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UKRAINIAN CATHOLIC ARCHEPARCHY OF WINNIPEG |
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"We all have a vocation to sainthood," says Cardinal Husar Winnipeg - May 22, 2005 |
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His Beatitude Lubomyr Cardinal Husar celebrates Patriarchal Divine Liturgy - Officially opening the meeting of the Permanent Synod of Ukrainian Catholic Bishops in Winnipeg On Sunday, May 22, His Beatitude Lubomyr Cardinal Husar, father and head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church formally opened the first meeting of the Permanent Synod of the Ukrainian Catholic Church to be held in Canada. His Beatitude Lubomyr along with the four members of the Permanent Synod concelebrated a Divine Liturgy (Mass) with His Grace, Most Rev. Michael Bzdel, Archbishop of Winnipeg for Ukrainians and Metropolitan of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Canada, His Grace Archbishop Most Rev. Luigi Ventura, Apostolic Nuncio to Canada, His Grace Most Rev. Stephan Soroka, Archbishop of Philadelphia for Ukrainians and Metropolitan of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in the Unitized States of America members of the Ukrainian Catholic bishops in Canada, Roman Catholic Archbishop James Weisgerber of Winnipeg, Archbishop Emilius Goulet, Archbishop of Saint-Boniface The Divine Liturgy was celebrated at Saints Volodymyr and Olha Cathedral and was attended by hundreds of faithful of the Ukrainian Catholic Church. In his homily, His Beatitude Lubomyr emphasized that we all have a vocation to sainthood. "Everything that is done in our Church must be done for the sanctification of the people of God. The Church has only one purpose, and that is sanctification, all people must be subordinate to this purpose," he said. "The Permanent Synod meeting here in Winnipeg in a sense is a symbol of the unity of our bishops," said His Beatitude. "It very important for us to realize that we are all children of the Ukrainian Catholic Church. The name of our church is the Ukrainian Catholic Church and the term Ukrainian is meant as an opening not a closing statement. The name identifies the origins of our spiritual gifts. The spiritual gifts we carry into the world are those that we have received from Ukraine, however this does mean that we are closed in on ourselves - we are ready to share them with others," said Cardinal Husar. The Permanent Synod consists of His Beatitude Lubomyr Husar, Most Rev. Stephen Soroka, Metropolitan of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in the United States of America; Most Rev. Michael Hrynchyshyn, Bishop for Ukrainian Catholics in France; Most Rev. Julian Woronowsky, Bishop of Drohobych-Sambir, Ukraine, and Most Rev. Volodymyr Juszczak, Bishop of Wrotoslaw - Gdansk, Poland. The Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Catholic Church meets yearly in Ukraine and membership consists of all of the Ukrainian Catholic Bishops in the world. The Permanent Synod has an ongoing executive function, and meets at least four times a year usually in Ukraine, to plan, discuss problems, and make decisions for the good of the Church. It was decided that the Permanent Synod should meet at least once a year in a country outside of Ukraine where the Ukrainian Catholic Church is established. The aim of these meetings outside of Ukraine is to provide real sense of unity with the local Churches united under the head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church. By holding meetings outside of Ukraine, the bishops hope that the Permanent Synod will have an opportunity to have a clearer vision of the needs and strengths of the local Churches. Following the meeting of the Permanent Synod His Beatitude and the members of the Permanent Synod will join a unique gathering of all of the Ukrainian Catholic Bishops of Canada, along with the clergy, wives of clergy, members of religious and monastic communities and seminarians of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Canada in a three-day meeting. The "Encounter" will begin on Tuesday, May 24 and conclude on Thursday, May 26 at the Sheraton Hotel, 161 Donald Street. During this meeting the participants of the "Encounter" will reflect on the vocation and mission of the Church in Canada. The program aims at a balance in prayer, mutual encounter, presentations, reflection and discussion. Journalists are welcome to attend the opening addresses on Wednesday, 25 May (10:30 AM) by His Beatitude Lubomyr, Most Rev. David Motiuk, aux. bishop of the Archeparchy (Archdiocese) Winnipeg of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, and Rev. Dr. Andriy Chirovsky of the Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Institute of Eastern Christian Studies in Ottawa. On Thursday, May 26 at 11:00 AM journalists are invited to attend a special Press Conference with His Beatitude at the Sheraton Hotel, just off the main lobby
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Copyright 2005 - Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Winnipeg - Email: chancery@archeparchy.ca |