greek
(Vivona) $2,344.00
Las
Vegas (Pipta) $5,199.00
Los
Gatos (O’Brien) $2,160.00
Olympia
(Durka) $1,860.00
Phoenix
(Washko) $8,843.00
Portland
(Burnette) $1,050.00
Sacramento
(Izzo) $1,615.00
San
Luis Obispo (Idranyi) $2,460.00
Seattle
(Stanichar) $6,457.00
Spokane
(Logan) $2,407.00
Tucson
(Skurla) $3,540.00
Van
Nuys (Moran) $6,844.00
Many
thanks to all those who participated in this year’s Appeal!
Uniontown
Pilgrimage
Threatening
weather did not hamper the spirits of the thousands of pilgrims who climbed
Mount St. Macrina in Uniontown, Pennsylvania for the 65th annual Pilgrimage in
honor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. The weather did necessitate a change in
venue for the Hierarchical Divine Liturgies and did result in the cancellation
of the popular Candlelight Processions.
Priests
heard hundreds of confessions as part of the three-day pilgrimage. The faithful
participated in Matins and Vespers services, culminating in the celebration of
the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy each evening. Adults also had opportunity to
learn more about their Church and themselves through different presentations and
counseling sessions. The Youth and the children also had special programs to
meet their needs.
The
threat of rain and high humidity did not deter those seeking the Lord in the
peaceful and prayerful atmosphere of Mount St. Macrina!
Ford
Enters Carmelite Novitiate
Karen
Ford, a parishioner of Our Lady of
Perpetual Help Church in Albuquerque, recently entered the Mother of Mercy
Carmel in Alexandria, South Dakota. The cloistered Carmelite novice is now known
as Sister Teresa Margaret of St. Joseph.
Van
Nuys Cathedral Celebrates
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The Cathedral of St. Mary
in Van Nuys celebrated its patronal feast on October 3 with a double
celebration. After the parish Divine Liturgy Archpriest Michael Moran
and the attending faithful commemorated the 75th anniversary of the
Metropolia of Pittsburgh with the celebration of a service of
Thanksgiving at the outdoor shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. |
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Following
this was the first of many planned activities celebrating Jubilee 2000. All
joined in the prayers for the blessing of the church door and watched as the 11
foot banner was unfurled from the bell tower to remind all who would enter to
"open wide the doors to Christ." The parish family day continued with
a barbecue and potluck picnic, games and socializing.
Holy
Resurrection Holds Pilgrimage
Parishioners
from many of the parishes of the Eparchy including a bus from St. Stephen
Pro-Cathedral and St. Thomas Church in Arizona gathered at the Holy Resurrection
Monastery in Newberry Springs to honor the Holy Mother of God Searcher of the
Lost on the weekend of October 8 –10. A good number of people were present for
the opening Great Vespers Friday evening as well as for the Procession with the
Icon.
Saturday
services drew many additional parishes from the Eparchy as well as a good
representation of the clergy and faithful from other Eastern Catholic Churches
in Southern California. The pilgrims joined in the singing of Matins and the
Divine Liturgy with Right Reverend Wesley Izer, SDB, Protosyncellus of the
Eparchy officiating. They had access throughout the day to Confession, and
participated in a Panachida, for the deceased as well as the traditional
Procession with the Icon of Our Lady and healing service. The Sunday services
ended with the celebration of Divine Liturgy. About 500 pilgrims attended the
weekend.
Official
Announcements
The
Norms of the Particular Law of the Byzantine Metropolitan Church sui juris of
Pittsburgh were promulgated on June 29,
1999 and took effect on October 1, 1999.
A
National Byzantine Catholic Youth Conference
will be held at Mount St. Macrina in Uniontown, PA from June 22-25, 2000. The
Theme is Jubilee 2000. Particulars will be sent to parishes in the near
future.
Thanksgiving
Day is to be celebrated as a Solemn
Holyday in the Eparchy of Van Nuys with Divine Liturgy according to the Norms of
the Particular Law of Van Nuys as found in the Pastoral Handbook.
Official
Appointments
His
Grace, Bishop George has established the Commission for the Implementation of
the Particular Law and has appointed the following to the Commission: Rt.
Rev. Wes Izer, SDB, Chairman; Rev. Philip Acquaro, CSB; Very Rev. Michael
Moran; and Rt. Rev. Francis Vivona effective September 29, 1999.
With
the blessing of His Grace, Bishop George, Seminarian Paul Voida has been
released as a seminarian for the Eparchy of Van Nuys and has transferred to the
Romanian Eparchy of St. George in Canton.
HOPE
looks for good in people,
instead
on harping on the worst
HOPE
discovers what can be done,
instead
of grumbling about what cannot.
Rev
James Keller M.M.
Eparchial
Calendar
Oct.
3 - 75th Anniversary of Pittsburgh Metropolia, Pittsburgh, PA
Oct.
4-5 - Seminary Advisory Board Meeting, Byzantine Catholic Seminary
Pittsburgh,
PA
Oct.
8-10 - Pilgrimage to the Mother of God, Holy Resurrection Monastery
Newberry
Springs, CA
Oct.
21 - Board of Regents Meeting, Mt. Angel Seminary, St. Benedict, OR
Oct.
22-23 - Blessing of Church, St. George Mission, Olympia, WA
Oct.
29 - 25th Anniversary, St. Melany Church, Tucson, AZ
Nov.
4-5 - 25th Anniversary, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Albuquerque, NM
Nov.
7-12 - Meeting of Eastern Bishops of the Americas and Australia, Boston, MA
Nov.
15 - Beginning of Pre-Christmas Fast
Nov.
17-18 - Blessing of Church, Our Lady of Wisdom Church, Las Vegas, NV
Nov.
25 - Thanksgiving Day, Solemn Holyday
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