GREAT FAST PASTORAL

GREAT FAST PASTORAL OF THE UKRAINIAN CATHOLIC HIERARCHY OF THE U.S.A. TO OUR CLERGY, HIEROMONKS AND BROTHERS, RELIGIOUS SISTERS, SEMINARIANS AND BELOVED FAITHFUL

“Open to me the doors of repentance, O Giver of Life. As we worship in Your temple this morning, teach us how to purify the temple of our bodies, and in Your compassion, purify me by the goodness of your mercies.”

Matins, Sunday of Publican and Pharisee

With these words, we are invited to embark on the Lenten pilgrimage. The doors of repentance are opening! The Great Lent is beginning! Every year Great Lent is repeated, and each time it brings us great benefit if we as individuals, our families and church community entrust ourselves to start this journey. It is a preparation for the life to come and, more immediately, a preparation for the Bright Resurrection. Repentance for us as individuals is the conscious transformation of our hearts, our minds, and the very essence of our lives. This is at the heart of the Great Lent.

Through this Lenten pilgrimage, we begin our preparation for the glorious feast of the Resurrection of Our Lord. Daily we acknowledge our need to repent as we recite the Lenten prayer of Saint Ephrem of Syria. “Yes, O Lord and King, let me see my own sins and not judge my brothers and sisters for you are blessed for ever and ever. Amen.” We pray acknowledging that it is only when we enter the “wilderness of the desert of our heart” and focus inward that we take the first step on the road to repentance and the journey to and beyond the empty tomb on the day of Pascha.

During the Lenten days, we are offered the opportunity to seek release from those things we have allowed, often unconsciously, to hold us captive, yet which in and of themselves have no real power over us. Now, during the forty days, we are challenged to do away with our passions, our preoccupations, our pride, our jealousy and anger. Now, we are assured that the doors of repentance are opened to those who knock.

Now, during the Lenten journey our prayer, fasting and almsgiving have the power to transform our lives and the lives of those around us. Repentance, however, must never be regarded as our spiritual activities that prepare us only for the feast of Pascha. Repentance stands at the very heart of our spiritual lives. Repentance is our ongoing, continuing and daily pursuit.

We enter this Lenten journey as individuals, but we are not alone, at the same time we enter this pilgrimage with our families and our church community. Together we stand at the doors of repentance. Together, we knock and implore the Giver of Life to lead us from the desert of our life into the joy of being with God.

On this journey with our eyes opened, and our hearts free to follow Christ, we will be able to see in the new light people around us. We will be able to listen attentively to those in need, those who are less fortunate than us in our community. We will be able to live our Christian vocation to preach the Good News of Christ, to be missionaries and missionary community, a welcoming and hospitable community both for its faithful and for strangers. We can manifest this spirit of service toward those who are closest to us – our brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, fellow parishioners, and even to total strangers, whom we meet for the first time. We should remember that in our midst there are many, who have left the Church for a variety of reasons, or they do not attend simply because no one has ever said to them: “Come and see!” (John 1:46).

Great Lent is a perfect time to strive to live for our church community in unity, a community that is resplendent with evangelical joy and godly life. Our spiritual life will be a sign of God’s presence in the world, through our prayer and our service to others, we will proclaim the Good News. This Lenten journey allows us to touch all aspects of our inner life, our church community and in a broader sense encompasses the fullness of Christian life. Let us be not afraid with joy to enter this Lenten pilgrimage, so on the Great Monday of Holy Week we can with a renewed spirit and sincere heart sing: “I see your bridal chamber completely engulfed with light, O my Savior, and I do not have a wedding garment to enter and enjoy Your brightness, fill the garment of my soul with light, and save me, O Lord, save me.” Exapostilarion, Matins of Great Monday.

May God bless our Lenten pilgrimage toward the glorious Feast of the Resurrection!

+

Archbishop of Philadelphia for Ukrainians

Metropolitan of Ukrainian Catholics in the United States

+, OSBM

Eparch of Stamford

+Вenedict Aleksiychuk

Eparch of St. Nicholas in Chicago

+Bohdan J. Danylo (author)

Eparch of St. Josaphat in Parma

+

Auxiliary of Philadelphia

Great Fast, 2020

Providence Association – “Провидіння”

The Providence Association of Ukrainian Catholics of America is a Ukrainian fraternal benefit society and life insurance company. Established in 1912, The Providence Association, or Провидіння“ ” in Ukrainian, is a fraternal benefit society. We are a civic organization that satisfies members’ needs for fraternal and social interaction, charitable activities and religious expression. https://provassn.com/ Public Lecture – Fr. Zollner January 30, 2020

Public Lecture by Fr. Hans Zollner, SJ

Safeguarding in the . A Global Perspective

7 pm, January 30, 2020 Immaculate Conception Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral 830 North Franklin Street Philadelphia, PA

A public lecture by

Fr. Hans Zollner, SJ

President of the Centre for Child Protection, Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, Italy

————————

Program 9:30 am Introduction, silent personal prayer and small group sharing (3 persons) (Cathedral) 9:45 am Presentation(Cathedral): “Best Practice or Next Practice? Global Developments in Safeguarding” 10:45 am Coffee break (Cathedral) 11:05 am Questions and answers (Cathedral) 12:00 pm Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom in the Byzantine rite. All Catholic are invited to concelebrate. (Please bring your own white/gold vestments.) (Cathedral) 1:15 pm Lunch (Cathedral parish hall) 2:00 pm Presentation: “Spiritual and Theological Lessons in the face of the Abuse Crisis” (Cathedral parish hall) 2:50 pm Work in groups (6–8 persons) on question: “What would you like to work on concretely in your context over the next 12 months?” (Cathedral parish hall) 3:20 pm Reports of Small groups (Cathedral parish hall) 3:45 pm Closing (Cathedral parish hall) After the seminar there will be an opportunity to speak with Father Zollner informally until 4:30 pm. 7:00 pm Evening public lecture title: “Safeguarding in the Catholic Church. A global perspective” (Cathedral) 8:00 pm Questions and answers (Cathedral) 8:30 pm Healing Service of Anoitment (Cathedral)

Participation in the Seminar is for clergy, seminarians, eparchial/diocesan staff, and parish representatives. Advanced registration is required. Participation limited to 200 persons. Please register by Tuesday 5 pm January 28, 2020 at [email protected] Please provide your name, eparchy/diocese, seminary/parish, and ecclesiastical position/responsibility. The registration fee of $15.00 includes lunch and will be payble at the door.

Papal Appointments

The following appointments and resignations were announced by the Holy Father Pope Francis, Wednesday, January 15, 2020.

Resignation of bishop of the Eparchy of Saints Peter and Paul of Melbourne of the Ukrainians, Australia, and appointment of successor

Appointment of bishop of the Eparchy of the Holy Family of London of the Ukrainians, Great Britain

Appointment of apostolic administrator of the Eparchy of New Westminster of the Ukrainians, Canada Resignation of bishop of the Eparchy of Saints Peter and Paul of Melbourne of the Ukrainians, Australia, and appointment of successor The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the eparchy of Saints Peter and Paul of Melbourne of the Ukrainians, Australia, presented by Archbishop , C.S.R. ————————————– Bishop Peter Stasiuk, C.Ss.R. born 16 July 1943 in Roblin, Manitoba, Canada is a Canadian-born Australian Ukrainian Greek Catholic hierarch. He served as the second Eparchial Bishop of Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saints Peter and Paul of Melbourne from 16 December 1992 until 15 January 2020.

Bishop Stasiuk was born in the family of ethnical Ukrainian Greek-Catholics in Canada. After the attending of the Eastern Redemptorists minor seminary, he subsequently joined the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer in 1960, where he had a profession in August 28, 1962 and a solemn profession on August 28, 1965. Stasiuk was ordained as a on July 2, 1967, after studies at the Saint Paul University in Ottawa, Canada. Then he continued his studies in another Canadian university, University of Ottawa and in France in the François Rabelais University in Tours. After returning from studies, he had a various pastoral assignments and served as parish assistant, professor, superior and director at the Redemptorists Institutes in Canada. On December 16, 1992 Fr. Stasiuk was nominated by Pope John Paul II and on March 9, 1993 consecrated to the Episcopate as the second Eparchial Bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saints Peter and Paul of Melbourne. The principal was Metropolitan Maxim Hermaniuk, the retired Head of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Winnipeg The Holy Father has appointed as bishop of the eparchy of Saints Peter and Paul of Melbourne of the Ukrainians the Reverend Mykola Bychok, C.Ss.R, currently parochial vicar of the Saint John the Baptist parish in Newark, U.S.A.

————————————————– Reverend Mykola Bychok, C.Ss.R Father Mykola Bychok, the son of Petro and Hanna, was born February 13, 1980 in the city of Ternopil. He has a younger brother named Paul. From 1987 until 1997 he studied at school No 14 in the city of Ternopil and upon his graduation he had to make a very important decision in his life: QUO VADIS (where are you going)? He felt a calling to follow Christ at the age of 15, when he was in 9th grade. The Redemptorist Fathers helped him to recognize his calling because it was at their parish that he regularly attended Liturgy. Afterwards he was an altar boy and joined the fathers on Missions and retreats at various monasteries. But what had the strongest influence on him was the example of the lives of the Redemptorists and their great zeal in the preaching of God’s Word. His first teacher was Father Mykhajlo Shevchyshyn, a great preacher and missionary. Another of his teachers was Father Volodymyr Vons, thanks to whom he became certain that God was calling him to this congregation. He entered the monastery on the feast of Saints Peter and Paul, July 12, 1997. He professed his first vows on August, 1998 in the village of Kokhavyno in the region of Lviv. In 1998 – 2001 he studied at the Higher Spiritual Institution of blessed Mykolay Charnetsky. In the years 2001-2004 he studied at the Redemptorist Seminary in Tykhiv, Poland and there defended his master’s thesis on the topic of “Work with youth groups in Greek Catholic parishes in Ukraine.” August 17, 2003 he professed his final vows. July 12, 2004 Bishop Michael Hrynchyshyn ordained him deacon at the church of Hieromartyr Josaphat in Lviv. March-April of 2005 he did his deaconate practice at the mission in the city of Berdiansk in the region of Zaporizhia. He was ordained a priest by Bishop Ihor Wozniak, CSsR on May 3, 2005 in the city of Lviv. In 2005-2007 he served as missionary at the parish of the Mother of God of Perpetual Help in Siberia (Russia) in the city of Prokopyevsk. March 10, 2007 he was assigned pastor of youth in the parish of the Mother of God of Perpetual Help in the city of Ivano-Frankivsk. From November 1, 2008 – August 1, 2010 he served as the rector of the monastery of St. Joseph and the rector of the parish of the Mother of God of Perpetual Help in the city of Ivano-Frankivsk. Later he was assigned as treasurer of the Lviv Redemptorist Province and served in this role until December 30, 2014. From January 31-April 26, 2015 he assisted in monasteries in Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk. From April 27, 2015 he is serving St. John’s parish in Newark, NJ. Appointment of bishop of the eparchy of the Holy Family of London of the Ukrainians, Great Britain The Holy Father has appointed as bishop of the eparchy of the Holy Family of London of the Ukrainians, Great Britain, Bishop Kenneth Anthony Adam Nowakowski, transferring him from the eparchy of New Westminster of Ukrainians (Canada).

—————————————-

Bishop Kenneth Anthony Adam Nowakowski Bishop Ken Nowakowski, was born on May 16, 1958, in North Battleford, Saskatchewan, the second of three sons of Stanley and Roma (nee Ryhorchuk). He attended elementary school in Battleford and high school in North Battleford.

Fr. Nowakowski held several secular positions in the private and government sector prior to entering the formation program at the Redeemer House of Studies in Toronto, graduating from St. Michael’s College, University of Toronto in 1984 with a Bachelor of Religious Studies and Philosophy. He was sent to St. Josaphat’s Ukrainian Catholic Pontifical College in Rome and received his Bachelor of Sacred Theology from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in 1989. He was ordained a priest by Bishop , of blessed memory for the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saskatoon on August 19, 1989, in St. George’s Cathedral in Saskatoon.

Fr. Nowakowski returned to Rome the autumn of 1989 for further studies in Eastern Canon Law. In response to a growing refugee presence in Italy, Fr. Nowakowski founded and directed the Ukrainian Catholic Refugee Office. In June of 1990 he was appointed vice chancellor and chief of staff to His Beatitude Myroslav Ivan Cardinal Lubachivsky, Father and Head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church and of Lviv of the Ukrainians.

In July of 1991, His Beatitude Myroslav Ivan ended his exile, returned to his Archiepiscopal See in Lviv, Ukraine, and appointed Fr. Nowakowski his chief of staff in Lviv. Fr. Nowakowski held that position until 1995. He also served as vice-rector of Holy Spirit Seminary in Lviv 1991-1992. In 1994 he was instrumental in founding the Ukrainian Catholic Church’s official charitable organization, Caritas Ukraine, and was its president until 2001. As president of Caritas Ukraine he oversaw its charitable works, including the Metropolitan Andrew Sheptytsky Hospital, the development of home- care projects, and the establishment of the eparchial branches of Caritas Ukraine.

During the visit of His Holiness John Paul II to Ukraine in June 2001, Fr. Nowakowski was the Director of the Press Office of the Catholic Churches in Ukraine.

Fr. Nowakowski was appointed rector of Holy Spirit Ukrainian Catholic Seminary in Ottawa in November 2001. In October 2002 he was also appointed Press Officer/Spokesperson of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Canada. During the 2002 World Youth Day in Canada he served as the Vatican Accredited Media Personnel Liaison and Assistant to Mr. Vic van Brantagem of the Press Office of the Holy See. During his tenure as rector he provided pastoral assistance to his own Eparchy of Saskatoon as well as other Ukrainian Catholic Eparchies in Canada in the summer months.

Fr. Nowakowski was a member of the Canadian Conference of Catholic ’ Committee on Adult Catechesis.

In July of 2006, Fr. Nowakowski was appointed Chancellor of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saskatoon.

His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI announced the appointment of Fr. Ken Nowakowski as Third Eparch of New Westminster for Ukrainian Catholics in British Columbia and the Yukon on June 1st 2007. Bishop Ken was ordained a bishop by Most Rev. OSBM, Metropolitan for Ukrainian Catholics in Canada and Archbishop of Winnipeg, Most Rev. OSBM, Bishop Emeritus of New Westminster and Most Rev. Peter Stasiuk CSsR, Bishop of Ss. Peter & Paul Eparchy for Ukrainian Catholics in Australia and New Zealand on July 24, 2007 at St. Mary’s Ukrainian Catholic Church in Vancouver. Appointment of apostolic administrator of the eparchy of New Westminster of the Ukrainians, Canada The Holy Father has appointed as apostolic administrator of the eparchy of New Westminster of the Ukrainians, Canada, Bishop of the eparchy of Edmonton of the Ukrainians.

—————————————

Bishop David Motiuk Most Reverend David Motiuk was born on January 13, 1962 in Vegreville, Alberta, the son of John and Olga (nee Sawchuk).

In the 1980s, he specialized in computer science and business applications at the University of Alberta. In 1984, he began his seminary studies at Holy Spirit Seminary in Ottawa, graduating from Saint Paul University with a Bachelor Degree in Theology (1987) and a Masters and Licentiate in Canon Law (1989). He was ordained to the priesthood on August 21, 1988.

From 1989 to 1993, he served as pastor of Descent of the Holy Spirit Parish in Darling, Ss. Peter and Paul Parish in Drayton Valley, and Descent of the Holy Spirit Parish in Edson. He was assistant pastor at St. Josaphat Cathedral in Edmonton from 1994 to 1996.

He was Chancellor and Judicial Vicar of the Eparchy of Edmonton from 1989 to 1993, Finance Officer for the Eparchy from 1990 to 1993 and 1994 to 1996, Associate Judicial Vicar from 1993 to 1996, and a member of its College of Consultors from 1989 to 1996 and again in 2002. He was a member of the Senate of Newman Theological College in Edmonton from 1994 to 1996.

In 1996, he defended his doctoral dissertation, “The Particular Law of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Canada,” and was awarded a Doctorate in Canon Law from the Pontifical Institute of Eastern Studies in Rome.

He was in charge of the formation of future priests for the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Canada at Holy Spirit Seminary in Ottawa from 1996-2001. At the same time, he taught at the Faculties of Theology and Canon Law at Saint Paul University and the Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Institute. From 1997 to 2002 he was a Consultor for the Episcopal Commission for Canon Law/Inter-Rite for the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. Since 2002 he has been a Consultor for the Episcopal Commission for Theology.

In 2002 he became the founding pastor of St. Sophia Parish in Sherwood Park.

Following his episcopal ordination on June 11, 2002, he served as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archeparchy of Winnipeg. As Auxiliary Bishop he was Protosyncellus (Vicar General) of the Archeparchy.

On January 25, 2007, he was appointed Bishop of the Eparchy of Edmonton and was enthroned on March 24, 2007 at St. Basil Church in Edmonton.

Bishop David Motiuk is a member of the Society for the Law of the Eastern Churches, the Canadian Canon Law Society and the Canon Law Societies of America, Great Britain and Ireland, and Australia and New Zealand. Publications “Budka, Nicetas,” in M. Glazier and M. Hellwig, eds., The Modern Catholic Encyclopedia, Collegeville, MN, Liturgical Press, 1994, p. 100. “Canon 1071: Latin Tribunal Handling Marriage Case Involving Two Eastern Catholics,” in Roman Replies and CLSA Advisory Opinions 2003, Canon Law Society of America, Washington, 2003, pp. 125-131. “Catholic and Orthodox Issues in Ukraine,” CLSA Proceedings, 59 (1997), pp. 204-222. “The Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches: Some Ten Years Later,” Studia canonica, 36 (2002), pp. 198-224 “The Education and Formation of Clergy,” Logos: A Journal of Eastern Christian Studies, (Special issue to publish the Acts of the Encounter of the Eastern Catholic Churches of the Americas and Oceania, Boston, November 7-12, 1999), 40 (1999), pp. 233-296 Eastern Catholics in the New World: An Historical and Canonical Study of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Canada, Ottawa, Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Institute of Eastern Christian Studies and Faculty of Canon Law, 2005, xi, 424 pp.

Parish Schedules for Christmas

Archeparchy of Philadelphia Parish Schedules of Liturgical Services for the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ can be found at the following link.

https://ukrcap.files.wordpress.com/2019/12/2019parishchristmasschedule.pdf

Christ is Born! Glorify Him! Sobor – December 7, 2019

Permanent Synod of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church Will Attend December 7-8 Philadelphia Archieparchial Sobor

Permanent Synod of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church Will Attend December 7-8 Philadelphia Archieparchial Sobor

Philadelphia, Pa.—Members of the Permanent Synod of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church will attend the December 7 and 8 sessions of the Archieparchial Sobor the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia.

The Philadelphia Archieparchial Sobor has been convoked by Metropolitan Archbishop Borys Gudziak pursuant to the request of the Ukrainian Catholic Synod of Bishops in preparation for the worldwide Patriarchal Assembly-Sobor which will be held August 26-29, 2020 in Lviv, Ukraine with the theme: “Emigration, Settlements and Global Unity of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church.”

Members of the Permanent Synod are: His Beatitude , Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church; Metropolitan Yevhen Popowicz, Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Przemyśl–Warsaw; Metropolitan Borys Gudziak, Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia; Bishop Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of St. Josaphat in Parma, Ohio and Auxiliary Bishop Teodor Martyniuk, Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Ternopil-Zboriv. The secretary is Bishop Bohdan Dziurakh, C.SS.R.

On Saturday, December 7, at St. Michael’s Ukrainian Catholic Church in Jenkintown, Pa., they will celebrate the Divine Liturgy which will open the Archieparchial Sobor and then they will attend the sessions of the Sobor throughout the day.

In the afternoon, after the formal sessions have ended, they will engage in informal discussions with the clergy, religious and laity and dialogue with them in a question and answer session.

At 6 pm, the hierarchs will celebrate Vespers with Litiya in the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Philadelphia.

Sunday morning at 8 am, Matins will be sung at the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

A Hierarchical Divine Liturgy will follow at 10 am with His Beatitude Sviatoslav as main celebrant and the hierarchs as concelebrants.

At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, in a solemn ceremony there will be the awarding of the Medal of Metropolitan Andrew Sheptytsky.

A luncheon reception in the Cathedral social hall will follow at 12:30 pm.

At 2 pm in the Cathedral, the parents of Kendrick Castillo, John and Maria, will give testimony about the life of their son. Kendrick, who has been praised for his heroic bravery, was martyred days before graduation this past May at his high school in Colorado, when he lunged at a school gunman and saved the lives of many of his fellow students.

The bishops will then participate in a healing service and anointing for the clergy, religious and laity.

On Monday, December 9, the members of the Permanent Synod will have their regular meeting in Washington, DC.

The permanent synod, established by the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, is comprised of the patriarch and four bishops designated for a five-year term. It must be convoked by the patriarch at determined times, at least twice a year, and whenever the patriarch considers it opportune.

Schedule of the Second Session of the Archeparchial Sobor

Second Session of the Archeparchial Sobor will be held on December 7 and 8, 2019. Second session of the Sobor will take place at St. Michael the Archangel church in Jenkintown, PA, located at 1013 Fox Chase Rd., Jenkintown, Pennsylvania 19046, on December 7. Please ask 2-3 parishioners in your parish to come to the Session on Saturday, December 7. They can be the ones who attended the first session or others. As for Day II of the Sobor, delegates and anyone interested are welcome to attend services and events at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on Sunday, December 8.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2019 SOBOR AGENDA: DAY I 8:15 am – 9:15 am Registration St. Michael Social Hall (1013 Fox Chase Rd., Jenkintown, Pennsylvania 19046) 9:30 am – 11:00 am Divine Liturgy St. Michael’s Ukrainian Catholic Church 1013 Fox Chase Rd., Jenkintown, Pennsylvania 19046 11:15 am Opening Session of Sobor – St. Michael Social Hall Opening Session of Sobor Patriarch Sviatoslav opening statement of greetings, introduction of bishops of the Permanent Synod and other hierarchs. (20 minutes) Metropolitan Borys Gudziak Program opening statement (10 minutes) 12:00pm – 1:00 pm Reports from deanery soborchyks (6 deaneries 8 minutes each) 1:00 pm – 1:30 pm Lunch break 1:30 pm – 2:15 pm Small group discussion on the question “What gifts of the laity may be offered to address the needs of our archeparchy?” 2:15 pm – 3:15 pm Reports from small group discussions 3:15 pm Closing of the Sobor session. 3:30 pm Possible departure of delegates. Delegates are welcome to stay on for discussions with members of the Permanent Synod. Delegates are also invited to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception for the Vespers and Litia (6:00-7:30 pm) 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm Informal discussion with Bishops of permanent synod for ADULTS with Metropolitan Yevhen Popowicz, Bishop Bohdan Dziurakh and Bishop Teodor Martyniuk (including question and answer period). Meetings in separate rooms in St. Michael’s parish hall 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm Informal discussion with Bishops of permanent synod for YOUTH with Metropolitan Borys Gudziak and Bishop Bohdan Danylo (including question and answer period). 4:45 pm Departure of Bishops of Permanent Synod to metropolitan’s residence 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm Vespers and Litia Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2019 SOBOR AGENDA: DAY II 8:00 am Matins – Утреня Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Philadelphia, PA 10:00 am Hierarchical Divine Liturgy with His Beatitude Sviatoslav and members of the Permanent Synod concelebrating Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Philadelphia 11:30 am Solemn Ceremony of Awarding the Medal of Metropolitan Andrew Sheptytskyy12:30 pm Celebratory reception at the Cathedral Hall

2:00 pm Testimony of John & Maria Castillo about the heroic life of their son Kendrick Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception 2:45 pm Hierarchical Healing Service and Anointing Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception

Pope Francis Accepts the Resignation of Auxiliary Bishop

Pope Francis Accepts the Resignation of Auxiliary Bishop John Bura

Philadelphia, Pa.–The Holy Father Pope Francis on Friday, November 15, 2019 accepted the resignation from the office of auxiliary bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia, presented by Bishop John Bura.

Bishop Bura, who reached the canonical retirement age of seventy-five in June, submitted his resignation pursuant to the provisions of Canon 210 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches.

Archbishop Borys Gudziak, of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia and Metropolitan of Ukrainian Catholics in the United States commented that “Bishop John is a kind and noble man who has served God, the Church and the community-at-large with dedication, both as a priest and as a bishop. Throughout a life that began in great danger and hardship he remained faithful. In my first months of service Bishop John has been for me a most valuable and reliable guide for understanding the pastoral history and current issues of our archeparchy. Our prayers are that the Lord will grant him good health and longevity in retirement as he begins this new chapter in his life.”

Bishop John was nominated on January 3, 2006 auxiliary bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia by Pope Benedict XVI upon the recommendation of the Ukrainian Catholic Synod of Bishops.

He was ordained a bishop by His BeatitudeLubomyr Cardinal Husar on February 21, 2006 in the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Philadelphia. The principal co- were Archbishop of Philadelphia and Bishop , C.Ss.R. of Great Britain.

Bishop John was named the Apostolic Administrator of the Eparchy of Saint Josaphat in Parma on July 29, 2009 and served in that capacity until 2014, when Bishop Bohdan Danylo was named bishop of that eparchy.

Bishop Bura was born to Hryhoriy and Maria Bura on June 12, 1944 in Wegeleben, Germany. His parents were refugees on the move from Ukraine, who like hundreds of thousands of their countrymen where caught between the genocidal policies of the Nazis and Soviets. They were forced from their home in the midst of World War II. Bishop John’s childhood was marked by devastation and displacement. Yet,throughout his life he was a man of serenity. In 1950, his family moved to the United States and settled in Jersey City, NJ.

After completing elementary and middle school, he entered St.Basil Minor Seminary in Stamford, Ct.

From 1965 to 1970 he studied theology at The Catholic University of America and resided at St. Josaphat Seminary in Washington, DC. He was ordained to the priesthood on February 14, 1971 for the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia by Metropolitan , OSBM.

Following ordination he served in various administrative positions including teacher of religion and the Ukrainian language and Vice-Rector of St. Basil Minor Seminary, Stamford, Ct. and rector of St. Josaphat Seminary in Washington, DC.

Some of his pastoral assignments included St. Michael’s Church, Shenandoah, Pa., Holy Ghost Church, Chester, Pa. and St. Nicholas Church, Wilmington, De.

While he was serving as pastor in Shenandoah, Pa., home of the first Ukrainian Catholic parish in the United States, on Easter Monday April 7, 1980 the landmark church and adjacent rectory were completely destroyed by a devastating fire. As a young priest, Bishop John provided the fatherly compassion to guide the parish family through this tragedy and provided the leadership for the rebuilding task. On November 27, 1983, the blessing of the cornerstone and first Divine Liturgy were held in the newly constructed church.

The Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia includes the District of Columbia, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania and has a total Catholic population of 13,944.