Official Publication of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia VOL. 74 - No. 13 AUGUST 11, 2013 ENGLISH VERSION The Sisters of the Order of St. Basil the Great Elect New General Administration in Rome On July 8-24, 2013 the Tenth General Chapter of the Sisters of the Order of Saint Basil the Great was held in Rome. On Friday, July 19th, according to the new calendar, the Feast of Saint Macrina, the sister of Saint Basil the Great, who is considered to be the founder of the female branch of the Basilian monastic tradition and is the patron of the Sisters of the Order of Saint Basil the Great, a Celebratory Divine Liturgy for the members of the Capitula was led by Bishop Dionysiy (Liakhovych), the Apostolic Visitator for Ukrainian Greek-Catholics in Italy and Photo (l. to r.): Sister Dia, Sister Lydia Anna, Sister Spain. On that day the sisters were also Mariela, Sister Daniela and Sister Nazariya. (http:// commemorating the 60th anniversary www.basiliansisters.org/x-generalchapter.html) of the centralization of the Order, meaning the union of the monasteries under the leadership of the Generalate in Rome. The sisters-delegates began the election process for the new General Superior. Rev. Konstantin Adam, rector of the Papal Institute Angelicum, an expert in canon law, presided over the election. Sister Dia Stasiuk from the Province of the Most Holy Trinity in Ukraine was chosen as the General Superior for the coming six-year term. We note that Sister Dia already fulfilled this role in 1989-2001. The election of the main advisers who will assist the General Superior in managing the Order was held on the following day. Sr. Lydia Anna Sawka from USA was chosen as the First Councilor and Vicar, Sr. Mariela Rotzen from Argentine was chosen as Second Councilor, Sr. Daniela Stefkova from the Slovak Republic was chosen (continued on next page) Highlights inside this issue: +Bishop Lotocky Funeral - Pg. 4 Basilian Sisters Jubilee - Pg. 9 Metropolitan Stefan’s Announcements - Pg. 6 Seminary Day - Pg. 14 Knights of Columbus - Pg. 7 History of the diaconate - Pg.16 The Sisters of the Order of St. Basil the Great Elect New General Administration in Rome (continued from previous page) as Third Councilor, and monastic communities of order is composed Brazil, Hungary) and the Sr. Nazariya Mykhaylyuk various Eastern Catholic of eight provinces contemplative monastery from Ukraine were chosen Churches of the Byzantine (Argentine, Croatia, of the Sacred Heart in as Fourth Councilor. tradition, basically Poland, Romania, Middletown, USA. monastic traditions Slovak Republic, and The Basilian Sisters which follow the order two in USA), two vice- Adapted from the are members of an of Saint Basil the Great. provinces (Croatia and article on http:// international order The Main administration Slovak Republic), three www.ugcc.org.ua which unites the female is in Rome, while the delegatures (Australia, The Chapter body is pictured with the new Administration. (http://www.basiliansisters.org/x-generalchapter.html) Feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God - August 15th As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.” He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” (Lk. 10: 38-42; 11: 27-28) (continued on next page) AUGUST 11, 2013 2 Feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God (continued from previous page) The Feast of the as all of us are saved of the Apostles were bier. Christ, standing Dormition or Falling from trials, sufferings, scattered throughout behind the Mother of Asleep of the Mother of and death of this world. the world preaching the God, is her Son, Who God commemorates the Having truly died, she Gospel. All but Thomas has come to receive death, resurrection, and was raised by her Son as were miraculously His Mother’s soul into glorification of Christ’s the “Mother of Life” and brought to the Virgin heaven; He holds in His mother. already participates in the aloft on clouds. left arm an infant in white, eternal life of paradise symbolizing the soul of the By promulgating the Bull which is prepared and As they stood around her Mother of God reborn Munificentissimus Deus, 1 promised to all who “hear bedside, she commended in her glory in heaven; November, 1950, Pope the word of God and her spirit to the Lord and Christ also is robed in Pius XII declared infallibly keep it.” (Luke 11:27-28) Jesus descended from white and appears in that the Assumption of Finally, we celebrate the Heaven, taking up her an aureole (elongated the Blessed Virgin Mary fact that what happens soul in His arms. The halo) depicting the Light was a dogma of the to Mary happens to all Apostles sang the funeral of His Divinity. This Catholic Faith. Likewise, who imitate her holy life hymns in her honor and imagery is the reversal the Second Vatican of humility, obedience carried her body to a of the imagery of Mary Council taught in the and love. tomb in Cedron near holding the infant Jesus Dogmatic Constitution Gethsemane. When in her arms in swaddling Lumen Gentium that It is important to a Jewish man tried to clothes at His nativity. “the Immaculate Virgin, remember that there are interrupt their solemn preserved free from no relics of the Mother of procession, an angel The Apostles are depicted all stain of original sin, God. Their existence has of the Lord came and on either side of the bier was taken up body and never been mentioned punished him by cutting stand the Apostles; the soul into heavenly glory, throughout history. At one off his hands, which were group on the left is led when her earthly life was time in Constantinople later healed. by St. Peter who stands over, and exalted by the there was a center of at the head of the bier; Lord as Queen over all pilgrimage where the The Apostle Thomas the group on the right things. belt and veil of the Virgin arrived on the third is led by St. Paul who were venerated. day and wished to see stands at the foot of the As with the Nativity of the Virgin for the last bier. Below the bier is the Virgin (September From the Tradition of time. They discovered a figure of Antonius 8) and the feast of her the Church an empty tomb. Church the Jew, who tried to Entrance to the Temple tradition relates that the disrupt the procession, (November 21), the Feast Following the day of Mother of God was was punished, but later of the Assumption also Pentecost, the Mother of resurrected bodily and repented of his sins and comes from the Tradition God remained in the city taken to heaven, the embraced Christianity of the Church. There we of Jerusalem, comforting same reward that awaits through Baptism. learn that Mary died as the infant Christian all the righteous on the all people die because community. She was Last Day. http://www. she had a mortal human living in the house of the theologic.com/ nature affected by the beloved Apostle John, The Icon of the corruption of this world. later the Evangelist. At Dormition The Church proclaims the time of her death that Mary needed to (tradition states she was The Mother of God is be saved by Christ just in her early fifties) many depicted upon the funeral AUGUST 11, 2013 3 BISHOP INNOCENT LOTOCKY, OSBM 1915-2013 Retired Bishop of St (Tytyn). At age 13 he United States He was pastor and Superior of Nicholas Eparchy in entered the Gymnasium Superior and Master Immaculate Conception Chicago, +Innocent of the Basilian Fathers of Novices in Dawson, Parish in Hamtramck, Lotocky fell asleep in the in Buchach. After Pennsylvania. Five years Michigan. During this Lord July 4, 2013. His completing his studies later he became the time Fr Innocent was also funeral services and burial in 1932, he entered the Provincial Superior of the named a delegate to the were celebrated July 12 novitiate of the Basilian Basilian Fathers. In 1953 General Chapter of the and 13 in Chicago at St Fathers.in Krechiv, he was made pastor of Basilian Fathers (1963) Nicholas Cathedral and pronouncing his solemn St George Ukrainian and from 1962-1980 the parish cemetery. vows August 8, 1937. Catholic Church in New was also a member of York City, New York. In the Provincial Council of At age 97 he was the At age 25 he was 1958 he was appointed the Basilian Fathers in the oldest bishop in the ordained to the priesthood Novice Mater in Glen United States. Upon the Ukrainian Catholic by Bishop Blessed Paul Cove, Long Island, New death of Bishop Jaroslav Church worldwide. Peter (Gojdich, OSBM) York until 1960 when (Gabro), he was chosen Bishop Innocent was of Presov, in Omolouc he was named Superior as the second eparch of relatively active until (Czechoslovakia) on and in 1961 pastor of St Nicholas Eparchy.