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Bringing the Faith of Our Fathers to the Lives of Our Children

2009

$1.75

LXV No 3

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF ST. NICHOLAS UKRAINIAN CATHOLIC EPARCHY

MARCH, 2009

Lenten Pastoral Letter

of the Ukrainian Catholic
Hierarchy in the U.S.A.
"If then you were raised with Christ, seek
what is above, where Christ is seated at the
right hand of God. Think of what is above,
not of what is on earth. For you have died,
and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ your life appears, then you too
will appear with him in glory." (Colossians
3:1-4).

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Dearly beloved in Christ!

A distinctive characteristic of our spirituality is that it is mystical. We are all called
to mysticism. We all are called to contemplate Jesus Christ, seated at the right hand of
the Father where He continuously offers
Himself up to the Father. His death on the
Cross is an eternal act. In Baptism we were
united with Christ, and if we abide in Him
we too share in His offering to the Father.
But this is not some kind of magical act that
transforms us. Rather, it is the beginning of
Icon of Christ--the Icon of God
a life-long process in which the Spirit of
Not Made by Human Hands
God gently leads us.
Saint Augustine teaches us: "You have created us for Yourself, O Lord, and our hearts
are restless until they rest in You." Our journey to the Father is not a magical life in acquiring redemption. It must be won by sharing Jesus' path of the Cross, His struggle.
Whosoever wishes to share His glorified life must be crucified with Him. The old, sinful
man must gradually die away. The first step along this path, the all-pervading keynote, the
starting point and, at the same time, the deepest foundation is a feeling of unqualified contrition. "Where shall I begin repentance for my wicked life?" These words of the Canon
of Repentance of Saint Andrew of Crete are characteristic of this spiritual state.
continued page 13

Open Wide Your Hearts!

: ,

The Great Lent: prayer, fasting and almsgiving

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Traditionally, the Church has recognized three ancient

Jewish customs as pillars of Lenten observance: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. How do last two seek to draw us closer to
God and our neighbor? Are they more or less as important as
"prayer"?
Fasting may seem abnormal and unnatural. After all, we
must eat to survive. Negative interpretations have often seen
fasting as a punishment--however, as Christians we do not
view the human body as evil and to be punished. Ideally, fasting focuses our attention beyond the things we eat or use in
our daily lives.
It goes beyond abstaining from meat on Fridays in Lent and
stricter fasting on Great and Holy Friday. Through the prayer
used at Pre-Sanctified Liturgies, we grow to realize life is
more than the things we use, from the food we eat, the clothes
we wear, the car we drive or any of the other material things
we own.
Guided by the wisdom expressed in the great Lenten Prayer
of St Ephrem, we discover life is ultimately about how we
treat others. As we serve God, in turn, we experience God's
incredible love for us. Humans are built with an intense need

. 4

continued on page 13

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Share 2008 -
!
Share 2008 -
3 19 2009
Friends of St. Nicholas Eparchy
-Assumption of the BVM Parish, Omaha, NE
$ 3,240.00
Dormition of Mother of God Parish, Phoenix, AZ $ 12,000.00
Holy Apostles Mission, Berryton, KS
$ 1,000.00
Holy Ascension Mission, Plymouth, MI
$ 1,000.00
Holy Wisdom Mission, Citrus Heights, CA
$ 1,200.00
Immaculate Conception Parish, Hamtramck, MI $ 13,860.00
Immaculate Conception Parish, Palatine, IL
$ 6,840.00
Immaculate Conception Parish, San Francisco, CA$ 2,400.00
Nativity of the BVM Parish, Los Angeles, CA
$ 10,650.00
Nativity of the BVM Parish. Palos Park, IL
$ 7,860.00
Nativity of Mother of God Parish, Springfield, OR $ 3,600.00
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, La Mesa, CA $ 7,680.00
Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Dearborn Hts, MI
$ 8,400.00
Protection of Mother of God Parish, Houston, TX $ 9,960.00
St. Andrew Mission, Sacramento, CA
$ 1,000.00
St. Constantine Parish, Minneapolis, MN
$ 13,980.00
St. Demetrius Parish, Belfield, ND
$ 3,000.00
St. George Parish, Lincoln, NE
$ 1,000.00
St. John the Baptist Parish, Belfield, ND
$ 2,220.00
St. John the Baptist Parish, Detroit, MI
$ 7,980.00
St. Josaphat Parish, Munster, IN
$ 5,640.00
St. Josaphat Parish, Warren, MI
$ 44,040.00
St. Joseph Parish, St. Joseph, MO
$ 1,200.00
St. Joseph Parish, Chicago, IL
$ 19,920.00
St. Mary's Assumption Parish, St. Louis, MO
$ 2,340.00
St. Michael Mission, Minot, ND
$ 1,140.00
St. Michael Parish, Mishawaka, IN
$ 3,900.00
St. Michael Parish, Tucson, AZ
$ 1,500.00
St. Michael Parish, Chicago, IL
$ 1,000.00
St. Michael Parish, Milwaukee, WI
$ 6,300.00
St. Michael Parish, Grand Rapids, MI
$ 6,000.00
St. Michael the Archangel Parish, Dearborn, MI
$ 1,260.00
St. Nicholas Cathedral, Chicago, IL
$ 55,080.00
St. Paul Mission, Flagstaff, AZ
$ 1,000.00
St. Peter Eastern Catholic Mission, Ukiah, CA
$ 1,000.00
St. Sophia Mission, Honolulu, HI
$ 1,000.00
St. Sophia Parish, The Colony, TX
$ 3,720.00
St. Stephen Mission, St. Paul, MN
$ 1,000.00
St. Vladimir Parish, Flint, MI
$ 1,800.00
St. Volodymyr Mission, Santa Clara, CA
$ 1,000.00
Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, Wilton, ND
$ 1,500.00
Sts. Volodymyr and Olha Parish, Chicago, IL
$ 60,300.00
Transfiguration Parish, Denver, CO
$ 7,800.00
$ 3,300.00
Zarvanycia Mission, Seattle, WA
Totals
$351,610.00

$ 8,825.00
1,000.00
140.00
200.00
0.00
1,520.00
3,050.00
3,210.00
800.00
3,275.00
1,860.00
1,545.00
350.00
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135.00
100.00
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120.00
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464.00
4,395.00
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2,380.00
225.00
700.00
1,350.00
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750.00
675.00
515.00
300.00
19,770.00
0.00
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1,225.00
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2,075.00
450.00
970.00
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3,135.00
2,125.00
$ 84,240.00

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.

MOVING?

attach old address and Send new address to us at:

New Star 2245 W Rice St. Chicago IL 60622
Name
Address
City
State

________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
_________________________________ Zip_____________
Use another sheet if necessary. Allow six weeks for change.

NEW STAR

March, 2009

continued from page 1

"Wallowing in the depths of sin, I cry unto the
unfathomable depths of Thy mercy. Give me tears,
O Christ, to wash away the stains of my heart. Open
to me the gates of repentance, O Giver of Life." And
so it goes on, ever increasing in force through the
songs of the Church (particularly during Lent), the
liturgical prayers, the lives and teaching of her great
Saints.
It is imperative that we be docile and open to the
Spirit of God. Saint Paul speaks of his mystical
experience. "I know someone in Christ who, fourteen years ago (whether in the body or out of the
body I do not know, God knows), was caught up to
the third heaven. And I know that this person
(whether in the body or out of the body I do not
know, God knows) was caught up into Paradise and
heard ineffable things, which no one may utter." (2
Corinthians 12:2-4).
How difficult it is for many to realize that we are
destined for eternal glory in Christ. The Lenten season gives us so many opportunities to focus on
Jesus Christ. Many find it difficult to do so because
of all the anxious cares of life. Saint Paul briefly
outlines for us a program for Lent: "Put to death,
then, the parts of you that are earthly: immorality,
impurity, passion, evil desire, and the greed that is
idolatry. Because of these the wrath of God is coming (upon the disobedient). By these you too once
conducted yourselves, when you lived in that way.
But now you must put them all away: anger, fury,
malice, slander, and obscene language out of your
mouths. Stop lying to one another, since you have
taken off the old self with its practices and have put
on the new self, which is being renewed, for knowledge, in the image of its creator." (Colossians 3:510). "So be imitators of God, as beloved children,
and live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a
fragrant aroma. Immorality or any impurity or
greed must not even be mentioned among you, as is
fitting among holy ones, no obscenity or silly or
suggestive talk, which is out of place, but instead,
thanksgiving. Be sure of this, that no immoral or

continued from page 1

and desire to be loved--and that calls us to love!
Some may find this makes them uneasy
because we often hear the adage "take care of
Number One," and have difficulty fulfilling this
precept on our own.
What does it matter if we have the latest
designer clothes; newest car; biggest TV or
even food itself? As great as all these things are,
they serve no real purpose in our spiritual life,
and may even detract from our intense longing
for love.
Fasting from food, and fasting from things in
"almsgiving" (or doing good things for the
physical or spiritual well-being of others) is
meant to remind us self-love always falls short.
Things don't fill us with happiness. God does.
By abstaining from food, by prayer and by
helping others, we acknowledge that Lent is
more about growing in the image and likeness
of God. Look at the Gospel lesson on the Last

impure or greedy person, that is, an idolater, has any

inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for
because of these things the wrath of God is coming
upon the disobedient. So do not be associated with
them. For you were once darkness, but now you are
light in the Lord. Live as children of light, for light
produces every kind of goodness and righteousness
and truth. Try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.
Take no part in the fruitless works of darkness;
rather expose them, for it is shameful even to mention the things done by them in secret; but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for
everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore,
it says: 'Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead,
and Christ will give you light.' Watch carefully then
how you live, not as foolish persons but as wise,
making the most of the opportunity, because the
days are evil. Therefore, do not continue in ignorance, but try to understand what is the will of the
Lord." (Ephesians 5:1-17). "The light of Christ illumines all" (the Liturgy of the Pre-sanctified Gifts).
Christian mysticism has its roots in the joyful
message of the incarnate and risen Christ. The joy
of the resurrection is the keynote of the Eastern
Churches' whole outlook upon the world. "Let
rejoicing fill the heavens; let gladness fill the earth"
(Third Resurrectional Tone--Psalm 96:11). "Now
all things are filled with light: the heavens, the earth
and the abyss. Let all creation celebrate the resurrection of Christ! (Paschal Canon, Ode 3).
+STEFAN
Metropolitan-Archbishop of Philadelphia
+ROBERT
Eparch of St. Josaphat in Parma
+RICHARD
Eparch of St. Nicholas in Chicago
+PAUL
Eparch of Stamford
+JOHN
Auxiliary Bishop to the Metropolitan

Judgment and see what criteria God uses in

judging us.
Add to the fasting of lent the elements of
prayer and almsgiving to satisfy our very real
hunger for God. We can then go to the
Resurrection filled with the hunger for all of
God's goodness recounted in the Homily of St
John Chrysostom we hear on Pascha!
Fasting that does not lead to love of God and
neighbor is mere dieting or at worst, a selfish
way to appear pious. When confronted with the
unconditional love of another, the natural
human response is to return that love. The
unconditional love of God can be returned by
giving our time, money or other gifts to those in
need. Fasting and almsgiving should thus compliment each other.
We may fast for forty days of Lent, but we
reap reward for all eternity--as we "open wide
our hearts" to God's creation.

Please remember
Share 2008--Ukrainian Catholic Appeal
in your Lenten almsgiving!
An interim report of your parishs paricipation in
Share 2008--Ukrainian Catholic Appeal
appears in this issue of New Star, on page 20.

13

Fasting Shouldn't Be
out of Style, Says Pope
Benefits Recognized
for Millennia Still Valid
VATICAN CITY (Zenit.org).- Fasting is as important as ever and
it is a "therapy" to heal obstacles to conforming to God's will,
says Benedict XVI.
The Pope affirmed this is a message for Lent, dated December
11, and released in February.
The Holy Father recalled that the liturgy proposes three specific practices during
Lent: prayer, almsgiving and fasting. And he
said that his message
this year would focus
on the history and
importance of fasting.
The Pope noted how
fasting was prominent
in both the Old and
New Testaments: "Like
Moses, who fasted
before receiving the
tablets of the Law and
Elijah's fast before
meeting the Lord on
Mount Horeb, Jesus,
too, through prayer and fasting, prepared himself for the mission
that lay before him, marked at the start by a serious battle with
the tempter."
Benedict XVI went on to acknowledge that the meaning of
fasting--"depriving ourselves of something that in itself is good
and useful for our bodily sustenance"--might not be immediately clear.
But he explained that "sacred Scriptures and the entire
Christian tradition teach that fasting is a great help to avoid sin
and all that leads to it. For this reason, the history of salvation is
replete with occasions that invite fasting. [] "
"Since all of us are weighed down by sin and its consequences,
fasting is proposed to us as an instrument to restore friendship
with God."
A deeper meaning for fasting is revealed by Christ, the Pope
explained.
"True fasting [] is rather to do the will of the Heavenly
Father, who 'sees in secret, and will reward you,'" the papal message notes. "[Christ] himself sets the example, answering Satan,
at the end of the 40 days spent in the desert that 'man shall not
live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the
mouth of God.' The true fast is thus directed to eating the 'true
food,' which is to do the Father's will. [T]he believer, through
fasting, intends to submit himself humbly to God, trusting in his
goodness and mercy."
The first Christian communities and the fathers of the Church
also point to the importance of fasting, the Holy Father continued.
"Moreover," he said, "fasting is a practice that is encountered
frequently and recommended by the saints of every age."
Nevertheless, the Pontiff observed, "fasting seems to have lost
something of its spiritual meaning, and has taken on, in a culture
characterized by the search for material well-being, a therapeutic value for the care of one's body. Fasting certainly brings benefits to physical well-being, but for believers, it is, in the first
place, a 'therapy' to heal all that prevents them from conformity
to the will of God."
Recalling a 1966 document written by Pope Paul VI,
Panitemini, Benedict XVI said that this Lent could be a "propitious time to present again the norms contained in the apostolic
constitution, so that the authentic and perennial significance of
this long held practice may be rediscovered, and thus assist us to
mortify our egoism and open our heart to love of God and neighbor."
Finally, in addition to the personal benefits of fasting, the Holy
Father said, the penance also helps to foster solidarity.
"Voluntary fasting enables us to grow in the spirit of the Good
Samaritan, who bends low and goes to the help of his suffering
brother," he said. "By freely embracing an act of self-denial for
the sake of another, we make a statement that our brother or siscontinued page 14

14

March, 2009

NEW STAR

IRAQI ELECTION SEEN TO INVITE RETURN OF

CHRISTIANS: BAGHDAD (Zenit.org ).- Results of the
recent local Iraqi elections include the defeat of extremist
religious groups, and the possible return home of Christian
exiles, said an auxiliary
bishop of Baghdad.
Bishop
ANDRAOS
(Abouna) affirmed that
the results of the recent
election could help the
country to bring the
country "back on track."
The January 31 elections in 10 of the 14
provinces in the country
signal hope for the Christian community in Iraq, he suggested. The Christians, now numbering under 300,000
people, had a population of 1.4 million only two decades
ago.
The count on February 5, with 90% of votes weighed in,
showed that the Islamic religious parties had suffered losses. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's party, on the other
hand, won a significant part of the vote. Official results are
expected at the end of the month.
Bishop Abouna reported to Aid to the Church in Need
(ACN) that this news "delighted" the Christians who were
forced to emigrate due to sectarianism and the violence of

Meditation and
Modern Life
I picked up the newspaper today, and there it was. The
headline said "Classrooms adding 'M' for meditation."
Second graders in a northern California school district are
being taught to learn mindfulness. The instructor holds up
a Tibetan singing bowl and asks the students to listen to the
sound of the bell as he gently
taps it. The exercise helps the
students relax, calm down, set
aside distracting thoughts and be
"in the moment." Ultimately, the
hope is that teaching mindfulness will help today's youngsters
deal more positively with the
many stresses in their lives,
which include feelings of anger,
fear, the meeting of state mandatory educational testing requirements, and dealing with family
issues such as divorce and
unemployment. Such is the culture in which we live.
Meditation is generally defined as a stillness of body and
mind. The purpose of reaching
this stillness is to achieve a state
of relaxation and insight, to learn
about oneself and one's place in
the world. When we as Americans hear or see the word
"meditation," we often associate it with eastern religions
and philosophies--Buddhist, Tibetan, Hindu come to mind.
We picture colorfully-robed monks milling about and
Hollywood celebrities flying off to some distant place to
find spiritual peace; we watch countless people flocking to

continued from page 13

ter in need is not a stranger."
"From what I have said thus far," the Bishop of
Rome affirmed, "it seems abundantly clear that
fasting represents an important ascetical practice, a
spiritual arm to do battle against every possible
disordered attachment to ourselves."

the post-Saddam stage.

The bishop explained that many Christians believe that
"a more secular government will favor minority religious
groups" more than religious parties would.
Bishop Abouna said, "Everyone agrees that during the
last five years when religious parties have been strong
nothing happened." He spoke about the security failures in
the country when Sunni and Shiite "hardliners" dominated
the political sphere.
He continued, "Iraqis have realized that the best way to
help the country is by keeping religion and politics separate."

MOSCOW PATRIARCH TO MAKE FIRST FOREIGN

TRIP TO UKRAINE: MOSCOW- The newly-elected
head of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), Patriarch
KIRILL made his first pastoral trip to Smolensk. There, the
Moscow Patriarch stated that he would like his first foreign
trip to be made to Ukraine. "I would like to visit the mother of all Rus' towns, Kyiv, our ancient capital and the center of Rus' Orthodoxy," noted the head of ROC.
According to the UNIAN information agency, next,
Patriarch KIRILL will visit Kaliningrad, the center of an
eparchy which he headed for more than twenty years, and
his native St. Petersburg.

BISHOP PETER (STASIUK), TO RECEIVE ORDER

OF AUSTRALIA: On "Australia Day" January 26, 2009
the office of the Governor General of Australia, Ms.
Quentin Bryce, released the names of those who had been
appointed as recipients in the General Division of the
Order of Australia within the Australian Honors System.
Yoga studios scattered throughout our cities. We think
"New Age" and crystals.
There are, no doubt, many ways of meditating. Both
Tibetan and Hindu spirituality insist on the importance of
breathing. Others have you visualize color, shape or form
or focus on a candle or some object. Many use a phrase (a
mantra) that is repeated over and over again. There is a Zen
sitting meditation where you just sit and try to be aware of
your thoughts and feelings. There are walking meditations
and whirling and dancing meditations. And then there is
Christian meditation, an expression of spirituality that goes
back to earliest times, both
in the Eastern and Western
Churches.
Readings in the Old and
New Testaments, the
Desert Fathers, the Early
Church Fathers (including
St. John Chrysostom and
St. Basil), monks in the
early monasteries, the
Jesus Prayer in the East; St.
Ignatius of Loyola, St.
Teresa of Avila, Thomas
Merton, the mysteries of
the Rosary, and meditations on the Way of the
Cross in the West--all
teach us how to meditate
as Christians. Christians
use repetitive prayer to
meditate. We also use centering and mental prayer to
place ourselves in the presence of God and then use our
mind to consider scripture, the gospels, a mystery, a principle or a truth as a means of getting to know ourselves and
God better, uniting our will with His. Our source is not
Tibetan singing bowls.

Amongst those included

on the list was His Grace,
Bishop PETER (Stasiuk),
Eparch of Ukrainian
Catholics in Australia,
New
Zealand
and
Oceania. He was nominated as a Member of the
Order of Australia (AM)
for services to religion and
the community through his
contributions to Catholic
Welfare, counseling and
development programs.
Bishop Peter was born
in Roblin, Manitoba,
Canada, in 1943. He
joined the Ukrainian Redemptorist Order in Canada and
was ordained a priest in 1967 in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Previously he was a student and staff member of St.
Vladimir's College in Roblin, Manitoba. He was elected
Bishop in 1993 and moved to Melbourne, Australia where
he has been ever since.
The Honors System of Australia contains three levels in
the General Division--Companion (AC), Member (AM)
and Medal of the Order (OAM). The official presentation
of Awards is usually done about three or four months after
the announcement and publication in the Australia Gazette.
For further information about Bishop Peter or Ukrainian
Catholics in Australia, New Zealand and Oceania, please
visit the Eparchy of Ss. Peter and Paul website at:
www.catholicukes.org.au

So it appears to me that there is a big difference between

Christian meditation and mindfulness or other forms of
non-Christian meditation. All forms help us let go of our
worries, anxieties, ideas and emotions; they help us slow
down, they still our body and our mind. The do help us to
be calm and serene. In The Good Retreat Guide, Stafford
Whiteacker tells us " There are definite physiological benefits to deep meditation. In deep meditation, there is a
sharp increase in the alpha rhythm of the brain with a concurrent decrease in the breathing rate and oxygen consumption. The heart rate decreases as well and there is a
fall in the blood pressure. The skin has an increased electrical resistance. High lactate levels in the blood are associated with stress and these fall in meditation." Christians
have the added benefit of getting to know themselves, their
God, and their relationship with Him more deeply. They
can then bring that knowledge to the world at large.
So don't be afraid if your children, grandchildren and
other family members are learning about meditation in
school or elsewhere. In your domestic church, teach them
to take what they've learned about meditation one step further. Teach them to make their meditations Christ-centered
as they learn to relax and calm down. Teach them to pray,
over and over throughout the day, our beautiful Jesus
Prayer: Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me,
a sinner. Teach them to inhale when they say Lord, Jesus
Christ, Son of God, and exhale as they say have mercy on
me, a sinner. They will be practicing one form of Christian
meditation.
If you would like to learn more about Christian and
Catholic meditation there are excellent books available in
Catholic and Orthodox bookstores and on their websites.
You might also turn to Writings from The Philokalia on
Prayer of the Heart (translated by E. Kadloubovsky and G.
E. H. Palmer); The Art of Prayer, An Orthodox Anthology
(translated by E. Kadloubovsky and G. E. H. Palmer) and
The Jesus Prayer (a Monk Of The Eastern Church).

The following is a very concise summary of our traditional Lenten liturgical practice.
The weekdays of the Great Fast (Lent) are aliturgical days: no Divine Liturgy is celebrated except
for the Feast of the Annunciation. On Wednesdays
and Fridays of Lent, the Liturgy of the
Presanctified Gifts is to be celebrated in the
evening. Typika may be used on other days [if necessary]. For funerals during Great Lent; no Divine
Liturgy. The Divine Liturgy of St.Basil the Great is

to be celebrated on all the Sundays of Lent. During

Holy Week, the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts
is to be celebrated on Tuesday and Wednesday of
Holy Week. There is no Divine Liturgy celebrated
on Good Friday and Holy Saturday. On Holy
Saturday evening, Vespers with the Divine Liturgy
of St. Basil is celebrated as the first Paschal celebration.

NEW STAR

March, 2009

Why?/Why:
If a person goes to confession and he
and the priest do not speak the same
language, is the sacrament valid?
Yes.
The purpose of the confession is not
compromised by this particular circumstance, with a qualification, for the real
language of Confession is love. There is
the love of God, Who does not wish the
death of a sinner, but that he repent, and
live. There is the love of the penitent,
who, with remorse and guilt over wrongdoings endures the humbling act of selfaccusation. There is the love of the priest,
who stands not in judgment of the offender, but as a conduit of the forgiving grace
of the High Priest--Jesus--that he imparts,
freely.
Also, the verbal language of priest and
penitent is superceded by the "body language" of the participants.
Frequently we see depictions of a person standing before the icon of Christ on
the iconostas--the priest, with his epitrachil held in place atop the head of the
self- accused.
It is this act of contrition that speaks
volumes--not merely the words that accompany it. Particularly is this true when
a penitent has gone through the process of
approaching the priest after having attempted reconciliation with the one or
ones who by thought, word or deed he has
offended.
It is well to remember the instruction: If
you have any issue with another, that you
first take care to set it aside before "placing your gift upon the altar"--or in our
terminology: making a public statement
of your connection to God by receiving
His Precious Body and Blood in the Holy
Mystery of the Divine Eucharist.
There might be concern about "using"
the Sacrament as a convenient way to

By Fr Denny Molitvy

almost justify repetitive sins--after all,

there are some who erroneously feel that
forgiveness is just a matter of a quick
visit to confession, without real conviction of making life-changing choices to
not sin again. The "qualification"?: the
one confessing is not purposefully seeking a priest who does not understand his
language, so as to hide behind this deception. The sin compounds by this ruse.
If, however, there is a particular point
you might wish to discuss with your confessor, perhaps you could seek another
priest with whom you may be able to
have an in-depth conversation moving
toward an in-depth conversion.
As this issue of New Star appears, we
will be well into Lent. It is not too late to
realize that Lent is a way of building us
up to a better relationship with God and
our fellow human beings.
Lent is a time to grow into the name
"Christian" we began to carry at our own
baptism and Chrismation--bolstered and
nurtured by our reception of communion.
Confession is often viewed as a medicine for the soul--prescribed for those
who need it. It has been called a polish to
restore the tarnished (but not lost) image
of God we may have become through sin.
The validity of the sacrament, you see,
does not involve only the accidental
property of the priest and penitent understanding each other through language-but that the penitent understand his or her
own position within the Body of Christ,
His Church.
The validity is in your intention to
"come clean" with God. The priest is
there to help you along that way.
The validity is not a question of a
magic formula, but an indication of an
intention to validate the entire concept of
Reconciliation: Confession; Penance; and
Amendment.

15

Chicago Deanery Clergy Meet

Fifteen priests and deacons from
the Chicago Deanery met recently at
Nativity of the Blessed Virgin in
Palos Park, Illinois.
The meeting was called by the
protopresbyter, Very Rev Basil
Salkovski, OSBM as a follow-up
discussion of topics presented first
at last year's Clergy Conference in
May and expanded upon at the
Clergy Retreat in October. The
meeting focused upon implementing
several of the topics assigned to
"task forces" to identify various
needs of the eparchy, the deanery,
the parish, and the personnel. Areas
of concern were listed and time was
taken to discuss ways of improving
communication and effectiveness of
the varied ministries of the wide-

ranged sectors of the Eparchy.

Clergy from St Nicholas Cathedral, the Eparchial Chancery Staff,
and parishes of St Joseph the
Betrothed, St Michael and SS
Volodymy and Olha in Chicago met
along with those of Immaculate
Conception, Palatine and Nativity of
the BVM, Palos Park in Illinois, and
St Josaphat, in Munster, Indiana.
The mid-afternoon schedule began with prayer in the church from
the Hours. Then followed the business meeting. The day concluded
with a meal in the parish hall prepared by the host.
Among the discussions was the
scheduling of two more gatherings
this calendar year, at other parishes
of the deanery.

Chicago Deanery clergy met in late January for a deanery meeting in a

classroom at Nativity of the BVM Parish, Palos Park.
Attending were: Frs Mykola Buryadnyk, Tom Glynn, Volodymyr Hudzan,
James Karepin OP, Ihor Koshyk, Oleh Kryvokulsky, Mykhailo Kuzma,
John Lucas, Yaroslav Mendyuk, Bohdan Nalysnyk, Basil Salkovski, OSBM
and Demetrius Wysochansky OSBM, and Deacons Michael Cook,
Mychajlo Horodysky and Volodymyr Kushnir.

Questions for Why?/Why: by Fr Denny Molitvy may be sent to

Fr. Denny Molitvy; 2245 W Rice St; Chicago, IL 60622-4858
You may also send e-mail to: WhyWhyNewStar@cs.com.
Identify yourself by name and parish (which will not be publshed).
Individual replies are not possible.

True
Almost all of my formal education was spent in
Catholic schools. From my earliest days, I remember
being taught that we Catholics possessed the one true
faith. Back in those days, when all our services were in
Church Slavonic, I was totally unaware that this same
idea was sung in the Divine Liturgy: "We have seen the
true light." As a Dominican, I have learned that this
"true light" is so much more than mere assent to a number of dogmas or decrees; the words of a hymn bring
this out sharply: "May what is false within us before
Your truth give way" (Gulp!)
I am sure that by now you are bored silly with a
theme which runs through all my preaching and my
writing: icon. Nonetheless, I bring this theme up again
because it strongly marks the season in which we find
ourselves--namely, the Great Fast. Indeed, the First
Sunday of the Great Fast, called the Sunday of
Orthodoxy, emphasizes this importance: it commemorates the return to the churches of the icons, which had
been banished by the now defeated and discredited
Iconoclasts. Way back then, the victors in an ideological battle in effect did a victory dance, perhaps not
unlike the dance that football players do in the end zone
--as much to taunt their defeated opponents as to celebrate their success. With us, the restoration of the icons
is more than the commemoration of a historical victo-

ry; rather, it deals with the restoration of Christianity

within us.
We claim to be Christians--that is, people who carry
Christ. When people look at us and at our lives, they
should be able to recognize in us a credible icon of
Christ. During the Great Fast, we often contemplate the
face of Christ on the icon of the Holy Napkin; we often
refer to this image as the "icon not made with human
hands". If we lived the Christian life as Christ intends,
we too would be grace-filled icons "not made with
human hands". That's a big "if", for all too often our
actions belie the faith we profess with our lips and
which we seek to show in our worship. By our lives, we
disfigure the image of Christ which others seek in us both in what we do and in what we fail to do. The
eighth commandment forbids us to "bear false witness"
against our neighbor; by our sins of omission and of
commission, are we not bearing false witness to the
God who seeks to be manifest in and through us? Oh,
dear!
Not a pretty picture, is it? It's a wonder we can look
ourselves in the mirror every day! Perhaps that's why
we so often choose not to look at ourselves, but rather
to see a sanitized image of ourselves through rose-colored glasses, and to face the world from behind a mask
which hides all our "warts". The Great Fast is the time
when we are called upon to get rid of the mask and the
rose-colored glasses in order that our true situation may
become apparent. Back in the good old days, we used
to call this an examination of conscience.

The disfigurement from which we suffer may be

what we are truly experiencing, but it is not our true
selves; rather, the truth is that we are inflicting our
infirmity upon ourselves by our foolish choices. You
don't believe it? Ask someone who is involved in a
twelve-step program like Alcoholics Anonymous. We
all have some sort of "monkey on our backs"--be it
alcohol or some other "idol" which controls us and
consumes our time, our energy, our lives. The commercial for the U. S. Army echoes God's will for us: "Be all
that you can be"; as long as we remain slaves to sin, we
never will.
"May what is false within us before Your truth give
way" God wants us to be our true selves, to be fully
alive, to be so identified with Him that His divine life
animates us. How do we get that to happen? We need
to look ourselves in the mirror and realize that our
masks and our rose-colored glasses are hurting rather
than helping us, stunting our growth rather than fostering our life. Jesus tells us that He has come so that we
might have life and have it to the fullest (John 10:10).
This is Gospel truth. What is keeping us from embracing it, from enjoying it? When we find out and then get
rid of these obstacles, then and only then will we
understand what we mean when we sing "We have seen
the true light."
Fr Jim Karepin, op

16 NEW STAR

March, 2009

Benedict XVI Points to Ladder Leading to God

Considers Teaching of 7th Century Hermit
VATICAN CITY (Zenit.org ).- St. John Climacus might
have lived a hermit's life on Mt. Sinai some 1,400 years
ago, but he still has something to say to Christians today,
says Benedict XVI.
The Pope affirmed this at a general audience in Paul VI

Hall, during which he took up again his series dedicated to

great Christian writers of the East and West. Recently he
concluded a 20-catechesis series on St. Paul, in the context
of the Pauline Jubilee Year that ends in June.
[St] John Climacus, who lived approximately between
575 and 650, became famous with
his treatise on the spiritual life,
called the Ladder to Perfection.
[also known in the East as The
Ladder of Divine Ascent, ed].The
Holy Father considered John's
teachings in the treatise, which he
summarized in three stages.
The first stage is renouncing the
world and a return to "true childlikeness in the spiritual sense," he
said. The second is the fight against
the passions. In this stage, each rung
of the ladder is linked to a passion,
which, His Holiness explained, is
"defined and diagnosed, indicating
as well the therapy and proposing
the corresponding virtue."
"The whole of these steps
undoubtedly constitutes the most
important treatise of the spiritual
strategy that we possess," he said.
"The fight against the passions is
seen in a positive light--it's not
viewed as a negative thing--thanks
to the image of the 'fire' of the Holy
Spirit."
Finally, in the third stage, the path
of Christian perfection is developed
with seven rungs.
Benedict XVI explained: "These
are the highest phases of the spiritual life. []
"The last rung of the scale [] is
dedicated to the supreme 'trinity of
virtues': faith, hope and above all,

Paul and His Extraordinary

Spiritual Heritage
VATICAN CITY) - In a general audience dedicated to the
subject of St. Paul's martyrdom, the Pope brought to an
end his series of Pauline-Year catecheses dedicated to the
figure of the Apostle of the Gentiles.
The saint's martyrdom, said the Holy Father, "is first
related in the 'Acts of Paul' written towards the end of the
second century. They state that Nero condemned him to be
beheaded, and that the execution was summarily carried
out. The date of his death varies in the ancient sources,
which place it between the persecution unleashed by Nero
following the fire of Rome in summer 64, and the last year
of his reign, 68". According to tradition he was beheaded
at a place in Rome known as Tre Fontane (Three
Fountains), and buried on the Via Ostiense, where the
basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls, erected over his
tomb, stands today.
"In any case", he went on, "the figure of St. Paul towers
over the events of his earthly life and death. He left an
extraordinary spiritual heritage. His Letters soon entered
the liturgy where the structure: Prophet-Apostle-Gospel
would prove decisive for the form of the Liturgy of the
Word. Thanks to this 'presence', ... the Apostle has been,
since the very start, spiritual nourishment for the faithful of
all times".
"The Fathers of the Church, and later all theologians,
drew sustenance ... from his spirituality. For this reason he
has, for centuries, been the true Master and Apostle of the
Gentiles. ... To him St. Augustine owes the decisive step in
his own conversion, and St. Thomas Aquinas left a mag-

nificent commentary on his Letters, the finest fruit of

medieval exegesis. Another decisive moment was the sixteenth-century Protestant Reformation", when Luther
"found a new interpretation for the Pauline doctrine of justification which freed him from scruples and concern ...
and gave him a new and radical trust in the goodness of
God, Who forgives everything unconditionally. From that
moment Luther identified Judeo-Christian legalism--condemned by the Apostle--with the life of the Catholic
Church, while the Church herself appeared to him as
enslaved to the Law, with which he contrasted the freedom
of the Gospel.
"The Council of Trent", the Holy Father added, "provided a profound interpretation of the question of justification
and found, in line with all Catholic tradition, a synthesis
between the Law and the Gospel, in conformity with the
message of Scripture considered in its entirety and unity.
"The nineteenth century, drawing on the finest elements
of Enlightenment tradition, saw a fresh revival of Pauline
studies in the field of academic research, of historical-critical interpretation of Sacred Scripture. ... The new
Paulinism of that century considered the concept of freedom as a central part of the Apostle's thought, ... and he is
presented almost as a new founder of Christianity. What is
certain is that in St. Paul the centrality of the Kingdom of
God ... is transformed into the centrality of Christology, the
decisive moment of which is the Paschal Mystery whence
derive the Sacraments of Baptism and the Eucharist, as a
permanent presence of this mystery thanks to which the

charity. Regarding charity, [St] John speaks also of eros-human love--figure of the matrimonial union of the soul
with God. And he chooses yet again the image of fire to
express the ardor, light and purification of love by God.
"[St] John is convinced that an intense experience of
this eros makes the soul advance more than the hard fight
against the passions, because its power is great."
At the end of the ladder comes God himself, who John
portrays as saying: "May this ladder teach you the spiritual disposition of the virtues. I am at the top of this ladder,
as that great mystic of mine said--St. Paul: Now therefore
three things remain: faith, hope and love, and the greatest
of these is love."
The Pope acknowledged that it could seem that [St]
John's teaching cannot say anything to today's Christian.
"But," he said, "if we look a little closer, we see that
such a monastic life is only a great symbol of the life of
the baptized, of Christian life. It shows, to say it one way,
in large letters what we write every day with little letters.
It is a prophetic symbol that reveals what is the life of the
baptized, in communion with Christ, with his death and
resurrection."
And, he noted: "For me, it is of particular importance
the fact that the culmination of the scale, the last rungs, are
at the same time the fundamental, initial, simplest virtues:
faith, hope and charity.
"These are not virtues accessible only to moral heroes,
but are the gift of God for all the baptized. In them our life
too grows. The beginning is also the end; the starting point
is also the arriving point."
Thus, the Holy Father called Christians to learn from
John's teaching on the theological virtues, particularly
hope that makes charity possible.
"Only in this extension of our soul, in this self-transcendence, our life is made great and we can bear the
tiredness and disillusionment of each day, we can be good
to others without expecting a reward," he said.
"Let us use, therefore, this ladder of faith, of hope and
of charity," the Pontiff concluded, "and we will thus arrive
to true life."

Body of Christ
grows and the
Church is constructed".
Over the last two
hundred years in
the field of Pauline
studies "there has
been
increasing
convergence between Catholic and
Protestant exegesis,
and conformity is
being discovered
on the very point
that gave rise to the
greatest historical
disagreement. This represents a great hope for the cause of
ecumenism, so fundamental for Vatican Council II".
The Pope went on to mention a number of Paulineinspired religious movements that have come into being in
Catholic Church during the modern age, such as "the
Congregation of St. Paul in the sixteenth century, ... the
Missionaries of St. Paul in the nineteenth century ... and
the Pauline Family or Secular Institute of the Company of
St. Paul in the twentieth century".
"Standing before us", he concluded, "is the shining figure of an Apostle and of a fruitful and profound Christian
thinker, proximity to whom benefits us all. ... Drawing
from him, both from his apostolic example and his doctrine, will be a stimulus for us, if not a guarantee, to consolidate our Christian identity and invigorate the entire
Church".

March, 2009

NEW STAR

Bartholomew I Foresees
Orthodox Unity with Kirill
Proposes a Convocation of the Grand Synod
MOSCOW, (Zenit.org ).- The Ecumenical Patriarch
of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, expressed hope
that the election of Kirill as Patriarch of Moscow and
All Russia will bring greater unity among the
Orthodox Churches.
Bartholomew I made
this known in his message to the new Russian
patriarch on the occasion
of his enthronement in
Moscow reported L'Osservatore Romano. He
expressed the hope that
this event will be a step
forward toward the celebration of "The Great and
Holy Synod" that gathers
together all the Orthodox
Churches.
The message was
delivered to Patriarch
Kirill by Archbishop
Ireneus of Crete, head of
the delegation of the
Ecumenical Patriarch in
Moscow.
It read, "The expectations of the Church of
Constantinople are many
and are focused above all
on unity and good will,
as well as the common
path toward the organization and convocation of the

Great Synod, which has been announced for some

time."
The celebration of the Great Synod "should be
accelerated in order to preserve the credibility of the
Orthodox Church and the cooperation with the other
Christian
Churches
when the theological
discussions have finished," added the Patriarch.
He affirmed that "the
peaceful solution of
bilateral
divergences
and other issues that
have come up in time"
also necessitates the
unity between Orthodox
Christians.
Furthermore, he added, Christians should
face together "the socioeconomic
problems
which affect the contemporary world," as well as
the "challenges of bioethics."
Bartholomew I described Kirill as "an
active and creative man"
and "a man of proven
ecclesial value, characterized by wisdom and
by his contribution to the unity of Christians."

Church in India Hailed as "Reference Point"

Despite Difficulties, Church Continues Forward
VATICAN CITY (Zenit.org ).- The Church in India is a
"reference point" for the region, says a Vatican official
who is urging the faithful to continue to support it.
Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, prefect of the Congregation for Eastern Churches, affirmed this in an address
to the Reunion of Aid Agencies for the Oriental
Churches [ROACO], at their January 26-30 general
assembly.
The Church in India suffered violent persecution this
year at the hands of Hindu-extremists, with several
Christians being killed and thousands losing goods and
property.
Referring to his November visit to India, the cardinal
spoke about the pastoral needs he observed, especially
of the Eastern Catholic Churches in that country.
He described his trip as "a pilgrimage of peace to
India in the footsteps of the saints and blesseds of the
Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankar Churches."
Cardinal Sandri said that his presence was particular-

ly significant in light of the recent violent acts against

Christians in Orissa. "I made constant reference to tragic events in my speeches," he noted, "assuring [the people of India] of the care, affection and prayers of the
Pope and of all the Church."
The prefect said that in spite of all the hardships, he
met an ecclesial community, alive and "planning for
the future, with good hopes for the considerable development that they are experiencing, even among old and
new difficulties and problems."
He said that the Church continues to offer its support
in many of the social sectors, with aid that is appreciated by the people. One particular project of the Church
is to offer assistance to the Indian laypeople who emigrate to other countries, to give missionary aid to the
universal Church.
Hence, the cardinal stated, "I feel the duty to recommend constant support for the Church in India, a real
reference point in the territory."

STEPHANIE GABRO

Sister of First Eparch Dies, Age 91

Active Member of Cathedral Parish
Stephanie Gabro, sister of Bishop JAROSLAV
(Gabro), first Eparch of St Nicholas Eparchy in
Chicago, died February 4, 2009, at age 91.
She was born in Chicago, June 23, 1917, to +John
and +Katherine (nee:Tymush) Gabro, She was also
predeceased by her sister and brother, +Marianne
Horyn and +Bishop JAROSLAV.
During her lifetime she was an active member of St.
Nicholas Cathedral Parish, and for a long while was a
member of the St. Nicholas Cathedral Choir, Lysenko.

Funeral services were on

Saturday and Sunday, February
7 and 8 at Muzyka Funeral
Home. She was taken Monday
morning, February 10 to the
Cathedral where the funeral
was celebrated. Burial was in
the family plot at St. Nicholas
Cemetery.
May her memory be eternal!

17

Kirill Notes Hope to

Team With Benedict XVI
Long-Awaited Pope-Patriarch
Meeting Foreseen
MOSCOW, (Zenit.org).- Patriarch Kirill expressed a
desire to cooperate with Benedict XVI, bridging the
Russian Orthodox and Catholic Churches, in order to
promote Christian values to the world.
The Moscow Patriarchate reported on its Web site
that Patriarch Kirill affirmed "the hope that relations
between the two Churches would further develop in an
atmosphere of mutual trust and cooperation, primarily
in defending and asserting the traditional Christian values in Europe and in the world as a whole."
He noted the similarity in positions held by the
Orthodox and Catholic Churches regarding many
issues in contemporary society, and stated the hope that
this will be the groundwork for cooperation.
Regarding a long-awaited meeting between the Pope
and Patriarch, a Russian Orthodox official said that
there are no "principled obstacles" to it, but that he
doubts it could happen as early as 2009.
Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin, the deputy head of the
Department of External Affairs of the Moscow
Patriarchate, said that it "is possible to reach an agreement [between the Russian Orthodox Church and the
Roman Catholic Church] even today, but unfortunately it will take time," the Russian Interfax news service
reported.
Archpriest Chaplin contended that both the Patriarch
and the Pope are not primarily concerned about
"human feelings" but about the "preservation of the
belief, unity and peace" of their Churches.
"Therefore the power of the Patriarch, despite its
external volume, is restricted by a great number of factors, primarily the opinions of the believers, the clergy
and the bishops," he said.
As Metropolitan and president of the Department of
External Affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate, Kirill met
for the first time with Benedict XVI shortly after his
papal installation in April, 2005. They met again in
May, 2006 and December, 2007.

Note of the Vatican

Secretary of State
on lifting excommunication of
bishops of Society of St Pius X
In connection with misunderstanding caused by
the fact that Pope Benedict XVI lifted the punishment of excommunication from four Lefebvrite
bishops, on February 4, 2009, the Secretary of
State of the Holy See published a note with proper
explanations.
The note, in particular, explains that the lifting of
the excommunication from these bishops releases
them from severe Church punishment. However, it
does not change the official status of the Society of
Saint Pius X, which at this time does not have official acknowledgment in the Church.
The document explains that a necessary condition for regulating the legal status of the Society of
Saint Pius X is full acceptance on the part of its
members of the Second Vatican Council and the
teachings of the Universal Hierarchs [Popes] after
the council.
[Nothing has been mentioned to lift the excommunications recently pronounced on the
"Lefevberite" followers in Ukraine. Neither do the
four bishops liberated from the excommunication
have any canonical function in the Church and they
do not licitly exercise a ministry in it (ed.)]
www.oecumene.radiovaticana.org/ucr/Articolo.asp
Translated by
the Information Department of the UGCC

18

NEW STAR

St. Nicholas Cathedral School

Rolls Out Welcome Mat
A warm welcome was extended to the with scholarships, at the area's top private
entire community by St. Nicholas Cathedral and public schools. Many go on to win
School on Sunday, January 25, 2009 when it scholastic honors.
held an Open House as part of Catholic
"We continue a long tradition of sound
Schools Week in Chicago.
education enriched by our cultural herA strategic campaign was launched weeks itage," says Principal Maria Klysh-Finiak
earlier, with posters and leaflets announcing (Class of '68): "Our students score abovethe event in stores, libraries, financial insti- average in standardized tests in each grade
tutions, coffee houses, supermarkets, and level. We raise the academic bar at St.
churches. Church bulletins, newspaper ads
and web announcements were part of the
promotion,
supplementing a direct mailing to 3,000 families in
the surrounding area. A
video commercial was
created and posted on
YouTube.
On an unseasonably
cold day, with the
streets covered in snow,
multi-colored balloons
festooned the school
building to welcome
visitors. Members of
The girls' varsity volleyball team staged a scrimmage
the administration, facfor visitors in the school gym.
ulty, staff, students,
alumni, and parents
were present to tell the story of a school Nicholas to challenge our students."
with a distinguished history and an enviable
St. Nicholas offers a NAEYC-accredited
record of excellence in education.
Early Childhood program for three- and
Located in the heart of the Ukrainian four-year-olds in addition to the standard
Village and conveniently accessible to the kindergarten and grade 1 through 8 elemenLoop, the school has provided not only a tary school curriculum. An after-school prosuperior learning environment, but also a gram makes it convenient for parents comfirm foundation in Ukrainian language and muting from the suburbs who work in the
culture with an understanding of the tradi- Loop (about one mile from the school) to
tions of the Byzantine Church. St. Nicholas pick up children after the work day.
Cathedral School has been a full-day school
"For Ukrainian families in particular, this
for more than 70 years with numerous is a very effective way to provide a
school clubs and an extended after-school Ukrainian education within an outstanding
program, and since 1906, has offered academic program," explains Very Rev.
Ukrainian studies for interested youth.
Bohdan Nalysnyk, Rector of St. Nicholas
Many Ukrainian community leaders took Cathedral. "We have invested considerable
resources to
make it possible to ensure
that
future
generations
benefit from
our rich religious and cultural heritage.
Our goal is to
make it as
convenient as
possible for
parents to take
advantage of
it."
Informal groups gathered for conversation
At the Open
and refreshments during the Open House.
House, visitors
their first academic steps at St. Nicholas. were able to tour each classroom, enjoy
Alumni include the nation's current refreshments in the school cafeteria,
Assistant Surgeon General, two Olympians, observe the award-winning varsity volleya state senator, two state representatives, as ball team scrimmage, view artwork created
well as many doctors, lawyers, educators, by the students for the commemoration of
journalists and other professionals of the the 75th anniversary of the Ukrainian
Chicago and national Ukrainian-American Genocide "Holodomor" and meet recent
community.
graduates and many older alumni.
The focus at St. Nicholas is to provide a
Parents or grandparents interested in
solid grounding in academics with an enrolling students at St.Nicholas may conemphasis on discipline, character, integrity, tact the school to receive an information
values and an appreciation of cultural dif- folder.
ferences within a nurturing educational
Call 773-384-7243: or write to us through
environment. Graduates are accepted, often email stnicholascathedral@yahoo.com

March, 2009

Chicago Carols in Unison

to Benefit St. Nicholas
Cathedral School
On Sunday, February 1, a special concert of Christmas Carols
was held in St. Nicholas
Cathedral. A number of Chicago's
Ukrainian choirs collaborated to
provide financial assistance to an
elementary school that, since
1936, educated and nurtured children. This noble effort was fostered by the choral groups of
Ukrainian Catholic and Orthodox
churches, as well as a youth choir
and a civic choir. The concert
program was coordinated by professor Michael Holian, a music
educator and conductor of the
Northwest Symphony Orchestra.
Ukrainian
education
was
offered at St. Nicholas parish from
its beginnings in 1906, more than
100 years ago, with after-school
and Saturday classes. A fullschedule accredited elementary
school was founded 30 years later,
with the construction of a school
building for an eight-year program that included daily classes in
Ukrainian language, culture and
history.
The massive influx of Ukrainian immigrants in the 1950s overwhelmed the capacity of the existing school building, so a new
building was erected next to it.
The two buildings are still known
as the "old" school and the "new"
school. Enrollment in the school
peaked at 1,200 students.
As the community grew and
prospered, families moved to the
suburbs for better housing and
enrolled children in the schools in
their new neighborhoods. This
took a toll on the Ukrainian elementary school.
Enrollment
declined considerably, while the
costs of supporting staff and facilities grew.
The critical need of supporting
an institution where students benefit from daily instruction in

Ukrainian, can join choirs performing Ukrainian music or participate in dramatic presentations
marking Ukrainian historic and
cultural events is recognized by
the community. Thus the project
to assist the school financially,
particularly in the season of giving, was organized by the area's
many parishes and community
organizations.
The resulting Christmas concert, "Caroling Together," began
with a welcome from the rector of
the Cathedral, the Very Reverend
Bohdan Nalysnyk. The program
of some twenty carols featured the
St. Nicholas Cathedral School
Choir, conducted by Irena
Dychyj; Irmos, the choir of St.
Joseph the Betrothed Ukrainian
Catholic Church, conducted by
Marko Krutiak; the St. Nicholas
Cathedral Choir Slavuta, conducted by Oksana Petriv, Fr Deacon
Mychajlo Horodyskyj, sloist; the
combined choirs of St. Volodymyr
and St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Churches, directors Wolodymyr Popowycz and Taras
Rudenko; the Sts. Volodymyr and
Olha Ukrainian Catholic Church
choir Blahovist, conducted by
Olena Novyk; Surma choir, conducted by Zeponid Modrytskyj
with soloist Oksana Oleksyn; and
the SUMA Mykola Pavlushko
branch choir, conducted by
Wolodymyr Popowycz.
The assembled audience raised
$2,448 for the school, which was
the frosting on the cake for an
event that generated so much
good will and cheer. The clergy,
principal, teachers, and students
expressed their sincere gratitude
to the choirs and to the audience
for their participation and generosity, a great lesson of goodness
and grace on a winter Sunday
afternoon.

St. Nicholas Cathedral School Choir

with director Irena Dychyj,
was only one of the several choral groups

NEW STAR

March, 2009

19

Postulant Enters Novitiate of the Contemplative Nuns

of the Order of St. Basil the Great
On February 2, the Feast of the Encounter of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, His Excellency Bishop
Paul Chomnycky, OSBM, Eparch of Stamford, celebrated a Divine Liturgy and Basilian monastic
Investiture Ceremony at St. Andrew the Apostle

Evangelist Catholic Church, Goshen, New York, and

Robert Moreno, Pastor of Anne Marie's home parish of
St. Basil Ukrainian Catholic Church, Lancaster, New
York.
Sisters of the Order of St. Basil the Great from
Philadelphia and New York City joined
the Contemplative Nuns in singing the
responses for the Divine Liturgy and
the Investiture Ceremony. Family
members and friends were also among
the approximately 50 people who
attended.
Candidate Anne Marie Loscocco had
entered the Sacred Heart Monastery of
the Contemplative Nuns of the Order of
St. Basil the Great in Middletown, New
York, on the Feast of the Annunciation
of the Mother of God, March 25, 2008.
During the Investiture Ceremony,
Postulant Anne Marie prostrated on the
floor while the Sisters sang the Troparia of St. Basil and St. Macrina, and
Kondaks of the Mother of God and the
Resurrection. Bishop Paul then quesPostulant Anne Marie Loscocco prostrates and begs God for
tioned Anne Marie about her intentions
the forgiveness of her sins and for the courage
and blessed the religious garb she was
to embrace the penitential life.
to receive. He gave her the monastic
Ukrainian Catholic Church in Campbell Hall, New tonsure (cutting the hair in the form of a cross as a
York, at which Postulant Anne Marie Loscocco token of renunciation of the world), at which time she
received the habit of the Contemplative Nuns of the received the name, Sister Teresa. Bishop Paul then
Order of St. Basil the Great.
prayed over each item of the religious garb, proclaimConcelebrating with Bishop Paul were the Very Rev. ing the symbolic meaning of each, before handing it to
Yaroslav Kostyk, Pastor of St. Andrew's Church, and her: habit (joy and exultation, resisting of temptations),
Rev. John Lundberg of Middletown. Also in atten- cincture (truth, mortification of the flesh), scapular
dance were Frs. Robert K. Wilson of St. John the (incorruptible chastity), cap (helmet of salvation) and

Excerpts from Audio Book of

His Beatitude on YouTube
Excerpts from the first audio book of
His Beatitude Lubomyr, which was
released under the name The Way to
One's Self, on February 5, 2009, is
accessible for viewing in video format
on YouTube. Offered are four fragments in which His Beatitude talks
about bribery, money and whether it is
an unquestionable evil, about relations
between young and older people and
about attitudes toward each as human
beings. The same excerpts have also

A video capture of the

Ukrainian-language YouTube
presentation from Patriarch Lubomyr.
been placed on the official web-page of
the UGCC in the section "Video files"
at: www.ugcc.org.ua/59.0.html.
The company YouTube, founded in
February 2005, is the leader in the area
of Internet video. The site YouTube is
first of all intended for viewing and
placing videos created by Internet
users. YouTube allows one easily to
load and show video files on web sites,

mobile devices, blogs, and to send them

with e-mails. In order to find the video
excerpts which we uploaded, it is better
to use the search engine on the site of
YouTube, setting the "search words" (in
Latin letters) "Huzar."
The collection on three audio disks
with the talks of His Beatitude
Lyubomyr was presented for the first
time on January 10, 2009, in Kyiv. This
is the first audio project of the
Patriarch, who, using the newest technology, can offer listeners his reasoning
in relation to important public and religious questions.
Considering the amount of inquiries
from interested persons, the publishers
decided to increase the general amount
of copies of the audio book to 50 thousand. In addition, already in the near
future the next audio project of the
Patriarch will be recorded and released.
The money raised from sales of the
compact disk will be used for the construction of the Patriarchal Cathedral of
the Resurrection of Christ of the UGCC
in Kyiv. From the beginning of
February the audio book can be purchased in parishes of the Church, [in
Ukraine] and there are also negotiations
about distribution of the disks in supermarket chains of large cities of
Ukraine.
Information Department
of the UGCC

veil (humility, obedience), and chotki/rosary (spiritual

sword, the word of God).
After Sister Teresa was clothed in the habit, Bishop
Paul gave her a candle, admonishing her to be a light to
the world by a chaste and virtuous life. This Investiture
Ceremony marked Sister Teresa's entrance into the
Novitiate.
Following the Divine Liturgy and Investiture
Ceremony, the Pastor of St. Andrew's, his family and
parishioners hosted a reception in the parish hall.
Afterwards, friends and family members visited the
Contemplative Nuns at Sacred Heart Monastery, and
Rev. Robert Moreno celebrated a Panakhyda for Sister
Teresa's parents and for the deceased Nuns of Sacred
Heart Monastery.

Bishop PAUL (Chomnycky, OSBM), gives Anne Marie

the monastic tonsure (cutting of hair)
as a sign of her renunciation of the world.

Sign Language Recording of Liturgy

Prepared in Lviv
In Lviv a DVD-disk was prepared by
which the Divine Liturgy became more
accessible for persons with hearing
defects. On the disk the Liturgy with
sign language translation is
presented.
Also the
disk contains a dictionary of
theological
terms
in
sign language.
Over a
two-year
period with
Cover of the sign language DVD presentation. the cooperation of different specialists this disk was created.
Involved in the work were theologians,
sign language translators, and persons
with hearing defects. The presentation of
the disk will take place on February 4 at
the Ukrainian Catholic University.
In addition, the Patriarchal Catechetical Commission of the UGCC and the
Catechetical-Pedagogical Institute of
UCU are presenting other new printed
and multimedia materials which recently
came out thanks to cooperation with the
publishing house Svichado and multimedia studio Svichado. In particular, the
Ukrainian translation of The Catechism
of the Catholic Church: Compendium,

the DVD "Paul, from Tarsus to the

World", the DVD "The Holy Sacraments
of Christian Initiation," and the CD
"Song of the Heart-2008."
The program of the presentation:
1. Sister Luiza Ciupa, SSMI, director of
the Catechetical-Pedagogical Institute,
will open the event with a short presentation of each edition.
2. Fr. Taras Barschevskyj, assistant
director of the Catechetical-Pedagogical
Institute, participant of the working
group which carried out the verification
of the translation and theological editing,
will present the Ukrainian translation of
The Catechism of the Catholic Church:
Compendium.
3. Oksana Boyko, co-coordinator of programs of catechism for the deaf and
mute, co-coordinator of work on the
disk, will present the DVD "Divine
Liturgy with sign language translation
and dictionary of theological terms in
sign language."
4. Paul Skovronskyj, director of the
Multimedia studio Svichado, will talk
about the newest projects of the studio.
We sincerely invite all those interested
and representatives of the mass-media!
Information Department of the UGCC

20

NEW STAR

New Syriac Patriarch Brings

Ministry Experience
from America
VATICAN CITY, (Zenit.org).- Benedict other lands, Benedict XVI urged the
XVI is mindful of Eastern Catholics liv- Patriarch to give them pastoral attention
ing outside of their motherlands, and is so that they can "fruitfully remain conasking the new Patriarch of Antioch of nected to their religious roots."
the Syrians to help them protect their
"Thus, the ties will be even stronger
spiritual heritage. Its see is in Beirut, with the motherland, which so many
Lebanon, and in its liturgy, it still uses Eastern [Christians] have had to leave in
Aramaic, the language spoken by Christ search of better conditions of life," he
The Pope said this when he addressed said.
His Beatitude IGNACE YOUSSIF III
Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, prefect of
(Younan), elected at a synod in Rome. the Congregation for Eastern Churches,
The new Patriarch was born in Syria in presided over the synod that elected the
1944, but since 1986, has served at the new Patriarch, who following Syriac traEparchy of Our Lady of Deliverance in Newark, New Jersey.
The Holy Father urged the
Patriarch and Syriac Catholics to be
beacons of peace in the Middle
East, "where the Syrian Church has
an appreciated historical presence."
"My desire is that in the East,
from where the proclamation of the
Gospel came, the Christian communities continue living and giving
testimony of their faith, as they
have done throughout the centuries," he added.
The Pope also urged the Patriarch
to take up the call to evangelize,
"without losing your proper identity
and bringing the mark of Eastern
spirituality," so that "using the
words of the East and the West, the
Church speaks effectively of Christ
to contemporary man."
"In this way, Christians will face
His Beatitude IGNACE YOUSSIF III (Younan),
the most urgent challenges of
Patriarch of Antioch of the Syrians
humanity," he continued, "building
up peace and universal solidarity,
and they will give testimony of the 'great dition took the name Ignace, in honor of
hope' of which they are tireless messen- St. Ignatius of Antioch. The Pope immegers."
diately conceded him ecclesiastical
Recalling Syriac Christians living in communion in a letter.

On January 18th Father Theodore Wroblicky celebrated the 10th anniversary of his ordination to the holy priesthood. Fr. Ted is also a chaplain of
Knights of Columbus Arden-Carmichael Council 4970, The picture was taken
at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy at Christ the King Retreat Center,
Citrus Heights, California, where Holy Wisdom Mission celebrates Divine
Liturgy regularly. Parishioners, Knights and their families, religious, friends
and Color Corps members participated in the Liturgy.
Fr. Deacon Alexander Wroblicky served as deacon in the Liturgy. Fr.
William Dohman, first pastor of Holy Wisdom; Fr. Dennis Smolarski, S.J.; Fr.
Stanislaw Zak; and Archimandrite Mark Melone concelebrated the Divine
Liturgy. Richard Cuny and Cole Sikorsky served. Two Color Corps Sir Knights
led the processions into the church and the Entrance with the Gospel Book.
Dr. George Kostyrko, a founding parishioner and Cantor, led the responses of
the faithful during the Divine Liturgy. Afterwards, a luncheon was enjoyed by
all who joined in the celebration.

March, 2009

Information for Bulletin Board is taken

from parish weekly bulletins. Send your
church bulletin or short items to New Star.

Within a few days of publication, New Star began to receive

responses to our survey--from
Michigan, Nebraska, Indiana
California and Wisconsin, as
well as Illinois. After the April 1
due date--results will be tallied
and published.
Thank you!
The weekly
bulletin of
St Michaels
in Grand Rapids,
Michigan, included
an easy-to-read
Nativity of the BVM in Palos Park parishseries of items to
ioners read words of appreciation from Fr Basil
help parishioners
Salkovski, OSBM on the occasion of their
understand the conrecognition of his Twentieth Anniversary of
cept of forgiveness
Ordination.
and its relation to
Prodigal Son
Parishioners of St Michaels in Chicago were
Sunday--and to life
quite pleasantly surprised to receive a copy of a
today.
web site forum printout written by a visitor
after the most welcoming experience in an
Eastern Church in my life.
St Nicholas Cathedral was visited by
a represntative from Knights of
Columbus in New Haven, Connecticut, to
explore the possibilities of establishing a
local council.

Interim Report: Share 2008--Ukrainian Catholic Appeal

Parish
City, State
Assumption of the BVM Parish - Omaha, NE
Dormition of the Mother of God Parish - Phoenix, AZ
Holy Apostles Mission - Berryton, KS
Holy Ascension Mission - Plymouth, MI
Holy Wisdom Mission - Citrus Heights, CA
Immaculate Conception Parish - Hamtramck, MI
Immaculate Conception Parish - Palatine, IL
Immaculate Conception Parish - San Francisco, CA
Nativity of the BVM Parish - Los Angeles, CA
Nativity of the BVM Parish - Palos Park, IL
Nativity of the Mother of God Parish - Springfield, OR
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish - La Mesa, CA
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish - Dearborn Hts, MI
Protection of the Mother of God Parish - Houston, TX
St. Andrew Mission - Sacramento, CA
St. Constantine Parish - Minneapolis, MN
St. Demetrius Parish - Belfield, ND
St. George Parish - Lincoln, NE
St. John the Baptist Parish - Belfield, ND
St. John the Baptist Parish - Detroit, MI
St. Josaphat Parish - Munster, IN
St. Josaphat Parish - Warren, MI
St. Joseph Parish - St. Joseph, MO
St. Joseph Parish - Chicago, IL
St. Mary's Assumption Parish - St. Louis, MO
St. Michael Mission - Minot, ND
St. Michael Parish - Mishawaka, IN
St. Michael Parish - Tucson, AZ
St. Michael Parish - Chicago, IL
St. Michael Parish - Milwaukee, WI
St. Michael Parish - Grand Rapids, MI
St. Michael the Archangel Parish - Dearborn, MI
St. Nicholas Cathedral - Chicago, IL
St. Paul Mission - Flagstaff, AZ
St. Peter Eastern Catholic Mission - Ukiah, CA
St. Sophia Mission - Honolulu, HI
St. Sophia Parish - The Colony, TX
St. Stephen Mission - St. Paul, MN
St. Vladimir Parish - Flint, MI
St. Volodymyr Mission - Santa Clara, CA
Sts. Peter and Paul Parish - Wilton, ND
Sts. Volodymyr and Olha Parish - Chicago, IL
Transfiguration Parish - Denver, CO
Zarvanycia Mission - Seattle, WA
Friends of St. Nicholas Eparchy
Totals

* Adjustment from previous report

Goal
$ 3,240.00
$12,000.00
$ 1,000.00
$ 1,000.00
$ 1,200.00
$13,860.00
$ 6,840.00
$ 2,400.00
$10,650.00
$ 7,860.00
$ 3,600.00
$ 7,680.00
$ 8,400.00
$ 9,960.00
$ 1,000.00
$13,980.00
$ 3,000.00
$ 1,000.00
$ 2,220.00
$ 7,980.00
$ 5,640.00
$44,040.00
$ 1,200.00
$19,920.00
$ 2,340.00
$ 1,140.00
$ 3,900.00
$ 1,500.00
$1 ,000.00
$ 6,300.00
$ 6,000.00
$ 1,260.00
$55,080.00
$ 1,000.00
$ 1,000.00
$ 1,000.00
$ 3,720.00
$ 1,000.00
$ 1,800.00
$ 1,000.00
$ 1,500.00
$60,300.00
$ 7,800.00
$ 3,300.00
$351,610.00

As of: 2-19-09
$ 1,000.00
$
140.00
$
200.00
$
0.00
$ 1,520.00
$ 3,050.00
$ 3,210.00
* $
800.00
$ 3,275.00
$ 1,860.00
$ 1,545.00
$
350.00
$ 1,105.00
$
135.00
$
100.00
$ 1,745.00
$ 4,570.00
$
120.00
$ 3,100.00
$ 1,500.00
$
464.00
$ 4,395.00
$
0.00
$ 2,380.00
$
225.00
$
700.00
$ 1,350.00
$ 1,981.00
$
750.00
$
675.00
$
515.00
$
300.00
$ 9,770.00
$
0.00
$
20.00
$
0.00
$ 1,225.00
$
0.00
$ 2,075.00
$
450.00
$
970.00
$ 2,985.00
$ 3,135.00
$ 2,125.00
$ 8,825.00
$ 84,240.00

NEW STAR

March, 2009

21

Patriarch in Uzhhorod for

Patriarch Leads Prayer for Unity
On Monday January 19, in the most difficult to execute." According to
40th Day of Bishop IVAN (Semedi) Church
of the Annunciation of the Most His Beatitude the following are signs of
On January 14, 2009, on the day of the
Feast of the Circumcision of Our Lord
God and Savior Jesus Christ, at the
Cathedral Church of the Mukachevo
Greek Catholic Eparchy in the city of
Uzhhorod, on the fortieth day after the
death of Bishop IVAN (Semedi), a Divine
Liturgy in his memory was celebrated.
The service, in concelebration with
Bishop BOHDAN (Dzyurakh), Secretary
of the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC,
was celebrated by Bishop MILAN
(Sasik), Apostolic Administrator of the
Mukachevo Greek Catholic Eparchy. A
participant in the general prayer was His
Beatitude LUBOMYR.
In his sermon the Patriarch drew the
attention of the participants of the joint
prayer to the endurance in the faith of
the deceased hierarch: "Today we gather
on the fortieth day after the death of
Bishop IVAN (Semedi). But this prayer is
not a simple divine service on the fortieth day for a deceased person. Today we
recall the memory of the confessor of
faith, one who in the hardest times of
persecution was a leader of our Church.
What is striking in his life is his faith,"
His Beatitude LUBOMYR said.
Then His Beatitude recalled the first

visit of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic

bishops to Rome, noting: "With what
deference and love His Holiness John
Paul II welcomed the bishops of our persecuted Church!"
"Today all of us want with our whole
heart to thank God that He gave us such
bishops, that He gave us such people
who in the worst times of persecution
kept the faith. This is God's great gift for
our Church. We want to thank also all
those people, and today especially
Bishop IVAN, for accepting the divine
grace and holding fast in the holy faith.
If they had not kept the holy faith, we
would not be here and the Catholic
Church would not exist in our land. But
they were able to accept the divine grace
and hold fast in the holy faith. We want
to thank them very much for this," the
preacher noted.
Upon completion of the prayer Bishop
MILAN thanked His Beatitude LUBOMYR
for his personal presence. And as a
memorial of his visit to the Mukachevo
Greek Catholic Eparchy, he presented
him with a copy of a miraculous icon of
the Most Holy Mother of God.

Holy Mother of God, His Beatitude

Lubomyr began the annual Week of
Prayer for Christian Unity. Talking to
those participating in the prayers,
Patriarch Lubomyr noted in particular:
"We human beings are called to make
happen on the earth this unity which
God enjoys: three persons--one God,
absolute unity. Unity is the special sign
of human beings. Only human beings
can be indeed united. To be united is the
greatest, the most worthy in all things of
human nature, and that is why it is the

Information Department of the UGCC

unity: when people want to be together,

respect each other, support and defend
each other, and so on. An example of
such unity is the Church, in which a
community of human beings gathers
together in order to live and interact.
"Why do people divide?"--he asked.
He answered: "Because they do not
comprehend unity or feel responsible
for it. Living divided, we do not imitate
the principle of the life of the Holy
Trinity."

Participants in Week of Christian Unity with His Beatitude.

Seminary Officials Meet in Brazil

CURITIBA, Brazil: On Wednesday, February 4,
2009 the first meeting of the newly-established
Patriarchal Commission for Priestly Formation in
Seminaries of the Ukrainian Catholic Church began
with a celebration of the Divine Liturgy in St. John
the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral in Curitiba.
The Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Bishop KEN
(Nowakowski), the head of the Patriarchal
Commission and Eparch of New Westminster for
Ukrainian Catholics in British Columbia and the
Yukon, Canada, Bishop. VOLODYMYR (Kubech
OSBM), Eparch of St. John the Baptist Ukrainian
Catholic Eparchy of Brazil along with Auxiliary
Bishops MYRON (Mazur OSBM), and DANIEL
(Kozlinskyi), and the rectors and spiritual directors
of The Ukrainian Catholic seminaries of North and
South America also celebrated the opening liturgy.
Bishop Volodymyr welcomed the participants of
the meeting and read a letter of greeting from
Patriarch LUBOMYR (Husar). In this letter, the patriarch offered his full support and urged the participants to make bold decisions in developing the program of priestly formation so as to provide the
Church with holy and highly qualified priests.
Rev. Dr. Michael Kwiatkowskyi, spiritual director
of Holy Spirit Seminary, Ottawa, Canada lead the
participants of the meeting in a meditation on Jesus
Christ, the High Priest. Based mainly on Sacred
Scripture, in particular the Letter to the Hebrews and
the "Priestly prayer of Christ" John 17, a presentation was made of Jesus's example of priestly ministry
and especially how Christ and His priests collaborate
in the realization of this priesthood in today's
Church.
Bishop. EFRAIM (Krevei OSBM), emeritus bishop
of Brazil, Bishop DIONISII (Liakhovych OSBM),
Apostolic Visitator for Ukrainian Catholics in Italy,
Spain and Very Rev. Theodoro Haliskyi OSBM,
Provincial Superior of the Order of Basilians of Saint
Josaphat in Brazil, also took part in the sessions of
the meeting.
This was the first time that the formators of the

seminaries in the Americas had ever met together as

one body. The meeting took place in the context of
the Patriarchal Commission's mandate: to develop
norms and minimum standards for formation programs for priestly ministry. The Commission will
hold a similar meeting for the formators of seminaries and houses of studies in the European Region
later this year.
The participants at the Brazilian meeting represented both eparchial and monastic seminaries.
Canada has one inter-eparchial seminary, located in
Ottawa, Ontario, and one monastic house of studies,
conducted by the Ukrainian Catholic Basilians of
Saint Josaphat in Edmonton, Alberta. In the United
States of America, there are two eparchial seminaries, one located in Stamford, Connecticut, and the
other in Washington, DC. Brazil has one eparchial
major seminary, an eparchial minor seminary and
also a monastic seminary of the Ukrainian Catholic
Basilian Fathers.
The three-day meeting provided the participants
opportunities to exchange information about their

individual programs of priestly formation, the challenges that they face in their respective countries, as
well as discovering the many areas that they share in
common. The participants had, as a working document, a draft program for priestly formation that had
been developed over the last three years at meetings
conducted in Ukraine by the rectors and formation
staff of the various seminaries and houses of studies
in Europe as well as representatives from North
America.
Regional meetings of the formators of the
Ukrainian Catholic Church both in the Americas and
Europe will be held on a regular basis to continue the
work of the Patriarchal Commission.
The second mandate of the Patriarchal
Commission is the development of the theology of
the priesthood in the Ukrainian Catholic Church.
Bishop Ken advised the participants of the meeting
in Brazil that in the very near future specialists in the
field of Theology and Canon Law will be brought
together to begin work on this document.

22

NEW STAR

Program of
Sheptytsky Institute
Announced
Fr. Robert Taft Plenary Speaker at
Sheptytsky Institute Study Days July 2
Fr. John Behr and Martha Shepherd
also Plenary Speakers
OTTAWA - World-renowned liturgist, Fr. Robert
Taft SJ, will head the list of plenary speakers at this
year's Sheptytsky Institute Study Days in Ottawa,
July 2-4. After last year's stunningly successful
conference, The Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky
Institute of Eastern Christian Studies (MASI) of
Saint Paul University immediately turned to Fr.
Tarf to be one of three speakers to address the
entire assembly. Fr. Taft has taught at Rome's
Pontifical Oriental Institute since the 1970s and is
the author of twenty books and almost 1,000 scholarly articles.
The other two plenary speakers will be Fr. John
Behr, academic dean, St. Vladimir's Orthodox
Theological Seminary, New York and author of the
ground-breaking The Way to Nicaea, and Martha
Shepherd of Madonna House, the famed community founded by Catherine Doherty. They will
speak on July 3 and 4 respectively.
The theme for this year's Study Days is "Eastern
Christian Spirituality." Fr. Taft will treat liturgical
spirituality. Fr. Behr will discuss spirituality from
the perspective of the Cross. Ms. Shepherd will
deal with the liberating power of silence. The
Study Days are intended for a broad audience. Last
year it drew more than 200 participants from as far
away as California and Ukraine. Especially popular is the youth program, co-ordinated by Lisa
Hladio of Pennsylvania. It enables parents to participate in the Study Days while their children
engage in learning-games and crafts. This year will
also include the popular cantor training program
lead by Melita Mudri-Zubacz of Winnipeg and Fr.
Roman Galadza of Brampton, Ontario.
The conference is described as "an Eastern
Christian feast for the mind and heart." It is devoted to studying how the Eastern Christian
lifestyle--Gospel-centred and life-affirming--can
thrive in the modern West. Each day begins with
matins, followed by the Divine Liturgy. The plenary address is followed by break-out sessions, seminars and workshops, and the day ends with vespers. Many of the out-of-town participants reside
at the new Saint Paul University residence. Within
walking distance of Parliament Hill, the residence
provides very affordable rates for the entire family.
Meal plans are available in the university cafeteria
for both residents and other participants.
The Study Days can be followed by two weeks
of university classes (July 6-18) for which six university credits can be earned. The two courses
being taught this year are "Introduction to Eastern
Christian Spirituality" by Fr. Maxym Lysack, and
"General Introduction to the Eastern Churches" by
Fr. Andrew Onuferko.

March, 2009

What Is Lent about?

Lent is about redemption.
Although it is true we are made in the image of God,
we live lives affected by the consequences of sins committed through misuse of free will. This is our lot; but
not our destiny.
Lent is a time to reflect upon our condition. Our calendar gives us direction. We note the expulsion of
Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. The Paradise
in which they were born was no longer their right.
Regaining it would be a struggle.
Lent is a time to find out how to cope with the realities of life--and a time to discover a way to overcome
difficulties along the way.
You may have often tried to reconcile the divergent
attraction we have to both good and evil. You may have
made many efforts to gain victory over temptations.
You may have had a degree of success. But often you
might likely repeat the old adage: "the spirit is willing,
but the flesh is weak."
What is best way to strengthen the body to be aligned
with the spirit? Add spiritual exercises!
At the very base of our success is a firm commitment
to put the physical body into a context with the spiritual soul.
One aspect of this re-organization asks us to maintain some control (or discipline) over actual intake of
food that we ingest. We are to take in enough to sustain
us, and not indulge us in excesses
that allow us to have a distorted
vision of the purpose of food in
the first place.
Our bishop has issued basic
"Lenten dietary regulations" to aid
us in this. In addition, he mentions
two other parts of Lenten growthprayer and almsgiving.
Prayer is easily added to
our regular schedule if our
parish has special services
directed toward deepening
our spiritual life. Over the centuries our Church has taken
advantage of the writings of various spiritual writers in order to
inspire us to a less-worldly life.
(Or maybe an "other-worldly"
life).
For example, during the first
week of Lent, the prayer used on
Wednesday included these statements--taken from Old Testament
Scripture--directed to each of us
who was there praying:
"You have piled up sins like
Manasseh by deliberate choice,
my soul, setting up your passions
as idols and multiplying abominations. But now fervently copy his
repentance and acquire remorse
for wrongdoing" (IV Kings 21; II
Chronicles 33).
Or, "You have rivaled Ahab in defilements, my soul.
Alas, you have been a lodging-place of fleshly pollutions and a shameful vessel of passions. Weep from
your depths and tell God your sins." (III Kings 16:30).
And: "Heaven is closed to you, my soul, and the

famine of God has reached you, for you have been disobedient to the words of Elias the Tishbite as was Ahab
of old . But be like the woman of Sarepta, and feed the
Prophet's soul." (III Kings 17)
With little difficulty we can relate to the situation of
a sinner.
Lent is for healing.
Just a few verses later, the same prayer service
reminds us--in New Testament terms--of the hope that
looms at the end of the Lenten Cycle: the Pasch of Our
Lord; the Resurrection.
Follow along as we pray these words: "Christ the
Word healed diseases, preached the Gospel to the poor,
cured cripples, ate with publicans, conversed with sinners, and He brought back the departed soul of Jairus'
daughter by the touch of His hand." (Matthew 9:11;
Mark 5:41-42).
Oh, what hope lies in: "The Publican was saved, the
harlot was made chaste, but the Pharisee through
boasting was condemned. For the first said, 'Be merciful,' the second, 'Have mercy on me,' but the last boasted and cried, 'O God, I thank You' and then some foolish words." (Luke 7:36-50; 18:9-14).
And: "Zacchaeus was a Publican, but yet was healed,
and Simon the Pharisee was disappointed; but the harlot received the release of full forgiveness from Him
Who has power to forgive sins. Obtain His forgiveness
yourself, my soul." (Luke
19:1-10; 7:36-50)
Redemption is emphasized at mid-Lent with
the focus of the Third
Sunday--the Sunday of
the Veneration of the
Cross. The Cross is seen
as our sign of victory.
The world looks at the
Cross as a sign of defeat.
Our faith gives us an
insight that baffles mere
human consciousness.
Still, there is another
factor of Lenten observances: almsgiving.
While most associate
this with the act of "giving money" there is a
deeper understanding of
"alms". This may also be
translated into doing anything good for another.
Say something positive,
supportive.
Admonish the sinner;
Supply warm clothing,
shelter, food, for those in
need; Give advice to
those who may benefit;
Visit the sick, imprisoned, or lonely; Befriend
strangers; Help where
needed. Not only are these things mentioned in the
Gospel read on Meat Fare Sunday recalling the Last
Judgment--they are ways of living out the purpose of
Lent: finding a path of healing toward salvation and
redemption.

To Your Cross we bow,

O Master; and we glorify
Your Holy Resurrection!
Fr. Robert Taft, SJ

NEW STAR

March, 2009

23

Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church

Major Archbishop of Kyiv and Halych
Proclamation to the Faithful of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church:
2009--The Year of Christian Vocation with Particular Emphasis on Priestly Vocation

To the Very Reverend and

Reverend Clergy and Religious;
Beloved in Christ;
Brothers and Sisters:
Blessings and Peace in the Lord!
Dearly Beloved in Christ!
As resolved by the Synod of Bishops of the
Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in 2007, the year
2008 was dedicated to Christian vocation. We sincerely hope that, as the year is coming to a close, we allclergy, lay people, young and old-have enriched our
lives with the awareness that every human being born
into the world, in addition to the gift of life and the
holy faith, receives from the Creator a particular taska vocation. We also hope that each and every faithful
sought to discern more attentively his or her vocation,
cultivating it and conscientiously fulfilling it for the
glory of God, for the good of one's neighbors and,
most importantly, with a view towards understanding
the meaning of his or her life. For this we prayed each
time we sang in the fervent supplication of the Divine
Liturgy: "We also pray for all people, that they may
willingly accept the vocation given them by God, sincerely thank God for it, conscientiously and faithfully
fulfill it, and in it gladly serve God and the people".
The Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek
Catholic Church held in September of this year,
decreed to extend the theme of Christian vocation into
the 2009 year, with a particular emphasis on priestly
vocation, and in place of cited-above supplication to
sing in the litany: "We also pray for our priests, deacons, and seminarians and for their holy vocation".
In this message addressed to you, beloved in Christ,
I would like to further explain this main theme for
2009. An additional and special address will be issued
for our clergy and seminarians.
First of all, I would like to direct your attention to
the need for continued prayer and reflection on the
theme of Christian vocation in general, but even more,
for seeking a fundamental and more profound understanding of it, and, most importantly, for seeking its
fulfillment in our daily life. Throughout 2008 you certainly heard homilies, read books and participated in
various initiatives on this theme. Such initiatives were
particularly undertaken by eparchial and intereparchial commissions, each one working in its specialized field (family, youth, laity, etc.) Each one of us
should all continue to ask ourselves whether we are
carrying out our given vocation with dignity and a
Godly spirit, and whether we are helping our children
and youth recognize and fulfill their vocations.
Furthermore, in 2009 the Synod of Bishops calls all of
us to pay particular attention to priestly vocation.
Why? Because for the development and growth of our
Church good spiritual leaders are greatly needed, and
such leaders are, first and foremost, properly prepared
and duly appointed priestly ministers. The bishops
invite all Church members to meditate on the sacred
nature and importance of the vocation to the priesthood, as well as reflect on what we as a broader church
community can do to help our priests be exemplary
ministers for the glory of God and the common good
of the entire Church and our people. We would like to
propose a few thoughts on this aspect of next year's
spiritual theme.
When we speak of vocations and, especially, when
someone asks us to pray for priestly vocations, we usually think that our main and only task is to ask the Lord
our God to call a sufficient number of candidates to the
priesthood, or to put it simply, that He fill our seminaries. Entering a seminary is, without a doubt, a very
important element, since it marks a first step towards
fulfilling a priestly vocation. However, it is a long way
from exhausting the full meaning of a vocation to the
priesthood. First and foremost it must be said that there

are other stages which precede seminary studies. A

good priest frequently preaches on vocations and carefully assesses the members of his community, seeking
to recognize the early signs of a vocation, and having
noticed one, he carefully fosters it. A good parish is the
fertile soil, which gives abundant fruits of priestly
vocations. One of our parishes in Pennsylvania in the
United States can serve as an example: in the last century in 20-30 years it produced 37 dedicated priestly
and monastic vocations. The priests, monks and nuns
who grew up in that community unanimously give
credit to their parish priest. An even greater factor in
awakening and cultivating priestly vocations is a good
Christian family, which acts as a cradle or greenhouse
for new religious vocations. In a family of believers
the priesthood is treated with respect. Even in the case
of an unworthy priest, the matter is mentioned with
pain and not malice. And when there are boys in the
family-this vocation is considered one of the best possible.
Besides the work of parish priests and the diligent
prayer of the church community, heroic examples of
faith can equally awaken priestly vocations. In this
regard we recall the words of Pope John Paul II of
blessed memory during the Hierarchical Divine
Liturgy in Lviv on June 27, 2001. During the beatification of twenty-seven blessed martyrs of our Church,
the Holy Father addressed the priests in attendance: "If
the Lord blesses your land with numerous vocations,
and if your seminaries are filled--and in this there is
the source of hope for your Church--then all this,
without a doubt, is one of the fruits of their sacrifice.
But this places on you a great responsibility".
We should have no doubts that the Lord our God, as
a good Father and Master, is calling a sufficient number of workers to his harvest (cf. Lk 10:2). If there are
still not enough worthy candidates, then quite often it
is our fault, particularly due to the decline of spiritual
life in our families, to the lack of adequate preaching
and encouragement, and also because of a lack of
respect for the priesthood. It is unrealistic to expect a
high regard for the priesthood in families where the
chief value is money or where the greatest concern is
enhancing family ties. We should also mention here
the negative influence of mass media, which today frequently promotes antichristian ideas and points of
views. And the poor living example of a priest, especially the local pastor, is especially damaging.
These obstacles are great, but they are not insurmountable. Recently we have more than once heard
criticism of the clergy's unworthy behavior or its
superficial fulfillment of priestly duties. Let us ask
ourselves: have we prayed for the restoration of such
priests-individuals, who have fallen into a great spiritual crisis? To what extent did we help them overcome
such a tragic situation? For the priest is not a lonely
island in a middle of a broad sea of humanity. He especially needs support from the people around him, since

he is always in the limelight and his every step

is public knowledge.
Nor should we underestimate the assaults of the
enemy of the Church, who
operates according to the
well-known principle: I
will strike the
shepherd, and
the sheep of the
flock will be
scattered
(cf.
Zech 13:7; Mt
26:31)
Among the
means of support, which the
entire church
community
provides for its
priest, of primary importance is prayer.
A priest's being
and action depends on
the power of prayer, not only his
own, but also of the community he serves. This is why
the Synod of Bishops calls all members of the Church
to pray for priests and deacons not only that there be
a sufficient number, but above all, that those who have
undertaken this holy office may find in it their life
vocation and piously fulfill it according to God's will.
The faithful people support their priest. Indeed,
immense demands are placed before him: as a person,
as a priestly minister, as an administrator, as a teacher,
as a citizen, and if he is married--as a husband and
father. The priestly life is not a road covered with
roses, except in cases where he wants to be a false
prophet and appease the whims of the people instead
of leading them to the Kingdom of Heaven. If, however, he truly seeks to please God, then his life is a thorny
path. If we bear this in mind, we better understand
whom it is we want to imitate in our treatment of
priests: the Pharisees who mocked Jesus Christ, or the
man of Cyrene who helped Him bear the cross.
Dearly Beloved in Christ! We begin 2009--the Year
of Christian Vocation with a special emphasis on
priestly vocation. Let us examine ourselves and think
of our vocations. Let us also reflect on the vocation to
priestly ministry, since we all desire to see our priests
as exemplary servants of God, servants whose meaning of life is to lead the souls placed in their trust to the
Heavenly Father. Let us together with Jesus Christ the
High Priest pray and support our priests and deacons.
The blessing of the Lord be upon you!

+LUBOMYR

We recommend to all the faithful of our Church the prayer

of the Servant of God Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky for a good Ukrainian clergy:
Lord, O Lord, look down from Heaven, behold and visit Your vineyard, which Your right hand has planted.
May Your mighty hand be always upon this people, whom You have beloved.
O Eternal God, grant Your people in every generation to the end of the world holy bishops and priests
filled with Your Spirit--pastors and teachers of Your Law, capable of preserving unaltered the truth of Your
holy Revelation and lovingly teaching and leading this great people.
Grant to the Ukrainian clergy the grace to never fear any sacrifice,
whenever it concerns Your glory and the good of this people.
Ignite the hearts of Ukrainian priests with a spirit of zeal for the salvation of souls. Open before their eyes
the wisdom of Your Revelation and grant them a deep sense of the holiness of the task to which You have
called them. Bless their work and their intentions. Protect them from every evil. And unite them by Your
grace so that in love they may be one--as You, Father, are with the Son, and the Son with You. Amen.
Given in Kyiv, at the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ
December 31, 2008

24

NEW STAR

February, 2009

Lazarus Saturday

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: Lazarus at New Star; 2245 W Rice
St; Chicago, IL 60622-4858.

Lazarus Saturday is one of the Great Feasts of the Church, yet is commonly overlooked as such because it precedes Flowery Sundays at the end of the 40-day Great Lent
period. During this time, the Church teaches us about fasting, prayer, obedience and
repentance in preparation for Holy Week. Just as we find ourselves preparing to mourn
the death of Our Lord, our spirit is awakened by the celebration of two joyous Feasts,
Lazarus Saturday and Flowery Sunday.
Lazarus Saturday is a Paschal celebration. It is the only time during the entire Church
Year that the Resurrectional service of the Sunday Liturgy is sung on a day other than
Sunday. We also sing the Baptismal Hymn, "All those who have been baptized into
Christ have put on Christ", in place of the Trisagion.
Most probably you are by now wondering why this is such an important Feast.
Shortly before Passover, Jesus had been threatened by Jerusalem's authorities, so He
decided to leave. During His travels, He preformed various miracles and amazed many.
Through His teachings about God and the miracles, His
followers grew.
Martha and Mary, sisters of Lazarus, had sent word to
Jesus that their brother had become ill. When the news
had reached Jesus, He already knew that His friend's
sickness would not result in permanent death. He knew
that Lazarus would be brought back to life and act which
would bring Glory to the Father and the Son. Knowing
this, Jesus waited two days before He went back to
Judea.
Upon His arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had been
dead for four days. According to Jewish belief, the soul
only stays with the body for three days and is gone by the
fourth. Lazarus' body had already been wrapped in burial cloths and was laid to rest in a tomb. When Martha
heard of Jesus' arrival, she went to meet Him. She told
Him of her brother's death and Jesus said that he would
rise again. How could anyone come back to life once the
soul had left? Jesus said, "I am the Resurrection and the
Life. Those who believe in me even though they die will
live and everyone who lives and believes in me will
never die." Jesus then asked where Lazarus was laid,
went to his tomb and wept for him. Then He asked that
the stone be removed and called out in a loud voice,
"Lazarus, come out."
This Feast reveals the two natures of Christ. His Humanity as He weeps for His friend
who has died and His Divinity by already knowing that Lazarus would be raised from
the dead and by demonstrating this in raising him. After resurrecting Lazarus Christ was
greeted by crowds calling out to Him with shouts of praise naming Him the long-awaited Messiah, King of Israel. This drove the priests and scribes to put him to death.
The icon on this page depicts Lazarus coming forth from his tomb, bound in the strips
of his burial cloth, with two of Christ's followers looking on. Color this icon using the
guidelines from the article on Icons.
Read the scripture from Lazarus Saturday, John 11:1-45. Do you think Lazarus was
really dead? How do you know that Jesus really loved Lazarus? Why do you think Jesus
waited a few days to come to Lazarus' tomb instead of coming right away? Send us your
answers, to: Lazarus at New Star; 2245 W Rice St; Chicago, IL 60622-4858.
Phyllis Muryn Zaparaniuk

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Editorial board and contributors:
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Fr James Karepin, OP
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George Matwyshyn
Lesia Okruch
Olenka Pryma
Nazar Sloboda
Pani Barbara Wroblicky
Phyllis Muryn Zapraniuk