News
Byzcath.org News provides news focusing on the Christian East from varous sources and offers links to other sites dedicated to providing the news about the Church.
Churches and organizations that provide news about the Eastern Churches are invited to submit their news stories to us for publication here (use the contact page for submission)..
Materials from the Vatican Information Service, Zenit, CWNews.com and other sources are published here with permission of their owners but may not be republished further without the permission of their original publishers. Please visit these sites to obtain additional general news about the Church. In addition to these sources EWTN News also provides a good general news summary.
Photo: Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I embrace.
- Details
risu.org.ua - The US Department of State released the 2016 International Religious Freedom Report. “This report is a requirement pursuant to the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 – legislation that upholds religious freedom as a core American value under the Constitution’s First Amendment, as well as a universal human right”, said Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson during the press conference.
The release of the 2016 International Religious Freedom Report details the status of religious freedom in 199 countries and territories, and provides insights as to significant and growing challenges.
Analyzing the situation in Ukraine, the report starts with the political statement: “In February 2014 Russian military forces occupied Crimea. United Nations General Assembly Resolution 68/262, adopted on March 27, 2014, and entitled “Territorial Integrity of Ukraine,” states the Autonomous Republic of Crimea remains internationally recognized as within Ukraine’s international borders. The U.S. government does not recognize the attempted annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation and considers Crimea still to be a part of Ukraine.
It mentions different issues and developments in Ukrainian religious landscape, church-state relations, legal initiatives, difficulty and rivalry between the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Kyiv Patriarchate.
The report pays special attention to the situation in Russia-occupied eastern Ukrainian territories, self-proclaimed Luhansk and Donetsk People’s Republic.
“Russian-backed separatists continued to control parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts. Authorities in the “Donetsk People’s Republic” (“DPR”) detained and imprisoned members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses as well as other religious leaders. Following the passage of a law banning “sects,” “DPR” representatives seized many Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Kingdom Halls as well as a Seventh-day Adventist church. Russian-backed separatists also continued to occupy religious buildings of minority religious groups and use them as military facilities”.
It also takes into consideration all violations of religious rights and violence
“There were reports of physical assaults on members of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church (UGCC) and Jehovah’s Witnesses, as well as one attack on a Jewish journalist. Although there were threats of violence directed against the UOC-MP, the UOC-MP pilgrimage march from the Donetsk oblast to Kyiv celebrating St. Volodymyr’s Feast Day was peaceful, despite some acts of harassment. The UOC-KP pilgrimage march for St. Volodymyr’s Day, the UGCC pilgrimage to the Zarvanytsa Icon, and Jewish community pilgrimages to Uman and other Jewish burial sites, were all peaceful. UOC-MP leaders stated the UOC-KP continued its efforts to seize churches belonging to the UOC-MP; the UOC-KP said it was parishioners and not the UOC-KP who had initiated the transfers of affiliation. The Jewish community remained concerned about the continued existence of Lviv’s Krakivskiy Market on the grounds of an ancient Jewish cemetery. There were reports of acts of vandalism at Holocaust memorials, synagogues and Jewish cemeteries, as well as at Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Kingdom Halls along with a few reports of attacks on UOC-MP, UOC-KP and UGCC churches”.
Executive summary on Crimea describes that the “religious and human rights groups reported Russian media continued to engage in a campaign to create suspicion and fear among religious groups, especially targeting the Crimean Tatar community and the UOC-KP and the UGCC. Muslim religious properties reportedly were vandalized and Muslim leaders said police were slow to investigate”.
The full text on Ukraine https://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/religiousfreedom/index.htm#wrapper and Crimea https://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/religiousfreedom/index.htm?dynamic_load_id=268880&year=2016
- Details
CWN - Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem has condemned the decision of an Israeli court to uphold the sale of properties by his predecessor.
Patriarch Irenaios was ousted in 2005 after he sold properties near the historic Jaffa Gate, in the city’s Christian quarter, to Israeli settlers. Upon becoming the leader of the Orthodox community, Theophilos sued to block the sale, arguing that is was illegal. The court rejected his petition, upholding the transfer.
Saying that the ruling was “unfair” and politically motivated, the Orthodox prelate insisted that his lawyers had presented “clear and concrete legal evidence proving bad faith, bribery, and conspiracy” in the transfer of property. He said that the ruling, encouraging efforts by Jewish settlers to move into the city’s Christian quarter, would have “the most negative effect on the Christian presence in the Holy Land.”
References:
- Details
CWN - Concluding a meeting in Dimane, Lebanon, the patriarchs of the Eastern churches in communion with Rome have issued a “prophetic appeal” warning agains a “plan of genocide” that threatens to eliminate the Christian presence in the Middle East.
In their statement the Eastern Catholic prelates urge international leaders to bring an end to the warfare in their region. They encourage Pope Francis to bring world leaders together to plan action to protect the Christians in the Middle East.
Noting the dramatic decline in the Christian presence in their region, the patriarch attribute the flight to both the violence that troubles the Middle East and the deliberate choices of some actors. Of the wars in their region, they say, the “goals are now clear: destruction, killing, exile, boosting terrorist organisations, spreading the spirit of intolerance and conflict between religions and cultures.”
- Details
By Michael Swan, The Catholic Register August 11, 2017
Toronto - It should surprise no one that at a time of rising authoritarianism, democracy will be on the curriculum when the Sheptytsky Institute reopens in Toronto.
Along with teaching liturgy, Church history and systematic theology, professors at the institute’s new home in the University of Toronto’s St. Michael’s College are also preparing democracy lessons. And that makes perfect sense to those who know how the Eastern rite Ukrainian Catholic Church was forced underground by Stalinist Soviet rule between 1946 and 1989, said Borys Gudziak, Eparch of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Eparchy of Paris.
“What the Ukrainian Catholic Church became an expert at — an unwilling expert — was how to stand up to authoritarianism and totalitarianism,” he said.
About 500 people attended an official blessing and garden party July 25 to welcome the Sheptytsky Institute to Toronto. Founded at Chicago’s Catholic Theological Union in 1986, the institute moved to Ottawa’s Saint Paul University in 1990.
Click to continue reading at The Catholic Register website.
- Details
This year’s theme is “Mary: Lifegiving Spring”
Uniontown, PA - The 83rd annual Pilgrimage in honor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help will be held Sept. 2 to 3 at Mount St. Macrina in Uniontown, Pa. This year’s theme is “Mary: Life-Giving Spring.” Preparations for this year’s Pilgrimage have already started and will continue throughout the summer.
As in previous years, the Sisters will welcome all those Pilgrims who come from all over the country and beyond. They will continue to welcome those who come early and camp on the race track or stay on the Mount. Light fare will be available at the Lunch Stand starting on Friday evening. Liturgical prayers will be held at the Shrine Altar on Friday evening for those arriving early and Divine Liturgy will be celebrated on Monday morning, Sept. 4 for those who stay on Sunday evening.
- Details
vatican.va - The Synod of Bishops of the major archiepiscopal Syro-Malankara Church, after consulting the Apostolic See and receiving prior pontifical assent for the candidates to the episcopate, has made the following provisions:
erection of the new eparchy of Parassala and election of the first bishop, H.E. Msgr. Thomas Mar Eusebios Naickamparambil, transferring him from the eparchial see of Saint Mary Queen of Peace of the Syro-Malankara faithful in the United States and Canada;
election of the bishop of Puthur, Rev. Msgr. George Kalayil, currently protosyncellus of the same eparchy;
election of the bishop of the major archiepiscopal Curia, Rev. Msgr. John Kochuthundil, assigning him the titular see of Tuburbo Maggiore.
H.E. Msgr. Thomas Mar Eusebios Naickamparambil
(Bishop of Parassala of the Syro-Malankara)
H.E. Msgr. Thomas Mar Eusebios Naickamparambil was born in Mylapra, in the archieparchy of Trivandrum, on 6 June 1961, and was ordained a priest on 29 December 1986. After his studies in philosophy and theology at Jnanadeepa in Poona, he obtained a doctorate in philosophy in Rome. He speaks Malayalam, English, German, Italian and Hindi, and also knows Syriac, Greek and French.
Since ordination he has held the following offices: deputy priest and parish priest in various communities, professor and then dean of philosophy at the Saint Mary’s Malankara Major Seminary, secretary general of the major archbishopric of the Syro-Malankara Church, public relations officer, coordinator for interreligious dialogue and secretary of the permanent council, director of the Sarvodaya Vidyalaya, a school in Trivandrum, and bursar of the Mar Baselios Engineering College.
On 14 July 2010 Msgr. Naickamparambil was appointed as titular bishop of Lares and first esarch for Syro-Malankara faithful resident in the United States. At the same time he was entrusted with the role of apostolic visitator for the Syro-Malankara faithful resident in Canada and in Europe, a role that was terminated with his appointment as eparchial bishop of Saint Mary Queen of Peace.
H.E. Msgr. George Kalayil
(Bishop of Puthur of the Syro Malankara)
H.E. Msgr. George Kalayil was born on 16 July 1958 in Renjalady, in the state of Karnataka. After attending the minor seminary he studied philosophy at Saint Joseph’s; Mangalore, and theology at the Papal Seminary of Pune. He holds a doctorate in dogmatic theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.
He was ordained a priest on 1 May 1986 and has exercised his pastoral ministry in more than ten dioceses. In addition he has served as secretary to the bishop; director of Saint Joseph’s School, Battery; and vice-rector and rector of Saint Mary’s Major Seminary. Since 2010 he has served as protosyncellus of the eparchy of Puthur.
H.E. Msgr. John Kochuthundil
(Bishop of the Major Archiepiscopal Curia of the Syro-Malankara Church)
H.E. Msgr. John Kochuthundil was born on 8 April 1959 in Puthusseribhagon, Kerala. After attending the minor seminary in Trivandrum, he completed his institutional studies in Saint Joseph’s Pontifical Seminary, Aluva, and was ordained a priest on 22 December 1985. He holds a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical Oriental Institute of Rome.
He has held the following offices: secretary to the archbishop of Trivandrum, rector of the minor seminary, president of the Tribunal, official of the Episcopal Conference (C.B.C.I.), protosyncellus of the eparchy of Gurgaon and, currently, of the Archieparchy of Trivandum.
Statistical data on the eparchy of Parassala
The eparchy of Parassala is formed from the division of the southern part of the archieparchy of Trivandrum, in the south of Kerala, or rather the presbyteral districts of Parassala, Kattakada and a large part of Neyyatinkara. In the territory there are 30,750 Syro-Malankara faithful. There are another 220,000 Christians in the area, of a total population of 952,500 people.
The pastoral care of the Syro-Malankara faithful is entrusted to 22 eparchial priests in 95 parishes. They are served also by a number of men and women religious, especially priests of the Order of the Imitation of Christ, Franciscan Brothers, Daughters of Mary, Sisters of Imitation of Christ, and Sacred Heart Sisters. The Syro-Malankara Church manages more than fifty educational institutions, including a college and ten high schools.
- Date of Episcopal Ordination of Bishop-Elect Andriy Rabiy Announced
- Archeparchy of Philadelphia Welcomes Father Andriy Rabiy as new Auxiliary Bishop
- Appointment of eparchial bishop of Saint Peter Apostle of San Diego of the Chaldeans
- Appointment of apostolic administrator sede vacante of the eparchy of Mar Addai of Toronto of the Chaldeans