$1.75

2010

XLVI No. 10

OCTOBER 2010

Visit of the Eparchial Jubilee Icon of the Mother of God Continuesn keeping with the theme and thrust of "Evangelization" associated with the opening of the Eparchial Jubilee Year in Detroit in June, the parishes of Nebraska, Missouri, and Kansas received the Eparchial Jubilee Icon of the Protection of the Mother of God written by Hieromonk Damian (Higgins) from its last stop in the Detroit Deanery, Grand Rapids' parish of St Michael. On Saturday, August 14, Fr. Bohdan Kudleychuk and Fr Deacon Randolph Brown celebrated the Moleben to the Mother of God for the faithful at St. Joseph Church, in St. Joseph, Missouri. Sunday, August 15th, the parish Feast Day of Assumption Parish in Omaha, Nebraska, was solemnized with the Moleben to the Mother of God celebrated before the Jubilee Icon by Fr. Bohdan Kudleychuk, again assisted by Deacon Randolph Brown. On Tuesday, August 17, the Akathist to the Mother of God was celebrated by Deacon Randolph at St. Lawrence

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Fr Deacon Randolph Brown incenses the Icon at the tetrapod in the Wichita mission.

continued on page 11

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UGCC Begins Work on Development for 50 Yearsn September 2-9, the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church was held in Lviv. By its specific decision, the Synod set up special groups which are to work on developing the vision of UGCC for the next 10, 20 and 50 years. "The next step will be to select means to reach that goal," His Beatitude explained to journalists. He also added that the groups will have to work very intensively in the next few months in order to design the mentioned mission in the best possible way. "It has been twenty years since UGCC came out of the underground and we seek to check how far we have gone, how well we managed to revive various institutions, by which our Church lives, and how successful we are in fulfilling our calling to preach and represent Jesus Christ," explained Patriarch Lubomyr. The Synod dealt with the issues of migration. "We sought to realize that emigration in the history of our Church in the last 150 years has been a very important factor. We talk about four big waves of emigration, which took place in different periods and under different circumstances and for different reasons," he noted as he summed up the results of the Synod. He stressed that the Church aspires to help them at various levels and added that the members of the Synod tried to look into the history of these emigrations, especially, in the countries "where our emigrants settled down and established their own church and public organizations." Patriarch Lubomyr noted that modern emigrants need even more pastors than continued on page 11

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October, 2010

NEW STAR

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New Icons Arrive in San Diego for Parish Golden Jubileestood out, however, on the meeting's agenda--Fr. James Bankston, pastor of St. John's in the San Diego area, was to introduce a mystery guest, and no one at the meeting could figure out who it might be. Fr. James quickly departed to the church and returned with a wide grin holding a large wood panel. Approaching the table, he turned it around to reveal the parish's new patronal icon. Everyone was pleasantly surprised and awe-struck at the stunning and beautiful icon of St. John the Baptizer. The icon is part of a series of ten commissioned by the parish in conjunction with the Golden Jubilee celebrations. The icons were written by renowned iconographer Michael Kapeluck of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Mr. Kapeluck came highly recommended to Fr. James by parishioner Lubomyra Yoldas, herself formerly of Pittsburgh. Mrs. Yoldas knows the iconographer personally, and along with a few other parishioners, was familiar with his work. Another parishioner, Frank Avant, frequently travels to Dallas, Texas, where he often attends services at St. Sophia's in The Colony. He noted that their icons were also the work of Michael Kapeluck, and likewise recommended the iconographer. Michael Kapeluck prayerfully labored ten hours a day to write the new icons for the parish. The other nine icons depict Jesus Christ; the Theotokos; the Archangels Michael and Gabriel for the deacon doors; the Four Evangelists for the Royal Doors; and St. Nicholas, whose

Icon of the Parish Patron

n Friday, July 23, 2010, the planning committee for the 50th Anniversary of St. John the Baptizer Ukrainian Catholic Church in La Mesa, California, held yet another meeting to discuss the details of the upcoming jubilee. One curious item

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The newly-installed icons are now in place miraculous myrrh is kept enshrined in the laser-printed onto wood panels in the church. Parishioners quickly raised 1970s. The idea for a new iconostas funds for the new icons by sponsoring arose from discussions on how to comthem in remembrance of departed rela- memorate the parish's Golden Jubilee. The 50th Anniversary Celebration will tives or for special intentions. culminate on Sunday, November 21, On Sunday, July 25, 2010, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated with the icon of 2010 with the arrival of Bishop Richard St. John the Baptizer placed near the and other guest clergy who will celetetrapod so the parishioners could see brate a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy. The and venerate his image. Over the next service will be followed by a festive few weeks, with the help of parish- banquet at the Crown Plaza-Hanalei ioners, Fr. James replaced the original Hotel. All the faithful and clergy of the Eparchy are invited to celebrate with us. icons from the iconostas frame with the For more information on the 50th new ones. Anniversary, and to view more pictures The original icons have an interesting of the icons, please visit our website at origin and are not necessarily tradition- www.stjohnthebaptizer.org, or call 858ally written--rather, they are photo- 354-2008, or find us on Facebook. graphs from the iconostas and outdoor mosaics of the Nativity of the BVM Luke Lashchuk-Miller parish in Los Angeles, which were then and Vladimir Bachynsky

New School Year Blessedn Sunday, August 22, Fr. Petro Kozar of St. Andrew the First-Called Apostle Church in Sacramento, California, blessed all of the children of the parish as they began their new school year. All students from elementary school to college-age were blessed after the Liturgy with prayers for a successful and safe school year. Fr. Petro also plans to bless the students again in June after the school year is completed. Icon of Archangel Michael

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Watch for a report on the clergy retreat for the entire Metropolitan See in next months issue of New Star!from page 1 from page 1

Catholic Campus Center in Lawrence, Kansas. This event was sponsored by the New Ukrainian Martyrs Apostolate to inform others of the regard for the Most Holy Virgin that Eastern Churches profess. From there, the Jubilee Icon traveled with Deacon Randolph to Holy Apostles Mission in Wichita, where the Moleben to the Mother of God was sung on August 19th. The Akathist to the Mother of God was next celebrated in the chapel of the New Ukrainian Martyrs Apostolate in Topeka, Kansas by Deacon Randolph on August 22nd.

After a final Paraklis to the Mother of God in Topeka on Tuesday, August 24th, the icon then continued on its journey, traveling to the Rocky Mountains to Transfiguration of Our Lord Church in Denver, Colorado. While on its whirlwind journey, the visit of the Eparchial Jubilee Icon became a source of silent grace and abundant blessings for all of the Ukrainian Catholic communities, and others, in this part of the Midwest who gathered in prayer and supplication. Deacon Randolph L. Brown

those available now, especially, such ones "who would be ready to go to Western Europe, Africa or Asia, be duly trained and realize their calling." The annual Synod of UGCC was attended by thirty-nine bishops from Ukraine, Western Europe, the United States, Canada, Latin America and Australia as well as Bishop MILAN (Shashik) of Mukachevo of the Rusyn Catholic Church and guests from Czech Republic--Bishop LADYSLAV (Huchko); Greece--Bishop DIMITRIOS (Salakhas); and Belarus--Archimandrite Serhii (Gaiek). The next Synod of Bishops of UGCC will be held in Curitiba, Brazil. Its main themes will be practical questions of pastoral care of emigrants and development of specific measures to implement the evangelization strategy of UGCC. A brief synopsis of the Synod is found on page 19.

12

NEW STARMonumental paintings from four different epochs can be found on its walls. The paintings, including an 11th Century fresco, cover practically all the walls and pillars from floor to ceiling. Those at a person's height suffered from contact with the visitors' clothing, and sometimes from the recklessness of the tourists. An 11th Century painting in the northern tower of the cathedral, portraying the Byzantine Princess Anna, her nieces and their court, was in particularly bad shape. The damaged parts were on the cross-shaped pillars of the central part of the cathedral. The ICMS (International Council on Monuments and Sites) experts that visited St Sofia Cathedral in 2009 drew attention to the necessity of protecting the compositions immediately. HEIERARCHS DIE: Auxiliary Bishop ANDRAOS (Abouna) of Baghdad died in Erbil, the capital of Kurdish northern Iraq. The bishop was 67 years old and had suffered from kidney problems. Chaldean Patriarch EMMANUEL III (Delly) conducted his at St. Joseph's Cathedral in Ankawa, near Erbil. Born in 1943 in the northern Iraqi village of Bedar, Bishop Abouna entered the seminary at age 14 and was ordained a priest for the Chaldean Catholic Church in 1966. He served as a parish priest in Iraq for 24 years, and was then moved to London, where he led the Chaldean and Syrian-Catholic Mission in England for 11 years. On Novermber 11, 2002, he was named Auxiliary Bishop of Baghdad. Shortly after his return to Iraq, Saddam Hussein was overthrown, and Baghdad became a hotbed of extreme violence. Bishop Abouna led his people through the difficult times that followed. Bomb attacks on churches and threats of violence against non-Muslims led many to leave the city, but the bishop remained. Especially in Baghdad he played a great role among the priests to try to show them that there is a future in their country. Maronite Archbishop emeritus of the United States, FRANCIS (Zayek) died September 14, 2010, in Lebanon at age 89. Born in Cuba, Bishop Francis arrived in the United States after serving as auxiliary Bishop in Rio De Janerio, Brazil in 1962, as the first Bishop of St Maron are supposed to do? Not really. The Church provides us with the Divine Liturgy, the Eucharist, the Holy Mysteries (the Sacraments), and special devotions and prayers to help us with our own personal sanctification and salvation as well as that of others. If we want to do a little research, we can also find countless practical suggestions, methods and plans to help us evangelize. These ideas are in books, on the Internet, and at workshops and discussion groups (not all Catholic, by the way). Sometimes when we are busy focusing on the "how" of evangelization, we forget that "how" we live is probably the most valuable tool of all--especially if we live lives of Christian Stewardship. As Christian Stewards, our duty is to help our Church grow and flourishit is our duty "to take care of it." Christian Stewardship is defined in the following way: it recognizes that everything that we have is a gift from God. We receive those gifts gratefully; we cherish and tend them in a responsible and accountable manner and share them in justice and love with others, returning them with increase to the Lord. Stewardship truly is

October, 2010

Maronite Eparchy in Detroit, which was later (1982) transfered to Brooklyn, New York, where he was given the title Archbishop. He retired in 1996, and moved to Lebanon.

THE UKRAINIAN CHORUS "DUMKA": A performance will be given Sunday, October 10, 2010 at 3 p.m. at the Ukrainian Catholic National Shrine of the Holy Family, 4250 Harewood Rd. NE, Washington, DC. Refreshments will be served after the concert. Tickets are $25. Make checks payable to "TWG Cultural Fund " sent to: Dumka Concert; c/o C. Kinal; 3303 Upland Terrace NW; Washington, DC 20015. This event is sponsored by: The Washington Group; The Washington Group Cultural Fund; The Ukrainian Catholic National Shrine Library and Ukrainian National Women's League, Br. 78.

UKRAINIAN AUTHORITIES IMPOUND ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH BUILDING: The municipalauthorities in Ukraine's eastern city of Dnipropetrovsk have impounded the Roman Catholic Church of St. Joseph, RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service reports. Catholic parish leader Valeriy Hmyrko told RFE/RL that the Luhansk Oblast Economic Court decided this week to impound the church building, of which the parishioners are the legal owners. The court provided no explanation for that ruling. The church was built in 1887-90 with funds raised by the city's Roman Catholic community. In 1998 the church building was privatized by Dugsberry, a private U.S.-registered company linked to former Ukrainian Prime Minister Pavlo Lazarenko, who is currently in prison in the United States for graft and embezzlement. Ukraine's Supreme Economic Court ruled last year to return the building to the parish community.

CHANGES IN HIERARCHY: Pope Benedict has accepted the resignation of Bishop ERCOLe (Lupinacci) from the pastoral care of the eparchy of Lungro of the Italo-Albanians, Italy, in conformity with canon 210 para. 1 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches. [Canon 210: 1. Additionally the appointment of Archbishop SALVATORE (Nunnari) of CosenzaBisignano, Italy, as apostolic administrator "sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis" of the same eparchy was announced. The Holy Father also acknowledged the resignation from the pastoral care of the archieparchy of Homs, Emesa of the Greek-Melkites, Syria, presented by Archbishop ISIDORE (Battikha B.A)., in accordance with canon 210 para. 1 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches. ST SOFIA FRESCOS PROTECTED BY TRANSPARENT SAFETY BARRIERS: Kyivs St Sofia NationalPreserve installed the transparent safety barriers inside the cathedral. The barriers both protect and highlight the cathedral's unique frescos. Kyivs St Sofia Cathedral is a historical, architectural and artistic monument of 11th-19th centuries.

ANCIENT CHURCH BURNED DOWN NEAR KYIV:In the village of Lozovyi Yar of Yahotyn District of the Kyiv Oblast, on September 1, the wooden Church of St. Nicholas of the Moscow Patriarchate caught fire. The church was burned to the ground. According to the press service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, seven fire departments participated in extinguishing the fire. Background Information: The Church of St. Nicholas in the village of Lozovyi Yar was built in the end of the 19th Century. In Soviet times, it was the only functioning church in Yahotyn District which was never closed. It is an architectural monument of the local significance. It has one dome and a belfry but its roof is built according to the postByzantine style, which gives it its originality.

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Tools for the Future

age one of the August issue of the New Star stated that a document for evangelization for the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church was being readied for discussion and passage by the Patriarchal Synod in Kyiv during the month of September of 2010. Page one of the July issue of the New Star featured the results of the St. Nicholas Eparchial Conference, which was held in Michigan in June, focusing on the subject of evangelization. At the end of the conference, an icon of the Protection of the Mother of God was blessed and is now traveling among all of the parishes in our eparchy, providing each parish with a wonderful evangelization tool. Sounds like the topic of evangelization is here to stay! When we consider the purpose of the Universal Catholic Church, our world-wide Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, St. Nicholas Eparchy, our parish and our family, we can honestly say that each has one and the same mission--to share the message of salvation, the Good News of Jesus Christ, with everyone. How do we evangelize--how do we share this mission? For to some of us, the topic of evangelization brings up images of someone standing on a soapbox, preaching hell and damnation. Or maybe we think of that missionary knocking on our door, asking if he or she might share his or her faith with us. Is that what we

a way of life and as Christian Stewards; we recognize that our Church and the Gospel of Jesus Christ are gifts from God that we must share with others. Stewardship linked to evangelization teaches us many practical things. It teaches us that in our churches, we must be a welcoming people. That means that when someone passes by one of our parishes, there is a sign board outside that clearly states the name of the parish and the time of the services. When someone visits our parish, we invite them to participate in liturgical services. We greet visitors with a big smile and give them books so they can follow the services they are attending. If our church has pews or chairs, we help them find a seat--supposedly the next most important step in welcoming visitors! We take the time to have them fill out a visitor's card if they are willing to do so; we invite them for refreshments and fellowship after the service. It is a good idea to set up a mechanism for keeping track of potential and new parishioners. The pastor or a lay committee can be responsible for this. A letter is continued on page 18

October, 2010

NEW STAR

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Why?/Why:

By Fr Denny Molitvyat Baptisms, Weddings and at blessing ceremonies for food at Pascha; water at the Theophany; fruit on Transfiguration; flowers at the Dormition--or any other object, place, occasion or person. Incense may be seen during the Akathist or Moleben or when prayers are solemnly offered. Since a funeral is also one such occasion, the "sweet aroma of sanctity" is used there, too--as a natural expression of the need for prayer. Here incense is incidental to the actual ritual itself, since it fits into the entire context of prayer--asking God for something--for our own good. To equate incense with only a specific and limited purpose at a funeral misses the point of its importance in our life. Just imagine, that simple little change caused you to pause and reflect--and seek some rationale for a seemingly minor detail. The picture should edify, not disturb, you. The parish bulletin (and editor) does the job of evangelizing. Pray (even without incense) for the gift of enlightenment through which a small piece of artwork is able to instruct you in this special way. Why do some people only bow their heads when the priest blesses them? I was always taught to bless myself [at this time]. An understanding of the making of the "Sign of the Cross" is key. When you "bless yourself" you profess belief in the Trinity: Father, Son, Holy Spirit. This you do when you utter the names of the three Persons, as happens frequently in our prayers both public and private. As well, it is customary to "bless yourself" when even inferring the Trinity. "Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy and Immortal" is a most obvious example--and extends to other phrases as well. The thricesung "Alleluia! Glory be to You, O God" is another instance of calling to mind the Trinity--though not by name--but by attribute--and making the "Sign of the Cross" while doing so.

Our parish bulletin has a list of people who may be ill or need prayers. Until recently there was a drawing of praying hands alongside the list. This has been changed to a censer. This disturbed me some, as it reminds me of a funeral, and I can't understand why the change was made. Bulletin editors (often times, the priest, himself) try to draw attention to particular items in this usually weekly publication. One such method is to include artwork to attract you to read it. Here, the precept to remember others' needs is invoked. This is a good feature in the bulletin. The "praying hands" art that was replaced presented a well-known rendition that the editor felt did not accurately express prayer. Based on a Protestant (Western) concept of "prayer" it has hands held palm-to-palm, fingers pointing upward. Most Eastern Christians use other models of a prayer posture that shows a person reaching out to heaven--standing--arms outstretched-like Moses. Centuries-old mosaics in Ukraine and elsewhere convey this idea. As well, a detail about hand positions for priests promulgated in 1943 says: "When nothing is prescribed about their position, the hands may be held in diverse ways: either placed upon the Holy Altar; holding the book of Divine Services; placed under the felon; or upon the breast, but not joined fingers to fingers (14)"[Order of Celebration] So, what was the editor to do? Inspired by the Biblical verse "let my prayer ascend to You as incense" the art was changed to reflect Biblical connotations and our ritual tradition. As far back as Genesis, rising smoke wafting toward heaven is seen as a sure sign of God's acceptance of a sacrifice and the prayer that goes with it. Maybe you never took notice that incense is always to be used at the Divine Liturgy and the Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts. It is used at Vespers and Matins;

When the priest "blesses" you (at a liturgical service, for example) it is often accompanied by the words "Peace be with you" or "May the blessing of the Lord be upon you" or something similar. Here--since the Trinity is neither enunciated nor inferred--you merely bow, and do not "bless" yourself, to accept the offering of peace, the same as when the priest or deacon incenses you. What may contribute to the notion that you make the "Sign of the Cross" at this time is that you see the priest make the Cross gesture while giving the "peace" greeting. As he does, he holds his fingers in a way to form the Greek initials of "Jesus" and "Christ" [IC XC], not the Trinity. Thus Jesus' words "Peace be with you!" are repeated as when He came into the company of His Apostles, who bowed. Whoever taught you it is necessary to "bless yourself" at this time seems to have been unaware of the reason for and distinction between gestures you make in conjunction with prayer-and the gesture a priest makes when offering you Christ's peace and presence. To this you need only bow in acceptance of His peace. That is why people "only bow their heads when the priest 'blesses' them."

Do you want to know why? something is the way it is? Fr Denny Molitvy may just be able to help you to find out the why! Send your questions for Fr Denny Molitvy to: WhyWhyNewStar@cs.com Include your name and parish. Personal information will not be published, but is required to verify or clarify the question if needed. You need not be a member of St Nicholas Eparchy to ask a question, but supply the same information.

Formally speakingou have probably noticed by now that formality is not high on my list of priorities. In this, I find myself judged to be annoying by many who expect a priest to be formal and stiff, aloof and altogether otherworldly. Don't get me wrong: formality has its time and place, and I can do it as well as anyone else; for corroboration, ask the priests of the eparchy who get frustrated with the chancellor's insistence--for the good of all and in the interest of the smooth functioning of their parishes and of the eparchy, and indeed to preserve the fraying thread of sanity to which I desperately cling--that they follow established protocols and do things "by the book" instead of "on a whim". This does not mean, however, that we need to be slaves to formalism: in my personal relationships, I tend to err in the other direction--i.e., in the direction of "down to earth"--and my sharp mind and tongue often get me into trouble before I realize what is coming out of my mouth! Having thus diagnosed this problem, what remedy can we prescribe? My answer: Byzantine Liturgy, of course! Isn't it obvious that, regarding my mouth problem, I need to let myself be immersed in the Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts, which compels me to sing words taken from Psalm 141: "Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips."? Seriously, folks, it seems to me that the formality of the Byzantine Liturgy is a necessary corrective for someone like me: it could add just enough discipline to harness a free spirit so that work can be accomplished. In this regard, I am reminded of Robert Frost, the great American poet. When asked why he insisted on having a regular rhyme scheme when so many poets were instead adopting blank or free verse, Frost is reported to have answered: it's like "moving easy in harness". This is why I embrace the structured poetry of the

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Byzantine Liturgy. Can't you hear the complaints? Young people have been heard to say something like "It doesn't speak to me!" I respond to this on many different levels. First of all, I remember what people used to say to me when I was teaching in high school: "You need to get down to their level!"; I always had a problem with that, because I am convinced that, while on the one hand speaking a language which children can understand, we also need to raise them to "our" level--i.e., to mature faith, a faith which many of us adults have unfortunately not reached, alas! By joining in an "adult" celebration, children can "role play" the faith which should nourish them throughout their lives, the faith into which they need to grow--as do we all! Why? As we read in the letter to the Ephesians, "so that we may no longer be infants, tossed by waves and swept along by every wind of teaching arising from human trickery, from their cunning in the interests of deceitful scheming. Rather, we should grow in every way in Him Who is the head, Christ" (Ephesians 4: 14-15) Then there's the problem of language. I'm not speaking of English vs. Ukrainian vs. Russian vs. Slavonic vs. Latin vs. Spanish; we have enough trouble with that! The lack of standardization makes prayerful liturgies in English seem like the Man of La Mancha's "Impossible Dream", and differences in translation make it impossible for us even to say the "Our Father" together in Ukrainian without starting a fight! Rather I'm referring to the fact that liturgy itself is a symbolic language which needs to be learned if it is to be understood. As a former language teacher, I can assure you that this requires effort--an effort which many would rather not exert. I know enough about the American insular mentality--i.e., "Let them learn English!"--and the immigrant ghetto mentality--e.g., the Polish lady across the street from me in Syracuse who had been in this country for 50 years without ever learning English

--to despair of having anyone be interested in learning the richly expressive and deeply profound language of Byzantine Liturgy. As with any failure to communicate due to lack of a common language, failure to enter into the living language of the liturgy impoverishes the one who remains outside. Young people are practically addicted to stimulation. iPods and YouTube and God-only-knows-what-else provide sights and sounds to keep them plugged-in and jumping and wanting more. Byzantine Liturgy is likewise a feast for the senses, though its rhythms are not likely to satisfy the frenetic pace desired by those whose attention span has been shortened by soundbites and twitter. An overabundance of superficiality cannot make up for the lack of depth afflicting our society. "Super-sized" fast-food, whether for the stomach or for the soul, causes indigestion; Byzantine Liturgy provides a sumptuous banquet which not only fills, but also nourishes and satisfies down deep. How do we get young people--and ourselves--to recognize and remedy the hunger which weakens and depletes the fiber of our society? I can't tell you, I can only try to learn the answer by letting myself be drawn into the mystery of the loving God Who alone nourishes and enlivens us all. To the extent that any of us is inspired to become a living, breathing Icon of the Living God which can attract others to salvation, the Liturgy--i.e., the "public work" of the Church-will have done its job. Fr. Jim Karepin, OP

14 NEW STARwill be great in heaven." (Mt. 5:1-12) The Beatitudes are found in the first few verses of the Sermon on the Mount which Jesus is preaching to those who have come to follow Him. In the Gospel of St Matthew, Jesus is the new Moses. Moses came down from the Mount of Sinai with the Ten Commandments. Jesus proclaims to the people on the Mount that not one letter of the Law will be abrogated but fulfilled in Him.(v 5:17-18) In His teaching Jesus takes up the same message that was given to Moses. The people on the Mount reflect the icon of the prophets, who also by their live style had a passion for following the Word of God found in the commandments. The prophets of the Old Testament encouraged the people to follow the Law and Word of God. Those who attended to the Word of God proclaimed by the prophet manifested the Light of God in their holiness, simplicity and spirituality by living fully the Life of God. They desired to bring about the kingdom of God by fidelity to the Law He gave. The great Father of the Church, Saint Cyril of Alexandria (370-444) wrote a Commentary on the Twelve Minor Prophets as well as a Commentary on the Prophet Isaiah. The prophets in their words reflected the anger of God when the commandments were violated. But they also proclaimed the forgiveness, compassion, saving and protection of God when they lived according to the commandments. They spoke with great power indicating that they were the true prophets of God who spoke on behalf of God. It is Christ our God who takes up the role of the prophet, and because of this He is treated as the prophets were treated. "He was sent, (Jn 3:34) but as human. For he was tired (John 4:6) and hungry (Mt. 4:2) and thirsty (Jn 4:7) and endured agony (Lk 22:49) and wept (Lk 19:41)" (Oration on the Nativity of Christ, St John Chrysostom 15) Jesus gathers people about Himself who have a deep reverence for the Way of God. They take seriously the Commandments that demonstrate how to honor the One God. It is because God created us to be good and holy we need to treat one another and our neighbor the same way we would want to be treated by God. The

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ometimes, rather than the Third Antiphon the Beatitudes may be sung. They begin with a plea "Remember us, O Lord, in Your Kingdom" as we recall what necessary steps we must take to enter it: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the land. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure of heart, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil word against you falsely because of Me. Rejoice and be glad for your reward

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Come, and See--and hear the prophetic voice in our own time

People of God always desire to hold all creation sacred because it is an extension of the humanity of Christ. They tend not to draw attention to themselves but are focused on the needs of others and have a passion for goodness and concern for their neighbor. They are enlightened by the Spirit of the living God the Father, in view of the fulfillment of the manifestation of God in our Lord and God Jesus Christ. St Paul describes Jesus by quoting a hymn that the early Christians often used in the Liturgy, "Have among you the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus, Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross." (Phil 2:5-12) We who are created in the image of God reflect that image back to the Trinity in seeking purification and holiness. We become the living icon reflecting Christ. This divine mystery of our relationship between ourselves, our neighbor and our Triune God, is reflected prophetically in the commandments. Jesus proclaims to us at the end of the Beatitudes: "You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lamp stand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father." (Mt. 5:13-16) God revealed to us through Moses the Ten Commandments. In the book of Deuteronomy, we are told that to love God and our neighbor is the fulfillment of the Law (Deut 6:4-12)(Mt.22:37-10). Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount invites the simple and the poor, to follow Him, the Word of God. The Spirit of God enlightens people as Christ God has enlightened and purified those who, through His suffering death and resurrection seek to live the Life of God. Fr Dn Michael Cook

etting old seems to sneak up on you. I'm currently in the midst of trying to determine whether I've suddenly become dyslexic, forgetful and senile, demented, or maybe I'm just finally opening up to God's grace and recognizing longstanding conditions in my life that I refused to acknowledge for many egotistical, prideful years. This debate has special significance for those of us who live eremetical lives in little isolated cottages out in the woods. For all the difficulties inherent in communal or family groups, there is the overwhelming benefit of the freely-proffered criticism of our brothers and sisters, our well-meaning neighbors and friends. St John Climacus' Ladder of Divine Ascent, step #25 (on Humility) notes that since we are unable or unwilling to confront our own faults, that God has helped us by making our failures extremely clear

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Aging--gracefullyto our fellow brothers and sisters--their ability to critically assess our problems balances our own personal blindspots. St John also points out that the interest and efforts expended deserve our thankful prayers, for any progress toward salvation depends on our brothers and sisters and the Spirit of God working within us--certainly not any personal efforts on our part, or our own saintly lifestyle, So St John recommends constant prayer on behalf of these wonderful benefactors and in thanksgiving to the Lord. Don't take my word for it; read John Climacus even though it isn't [now] the Great Lenten Fast (when the Ladder is traditionally read at monastery meals). I've tried to continue this tradition here in the forest--my cats seem to be gradually learning St John's dicta.

Stolen Caravaggio Painting "The Betrayal of Christ" Returns to UkraineCaravaggio's "The Betrayal of Christ," which was stolen from a Ukrainian museum, has been returned to Ukraine by the presidential aircraft, the president's press service has told Interfax-Ukraine, reports the Kyiv Post. The restoration of the painting will be carried out in Kyiv. Then the painting will be sent to an Odesa museum after the museum is equipped with the required security systems. As reported, the painting, by Italian Renaissance artist Michelangelo Caravaggio, which was stolen from the Odesa Museum of Western and Eastern Art, was returned to a Ukrainian delegation headed by Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych during their visit to Germany on Monday. Caravaggio's "The Betrayal of Christ," one of the gems of the collection of the Odesa Museum of Western and Eastern Art was stolen from the museum on July 31, 2008. A number of experts estimate the work to be worth $100 million. Some experts, however, believe that the stolen painting is an author's copy at best, and the original is in the National Gallery of Ireland in Dublin. On June 25, in Berlin, three residents of Ukraine and one resident of Germany who were trying to sell the painting were detained in Germany.

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UCU Receives License for Master's Program in Journalismhe State Accreditation Commission of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine granted a license to the Ukrainian Catholic University to open a two-year master's program in journalism. The master's program in journalism at UCU will be experimental--graduates with bachelor's degrees in humanities and social and economic studies will be accepted into the program. In western Ukraine four higher education institutions offer journalism as a specialty: three bachelor's programs and only one master's program. Furthermore, only students with an education in journalism can apply for the master's program. The goal of the master's program in journalism of UCU is to establish in western Ukraine a European model for a master's program in journalism as a faculty for students with a background education in humanities and social and economic studies.

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Ukrainian Catholic University to Start Master's Program in Journalismhe first Ukrainian non-governmental higher educational institute prepares to start a master's degree program in journalism. Students with a bachelor's degree in any field can participate in the program. Unlike the traditional approach, the educational plan of the master's program of UCU will include a block of worldview disciplines for the students to understand the ethical and moral principles of their chosen profession and the mission and responsibility

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of a journalist in the modern world. For example, such courses as Introduction to Journalism: The Mission, Calls, and Prospects of the Profession; Morality and Media; Western Civilization; The New Ukrainian Journalism: Standards of Quality; The Christian Spiritualist in the Post-Modern Age; The History of Ideas; The Church and Social Communication; and so on. The vice rector of UCU, Taras Dobko, told RISU that the establishment of a two-year master's program in journalism is a part of the overall conception of UCU's development and corresponds to the mission of the educational institute.

Ukrainian Catholic University Builds Unique Student CampusThe consecration of the foundation and time capsule for the construction of the student campus of the Ukrainian Catholic University was held September 5, 2010, in Lviv by Patriarch Lubomyr together with the bishops participating in the Synod of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UG CC). The event was also attended by representatives of the civil authorities and the local businesses. The campus is designed by an American company Kallman McKinnel & Wood Architects, chosen from among 15 companies. However, the project will be completed and implemented by Ukrainian architects as the

U.S. Ambassador John Tefft Visits UCU"This is our first visit to Lviv and also our first visit to the Catholic University here. We've heard many good things about it and I have to say all of our expectations were realized today. We were impressed by what we saw, by the value of the facilities, by the students and faculty, and all the work U.S. Ambassador John Tefft that is being done here "My wife and I are both graduates of Marquette University in Milwaukee, a Catholic Liberal Arts School, and we've always thought that the education we received there, which is similar to the kind of education that is given to students here, prepares you not just for a job but prepares you for life and most of all for a Christian life. And we are confident that the education that the young people get here at this university will also prepare them well for life in modern Ukraine." activity is a very important factor in the development of a new and better future," noted Patriarch Lubomyr. The mayor of Lviv, Andrii Sadovyi, called the campus of UCU "a town of tomorrow, which is being built on the foundation of faith and science."

American company holds no license and has no knowledge of Ukrainian building codes. According to ViceRector of UCU on external relations, Fr. Dr. Bohdan Prakh, the American company worked with the project on condition of reimbursement for expenses, and received no profit as such. The campus will be constructed in stages. First of all, will be a hostel, a multi-functional academic building/center containing classrooms and offices, including Dean's Office, rooms for the teachers and a large hall which can be used as a dining room. The first stage will take five years. However, it is planned to complete the hostel by Euro 2012. According to Fr. Bohdan, it is quite possible that the hostels will serve as lodging for tourists during the championship. The main building of the campus will feature a church in its center. In addition, the general plan envis-

ages the construction of a library, information and conference center, museum and hotel. The entire construction is expected to be complete by the year 2020. At present, a wooden Church of the Holy New Martyrs of UGCC is located in the territory of the intended campus. It will serve the spiritual needs of people who will live and study there. The church's future has not been decided yet. It will probably be moved to another location. In a homily punctuated by raindrops, His Beatitude explained that the Ukrainian Catholic University is something more than an academic institution. "It is a community of people, students, teachers, employees, who seek their future in combining modern scientific/scholarly achievements and profound experience of the faith of the martyrs. For with the help of the experience of their martyrdom, we can have a deeper insight in the sense of our existence." "Our university opens the eyes to the truth of life not only by means of the positive science. It is a community of witnesses, who meet the needs of the present time and stress the value and dignity of a person. Your

Bishops attending the Synod were at the dedication of the foundation and placing ot the time capsule at UCU.

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Patriarch Bartholomew Says: "All-Orthodox Council Will Be Held Soon"atriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople expressed confidence that the long-expected AllOrthodox Council will be held soon. According to him, in the beginning of 2011, the penultimate meeting of the preparatory committee will probably be held in the patriarchal center of the Constantinople Patriarchate in Geneva. " and it will become a great event," stressed Bartholomew I. "The Faith is alive and Orthodoxy is alive. Orthodoxy will live and the Holy and Great Council, the preparation of which is coming to the end, will be held," stated the Patriarch of Constantinople Patriarch Bartholomew noted that the All-Orthodox Council is not only long-expected and needed by world Orthodoxy but also for the relations between Orthodoxy and other Christian Churches and confessions. Information: The last, 7th Ecumenical Council was held in Nice in 787, that is 1212 years ago under Empress Irene. It was attended by 367 fathers. RISU

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Metropolitan of UOC-MP Believes Greek Catholics Have no Right to Have Church in Odesahe Odesa Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate published an official statement regarding the possibility of constructing a Greek Catholic church in Odesa. "In Odesa, where the vast majority of the residents are believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, there is such a small number of Greek Catholics that there is no need to build not only a cathedral but even a prayer house for the Uniates," stated Metropolitan Ahafanhel (Savin) of Odesa and Izmail of the UOC, who is also a deputy of the Odesa Regional State Administration and a representative of the Party of Regions. The statement reads that "the expected construction in Odesa, on the territory of the Prokhoriv Public Garden, of a cathedral of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church is the Uniates' attempt to aggressive expand in the Odesa region." According to the press service of the Odesa Eparchy of the UOC, the construction of a cathedral of the UGCC in the Orthodox city of Odesa will cause indignation and protest of the clergy and the Orthodox believers of the Odesa region, "will create in our peaceful city a situation of the interreligious conflict, will not be conducive to strengthening peace and social agreement in the Odesa region." In the end, the statement reads that Metropolitan of Odesa of the UOC and the clergy of the Odesa Eparchy consider it inadvisable and very dangerous to construct a religious object "of Uniates in the capital of our region." Further Information: As of March 2010, there are 10,000 Greek Catholics in Odesa. In addition, according to the Chancellor of Odesa-Crimean Exarchate of the UGCC, Volodymyr Zhdan, there are several large Greek Catholic communities in Odesa Oblast, such as Ilichivska, Rozdilnianska, Berezovska, etc. RISU [ed. note: the use of the word "uniate" as a term of derision is unfortunate. It is included here only because it is in the original quote, and as such reflects the sentiment of the person making the statement].

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On Independence Day Patriarch says:"to Follow Divine Orders and not the Political Situation"

"What place does prayer have when we mark this great state holiday, or other similar events? Why do we want to pray today?" asked Patriarch Lubomyr in his Independence Day Address. His speech was read on August 24,--Independence Day of Ukraine--in the Church of the Annunciation to the Holy Mother of God during the Hierarchal Divine Liturgy celebrated by Bishop BOHDAN (Dzyurakh), Secretary of the Synod of Bishops of UGCC, Bishop JOSEPH (Milyan), auxiliary bishop of the Kyivan Archeparchy, and priests of the Kyivan Archeparchy.. "For today's celebration of our statehood, our independence, we need not only look at secular principles of behavior but at the concepts of the holy faith," said His Beatitude. According to him, our demeanor, our consideration of civil obligations, should be built on the Divine law. "Our civil life should follow Divine orders and not the political situation," stated the Patriarch. In practice this means every member of the community, regardless of his status, should fulfill his "holy

"Therefore remember that not only secular principles, but the Divine Law has to become the basis of our demeanor."

duty to care for the good of his neighbor. A lack of respect to the rights of neighbors, for whatever reason be it carelessness, laziness, fear. Search of personal benefit is to resist the Divine Will, similarly as the insidious use of human weakness through corruption, injustice, manipulation, or deception for the sake of reaching selfish goals," cautioned Patriarch Lubomyr. He invited us read about the Prophets, especially Isaiah and Jeremiah, in Holy Scripture. "They at one time as the speakers of the Divine truth, showed all the public sins and reminded the authority that such behavior leads to the ruin of a nation," adding that this is relevant even today. From this we see how important comprehension and the conscientious execution of God's commandments is for us, believing people. "Because, as the Prophets taught, God's punishment can be reversed by sincere repentance and appeals to the Lord. Therefore remember that not only secular principles, but the Divine Law has to become the basis of our demeanor," Information Department of the UGCC

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PART TWO OF A SERIES

History--a study in the past, present, or future?A half-century of Chicagos St Nicholas Eparchyifty years ago the Church was much settle in in a "New Pentecost" of re-birth different, as was the world. Years of of the Church that was to invigorate it. All maintaining a status quo were knew the word aggiornamento; liked it or beginning to end. hated it, even if they An era of relative misunderstood it. prosperity was posAll bishops of the ing new challenges. Church were exMass movement pected to be presof upwardly-mobile ent, including Bishpeople made a op Jaroslav. Here he move to suburbia would hear of part of the culture plans--grandiose (particularly in the yet so nebulous-United States). New meant to meet the dynamics were tugneeds of a maturing ging at the reins of Church--even his society, testing how own. far ideas could be The Church did taken. not set out to conGovernments met coct new doctrine, with it, and providor plan to proclaim ed infrastructure as any dogmatic statedemands prompted ments. Here was a One of 2450 participants action. The Church council of counsel. was Bishop Jaroslav. met new situations What the over 2,200 with nearly the same enthusiasm, ham- bishops were asked to do was to define the pered, however, by a less flexible ap- needs of the Church--examine the reality proach or experience due to the very in which it found itself, address ways to nature of the institution. make sure it conformed to authentic Bishop JAROSLAV (Gabro) was faced Christian Teaching and Tradition in a with many dilemmas. To "keep the faith" manner that matched a changing world. was not one of them. That was his comIt would not be an easy (or popular) task mission as the new eparch of a new --but did provide insight into the compariChurch. The question arose: "How?" How son that could easily be made between the to provide for extant parishes and at the "growing pains" of a brand-new eparchy same time respond to needs of new hori- and the "growing pains" of the nearly two zons with limited resources were vexing thousand year-old Church. challenges. As well, peoples' needs and As one of the highly-outnumbered Eastattitudes were in flux. ern Catholic bishops, he played a crucial He had to form a structure of personnel role even by his mere presence among the from whomever was available--some in vast sea of Latin prelates who were about relatively close proximity to Chicago, oth- to embark upon a journey of learning ers separated by hundreds of miles. about the whole Church acting as one, Parishes in isolated area had no real con- Little did many realize that the presence of nection to the realities in Chicago. People less than two hundred bishops of nonin Chicago were busy with their own mat- Latin (but Catholic, nonetheless) Churchters, often giving little thought to the es would shape the outcome of the fourneeds of those afar off. Just as attempts year venture into the very core of Christ's were being made to form a cohesive body Church--adherence to "Apostolic Traditof like-minded believers, another task was ion." an integral part of Church life-worldwide. In a way, the Eparchy of St Nicholas in Pope John XXIII convened the Second Chicago was a microcosm of the entire Vatican Council to "open the windows of Church. It was meeting new circumthe Church" to allow the swift winds of stances, bound by old ones, and needed to energies provided by the Holy Spirit to meet them as they arose, either in harmo-

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he Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) at its session in the Kyiv Cave Monastery this summer, decided to send the official delegation of the ROC to the session of the Joint International Commission for the Theological Dialogue Between the Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church in Vienna (September 20-27, 2010). Archimandrite Kirill (Hovorun), deputy chair of the Education Committee of the ROC, is part of the delegation. RISU asked him to comment on the issues that will be raised at the meeting and the ROC's position on them. - What are the most important issues that will be raised at the meeting? - The "Krytskyj" Document will be reviewed. The ROC, by the way, did not participate in the preparation of the document. We will substantially examine the position of this document, which greatly differs from Orthodox ecclesiology. - What is the position of the ROC regarding these meetings? - First of all, a balanced position concerning the question about the primacy in the church must be accepted. We must begin with work on reaching an inter-Orthodox consensus on this question. This task will not be easy for there is not a positive teaching about primacy in the Orthodox. - What are the different Orthodox stances on the primacy of the pope? - The differences concern not so ny or in clashing discord. Vatican II was a learning experience and a valuable asset--and as it unfolded--a classroom for the teachers of the Church, the bishops, to stop, look and listen to what the world around them was saying and doing, and discover the underlying strength that seemed to be waiting to be exposed to the world. The Church not only had questions--but, looking deeply enough--had the answers, too. It found the courage to put forth ancient thoughts and profess them, not as something "new" but as something already there, if underappreciated. The whole Church looked East,

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"First of all, a balanced position concerning the question about the primacy in the church must be accepted."

much the primacy of the pontiff, as much as the primacy within the Orthodox Church. On the one hand, the primate is an integral part of the church tradition. All recognize that primacy should be and function in the Orthodox Church. On the other, it is not understand how it should be. And this is why there are arguments. The Orthodox all have the same attitude toward the Roman primacy: primacy in the Orthodox understanding cannot be the same as the primacy of the Roman one. Interviewed by Taras Antoshevskyy, Lviv-Kyiv, August 12, 2010. Following the interview are a number of "comments" (in Ukrainian) made by readers. Readers of New Star may find the full interview and comments at: h t t p : / / r i s u . o r g . u a / en/index/expert_thought/interview/37178/

and back in time, to the Apostolic Age. Much of the activities of Bishop Jaroslav were influenced by the direction the entire Church was taking to bring the Church to where it is today. The last fifty years are also our first fifty years. This portion of the essay series puts into context the early years of the eparchy without listing all the details--but observing the conditions of the era. It may help judge, if we can, the attempts to fulfill the vision of the Eparchy of St Nicholas, and its reason for existence in the first place.

Bishop Jaroslav [in red circles] in procession with other bishops.

Melkite bishops had their own contingent in the processions.

All photos from a large over-sized volume, Concilium Ecumenicum Vaticanum II, from the collection of Bishop Jaroslav.

A large over-sized volume, Concilium Ecumenicum Vaticanum II, a pictorial presentation, was prepared for all the participants. Among the 2,450 individual portraits is a photo of Bishop Jaroslav, printed in now-tarnishing silver ink. Bishop Jaroslav is shown with a small group of Ukrainian and other Byzantine Bishops. Another photo of Melkite bishops is among the first pages of the impressive volume--with a caption in Italian, French, English, German and Spanish.

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Ukrainian delegation took part in a European workshop on reconciliation of events in European history that are burdened by bloodshed and hate. The meeting was held in Osviencim, Poland. Oleh Turiy, the vice rector of academic work of the Ukrainian Catholic University, shared with RISU his thoughts on this event and, in particular, on historical memory in Ukraine.

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Historian Oleh Turiy: In Ukraine a problem exists in the nature of what we call historical memoryThe discussion of Polish-Ukrainian relations was important for Ukrainians. On the official level, the relations that have developed since Ukraine declared independence have been fairly good. There are, however, real problems that exist and from time to time arise and need reaction and resolution, in particular, reactions from Christian communities, eparchies, and the secular environment. We often hear various clamorous declarations from the Polish side, but in reality these declarations come from marginal groups and are multiplied by the media, distorting the real public opinion. In reality, in intellectual and church environments, as well as those open to a wider European context, there is a lot of sympathy toward Ukraine, toward Ukrainians, toward the democratic development of Ukraine, and to the prospect of this development. As for Russian-Ukrainian relations, there have been attempts to start a dialogue. The dialogue is not as structured or as worked out as the case of the Ukrainian-Polish dialogue. The dialogue is hindered by Ukrainian fragmentation and the very strong process of nationalizing history, which is controlled by the Russian state. Consequently, these discussions are mostly held in intellectual circles, and so far they don't have a way out to a wider academic community and also because these communities still gravitate toward the Soviet past, from which they cannot free themselves.

The Idea of the ConferenceThe conference gathered people who look at difficult issues in the past form the Christian perspective. The participants discussed the experience and role of the church and faith in that time, and the role Christians or organized church communities should play today in finding reconciliation in both the past and present, for the present is often burdened by the past. The newlyfounded German Maximilian Kolbe Foundation organized the conference. This foundation was formed by a German bishop with the help of foundations for the reparations of victims of Nazism. And although the formal process of reparations is complete, the Kolbe Foundation was founded to maintain contacts and work in the area of reconciliation and overcoming the consequences of WWII. The main topic of discussion was the conscience of peoples about the past, what place these past events have in today societies and view points, and how they influence relations between one another. Furthermore, the participants looked at different models of reconciliation, discussed what is forgiveness and the role of forgiveness in reconciliation.

nates for the memory of the past and to build a common future in the Ukrainian society. We must decide if we are following European principles and condemn totalitarianism in all of its manifestations, or if are we talking about one regime, like some hierarchs say, that was human-hating, and another that was simply bad. In Ukraine we clearly see two opposite points of view: the ultra-nationalist approach, fostered in the diaspora in certain environments, and the typical Soviet approach. And we now observe two tendencies. On the one hand, we see how from pressure from Russia this Soviet way of thinking is united with imperialism and builds a new neo-imperialistic Orthodox civilization discourse. And on the other hand, we see how nevertheless certain groups want to integrate the Ukrainian perspective into the broad democratic, European process. This is our main dilemma. In fact it doesn't concern the past as much as the future: where we are going, where we want to go.

The Role of the ChurchThe church should engage in its direct work, that is if should form responsible citizens who base their public position on the principles of faith. Specific issues of history, of the past, the evaluation of history must nevertheless be left to the experts. We often begin arguments where their simply lacks elementary knowledge of the facts. RISU

Ukrainians Must First Work on Their Inner DialogueIn Ukraine a problem exists in the nature of what we call historical memory. Our biggest problem is our inner dialogue, the search for some common coordi-

Ukrainian-Polish and Ukrainian-Russian Reconciliation

Write to: NewStarNews@aol.com (subject line--Opinion) [or]: New Star (Opinion); 2245 W Rice St; Chicago, IL 60622-4858Views expressed are the opinion of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the policies of the Eparchy of St Nicholas or the New Star.

Please limit your comments on Church-relevant matters in 100-300 words. Include your name, city, state. Thank you!

In reading New Star, Sept. 2010, page 14, the joint construction and use of a new church by Greek Catholics and Orthodox is worthy of the front page (large type).from page 12

What a great sign and what a great barrier removal act. It is this type of activity that is most educational in healing wounds Our faithful are in need of

some "good acts" of love and respect for each other. With some Ukrainian churches not returned after WWII, this could be a prime mover in usage.

Hopefully, you are able to get a correspondent over there for continuous updates in construction and the support from the faithful in both halves. While they will not be con-

celebrating they will be having special religious joint activities, what a great news item. Joseph Bonchonsky, Mount Shasta, CA

sent to the visitor, signed by the pastor, thanking them for visiting the church and inviting them to come back again. Sometimes a little gift is sent with the letter--a simple prayer card or a brochure about the parish can serve this purpose. Once a person wants to join the parish, we communicate with that person in a language he or she can understand. In this country, that may mean Ukrainian, but as often as not it means in English or perhaps even Spanish. Because many of our parishes use several languages, we need translated materials; or perhaps use language headphones. We need to do whatever it takes for us to communicate and work together. Christian Stewards recognize that every person has some talent to give in a parish community. There is no room for "cliques" or small groups that selectively leave someone out because they don't look right, they don't speak the right language, because...because... Each of us has something to share with the Church and stewardship asks us to help our parishioners identify those gifts and talents.

That means that someone who is housebound can be encouraged to pray for those members of the church who are not housebound. That means that this housebound person who is praying is as important to the parish as is the Cantor, the Chair of the Pastoral Council, the Chair of the Finance Council and any others who have great responsibility in the parish. In God's eyes, we are all equal in giftedness. Nothing brings a community down faster than someone sharing a critical view, not with the party who needs to hear it, but with friends or anybody who will listen, including visitors. Good communication signals a healthy family, a healthy Church. Poor communication and griping are like a slow poison--they destroy the community. In thanksgiving to God for all the gifts He has given us, stewardship asks us to give back a portion of our financial resources back to Him. We do this by generously supporting the works of our parish and the eparchy. This of course requires our parish and eparchy to be accountable for the gifts they have received from the people! That means

yearly financial reports, at least. It means recognizing and acknowledging the gifts that have been given by the people to God through his Church here on Earth. If we develop an "attitude of gratitude" and share our time, talent and treasure with the Church; if we invite others to join our communities and if we value their talents and gifts we should have no fear regarding the future of our Church. We can do great things. But if we do not develop this attitude and act on it, we will continue to hear what we hear almost daily from some of our clergy and parishioners: "we tried that, it doesn't' work, our parish is shrinking, we have lost our young people, we can't pay our bills." Let us thank God that this is not the case in all of our parishes. Some still believe that with the grace of the Holy Spirit, all things are possible. These parishes practice Christian Stewardship, perhaps without calling it that. If you would like to see a real effort in your parish to focus on evangelization, see if the clergy and parish leadership are willing to make just one change. When that has been working for a while,

try to change something else. After a while, another change can be made. By the time this has happened, you won't even recognize your former parish! Dear Jesus, both in Holy Scripture and the writings of the Church Fathers, You have asked us to be caretakers of Your world. You have asked us, Your disciples to spread Your message of love to all. You have invited us to grow in personal holiness and save our own souls but also to go out and teach Your Good News to all nations. We will do this by reflecting on this call You have made and we will renew our commitment to share what we have been given with our Church, eparchy and parish so that the Church's mission can be fulfilled. May we all work together to accomplish this so that our eparchy and parishes will flourish now and in the future. God grant us many years!

October, 2010

NEW STARunderstood they head for a foreign land; maybe hope that it will be the same as it was at home. Misunderstandings sometimes arise from insignificant occasions. For example, the linguistic question: In Australia people speak and use spelling which existed 60 years ago. "Currently in Ukraine the Ukrainian language is much better and richer than ours. Small contradictions can lead to conflict. There is another situation. Many Ukrainians who arrive here prefer to communicate in Russian. This can cause a problem because our people who earlier immigrated to Australia had problems with the Soviet regime, a great number from them were in camps for political or religious persuasions. Therefore they have their vision of patriotism. But, not all Ukrainians who arrive now are capable of understanding it. Therefore, the Australian Ukrainian is surprised when an emigrant says that he comes from Ukraine, but speaks another language." Many try to improve their English right away to better help them find a job. "They go where English is spoken, send their children to English-language schools, because they want to assimilate as quickly as possible into Australian culture. Not all in the [country] understand this nor accept it," continues Bishop Stasiuk. Recently a lot of Ukrainian clergy have come to Australia but they stay around people from the last wave of migration since they have more in common. The next Synod of Bishops is to be held in Brazil in 2011, where "evangelization" will be a main focus again. According to Bishop BOHDAN (Dzurakh), the Synod of Bishops of UGCC has considered this subject from various angles for a few years now. This year, the statutes of the Patriarchal Committee on Matters of Evangelization were final-

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Synopsis of the Synoduring the course of the Synod of Bishops, convened annually to address matters of importance to the Church, no one topic is the focus of the meetings. Members this year had a chance to view an exhibition devoted to the 20th anniversary of the legalization of the UGCC. The photo exhibit, "Toward the Light of Resurrection through the Thorns of Catacombs," was prepared by the Institute of Church History of the Ukrainian Catholic University. Materials were colleted during 19922009 from eyewitnesses and active participants of the underground. Also included were documents of state archives and photographs from private collections. The exhibition covers the period from 1939 to 1991 and represents the three important stages of the tragic, yet heroic, history of the UGCC of the 20th Century: the violent liquidation, underground activity, and legalization in 1989. Through the efforts of the Synod, soon the world will see the first edition of Catechism of Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. Work on the text was coordinated by the Patriarchal Catechetical Committee, for nearly nine years, with results presented to the Synod of Bishops of UGCC. "The need to compile our own Catechism is an indication of the maturity of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, which feels that it can itself present what it believes in as it relies on its tradition," stressed Fr. Myron Bendyk, PhD, one of the authors Fifty thousand copies are to be initially published in Ukrainian, English and either Portuguese or Spanish. The Synod of Bishops of UGCC studied the question of migration, noting that "According to research conducted during 2008-2009 by researchers at the assistance of International charitable fund Caritas Ukraine, since independence, 5-7 million Ukrainians moved out of the country. From this number, over 60% consists of residents from the western regions of Ukraine," such information was stated by Bishop JOSEPH (Milyan), the head of

D

the Pastoral and Missionary Department of the UGCC.. "When we consider that the Greek Catholics in the western regions of Ukraine (especially Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil, and Lviv) make the majority, and that there are over 5 million Ukrainian Greek Catholics in the world, we can safely say that 1/3 of all faithful of the UGCC lives in emigration." Bishop Joseph also stated that the phenomenon of migration "induces us to build a lively church, where the basis is made of the people, scattered across the entire world, but identified as successors of Kyivan Christianity." In fact, until now, "all the ministry was concentrated on the people who came to church. It is a positive challenge for UGCC because Ukrainian migration allows and induces us to prove ourselves not only as a church of own law (sui juris), but also as the Eastern Catholic Church which confidently steps in the direction of patriarchy," "We are creating one Ukrainian 'globalized' Church," commented Bishop VOLODYMYR (Kovbych) Eparch of Curitiba, Brazil "For me it matters that we are creating and that we have to create one 'globalized' church, because it is all over the world," Bishop Volodymyr, born in Brazil, noted: "Our grandfathers left from here, but our roots are here. When we go to the Synod, we return to our source, and it is a good opportunity to feel that we are one church, that we should think together and try to solve our different problems which, unfortunately, are plenty." "Deep religiousness connects our people," One of the differences, in the opinion of the bishop, is language: "In Brazil our Ukrainian is old, 'Galician,' what our people spoke one hundred years ago. They speak this language and mix it with Portuguese." In a similar vein, Bishop PETER (Stasiuk) Eparch for Ukrainian Greek Catholics in Australia. noted: "Ukrainian migration to Australia began only 65 years ago." "I believe that it is very important to educate and to inform people who emigrate from Ukraine to Australia so they

ly approved. Two projects were considered within the framework of the question of evangelization. The first project is the publication of the Catechism of UGCC. The preparation of the text is now at the final stage. Another project discussed is the question of the return to the practice of catechumenate which was used by Early Christians. "We have come across the post-soviet reality that many people are baptized but are not integrated in the life of the church community as they did not get to know their faith deeper. We want to help these people to consciously accept the obligations following from the sacrament of the Baptism and to live by them. The practice of Early Christianity known to us as the catechumenate becomes a valuable help to us, stressed the bishop. Questions of the state and prospects of building of the Patriarchal Center in Kyiv were some of the questions examined at the Synod, The report on the last year was presented by Bishop JOSEPH (Milyan), head of Supervisory Council of building the Patriarch Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Kyiv. Bishop Joseph described the plan of construction work for 2011-2012. A second large block of questions was on particular law. The discussion was "about adding to the common church law, which is in Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, where it is foreseen that every national church should make their own statutes," remarked the Secretary of the Synod. In addition to this, the bishops examined the Statutes of the Synod of the Metropolis and the Synod of the KyivHalych Major Archbishopric. Exerpted from several press releases supplied by the Information Department of the UGCC.

DO YOU KNOW???that in our Ukrainian Catholic Church in the United States, we have our own contemplative monastery for women whose members are dedicated to living the traditional Eastern monastic life of solitude, silence, stability and consecrated service within the monastery whose penitential life of communal and personal prayer and sacrifice opens the heavens to bring down God's graces upon you and upon our apostolic Basilian Sisters, our Ukrainian Catholic Church and people, the universal Church and all in need who ponder God's Word, contemplate the holy Icons, pray the full Liturgical Prayer of the Church, and strive to become what they pray and to pray without ceasing who prepare Holy Chrism, practice liturgical and cultural arts, provide spiritual direction and private retreats at the monastery They are the Contemplative Nuns of the Order of St. Basil the Great. Sacred Heart Monastery 209 Keasel Road, Middletown, NY 10940 www.basiliannuns.org.ar telephone and fax (845) 343-1308

Bob was very late for an appointment and desperate for a parking spot. "Oh Lord," he said, "Grant me a parking place and I will become a better person. I will go to church, and be nicer to my wife, and play more with my kids, and give more to charity." Suddenly, right in front of him, a car pulled away, leaving a parking spot open. "Oh, never mind; I found one!" ~~O~~ Soon after five year-old Katie's Aunt Pat died, Buffy, her beloved pet, died. To help ease the heartache, her parents explained that Buffy had gone to heaven to be with her aunt. Without hesitation the little girl looked up from her coloring book and asked "Why would Aunt Pat want a dead dog? ~~O~~ Returning to his office cubicle from a brief stop at the copy room, Scott was stopped by his boss who asked him "Do you believe in life after death?" "Sure, but why do you ask?" "Well, the grandmother you needed a day off last week for to be able to attend her funeral--she stopped by to see if you'd like to go to lunch today."

His Grace Bishop PAUL (Chomnycky, OSBM) and the Contemplative Basilian Nuns after Divine Liturgy in their monastery chapel

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NEW STAR

October, 2010

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"Mystery creates wonder and wonder is the basis of man's desire to understand." Neil Armstrong lthough it is almost certain that the astronaut did not say this with regard to our Church, it certainly applies. Our Church is full of mystery and most of us wonder "why?" A common answer to our youthful question: "why do we do what we do?" was "because this is the way we do it!" with no real explanation of "why". Most often this was the response because our parents themselves did not know or understand the reason behind the mystery. When you are in the church, it is not enough to stand or sit along with everyone else-but to actually be a part of the experience of the Divine Liturgy. We use our body to "lay aside all earthly cares" and make everything spiritual--to truly get our 5-sense-worth of understanding. Sight--just look around you at the beautiful iconography. The images remind us of Christ's life, and the saints He inspired become a visual experience of the Gospel which leads us on a path to everlasting life, a means of interceding for our prayers. The light of each flickering flame of a candle is a symbol of God being a consuming fire; a sign of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Smell the beeswax of the candle as it burns. Beeswax is the purest of substances, free-form animal matter. So pure is beeswax that is can be compared to the Theotokos, the God-bearer. The wick is the source of the flame, and Jesus is the light of the divinity that consumes them both. We as Christians should burn like the candle we light in Church, allowing ou