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Last Updated: 04 July 2017

Chicago, IL - The UGCC gave birth to not only patriarchs but also to ethnarchs for the world, for example, such as His Beatitude Lubomyr, whom we proclaimed our national intercessor for peace in Ukraine. Many people, regardless of their denomination, were standing in lines in order to bid farewell to him. His Beatitude Lubomyr knew about Bishop Venedykt's appointment, was happy about it, and was waiting for this day. And today he is happy with us in God. He is with us.

 This was said by His Beatitude Sviatoslav, the Father and Head of the UGCC, during the solemn dinner after the Liturgy with the Enthronement Service for the bishop of the Eparchy of Saint Nicholas in Chicago His Grace Venedykt (Aleksiychuk).

"This day is special because God has no any accidentals. Exactly on June 29, 1867 blessed Josaphat Kuntsevych was proclaimed a Saint of the Catholic Church,  also, on this day a miraculous icon of Our Lady of Zarvanytsia was crowned,"  added the Primate of the church.

Bishop Venedykt spoke about calling: "Monastic life  – is a calling… God is calling. Why? For what? You don't know. God is calling you. I am feeling even today that I had this calling and chose it.  Serving as a monk, a priest, a bishop, I tried to value people whom God was giving me."

According to Bishop Venedykt,  we are living until we awaken and encounter problems. "We cannot avoid problems. We are inevitably part of the problems. By the question is whether we use them as an occasion to do something good? Whether we are looking for the lessons which God wants to teach us in those problems? God, Who is Love, in every situation, problem and even sin, wants to teach us a lesson. That is why I thank God for my life, the only and unique, through which He is leading me. I don't know why God has led me here, but I believe that He wants to do something good here. I am not a Savior, but I came here so we could do something good together. It is not going to be easy and simple. But when we are working, the Lord will help us," emphasized Bishop Venedykt.

The Bishop recalled how, during the funeral of His Beatitude Lubomyr, many kind words were said about him: "It hurt me a little. Why? I was thinking that His Beatitude Lubomyr had to die in order to be valued. We have to value people and see what they have unique and special. Ukraine will be strong only when our diaspora is strong, and diaspora will be strong when Ukraine is strong. I am grateful to God that at this period of my life I am here. I am waiting for your support and collaboration. We mustn't be afraid of problems! May God help us follow this road of trust to God."

 At the end, the Bishop Ihor, Archbishop and Metropolitan of Lviv, gave some advice to the faithful: "Respect the Bishop and love him. Build together our church  here, care about it and live in peace among yourselves, help each other and grow in love. May God bless Bishop Venedykt and all of you."

The UGCC Department for Information

http://news.ugcc.ua/en/news/the_head_of_the_ugcc_in_chicago_his_beatitude_lubomyr_knew_about_the_appointment_of_bishop_venedykt_rejoiced_and_awaited_this_day_79890.html

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Last Updated: 04 July 2017

CWN - Chaldean Catholic Patriarch Louis Raphael Sako of Baghdad has criticized Western countries for encouraging Christians to leave Iraq.

In a July 3 message to his clergy, the Iraqi prelate said that it was unfortunate that when the Islamic State took control of the city of Mosul and Nineveh Plain region, driving thousands of Christians from their native villages, many were persuaded to emigrate. Now that the region has been liberated, the Chaldean Church and the Iraqi government are encouraging Christians to return and rebuild their homes, but many families are already living abroad.

The Chaldean Patriarch encouraged priests to help their people understand the role of the Church in the “difficult circumstances” of today, to maintain an active Christian witness in Iraq.

References:

• Chaldean Patriarch: Western countries have encouraged the emigration of Christians (Fides)

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Last Updated: 04 July 2017

This is an announcement of two new volumes of pastoral letters written by His Beatitude Patriarch Gregorios III:

"I Am With You Always"

Volumes III and IV
2010 to 2012 and 2013 to 2017
Published by Eastern Christian Publications
Available separately - price $20 and $25 respectively
Or together with volumes I and II – price $60

See http://ecpubs.com/featured-products/
And http://ecpubs.com/product-category/spirituality/page/2/

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Last Updated: 30 June 2017

Parma, Ohio (ugcc.org.ua) - Over 30 youth, young adult leaders, volunteers, and clergy from the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of St. Josaphat in Parma gathered together on June 15-16th, 2017 at Cheeseman Farm in Portersville, Pennsylvania for the annual Eparchial Youth Days (formerly known as Acolyte and Youth Convention).

The theme of this year’s convention was “Diakonia: Serve & Do Good” in reference to Mark 10:45 and was dedicated to the ‘Year of Diakonia’ – service to one’s neighbor – a theme that the Ukrainian Catholic Church has chosen to commemorate in 2017.

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Last Updated: 30 June 2017

CWN - In a letter to Pope Francis on the occasion of the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople reflected on the martyrdom of the apostles and the persecution of Christians today.

“The Church, throughout her history, during different epochs and times, has been persecuted; however, the blood of her martyrs was a source of strength in faith and a witness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew said in his June 29 letter. “As the Bride of Christ, the Church, is still called to martyria today, as it faces new forms of persecution and oppression.”

The Ecumenical Patriarch, who holds a primacy of honor in Eastern Orthodoxy, continued:

Over the last few years, we have witnessed with great sorrow the attacks targeting Christians and their places of worship. Our sister Churches stand in solidarity with all persecuted and oppressed Christians of our times, and at this very moment, we call to remembrance those who are in mines, in exile, in harsh labor, and those in every kind of affliction, oppression, necessity, or distress.

The Ecumenical Patriarch also expressed the conviction that “our common witness before the numerous challenges of our contemporary world constitutes a positive testimony for the Church of Christ and for bringing us closer to unity.”

References:

• Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew's Letter to Pope Francis for the Patronal Feast of the Church of Rome (Ecumenical Patriarchate)

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Last Updated: 27 June 2017

CWN - Pope Francis received a delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople on June 27, as is customary in the days around the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (June 29), patrons of Rome.

“The exchange of delegations between the Church of Rome and the Church of Constantinople on their respective patronal feasts increases our desire for the full restoration of communion between Catholics and Orthodox, of which we already have a foretaste in fraternal encounter, shared prayer and common service to the Gospel,” the Pope said.

“In the first millennium, Christians of East and West shared in the same Eucharistic table, preserving together the same truths of faith while cultivating a variety of theological, spiritual and canonical traditions compatible with the teaching of the apostles and the ecumenical councils,” he continued. “That experience is a necessary point of reference and a source of inspiration for our efforts to restore full communion in our own day, a communion that must not be a bland uniformity.”

References:

• Udienza alla Delegazione del Patriarcato Ecumenico di Costantinopoli in occasione della Solennità dei Santi Apostoli Pietro e Paolo, 27.06.2017 (Holy See Press Office)