Bishop George’s Christmas
and Jubilee Message
| Dear Parishioners and
Friends:
We await the birth of the Lord. We await
the beginning of a new millennium! These are our thoughts as we
patiently await these events to unfold within the next few weeks.
The Birth of Christ, the long awaited
Messiah of the Jews, takes place to signal the transformation of time
with a new focus, a new life, and a new salvation radiating from this
birth. The world is changed by this event lost in the obscurity of a
humble stable in Bethlehem and yet announced by an angel to the poorest
and unlettered of society and by astrological signs and wonders to the
rich and educated. |
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Jesus
impacts the world in which we live as we sing in the Nativity Troparion: "Your
birth, O Christ our God, has shed upon the world the light of knowledge. For
through it, those who worshipped the stars have learned from a star to worship
You, the Son of Justice and to recognize you as the Orient from on high!"
The new
millennium brings to some the excitement of new worlds to be conquered and new
adventures to unfold; to others the gloom and doom of Y2k catastrophes, the end
of the world, and its calamities. The Year of Our Lord has become the Common Era—the
Christ who became the measuring point of time has been pushed into oblivion. The
Christ of peace, mercy, and forgiveness has been forgotten as we speak of wars,
civil disturbances, abortion, euthanasia, satisfaction, calculated justice,
personal rights, etc.
Our world
needs Christ! Our world needs us to show Christ! Let us make a difference in our
world by heeding His call to holiness that begins with a personal conversion and
ends with eternal salvation. Let the Light of Christ burn more intensely and
brightly because of us!
May this
Christmas be a special one of knowing Christ more intimately and showing him
forth more radiantly in the new millennium we enter!
Let us
shout out together: Christ is born! God is with us!
+Bishop
George
Christmas
Fast
In
the newly promulgated Norms of the Particular Law of the Byzantine Catholic
Metropolitan Church sui juris of Pittsburgh, Canon 800 §2 re-establishes
the observance of the traditional Philip Fast in preparation for Christmas
beginning November 15 and ending December 24th.
All the
Faithful of our Eparchy of Van Nuys, therefore, are to keep the fast period in
preparation for the celebration of Christmas.
For the
Eparchy of Van Nuys, the Fast is to be thus observed:
1) The
first day of the fast (November 15th) is to be kept as a day of abstinence from
meat and meat products.
2)
Abstinence from meat is to be observed on the Wednesdays and Fridays of this
Fast season.
3) The
Vigil of Christmas (December 24th) is to be observed as a Day of Strict Fast,
that is, abstinence from meat and all dairy products.
4) The
faithful are encouraged to perform other acts of penance in keeping with the
spirit of the Fast.
5) It is
recommended that the Faithful be especially mindful of the poor among us by
contributing to special charities to help the hungry and needy, in particular by
collecting food and clothing for the needy, volunteering time at a soup kitchen
or taking part in other like endeavors.
6)
Parents are to instruct their children in the meaning of this fasting so as to
help them observe the fast in preparation for Christmas.
7) Those
who are sick or in precarious health are exempt from the Abstinence and Strict
Fast aspects of this penitential season.
 |
Decree
for the
Jubilee Year 2000
His
Holiness Pope John Paul has designated the year 2000 to be a "Great
Jubilee Year" beginning with Christmas Eve, 1999 and ending on the
Feast of Theophany, 2001. |
During
this year all the Faithful are encouraged to take part in a pilgrimage to a
sacred place that has been designated as a jubilee shrine by the Holy Father
and/or the eparchial Bishop. At these shrines, the faithful, through the
reception of the sacramental Mysteries of the Church and prayer coupled with
fasting and works of Christian charity at home, can avail themselves of the
special graces and blessings that God abundantly bestows upon those who shall
call upon Him during this special year of grace.
As
Bishop of Van Nuys I designate the following churches of our Eparchy as Jubilee
Shrines:
Cathedral
of St. Mary in Van Nuys, California; St. Stephen Pro-Cathedral in Phoenix,
Arizona; St. Nicholas Church in Anchorage, Alaska; St. John the Baptist Chapel,
Holy Resurrection Monastery in Newberry Springs, California; and St. George
Church in Olympia, Washington.
My
prayer during this Jubilee Year is that we grow stronger in our faith and our
commitment to Jesus Christ so that we may spread His Gospel more vigorously and
renew our Byzantine Catholic Church in America.
Given
at the Pastoral Center in Phoenix, Arizona on this 2nd day of December in the
Year of Our Lord, 1999.
s/Most
Reverend George M. Kuzma
Bishop
of Van Nuys
s/Rt.
Rev. Wesley W. Izer, SDB
Chancellor
Protocol
Number: G72/99w
Encounter
of the Eastern Churches Held
A
gathering of the Eastern Catholic bishops and major religious superiors of men
and women working in the Americas and Oceania was recently held in Boston from
November 7th to the 12th. Bishops were also permitted to bring a priest from
their respective eparchies if they wished. One hundred and thirty bishops,
priests and sisters from every Eastern jurisdiction participated in the
Encounter. Representing His Grace Bishop George and our Eparchy was
Archimandrite Wes Izer, SDB, Protosyncellus. The gathering was sponsored by the
Congregation for Eastern Churches His Eminence Cardinal Silvestrini, Prefect of
the Congregation, presided at each session. In attendance were His Eminence
Bernard Cardinal Law of Boston who was the host for the Encounter, and the
Pro-Nuncio to the United States, Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo. Bishop Nicholas
Samra, Auxiliary of the Melkite Eparchy of Newton (USA), Bishop Stephen Soroka,
Ukrainian Auxiliary of Archeparchy of Winnipeg, and Bishop Vartan Boghossian,
SDB, Armenian Bishop of Buenos Aires, were the facilitators of the Encounter.
The
Encounter was an opportunity for the participants to share and discuss in an
open atmosphere the needs of our Eastern Catholic Churches in America and
Oceania. Presentations with small group discussions dealt with these topics: the
relationship of the Eastern Churches with their Mother Churches; Eastern
Churches among a majority Latin Church; living our Eastern liturgical
traditions; education and formation of clergy; catechesis of the faithful; and
our commitment to ecumenism. Among the main speakers on these issues were Dr.
Thomas Bird of Queens College, NY; Chorbishop John Faris; Bishop Wilton Gregory,
VP of the NCCB; Archimandrite Robert Taft, SJ; Archbishop Rembert Weakland, OSB
of Milwaukee; and Ukrainian Orthodox Bishop Vsevolod.
A
number of common issues arose from the presentations. Two cries that were voiced
passionately were the establishment of hierarchies for the new Eastern Catholics
arriving from India and Africa and the return to a married priesthood.
A
special treat for all was the celebration of the Divine Liturgy each day in a
different Eastern Catholic Church. Divine Liturgy was celebrated according the
Latin, Byzantine, Maronite, Armenian and Syriac rites the five days of the
Encounter.
Official
Announcements and Appointments
His Grace, Bishop George has
raised the following Missions to canonical Parishes with the following titles:
St. George Byzantine Catholic
Church, Olympia, Washington, effective October 23, 1999.
Our Lady of Wisdom Byzantine
Catholic Church, Las Vegas, Nevada for the care of the Italo-Greek Community,
effective November 18, 1999.
His Grace, Bishop George has
appointed the Right Reverend Archimandrite Francis Vivona as Pastor of
Our Lady of Wisdom Byzantine Catholic Church in Las Vegas, effective November
18, 1999.
Northern
California Parishes Celebrate
On
September 25th, parishioners from St. Philip the Apostle Church in Sacramento
traveled to St. Basil he Great Church in Los Gatos to participate in a joint
celebration of the 75th Anniversary of the establishment of our Church in the
United States. The events of the day opened with a Moleben to the Mother of God
led by Father Deacon Anthony Hernandez. An outdoor display of icons, religious
objects and antique prayer books followed with an opportunity to feast on ethnic
Eastern European cuisine. A program of presentations and workshops were also
given during the afternoon. The day concluded with Vespers.
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At
the 75th Metropolia Celebration, Joan Opachko demonstrates pysanky-making
to Deacon Anthony Hernandes and the Los Gatos, California Parish. |
|
Two
Parishes Celebrate 25th
St.
Melany in Tucson and Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Albuquerque celebrated their
25th anniversaries of founding this year with celebrations in October and
November respectively. Holy Protection in Denver also celebrated its 25th this
past June.
His
Grace, Bishop George, traveled to St. Melany on Friday October 29th and presided
at the Divine Liturgy celebrated by Archimandrite Wes Izer, SDB, his
Protosyncellus, and concelebrated by the Reverends William Skurla, Administrator
of St. Melany, Joseph Hutsko, former pastor of St. Melany and currently pastor
of Holy Protection in Denver, Stephen Washko, Regional Syncellus and Rector of
St. Stephen Pro-Cathedral in Phoenix, and two priests associated with St. Melany
namely, Reverends Alexander Mills, OSB and Timothy Howard, SJ. A banquet was
held at the Hilton Hotel following the Liturgy.
Our
Lady of Perpetual Help observed a two-day celebration of their 25th Anniversary.
A banquet was held at a local hotel on November 4th and on the 5th the Divine
Liturgy was celebrated in the recently-remodeled church. Archimandrite Wes Izer,
SDB represented Bishop George.
Two
New Parish Churches Solemnly Blessed
With
the special mandate of His Grace Bishop George, Archimandrite Wes Izer, SDB
blessed St. George Church in Olympia, Washington on October 23rd and Our Lady of
Wisdom Church in Las Vegas on November 18th. At the conclusion of both
blessings, Father Wes read the decrees canonically establishing these two
Mission Churches as Parishes to the joy and surprise of both congregations.
At
the blessing of St. George Church, Archimandrite Wesley Iser was assisted by
Reverend Michael Durka, Mission Administrator., Mitered Archpriest Joseph
Stanichar who founded the Mission, Reverends Kurt Burnette of the Portland
Outreach and Frank Knusel of the Portland Archdiocese. Abbot Neil of St Martin
Benedictine Abbey who played an important role in the establishment of the
Mission was also present. Following the Blessing, the parishioners hosted a
potluck dinner.
The
evening before the blessing of Our Lady of Wisdom Church, the parishioners and
friends gathered for a Moleben followed by a dinner at St. Anne Roman Church.
The next day the parishioners gathered for the Blessing of their Church.
Following the blessing of the exterior and interior of the church, Archimandrite
Wes blessed the altar and vested it and then blessed the iconostas. Assisting
him were Archimandrite Francis
Vivona,
Syncellus for the Italo-Greek Community, Reverends Stephen Washko, Rector of St.
Stephen Pro-Cathedral in Phoenix, Robert Pipta, Administrator of St Gabriel
Church in Las Vegas, and Mark Roberts, Pastor of St Peter Roman Church in
Henderson. At the conclusion of the Liturgy, Archimandrite Wes announced the
appointment of Archimandrite Francis Vivona as Pastor of the new parish. A
reception was held following the Divine Liturgy.
Eparchial
Calendar
Nov.
4-5
25th
Anniversary
Our
Lady of Perpetual Help Church
Albuquerque,
NM
Nov.
7-12
Encounter
of Eastern Bishops
of
the America and Oceania
Boston,
MA
Nov.
17-18
Blessing
of Church
Our
Lady of Wisdom Church
Las
Vegas, NV
Nov.
19
Groundbreaking
Annunciation
Church
Anaheim,
CA
Dec.
7-14
Pilgrimage
Shrine
of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Mexico
City
Dec.
24-31
Pastoral
Center Closed
Dec.
24
Christmas
Eve
St.
Stephen Pro-Cathedral
Great
Compline 8:00 PM
Dec.
25
Nativity
of Our Lord
St.
Stephen Pro-Cathedral
Hierarchical
Divine Liturgy
10:00
AM
Jan.
5
Vigil
of Theophany
St.
Stephen Pro-Cathedral
Hierarchical
Vesper-Liturgy
Blessing
of Jordan Water
7:00
PM
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