The Joy of the : How Apostolic Nuncio Luigi Bonazzi Encounters the Eastern Catholic Churches in Saskatoon

- Kyla Predy, Eparchial Photographer/Reporter

Archbishop Luigi Bonazzi, Bishop Bryan Bayda, CSsR, and Father Janko Kolosnjaji share a laugh about the Italian soccer team in the Family Life Office.

SASKATOON, SK, November 25, 2017 (Eparchial Communications Office) - On the morning of the 25th of November 2017, His , Most Rev. Luigi Bonazzi, Apostolic Nuncio (the Pope’s representative) to walked into the Chancery office and the Sister Servants of Mary Immaculate greeted him. There began the Nuncio’s encounter with the workings of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saskatoon.

Every moment of Archbishop Bonazzi’s visit left a feeling that each moment he spent with the people of the Eastern Churches of Saskatoon was deeply personal. The Nuncio did not just say hello and learn the name of each person he visited, but he endeavoured to truly meet each person. Archbishop Bonazzi encountered individuals and, gave each individual his full attention. This attitude imitated ’s encouragement of developing a “culture of encounter,” where instead of throwing money at poor people, the Christian takes the time see the poor, and to touch their hands.

Archbishop Bonazzi didn’t just meet individuals, but encountered with them, touched their hearts, and gave each individual his full attention.

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Bishop Bayda led a tour of the offices, beginning with a quick greeting of all the staff in the Guadalupe Room. The tour continued in the Family Life Office, where Deborah Larmour discussed the work she does for the Eparchy, including creating the marriage preparation course which ties in with Eastern theology and traditions. Archbishop Bonazzi accepted a booklet that Larmour put together, and expressed an interest in the number of new marriages occurring in the Eparchy. He commented that only twenty out of the five hundred official document blessings he gives for couples are for new marriages. The rest are for significant anniversaries.

Archbishop Bonazzi voiced surprise upon Communications Coordinator Chris Pidwerbeski showing him the number of churches which the Eparchy is responsible for in Saskatchewan. “We just had a meeting last weekend, the Eparchial Stewardship Forum, to discuss how in the next 15 years, we can prepare our places of worship and places of catechesis to be secured. A factor in this is how to practice good stewardship over all the churches that are no longer in use due to the decline in the population of Ukrainian Catholics in Saskatchewan”, Bishop Bayda told the Nuncio. Archbishop Bonazzi nodded and spoke of how eparchies also go through seasons in life, and how it is important to appreciate past seasons, the present season, and also the future.

Bishop Bayda showing Archbishop Luigi Bonazzi around the Chancery.

After leaving Pidwerbeski’s office, Bishop Bayda showed the Nuncio photographs of all the leaders in the Church whom Ukrainian Catholics pray for during every Divine Liturgy. “We pray for our emeritus Bishop, … why not also this pope?” Bishop Bayda said, pointing at Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. Archbishop Bonazzi replied that he would have to send a note to the emeritus pope, saying that there is a whole eparchy in Saskatoon praying for him.

Before touring Bishop Bayda’s office, Archbishop Bonazzi and the bishop stopped to pray for a moment in the chapel across the hall. Here it is clear that, amidst a busy day in Saskatoon, the Nuncio’s joy and peace are well sustained by our Lord Jesus Christ.

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Another highlight during Archbishop Bonazzi’s tour of the Chancery occurred in the front office of the Bishop Budka Eparchial Stewardship Society Inc. (BBESSI), where the work of the Annual Eparchial Appeal impressed him. After meeting the staff and accepting a brochure about the appeal, Archbishop Bonazzi expressed his thoughts on the importance of giving in participating in the joy that Pope Francis often speaks of.

The tour of the Chancery concluded in the Guadalupe room, where Sister Bonnie Komarnicki, SSMI, gave a presentation on the catechetical efforts of the eparchy. During the portion on the Catechism, Bishop Bayda presented Archbishop Bonazzi with a signed copy of Christ Our Pascha. After the presentation the Nuncio expressed his gratitude to all the staff, and shared his experience of catechism when he was preparing for his first communion. The room filled with laughter as he began speed-reciting a paragraph of Latin text.

Eparchial Staff and Volunteers with Archbishop Bonazzi holding Christ Our Pascha

Standing to address the room, Archbishop Bonazzi said, “My body works well when I have a good heart.” And that is how it is with the Eparchy. The Nuncio encouraged the staff and volunteers to continue their excellent work, and to know that their efforts would be well rewarded by its fruits in the community. In the Nuncio’s final words to those gathered, before heading to Sacred Heart Chaldean Church, was, with a twinkle in his eye, “Be patient with your Bishop.” And with that, he left the Chancery with another room filled with joy and laughter.

To continue the Archbishop Bonazzi’s encounter with the Eastern Churches, Bishop Bayda and the Nuncio headed to Sacred Heart, a Chaldean located on the east side of Saskatoon. Three Eastern Catholic communities awaited his arrival there: Ukrainian Catholics, 3

Syro-Malabar Catholics, and, of course, the Chaldean Catholics to whom the church belonged. Children from the Chaldean school attached to the church sang as the Nuncio entered with the bishop and other Eastern Catholic priests. Then, after a few introductory words, the grade six students from Bishop Filevich Ukrainian Bilingual Catholic School sang four songs for the Archbishop Bonazzi. A small group of Syro-Malabar Catholics also performed for the Nuncio.

“Each of you, my brothers and sisters, you are my home.”

Archbishop Bonazzi concluded the encounter at Sacred Heart by speaking to those gathered. He especially focused on the challenges faced by immigrants to Canada in the church community. “Moving from country to country always, far from my home, yet I fit always at home because most clearly for me, yes, the first home in which I try to live is the home of God” the Archbishop Bonazzi said, “then I see also that each of you, my brothers and sisters, you are my home.”

Archbishop Bonazzi with the children and special guests at Sacred Heart Chaldean Catholic Church.

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