PLANNING IN THE ARCHEPARCHY OF PHILADELPHIA: THE PREPARATORY PHASE

Over the next year, with prayer, mutual listening and discussion, the global Ukrainian Greek is elaborating a general pastoral plan that should serve as a framework for the long-term pastoral plans of individual eparchies. At the same time the eparchies are engaging in their own discernment regarding where the Lord is leading them. The Preparatory Phase of the Archeparchy’s planning process anticipates certain important concrete steps that need to be taken immediately. In this phase the Archeparchy will already incorporate many elements expected to be proposed by the Pastoral Council of the UGCC by the end of 2022.

As the members of the Philadelphia Archeparchy continue to share the news about our salvation in Christ, we focus on bringing the Paschal proclamation to the suffering world around us: “Christ is risen from the dead, conquering death by death, and to those in the tombs giving life.” We will best witness to this joyful and liberating message if we live it in personal relationships that reflect the love of the Triune God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit. That is the heart of the Church’s pastoral vision. We also need to address practical issues that are necessary for the Church to flourish. The goal of this preparatory phase is to position the Archeparchy for long-term pastoral planning by December 2022 while strengthening existing evangelization and pastoral initiatives and developing new ones. At the end of the preparatory phase, our Philadelphia Archeparchy should be better prepared to fulfill its mission “to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Mt. 28, 19).

Text in English and Ukrainian

Sunday after the Exaltation of the Cross

“What profit is there for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his (eternal) life?” (Mark 8:36)

Throughout our earthly life, we are called to become disciples of the Lord. Our Lord tells us: “Whoever wishes to come after Me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me.” This was the message given not only to the apostles but to the crowd in general. The Lord knew that some would not accept this message. They would reject it. There would be some who would be ashamed of Jesus and His words, the Gospel message. Nonetheless, the Lord goes on to say that the Son of Man will be ashamed of (those) when He comes in His Father’s glory with the holy angels.” This indicates to us all that there is a connection between our earthly life and eternal life. To those who busy themselves with the acquisition of earthly “goods” and do so indiscriminately can darken their soul and forfeit the divine inheritance the Lord God has acquired for us all by His Cross and Resurrection. For what can a man (person) give in exchange for his soul. Man has been created in the image and likeness of God. God is our Heavenly Father and we all are children of God. God created us having not only a body, but also a soul. The body we now have is temporal, but the soul we possess is eternal.

The Lord tells us that in this life we may experience difficulties. The devil will tempt us and seek to have us fall into sin, as did Adam and Eve. But we do not have to go it alone, we can turn to the Lord God in prayer and seek His divine assistance, His manifold blessings. Each day we may face new challenges to live the Gospel message. We may have to suffer and if need be die for the Faith. It is our Holy Faith that we cling to and cherish in our times of need.

We live in the faith of the Son of God Who loved us and gave Himself up on the Cross to save all of us from sin and to open wide the gates to the Heavenly Kingdom. Being a true, authentic disciple of the Lord may involve some pain and suffering. Nonetheless, we bear our daily crosses lovingly and patiently, knowing that God Who knows and sees all will one day repay all, each according to his/her deeds.

The Cross was an act of self-giving, self-sacrificial Love. Jesus died, so that we all may live forever. After the Cross came the Resurrection, the victory over the powers of sin, death and evil. Christ’s Resurrection is a pledge, a promise of our own resurrection if we remain faithful to Christ and His Gospel message. Our eyes are to be fixed heavenward and not to be overly concerned about the acquisition of earthly, temporal goods, where moths and rust corrode and thieves break in and steal. Let us have compassion for one another, especially for the ”lowly” of this world – the handicap and those in need. May the Love of Christ be in one’s heart and may we be ever ready to share it with those we encounter throughout our lives. Let us make room for Christ in our daily lives, so that we may say as did St. Paul: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ Who lives in me.” (Galatians 2:20)

Rev. D. George Worschak Summaries and Reports of the Archeparchial Sobors (2019-2021)

We bring to your attention a document crucial to understand the structure of the Archeparchial Plan published on our webpage. These are Summaries and Reports of the Archeparchial Sobors, which took place over two years (2019-2021). Over a hundred participants discussed the challenges and future vision of the Archeparchy during live and online meetings. Thoughts, proposals, and ideas expressed at the Sobors were included in the framework document of the Synodal Group of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church “2030 Pastoral Development Strategy” and will create the basis for the Philadelphia Archeparchial Plan. This project will last several years. Its preparatory phase began in May 2021 and will last until December 2022.

This document contains the following:

SESSION 1 (October 28, 2019): Thematic Analysis

This joint session was held at Immaculate Conception Cathedral and was attended by 194 delegates. Building on the theme of “communion-unity” proposed for the Patriarchal Sobor in 2020, the delegates were asked to reflect on positive and negative experiences of communion-unity at the parish and archeparchial levels, as well as to propose ways of strengthening communion-unity at these levels. SESSION 2 (December 7, 2019): Laity Gifts, Summary of Table Reports

This joint session was held at St. Michael the Archangel’s parish in Jenkintown, PA, and was attended by 171 delegates. The focus of the session was on the role of the laity in reference to the first three elements of the Vibrant Parish program of the UGCC: Word of God-Catechesis, Liturgy and Prayer, Serving one’s neighbor (Diakonia). The delegates were asked to reflect on: “What Gifts can the laity offer to address the needs and promote the mission of the archeparchy?” in reference to the three elements.

SESSION 2 (December 7, 2019): SUGGESTION BOX

Also, delegates were given an opportunity to write down their proposals and submit them anonymously in a SUGGESTION BOX prepared for this purpose. In total, 198 suggestions were received from 68 individuals.

SESSION 3 (November-December 2020): PRIORITIZED RESOLUTIONS / COVID-19 BREAKOUT REPORT, p. 24

In the year that followed the December 2019 session, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic the Archeparchy decided to summarize the key proposals of the first two sessions in the form of resolutions, and present them to the delegates for prioritization. As it was not possible to hold a joint session, the decision was made to hold four regional sessions, using ZOOM as a meeting platform. These regional sessions also included breakout sessions on the positive and negative impact of the pandemic, with proposals on moving forward based on the lessons learned.

SESSION 4 (January 23, 2021): Summary ZOOM Session Report, p. 33

In this joint ZOOM session, the delegates were divided according to deanery and asked to: 1) Express their hopes and expectations regarding theArcheparchial Pastoral Council, 2) Propose two candidates from each deanery to form an Archeparchial Pastoral Council planning committee.

Submitted by: V. Rev. Andrew T. Onuferko, S.Th.D. Sobor Secretary

Philadelphia Archeparchy Sobor (2019-2021) Reports

Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross of Our Lord God And Savior, Jesus Christ

“We bow before Your Cross and we glorify Your Holy Resurrection”

(September 14, 27)

On the Gregorian calendar, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross is celebrated on September 14th. The Feast is celebrated on the Julian calendar thirteen (13) days later, on September 27th. This Feast is of ancient origin and was already established in the fourth century. St. Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine the Great of Byzantium, went to the Holy Land in search of the true Cross of Christ. Having found the three crosses, one of Christ and the other two of the criminals on each side of Christ, the authentic Cross was determined by healings (miracles) when the individuals were touched by the Cross and prayers invoked in the Name of the Lord.

The Archbishop of Jerusalem at that time had then taken the Cross of Our Lord and Savior and raised it, elevated it, for all the faithful present to see, bow and give praise and worship to the Lord God. The elevation of the Holy Cross gave them and gives us today the opportunity to reflect upon the saving Death and Resurrection of Our Lord. The Cross is a sign of victory and assured protection against the powers of evil. To the non-believer the Cross appears to them to be “foolishness”, but to the true believer, it is the Power and Wisdom of God. To the authentic Christian, the Cross is an integral part of their daily lives. For just as the Lord carried His Cross patiently and lovingly, so too are we to carry our own personal crosses in like manner.

The Cross of Christ, an act of self-sacrificial Love, is to motivate us also to have an attitude of true humility and self-giving. Having the Love of Christ within us, we are to put into practice the spiritual and corporal works of mercy. We are to deal with others whom we meet with love, mercy, humility, patience, meekness, forgiveness and compassion. Our Faith in Christ is to put into Action. Our Faith is to be vibrant, alive and ever-ready to help our less-fortunate neighbor in need. By the Power of the Cross we shall overcome evil and make present already here and now the Kingdom of God in our midst. The prayer “Thy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven” will take fruition. Then, the presence of God will truly be in our midst.

Helping one another carry our crosses daily in a Christ-like manner will help a spirit of fraternity and trust among all peoples. The Cross of Christ was followed by His triumphant Resurrection. His Resurrection is a promise and pledge of our own resurrection, if we remain faithful to Christ to the end. The Cross of Christ thereby is understood as a joyful sign of deliverance.

May our constant prayer be that of the Troparion designated for the Wednesdays and Fridays of each week: “Save Your people, O Lord, and bless Your inheritance. Grant victory to Your faithful people against enemies, and protect Your community by Your Cross.”

Rev. D. George Worschak

Statement of the Ukrainian Catholic Hierarchy of the United States on Commemoration of September 11

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ!

On September 11, 2001, the United States of America experienced the darkest hour in its recent history — the deadly terrorist attack that claimed the lives of nearly 3,000 people.

Twenty years have passed, but we still feel the consequences of the tragedy that shook the world and caused profound trauma in the global community. In one day we lost our sense of invulnerability. After September 11, we — our nation and all humanity — became a deeply wounded people.

But this is not where the story ends. After September 11, 2001 we saw suffering and death, pain and sorrow but also courage, sacrifice, unity, and resurrection. During the attacks, evil manifested itself to be conquered by heroic love.

“Here in New York, we just don’t remember 9/11 — we celebrate 9/12,” commented Cardinal Timothy Dolan quoting one of the New York priests. This is our most precious memory — we remember the unspeakable tragedy and we remember what happened next. We remember solidarity, witness, prayer, service, and hope. In his appeal issued right after the attacks Metropolitan Stefan Soroka focuses on hope. “Christians are called to be primary instruments of hope and comfort to our fellow brothers and sisters… as opposed to be avenues of despair”. “Choose to be messengers of compassion and hope,” he asked our fellow faithful of Philadelphia Metropolia. We believe that this call is relevant today. The world has changed but many challenges remained, particularly the struggle for basic human rights and human dignity. Just as 20 years ago, we need peace and justice, which cannot be attained without repentance and forgiveness, faith and sacrifice.

Today the whole world is united in prayer for those who lost their lives during the attacks. We join the global supplication remembering in a special way before God twelve 9/11 victims of Ukrainian descent.

We encourage our priests and faithful to join together in prayer to remember those who died, were injured, or lost loved ones. Let us pray for strength, healing, and consolation. Let us pray for hope that conquers despair, peace that overcomes war, good that is stronger than evil, love that lives longer than hatred, life that triumphs over death. Let us put our hope and faith in Him who trampled death by death and gave eternal life to those in the tombs.

Eternal memory!

+ Borys Gudziak

Archbishop of Philadelphia for Ukrainians

Metropolitan of Ukrainian Catholics in the United States + Paul Chomnycky, OSBM

Eparch of Stamford

+ Вenedict Aleksiychuk

Eparch of St. Nicholas in Chicago

+ Bohdan J. Danylo

Eparch of St. Josaphat in Parma

+ Andriy Rabiy

Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia

Metropolitan Borys expressed condolences on occasion the death of Bishop Emeritus Severian Yakymyshyn

On behalf of Auxiliary Bishop Andriy Rabiy, priests, monks and nuns, and the faithful of the Philadelphia Archeparchy, metropolitan Borys Gudziak expressed his sincere sympathy and condolences to Bishop David Motiuk, Apostolic Administrator of the Eparchy of New Westminster and Bishop Kenneth Nowakowski, previous exarch of New Westminster (2007-2020), superiors and brothers of the Order of Saint Basil the Great on the occasion of the repose in the Lord of Bishop Emeritus Severian Yakymyshyn.

“Being younger in age, priesthood, and episcopacy, I did not have the privilege to know Bishop Severian too well, but for many years I followed him from afar recognizing His energy and perseverance. He selflessly ministered to the needs of parishioners on the parishes he was assigned to, devotedly worked for the good of the Order of St. Basil the Great, which he entered as a young boy and remained faithful being involved on various positions in Canada and Rome, and, when it became possible, helped to restore the Order in . Later, he took on the episcopal responsibility for the Ukrainian Catholic Church in western Canada, where it serves not only the descendants of Ukrainian migrants but all people of good will”, wrote the Archbishop.

April 22, 1930: Born at Plain Lake, Alberta

March 16, 1945: Entered the Novitiate of the Basilian Order of St. Josaphat (OSBM) in Mundare

November 21, 1946: Made his Simple Vows in Mundare

January 1, 1953: His Solemn Perpetual Vows in Rome, Italy

May 19, 1955: Ordained a priest in Rome, Italy

1958: Received an STD in Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, Italy

January 5, 1995: Appointed Second Bishop of New Westminster

March 25, 1995: Ordained to the Episcopate in Vancouver

1997-2007: Served as the eparchial bishop of New Westminster

June 1, 2007: Retired

September 6, 2021: Died in Vancouver, BC

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:39)

“You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37)

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:39)

Jesus Our Lord had given us two commands of LOVE to follow. The first and greatest command is to love God completely and above all else and with one’s entire being – with all your heart, soul and mind. The Lord tells us and the lawyer who put the Lord to the test that the second command of Love is liken to the first: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” The Lord then goes on to explain that upon these two commands of Love all the law and the prophets depend.

The keeping of the Ten Commandments are included in these two commands of Love. The first three commandments are ways we are to express our love for God. The other seven are ways we express a love for our neighbor as ourselves. Our love for God must come first in our daily lives. A love for God involves the “total person” – heart, soul and mind. Our priorities as Christians are right when we do this. The second command to love one’s neighbor is not just one’s countrymen but rather is all-inclusive. We as Christians are called to love even those who dislike or hate us. We are called to pray for those who cause our harm or injury or may even persecute us. The command to love others is one without distinction.

The two commands of love are linked together. They are interrelated. In the first epistle of John, chapter four we read: “We love because He first loved us. If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ but hates his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God* whom he has not seen. This is the commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.”

God is LOVE – absolute and pure. He created us out of love in His own image and likeness. God out of love for us, sinful mankind, sent His Only-Begotten Son into the world to save us from sin and gave us an example of what it is to be truly human. Jesus is the Second Divine Person of the Most Blessed Trinity. He has two natures: divine and human. Jesus Christ was liken unto us in all things, except for sin. He Himself was tempted by the devil, but withstood the temptations. Jesus said “No” to the devil and did not sin.

He remained at all times obedient to the Will of His Heavenly Father. In the Epistle to the Philippians, we read: “Rather, He emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, He humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death, even death on a cross.” (4:8)

The Cross is an act of self-sacrificial Love. The Totally Innocent One took upon Himself the sin of the world. By His death and resurrection Our Lord saved us from sin and the eternal condemnation and opened wide the gates to the Heavenly Kingdom. We are told that whosoever believes in the Only-Begotten Son of God will not perish, but will live forever – be deemed worthy of entry into Heaven, the kingdom of God.

May the Love of Christ be within us. May the Holy Spirit, a spirit of Love and Truth, guide and protect us from all evil. May we share this love of Christ with all those we encounter, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ in their hour of need. In so doing, we shall give praise to God and continue Christ’s mission of saving souls.

Rev. D. George Worschak Feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God

“Your birth, O Virgin Mother of God, heralded joy to the universe, for from You rose the Son of Justice, Christ Our God. He took away the curse, He imparted the blessing, and by abolishing death He gave us everlasting life.” Tropar

On the Gregorian calendar, we celebrate the Feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God on September 8th. Sacred Scripture does not give any account of Mary’s birth. Information of Her birth comes from non-Scriptural sources, namely the Proto-Gospel of James. We learn that the Blessed Virgin Mary was born in the small city of Galilee called Nazareth. The Jews of that time did not hold Galilee in good rapport. Remember in John 1:46, Nathanael asks Philip: “Can anything good come from Nazareth?”

Mary’s life was one of total humility and dedicated service to Almighty God. Her parents, Joachim and Anna, were pious believers in Yahweh, the one true God. They were righteous in the eyes of God. However, they had remained childless. For the Jews of the Old Testament, childbearing was a blessing and a gift from God. Mary’s parents were already elderly, but they had not given up hope of one day bearing a child. They believed that all things are possible with God. Their prayers were answered and there was great rejoicing.

The Birth or Nativity of Mary marks the beginning of the fulfillment of God’s promise to one day send a Messiah Who would free His people from sin and restore all creation to the harmony there once was before the fall of Adam and Eve. This Marian Feast is of great importance in understanding salvation history. Already was born the One Who would one day give birth to the Messiah, the Son of Justice, Jesus Christ Our Lord.

Our Church places this Marian Feast at the beginning of the church year. September 1st marked the beginning of the new church or liturgical year. It is but appropriate that the end of the church year would be marked by another Marian Feast, that of the Dormition or Falling Asleep of the Mother of God on August 15th. May we come to recognize the significant and central role Mary had in fulfilling God’s promise to save mankind, the world, from sin. May we be humble servants of the Lord God as was Mary. May we seek to fulfill the Holy Will of God and live a life filled with the Holy Spirit as did Mary, the Mother of God and our spiritual Mother.

Rev. D. George Worschak

Feast for Today with Deacon Volodymyr. Episode 0. Intro.

The first day of September marks the beginning of the Church year. The Archeparchy of Philadelphia launched the series of podcasts about the 12 major feasts in the Ukrainian Catholic calendar. Please join Deacon Volodymyr Radko who will lead us through this liturgical year with his reflections.

UkrArchPhila · 12 Feasts for Today with Deacon Volodymyr. Introduction

Centralia. A site of pilgrimage

This year, as last year, due to the coronavirus pandemic, there was no pilgrimage to the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin in Centralia, which has become a tradition for the Archeparchy of Philadelphia since 2016.

Rev. Micheal Hutsko

​​Patriarch Sviatoslav came here and he was just moved to tears by how beautiful this property is, how symbolic it is, that this church stands looking at the devastation of the mine fire and the former town, and the fact that the church is built on rock. And he said that it is to be a place of prayer. He went back to and has sent us a decree saying that it is to be a place of pilgrimage not only for Ukrainian Catholics but for all people. At the end of August, we have a day of prayer, a pilgrimage.

Through all historic twists and turns, the parish has found a reason to live. A reason why they did not end up in town, why the Lord in His own way moved them here, why when everyone had to leave town abandoning their churches and their homes, this place remained. It was to become a place of prayer. The Lord, I believe, had this plan from the start of time. We had four pilgrimages. We had to cancel because of COVID last year and this year. Hundreds and hundreds of people come from everywhere on the last Sunday of August here to pray. We set up shrines in different parts of the property for prayer and veneration. It has given the parish a new life. We have an older population but also some families with kids in college who come to church regularly. They still come back; it is still a home for them. It is their heritage.

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic church in Centralia, PA was founded in 1911 and celebrated its 110th anniversary this year. On August 15, 1911, a committee decided to form its own parish and build a church. Construction finished in 1912 and the first was celebrated by Reverend Yosyf Bernatskiy from Keiser. A building to serve as a parish school was also acquired.

The town of Centralia rapidly developed during the coal mining era and suffered greatly during the Great Depression. Perhaps the most dramatic change, however, occurred on May 27, 1962 when a fire spread from a surface mine to underground seams and kept burning. More than 1,000 people moved out and 500 structures were demolished. Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the last of Centralia’s seven churches. The others include First United Methodist Church (1863-1985), Holy Trinity Episcopal Church (1866-1966), a Presbyterian church (1867-1954), St. Ignatius Roman Catholic Church (1869-1995), First English Baptist Church (1887-1917), and St. Peter and Paul Russian Orthodox Church (1916-1986).

The Ukrainian Catholic church was also at risk of being destroyed. However, Archbishop Stephen Sulyk ordered a survey to be conducted under the hillside church, and solid rock rather than coal was found, so the building was saved.

In November 2015 the head of the UGCC, Patriarch Sviatoslav Shevchuk, visited Centralia during a tour of the US. He was so impressed by the church that he designated it a pilgrimage site. The first pilgrimage took place in August 2016.

Annual Marian pilgrimage draws hundreds to abandoned town, Centralia Pa. https://thedialog.org/regional-news/annual-marian-pilgrimage-draws-hundreds-to-abando ned-town-centralia-pa/