Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Winnipeg Media

UPCOMING EVENTS

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2006 is celebrated January 18-25. This year’s theme, prepared by an ecumenical group in Ireland, is: "Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them" (Matthew 18: 18-20). Attached is an introduction to the theme, which offers reflections for the eight days which comprise the Week. Pastors are encouraged to exhort their faithful to pray for Christian unity especially during this time, and indeed throughout the year. For more info, see http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/faith/wop2006contents.html.

Pastors are kindly requested to forward to the Chancery Office by January 31, 2006 the following documents for each parish or mission in their pastoral care:

• A current list of the Parish Council Members, including position, name, address, telephone and e-mail.

• 2005 Financial Statements, as well as a copy of the annual T3010A Registered Charity Information Return (for parishes who issue income tax receipts).

• A photocopy from the Baptismal, Marriage and Death Registers for the year 2005.

• A copy of the parish’s annual Corporate Return, if civilly incorporated.

2006 Presbyteral Council/Consultors Meetings (tentative dates): March 13, May 3 (10th anniversary of the passing of Metropolitan Maxim Hermaniuk), June 5, September 25, and November 20.

2006 Clergy Conferences (tentative dates): March 14, May 4, June 8, September 26, and November 21.

2006 Clergy Retreat: June 5-8, Villa Maria, Winnipeg, Retreat Master Rev. Bohdan Lukie, cssr. With the sale of Villa Maria, the annual clergy retreat has been moved from September to June.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Pope Benedict XVI accepted the resignation of Most Rev. Basil Losten as Bishop of Stamford. It was presented in accord with canon 210, §1 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches.

Pope Benedict XVI blessed the decision of the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in appointing:

• Rev. John Bura as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archeparchy of Philadelphia, until now Pastor of Saint Nicholas Parish, Wilmington, with the titular see of Limisa;

• Most Rev. Paul Chomnycky, osbm, as Bishop of Stamford, until now Apostolic Exarch of Great Britain;

• Very Rev. Dr. Bohdan Dzurakh, cssr, as Auxiliary Bishop of Kyiv-Vyshhorod;

• Very Rev. Dionysius Paul Lachovicz, osbm, as Curial Bishop (Kyiv);

• Very Rev. Myron Mazur, osbm, as Auxiliary Bishop of the Eparchy of Saint John the Baptist in Curtiba, Brazil.

Father Athanasius McVay has been granted permission to serve outside the Community of the Basilian Order for three years. He will exercise his priestly ministry in the Apostolic Exarchate of Great Britain and work towards the completion of his doctorate in Church History.

His Grace appointed Rev. Isidore Dziadyk, osbm, as Pastor of Saint Nicholas Parish, Winnipeg, upon the recommendation of Very Rev. Eugene Richlark, osbm, Provincial Superior.

His Grace appointed Rev. Damien Mykhaylo Dutka, osbm, as Assistant Pastor of Saint Nicholas Parish, Winnipeg upon the recommendation of Very Rev. Eugene Richlark, osbm, Provincial Superior. Father Damien was born in Kemerovo, Siberia. Later, he returned with his parents to their native town of Chervonohrad (Krystynopil), Ukraine. He completed his Novitiate in Krexiv, Lviv Region, and Philosophy and Theology at Warsaw Diocesan Seminary. He was ordained a priest by Cardinal Husar, at St. George's Cathedral, Lviv, April 29, 2003. After studies at the Biblicum, Rome (2003-2004), he studied English at and provided pastoral assistance from Basilian House of Studies, Edmonton, since 2004.

Most Rev. David Motiuk has published a new book entitled: Eastern Christians in the New World: An Historical and Canonical Study of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Canada. The 424 page work is co-published by the Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Institute of Eastern Christian Studies and the Faculty of Canon Law, Saint Paul University, Ottawa. The book sells for $49.95 and can be purchased by contacting the Chancery Office or the Sheptytsky Institute (613 236-1393 ext 2332 or sheptytsky@ustpaul.ca.

Attached for your information is the text of the Message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI for the XIV World Day of the Sick, February 11. The focus of the message is on mental health. The 2006 international celebration of the World Day of the Sick will be in Adelaide, Australia.

Rev. Ronald Roberson, csp, compiled the attached statistics on the Eastern Catholic Churches based upon the 2005 Annuario pontificio. The Ukrainian Catholic Church, which numbers some 4.3 million throughout the world, remains the largest when ranked by size, followed by the Syro-Malabar Church (3.7 million) and the Maronite Church (3.1 million).

The Holy Father elevated the Greek-Catholic Metropolitan Church of Romania sui iuris to the rank of Major Archiepiscopal Church. At the same time, Archbishop Lucian Muresan of Fagaras and Alba Julia of the Greek Catholics, Romania, has been elevated to the rank of major archbishop of the same archdiocese.

Development and Peace, along with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and many NGOs at home and abroad, is marking the first anniversary of the December 26, 2004 tsunami by mounting a special section on its web site to show donors how their contributions were, and are, being used to help tsunami victims. See: http://www.devp.org/tsunami-1/eng/summary.htm

Copyright © 2007 Archeparchy of Winnipeg