ПАСТИРСЬКЕ ПОСЛАННЯ ІЄРАРХІВ УКРАЇНСЬКОЇ КАТОЛИЦЬКОЇ ЦЕРКВИ США НА ПИЛИПІВКУ ВСЕЧЕСНІШОМУ ДУХОВЕНСТВУ, ПРЕПОДОБНОМУ МОНАШЕСТВУ, СЕМІНАРИСТАМ, НАШИМ ДОРОГИМ ВІРНИМ УКРАЇНСЬКОЇ КАТОЛИЦЬКОЇ ЦЕРКВИ В СПОЛУЧЕНИХ ШТАТАХ АМЕРИКИ,

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Слава Ісусу Христу!

Вже надходить Пилипівка, радісний 40-денний піст, який розпочинається 15 листопада, день після почитання св. Апостола Пилипа, та триватиме до 24 грудня, Навечір’я Різдва Христового. Цей час є уділений нам для духовного приготування до величавого празника – Різдва Господа нашого Ісуса Христа. Цей час даний нам для глибокого усвідомлення Божої тайни – воплочення Божого Сина та приходу Месії, Царя Миру, Еммануїла та Світла світу. Це час віднайти у цьому правдиву радість через молитву, розважання та діла милосердя, а не у штучній атмосфері радості Різдвяних вечірок, купівлі та обміну подарунків і наготованих смаколиків на столі.

Ми можемо думати, що прихід Христа є звершеною подією, історичним фактом минулого, а очікування Його приходу має для нас радше символічне значення. Це не так! Христос завжди приходить до нас. Він постійно народжується духовно у серці кожної особи, яка вірує та очікує Його. Він приходить до нас у молитві та Святих Тайнах, особливо у Святій Сповіді та Причасті. Він приходить, щоби бути з нами і між нами.

Саме у час посту розуміння факту приходу Христа і Його присутності серед нас набирає особливого значення для нас цього року. Серед неспинної пандемії, перенесення захворювання вірусом, пережиття втрати рідних та знайомих, політичних незгод та нестабільності, заворушень, війн та порушень прав людини у різних кутках світу, ми є спраглі глибокого усвідомлення і переконання у тому, що Христос Господь насправді є присутній серед нас, а Його ласка є життєдайною та необхідною.

Пилипівка символізує Старий Завіт та світ, який завмер в очікуванні приходу Христа та Світла світу. Ми почуємо читання з книг стародавніх пророків Наума, Авакума, Даниїла та Ісаї, які пророкували про Його прихід вісім століть перед тим, як Він народився. Вони згадували, що Месія народиться у Вифлеємі, про втечу Пресвятої Родини до Єгипту та її повернення до Назарету, про зцілення недужих, про відкинення Його вибраним народом, про зраду та продаж Його одним з апостолів за тридцять сробняків, про розп’яття між розбійниками, про проколений списом бік, про Його Воскресіння та вознесіння на небо. Пізніше, святі євангелисти, пишучи євангелія під надхненням Святого Духа, додадуть ці пророцтва, щоби показати нам, що Ісус Христос є тим Месією, якого усі очікували, і є направду Сином Божим.

Історія спасіння не закінчується з приходом Христа 2000 років тому, а продовжується до сьогодні. Ми всі є в очікуванні Його другого приходу, про який Він сам пророкував, і буде дуже різнитися від першого. Коли Христос прийде удруге, усі Його впізнають. Бо коли він прийшов вперше, Його не злюбили та відкинули. Коли Він прийде вдруге, всі племена визнають Його Господом. Бо коли Він прийшов вперше, то тільки дванадцять апостолів пішли за Ним. Коли Він прийде вдруге, прийдуть з Ним численні ангели. Бо коли він прийшов вперше, Він був безпомічним немовлятком у яслах. Коли Він прийде вдруге, Він буде Царем над царями та Паном над панами. Ось чому очікування приходу Христа не є і не може бути символічним, а цілком правдивою подією – Він прийде вдруге.

Увпродовж Різдвяного посту зробімо наші приготування до Різдва головно духовними. Створіть молитовний куток у своїй хаті та виставте ікону Різдва Христового, розважуючи денно над тайною приходу Месії. Приступімо до святої Сповіді та святого Причастя у ці дні, особливо якщо не зробили цього під час Великого Посту. Стримуймося від м’яса у п’ятниці, переїдання та надмірного користування Інтернетом. Будьмо щедрими з своїм часом і талантами та послужімо бідним і знедоленим чим можемо. Помирімся з тими кого образили. Будьмо завжди свідомі, що Ісус Христос прийде вдруге як наш Господь і Суддя, а «про цей день і годину ніхто не знає» (Мт. 24:36).

Нехай благословить Вас Господь Ісус Христос, Різдво Якого у вертепі Вифлеємському ми радісно чекаємо!

 

+Борис Ґудзіак
Митрополит Української Католицької Церкви у США
Архиєпископ Філадельфійський для Укpаїнців
+Преосвященний Павло Хомницький, ЧСВВ
Єпископ Стемфордської єпархії
+Преосвященний Венедикт Алексійчук
Єпископ Чіказької єпархії святого Миколая
+Преосвященний Богдан Данило
Єпископ Пармської єпархії святого Йосафата
+Преосвященний Андрій Рабій (автор)
Єпископ-Помічник Філадельфійський
листопад 2020 р. Б.

PHILIP’S FAST (PYLYPIVKA) PASTORAL OF THE UKRAINIAN CATHOLIC HIERARCHY OF THE U.S.A. TO OUR CLERGY, HIEROMONKS AND BROTHERS, RELIGIOUS SISTERS, SEMINARIANS AND BELOVED FAITHFUL,

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Glory to Jesus Christ!

St. Philip’s Fast or Pylypivka is about to start. It is a joyful 40-day fast, which begins on November 15, the day after the feast of the apostle St. Philip, and lasts until December 24, Christmas Eve. This fast is meant to prepare us spiritually for the great and solemn holyday – the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the time given to us to deepen our understanding and awareness of God’s mystery – the Incarnation of the Son of God and the coming of the Messiah, the King of Peace, Emmanuel and the Light of the world. It is time for us to find and rediscover true joy of the Nativity of Our Lord through prayer, meditation, and acts of charity, not like it is in the artificial atmosphere of Christmas parties, buying and exchanging gifts and enjoying specially prepared holiday delicacies.

We may think that the coming of Christ is a completed event and a historical fact of the past, and the anticipation of His coming is only symbolic for us. It is not! Christ always comes to us. He is constantly born spiritually in the heart of every person who believes and expects Him. He comes to us in prayer and the Holy Mysteries, especially in Holy Confession and Communion. Today He comes to be with us and among us.

This year, St. Philip’s Fast and the understanding of the coming of Christ and His presence among us takes on a special meaning and significance for us. In the midst of the relentless COVID-19 pandemic, the suffering of many from this deadly illness, often resulting in the sad and tragic loss of family members and friends, political discord and instability, riots, wars and human rights abuses around the world, we are thirsty for a deep awareness and conviction that Christ the Lord is truly present among us and that His grace is life-giving and necessary.

St. Philip’s Fast recalls for us the Old Testament and the world, which froze in anticipation of the coming of Christ, the Light of the world. We will hear readings from the books of the ancient prophets Nahum, Habakkuk, Daniel, and Isaiah, who prophesied of His coming eight centuries before He was born. They wrote that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem, about the escape of the Holy Family to Egypt and the return to Nazareth, about His healing of the sick, about His rejection by the chosen people, about His betrayal and taking thirty silver pieces by one of the apostles, about His crucifixion among robbers, about His side being pierced, about His Resurrection and Ascension to Heaven. Later, the holy evangelists, while writing the Gospels inspired by the Holy Spirit, will include these prophecies to show us that Jesus Christ is the Messiah that everyone expected and that He is truly the Son of God.

The story of salvation does not end with the coming of Christ over 2,000 years ago, but it continues to this very day. We are all awaiting His second coming, which He Himself prophesied, and it will be very different from the first. When Christ comes a second time, everyone will recognize Him. During His first coming, He was not loved but was rejected. When He comes a second time, all the tribes will acknowledge Him as Lord. During His second coming, He will also be accompanied by the angels. During His first coming, He entered the world as a helpless baby in the manger. When He comes a second time, He will come as the King of kings and Lord of lords. That is why the expectation of the coming of Christ is not and cannot be symbolic, but is a completely genuine event – He will come a second time.

During the Christmas fast, let us prepare spiritually for His coming. Create a prayer corner in your home and display an icon of the Nativity of Christ, meditating daily on the mystery of the coming of the Messiah. Let us receive the Mysteries of Holy Confession and Holy Communion during these days, especially if we did not have the opportunity to do so during Great Lent. Let us abstain from meat on Fridays, overeating and excessive use of the Internet. Let us be generous with our time and talents and serve the poor and disadvantaged as much as we can. Let us reconcile with those whom we have offended and those who have offended us. Let us always be aware that Jesus Christ will come a second time as our Lord and Judge, though “of that day and hour no one knows.” (Matt. 24:36).

May you and your family be blessed by Our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ, whose joyful Nativity in the manger of Bethlehem we patiently await!

+Borys Gudziak
Archbishop of Philadelphia for Ukrainians
Metropolitan of Ukrainian Catholics in the United States
+Paul Chomnycky, OSBM
Eparch of Stamford
+Benedict Aleksiychuk
Eparch of St. Nicholas in Chicago
+ Bohdan J. Danylo
Eparch of St. Josaphat in Parma
+Andriy Rabiy (author)
Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia
November, 2020

ADULT DISCUSSION DURING The St. Phillip’s Fast.

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ADULT DISCUSSION DURING
The St. Phillip’s Fast.

Presented by
The Deacons of the
Detroit Deanery

The deacons in the parishes of the Michigan portion of the St. Nicholas Eparchy, invite to join with them in discussions about topics dealing with Eastern Christian Spiritualty during the 2020  St. Phillips Fast, our preparation for Christmas and Theophany.

These discussions will involve in you reading an “article” prepared by Reverend Canon Priest Wayne Ruchgy and then posted for your reaction. This discussion will be conducted “virtually,”  namely using a host of interactive media.

Deacons involved are:
Zenon Czornij, Immaculate Conception Parish; Hamtramck, Michigan
 Len Mier, St Michael the Archangel Parish; Dearborn, Michigan
Jim Frazer, St Michael Parish; Grand Rapids, Michigan

The topics of these online discussions will be monitored and presented by Reverend Wayne Joseph Ruchgy, STL PhD of St. Michael’s and Holy Ascension Parishes in the Detroit Deanery.

These sessions are meant to stimulate “thinking” and “reflection” on the part of the participants. They are presented in a manner that will hopefully cause people to think about their beliefs.  No assignments other than reading the article before the discussion is required.

Before each scheduled group meeting on ZOOM, an article will be posted and emailed to you for your thoughtful reflection and will contain several “pertinent” questions. The discussion involved, which will be limited to one-hour, will revolve around these questions. Hopefully, you will benefit from these discussions. The matter will engage you in truly theological discussions so that you can spiritually benefit from them.

The meetings will be at 8 PM EST
November 12th
December 3rd, 10th. and 17th 

If you want more information, please sent the following information CONTACT:
Fr Deacon Leonard Mier at stmichaeldearborn@gmail.com

TO SIGN UP CLICK HERE

Memorandum of the bishops of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in the United States of America regarding of the COVID-19 pandemic

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Memorandum of the bishops of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in the United States of America regarding of the COVID-19 pandemic

 

“Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Mt. 25, 40)
Dear clergy, religious, and faithful!
Responding to the outbreak of the global pandemic virus COVID-19, which has been spreading with lightning speed across the globe, we, bishops of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in the United States, united in solidarity, wish to address you with assurances of our joint prayers and efforts. Bound together in our care for the spiritual and physical health of our faithful, we would like to inform you about certain norms and practices intended to confirm us in faith and truth, safeguarding all members of our communities, especially the most vulnerable, and preventing the spread of disease.
Keeping in mind the fragility of human life and acknowledging with humility the limits of human reason and resources, we are called to do all that is possible to help the national government, local authorities, and medical personnel to fight the spread of the virus.
Medical workers and scientists are unanimous in warning that this fight will be protracted, one that will require the solidarity of all people across the globe. The speed of transportation and the globalization of today’s world facilitate the spread of the virus. But the quality of our interpersonal relations and our solidarity—and it is Christ who grants these gifts—are able to slow down the contagion that takes more and more lives every day. The experience of the countries that squarely faced the consequences of the virus and acted quickly and decisively shows that it is possible.
“Love your neighbor!” These times call us to faith in God, trust in each other, focused efforts, solidarity and coordinated actions. Love, we know, entails closeness, even intimacy. In today’s circumstances, however, a certain distance may be the proper expression of interpersonal love and civic responsibility. Thus, the Ukrainian Catholic Church supports governmental regulations and public health measures connected with the pandemic. We ask you, our dear faithful, to follow the advice of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and take care of your personal safety and hygiene as well as of those around you.
Christ is in our midst! Unfortunately, the necessary public health norms on social distancing, including restrictions on public meetings, make it impossible for the Church to carry on our usual rhythms. At the same time, despite the difficult situation, the Church does not stop Her activity and service. We are called to be creative in living our communion. We Christians continue to bear witness to the presence of God in the created world, to His action in the life of all people, to His love for every person. It is the hour to show our love and care for the elderly in our communities, who today are most at risk and for all who experience social isolation.
These times of trial are a unique opportunity to manifest our love for God and neighbor. Today, when we are limited in public liturgical practices, our life in Christ will be measured by the authentic quality of our personal relationship with God and neighbor: in private and family prayer and in works of charity. In the midst of today’s pandemic caring for one’s neighbor calls for clear and immediate expression.
The experience of our underground Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (1945–1989) is a source of inspiration and faith for us. In recent memory having been deprived of all of its church buildings and all other infrastructure, the Greek Catholic Church in Ukraine and elsewhere in the communist world was led by God to find creative ways to foster the spiritual life of its members for two generations. Through excruciating suffering and great losses, our Church was forged, cleansed, and prepared for a new life in a new millennium. Now is the time to prayerfully reflect upon this salvation history. The Lord will guide us again in fortitude and flexibility to praise Him and foster communion and solidarity among us.

Public Services

1. All weekday and Sunday services will be celebrated temporarily without the participation of the assembly of the faithful. Our clergy will continue to celebrate and pray for you and with you vicariously. We will celebrate the Divine Liturgies and other services in behalf of and for all of you, especially for the sick and the healthcare providers. We will beseech the Lord for wise and prudent decisions on the part of government and medical authorities. We will pray for the eternal repose of the deceased. We are obligating our priests to be steadfast in prayer for their flock. Be as Moses, who raised his hands in prayer so that whole people of God could prevail over the enemy (cf. Ex 17, 11-12).
2. Our churches will remain open for private prayer at designated times. We ask the pastors to guarantee the safety and frequent disinfection of our churches.
3. We renew and confirm the dispensation from the obligation to participate in Sunday services. At the same time, we ask you to pray as a Domestic Church (as a family or household unit) on Sundays and on Holy Days. We suggest making use of the ZhyveTV and internet resources of your eparchy or parish. Read prayerfully the Holy Scriptures, reflect upon the source and meaning of your life, on God’s love and salvific action on our behalf.
4. We encourage you to make best use of the quarantine time, which coincides with Great Lent, for personal prayer, reading the Word of God, and building a more profound relationship with Our Lord, our neighbors and in our families.
5. We ask that all the Lenten practices — e.g., missions and spiritual exercises — be held with the aid of the internet and other means of social communication.

Sacraments and Sacramentals

1. We kindly ask that you postpone, in consultation with your pastor, the Sacraments of Christian initiation (Baptism and Chrismation) and Matrimony.
2. The faithful can avail themselves of the Sacrament of Repentance (Confession) in church, taking all necessary precautions for social distancing.
3. In cases of grave illness or danger of death, priests are obligated to administer the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, while assuring safety for all involved.
4. Priests will celebrate funerals with the participation only of the immediate family members of the deсeased, according to local regulations regarding public assemblies.

Practical advice

1. Dear priests, religious, sisters and brothers! If you feel sick, we urge you to stay at home, call your doctor, and obey all medical and civil regulations.
2. We encourage our pastors to maintain personal contact with their faithful, especially with the elderly and sick by phone and via social media. Our priestly ministry continues without ceasing.
3. Confessions are to take place in the open, not in a confessional. Safety of the penitent and priest must be assured.
4. Frequently sanitize with disinfectant whatever people tend to touch in the churches: pews, door handles, etc.
5. During private prayer in church, maintain a safe distance from each other (6 feet or 2 meters).
6. Venerate icons and the Cross by bowing your head and with a sign of the cross or by prostrations. Do not kiss icons or the Cross.
7. Comply with the guidelines and prescriptions of governmental authorities (town, county, state, federal) regarding public gatherings and personal safety.
These norms are effective immediately after being published on Wednesday, March 19, 2020. We carefully follow developments, consult experts and will update our norms and regulations according to new information and circumstances.
God is calling us to a new and deeper spiritual awareness. We encourage you to stay united in the communion of the Holy Spirit! Pray! Stay vigilant! Sing, smile, and laugh! Exercise and read! Pay attention to your health and help people who are under risk in your family as well as in your neighborhood! Communicate and support each other in spirit and deed!

+ Borys Gudziak
Archbishop of Philadelphia for Ukrainians
Metropolitan of Ukrainian Catholics in the United States

+ Paul Chomnycky, OSBM
Eparch of Stamford

+ Вenedict Aleksiychuk
Eparch of St. Nicholas in Chicago

+ Bohdan J. Danylo
Eparch of St. Josaphat in Parma

+ Andriy Rabiy
Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia

March 19, 2020
from Metropolitan Cathedral of Immaculate Conception in Philadelphia, PA

GREAT FAST PASTORAL OF THE UKRAINIAN CATHOLIC HIERARCHY OF THE U.S.A.

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

 

“Open to me the doors of repentance, O Giver of Life. As we worship

in Your temple this morning, teach us how to purify

the temple of our bodies, and in Your compassion,

purify me by the goodness of your mercies.”

Matins, Sunday of Publican and Pharisee

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

+Borys Gudziak
Archbishop of Philadelphia for Ukrainians
Metropolitan of Ukrainian Catholics in the United States
+Paul Chomnycky, OSBM
Eparch of Stamford
+Вenedict Aleksiychuk
Eparch of St. Nicholas in Chicago
+Bohdan J. Danylo (author)
Eparch of St. Josaphat in Parma
+Andriy Rabiy
Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia

PYLYPIVKA (ADVENT) PASTORAL OF THE UKRAINIAN CATHOLIC HIERARCHY OF THE U.S.A.

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PYLYPIVKA (ADVENT) PASTORAL OF THE UKRAINIAN CATHOLIC HIERARCHY OF THE U.S.A.
TO OUR CLERGY, HIEROMONKS AND BROTHERS, RELIGIOUS SISTERS, SEMINARIANS
AND BELOVED FAITHFUL,

Glory to Jesus Christ!

We, the faithful experience the life of the Church by means of the unending cycle of the liturgical year. The liturgical year is not simply how we mark the passage of time in the church calendar year. The liturgical year tells the story of God’s life in the world, a story in which we are participants, not just spectators or listeners. It is a re-living of the life of Christ, His Most Holy Mother and the Saints. And liturgy is the means by which we tell, live, and experience the story. Through liturgy it becomes real to us and becomes part of our own lives.

It has been said that liturgy is humanity’s yearning for God, and that grace is God’s yearning for humanity. Liturgically, this story of holy yearning – God’s yearning for us and our yearning for God – begins at the point in the liturgical year that we find ourselves at the present moment: Pylypivka: the 40-day period of waiting and watching for the fulfillment of God’s promises, and the coming together of humanity and divinity in the Christ child, who, with his nativity, will bring new life and new hope into our world and our lives.

Too often we see this time of Pylypivka, through the secular lens of our modern post-Christian society, as the final countdown to Christmas, the time when we get things ready for the holidays. By now the malls and stores have long been decorated for Christmas. Christmas gift lists are growing and the number of shopping days is shrinking. Party menus are being planned. Travel plans are being made. Families are gathering. Expectations and hopes are growing. Christmas trees need decorating and presents need wrapping. The pressure is mounting. There is so much to do and so little time to do it in. We feel stressed and distracted.

This is not the liturgical or spiritual understanding of Pylypivka proposed by the Church. This is not the ideal way of spending this holy time. Pylypivka is not the time when we prepare for Christmas. It is the time in which we are prepared for Christmas. It is the time not so much for action as for reflection, a time not for doing but for being open and receptive. Pylypivka is the time when the Church offers to us an alternative to the secular model of “getting ready for the holidays” and asks us to slow down, be still, and be quiet. We are called to keep awake, to be looking and listening for the God who is coming to us. We are called to prepare the way of the Lord in our hearts. It is a time to watch and reflect on who we are. It is a time to look for Christ in all the unexpected places – in the ordinary events of everyday life, in the poor, the hungry, and the needy. And we wait and watch for the angelic messenger who will tell us of the birth of the Christ child.

Being still and keeping attentive is hard work at any time but especially now, during one of the busiest times of the year, so full of distractions and stress, which makes keeping still and attentive even more necessary for us. The time of Pylypivka reminds us that waiting and watching is holy work. So how do we do this?

The tradition of the Church teaches us that silence is the key. Silence is a way of waiting, a way of watching, and a way of listening to what is going on within and around us. Through stillness and silence, through attentiveness and watchfulness we come to self-knowledge and the true spiritual meaning of the coming of Christ.

Of course, it is unrealistic for us to completely detach ourselves from the world in which we live. Our daily obligations and responsibilities prevent us from doing so.

However, during this time of Pylypivka, we encourage you to take just a few minutes each day to sit in silence and stillness, with perhaps the aid of Holy Scripture or a spiritual book, and meditate on the coming of the Lord in the flesh in the feast of His Nativity. If you do this, be prepared to be surprised at what the Lord might whisper to you in your heart!

May the blessings of the Lord Jesus, whose birth in a cave in Bethlehem we joyfully await, descend upon all of you.

+Borys Gudziak
Archbishop of Philadelphia for Ukrainians
Metropolitan of Ukrainian Catholics in the United States

+Paul Chomnycky, OSBM (author)
Eparch of Stamford

+Benedict Aleksiychuk
Eparch of St. Nicholas in Chicago

+ Bohdan J. Danylo
Eparch of St. Josaphat in Parma

+John Bura
Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia

+Andriy Rabiy
Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia

2019 Easter Pastoral Letter of His Beatitude Sviatoslav

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Most Reverend Archbishops and Bishops,
Very Reverend and Reverend Fathers,
Venerable Brothers and Sisters in Monastic and Religious Life,
Dearly Beloved Laity in Christ of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church

Christ is Risen!

Let us rise at early dawn
And bring to our Master a hymn instead of myrrh,
And we shall see Christ, the Sun of righteousness
Who enlightens the life of all.
Ode 5, Paschal Canon

Beloved in Christ!

Today heaven and earth, angels and men proclaim to the whole universe the most profound of all truths: Christ is risen! The power of this salutation is felt by all of us, from the youngest to the oldest, as we respond: Truly, really, indeed Christ is risen! In all languages, we solemnly proclaim this truth using the words of the Gospel for Pascha: “and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth (Jn 1:14). We are all lifted up with unspeakable joy and are given new life through Christ’s Resurrection—for He rises and lives in order that we too might live and rise in Him and with Him.

Let us rise at early dawn and bring to our Master a hymn instead of myrrh…

The radiance of the resurrection of the Sun of righteousness was first seen by the myrrh-bearing women in the darkness of a night filled with disappointment, despair, and fear. With tears in their eyes, they carry myrrh for the deceased, worrying about whether someone will be there to roll aside the great stone at the entrance to the tomb. Each one of us, having experienced the death and funeral of someone close to us, can understand the pain in the hearts of the myrrh-bearing women as they go to bid a final farewell to their Teacher. But lo, they come upon a different, unexpected reality. An angel in a white garment proclaims to them: “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him” (Mk 16:6).

Our Paschal Matins calls on us to “rise up,” that is, to awaken from sleep and be open to the Divine unexpected. To rise up means tо look out for that which is true, genuine, and authentic: look to recognize the Truth, look to not be fooled by that which is false and deceitful; look to encounter the Risen One. His radiance reveals to us the truth about Himself, about that which is worthy of our efforts, labours, and suffering, which is worthy of our action as Church, as a community and as an entire people. The truth that Christ is risen is as real and certain as the fact that the sun will rise and the day will take the place of the night. The Resurrection of Christ as the Sun of righteousness “enlightens life” for us. It shows us not only the true meaning of what the myrrh-bearing women were seeking but also the meaning of every person’s life, suffering, and even death: we are created for resurrection in Christ and our life on earth is an awakening to the expectation of this resurrection. Let the words of the Psalmist be our song in light of the Resurrection: “Oh sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth! Sing to the LORD, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day” (Ps 96:1-2).

And we shall see Christ, the Sun of righteousness…

We live in a cultural world of fakery and untruth, of false commodities and deceptive ideologies. The age of post-truth is upon us. Truth is, it would seem, manufactured according to an individual’s private interests, “on special order,” with no connection to what is actually happening in regards to entire nations, cultures, and individual persons.

For a person today, truth is ceasing to have value. Therefore, all Christians who believe that Christ is truly risen should ask themselves: is truth still important for me? Is it possible that sometimes I neglect the truth because it is more comfortable for me to live without it, to not be bothered by searching for it? Am I able to be truthful with myself about my own life and my shortcomings, or do I attribute them to others and blame others for my own sins?

The environment we live in today, in the midst of “fakery and deceit,” is a veritable night for humanity and, essentially, the death and burial of the human spirit. Without truth, humanity dies like a flower without the sun. The prophet Isaiah cautions against such evil, saying: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!” (Is 5:20-21).
To celebrate Pascha, the Resurrection of our Lord, in the midst of such a night is to be a servant of Truth, a torch for the Sun of righteousness—Christ, who enlightens our life. The example of the myrrh-bearing women is a call to us to search for the Risen Saviour. The myrrh which they carry to anoint the body of Jesus, laid in the tomb, is a symbol of our personal duty to search for truth and move toward it, serve it, bear witness to it before the powerful of the world, even at the risk of our own life. Bearing witness to the truth—this is the paschal calling of every Christian.

The Truth has its own power. It overcomes falsehood as triumphantly as Christ conquered death, as light dispels darkness, or the sun drives out the remnants of the night. With the courage to live in truth, we can become witnesses to the power of Christ’s Resurrection. It is a truth that must be shown with our very lives rather than defended merely with words, following the example of the myrrh-bearing women, who persisted in their witness before the Apostles, even when these would not believe.

Who enlightens the life of all.

As a people, we often have experienced the murderous power of falsehood. We have been robbed and are still being robbed of the truth about our past. False ideologies have been forced and are being forced upon us in order to destroy our present. In times of pre-election campaigns, we have been the target of deception and are still being fooled, so as to rob us of our future. The war which our nation is waging is, in reality, nothing less than a war against falsehood, lies, and all that they bring about in the lives of individuals and society, in international relations, and in the very existence of the global community.

This is why the good news of Pascha-day is so important for us: Christ is truly risen! The teaching of our Lord and Saviour is for us a beacon and a signpost. Indeed, the struggle against falsehood begins in the depth of the human heart. The chief Apostle Peter wrote this appeal: “Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God” (1 Pt 1:22-23).

Let us, therefore, live in the light of the Risen One, before whom no darkness or falsehood can stand. Let us believe in the truth that is Christ and serve the truth in all spheres of human life—and Ukraine with its people will be invincible. Every initiative built on lies will collapse, as it was with the Communist empire of evil. Let us build our nation on truth and justice, no matter how bitter and difficult that may seem. The Risen Christ has the power to enlighten our life and raise us up to a new future.
Indeed today, in light of the authentic Truth that is Christ we must examine our past and, with trust in the Risen Saviour, we must order our present. Precisely now, by the power of his victory against falsehood, we must build our future—one that is not illusionary, dark, and sorrowful, but brilliant and joyful, in the fullness of life, which we have in the Lord.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ! In this bright, joyful day I wish to greet you all with the Pascha of our Lord. May the light of Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, enlighten all of you to responsible service of the truth and grant you courage and perseverance in the face of dark and evil falsehood. To all of you, in Ukraine and throughout the world, I send you my heartfelt greeting together with sincere prayers. To all the soldiers at the front lines and their families, to all refugees and to those who are on the occupied territories, to all captives and prisoners for the sake of their conscience, to the young and old, to those in good and in poor health—I wish all of you the joy of life that is grounded in the truth of God’s infinite love for us. I embrace you with fatherly love and send you my sincere wishes for a blessed Easter feast, a tasty sharing of our traditional blessed egg, and a Paschal joy that is full of light.

The grace of our Risen Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Christ is risen! – Truly, He is risen!

SVIATOSLAV

Given in Kyiv
at the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ,
on the Synaxis of the Archangel Gabriel,
April 8, 2019 A.D.

PASTORAL LETTER OF HIS BEATITUDE SVIATOSLAV TO YOUTH ON PALM SUNDAY

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Beloved in Christ Youth in Ukraine and abroad!

With great joy, as every year, on the occasion of Palm Sunday commemorating Jesus’ triumphal entry in Jerusalem, I wish to address you with this pastoral message. For indeed youth, in the words of Pope Francis, is the divine “now” of our Church and people to whom God wants to reveal His presence, His mercy, and His salvation. As Christ did then, when He entered into His royal city and inaugurated the triumphant coming of His Kingdom in humble service, so also in His eternal “now” through you He wishes to carry His light and His hope into the world. The future depends on your openness to Christ, your sensitivity to the living reality of your Church and people, and your ability to take on responsibility for yourselves and the world.

According to recent sociological surveys, the majority of young Ukrainians see freedom as the most important value in their life. It should be pointed out that this is also the position of a great part of the adult population. For post-Soviet Ukrainian society, such a shifting of values can be seen as a real breakthrough. Indeed, after decades of captivity and bloody communist terror, the freedom-loving spirit of our ancestors has awoken, a spirit which until now no enemy could break or extinguish. This is not surprising, for true freedom gives us the possibility to express our dignity, to fulfil our noble aspirations and goals. It enables us to feel free from all kinds of enslavement so that we might live in truth and create what is beautiful and good. As my predecessor, His Beatitude Lubomyr, aptly stated: “freedom is the possibility to create the good.”

As the year 2013 drew to a close, they sought to deprive us of the possibility to fulfil our national dream—the dream for a free, united, European Ukraine. And it is not by chance that opposing forces chose as their target none other than the youth. Church bells awoke our conscience, and on the Maidan, with great cost, we defended our right to do good in freedom, to live in liberty on our God-given land. Among the heroes of the Heavenly Hundred were our colleagues—students, sportsmen, volunteers, young parents. From the divine eternal “now,” they look down on us today in order to once again by the bells of our conscience awaken us to sensitivity and responsibility. Today our freedom is being preserved before the Russian aggressor by those fighting in the Eastern part of Ukraine at great cost and personal sacrifice. We have no right to stab them in the back.

Beloved in Christ! Freedom is not merely a human value, of which no one has the right to deprive us. True freedom is a gift from God which we received in Jesus Christ. St. Paul reminds us: “for freedom Christ has set us free,” and he immediately cautions us, “stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery” (Gal 5:1). Entering into the capital city of Jerusalem, the Lord brings the good news of salvation, the good news of freedom. This freedom he proposes not as one who enslaves and oppresses. Throughout our national history, especially in the last century, we were visited many times by “liberators” who, hiding behind deceptive slogans about equality and freedom, brought with them terror, destruction, and death. Christ, on the other hand, in humble service by which He gave His life on the cross for our liberation and freedom, becomes the source and foundation of authentic divine freedom, which brings peace, gives hope, calls to growth. “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh…” (Gal 5:13). This call to growth in freedom is at the same time a call to mature responsibility. For today the enemy of our salvation—personal and national—once again seeks to lull our sensitivity. He wants us to see freedom as a right without personal effort, for us to “go with the flow,” while setting aside high aspirations and ideals.

True freedom is not possible without responsibility. Freedom without responsibility, in fact, becomes a blind and destructive force, а recklessness that closes its eyes to that which has been achieved thus far, destroys the present good—personal and common—and places in doubt the personal and national “tomorrow.” During the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, it was the youth that joined the ranks of Christ’s disciples and revealed their openness of heart and responsibility in the face of epochal changes and upheavals.

Dear youth! Today’s Gospel event teaches us to choose with maturity and responsibility—to stand on the side of truth, goodness, and justice, to stand against manipulations, cunning propaganda, and empty promises of an easy and carefree future. The history of salvation shows all of us that the path from slavery to freedom is difficult and long, and it must be travelled from day to day, steadily and patiently. There may be mistakes made on this path, but it would be awful for us to fall into an ill-conceived indifference and thoughtlessness by which we, often even unawares, cross over to the side of our enemy, having freely submitted once again to his tyranny.

Today in Ukraine we are demonstrating our national and Christian maturity through our participation in the elections for President of Ukraine. For some of you, this is, possibly, the first election in your life. This same day may become decisive for the fate of the county for decades, and even for its very existence. Therefore, I call upon you to mature responsibility. Only a mature person is capable of foreseeing the consequences of one’s choices and take personal responsibility for them. Let us not let anyone take Ukraine for a fool, scoff at the blood and suffering of our people, who fight for true freedom at the cost of their own life.

In order for you to be able to better and more conscientiously make a personal decision with responsibility, I would like to recall the criteria which at one time His Beatitude Lubomyr of blessed memory proposed, and according to which, in his opinion, it is imperative to evaluate candidates to positions of authority in government: professionalism, integrity, patriotism. Only one who has all three traits can be worthy of our trust. Today our entire Church calls upon the Holy Spirit to send down His grace on our youth, trusting that its choice, as well as the choice of our entire people, will bring good news to Ukraine and the world, just as the choice of the youth of Jerusalem became a famous part of the Gospel of Christ Himself!

The young faithful of our Church, who reside outside Ukraine and are not participating in the elections today, I wish to also call to responsibility in our communities—ecclesial and social. Take responsibility for the future of the country where you reside, do not be afraid to achieve success and perform service at the highest levels of society and thus to be a source of pride for your native people and your Church. Become active members of your parish and the Ukrainian community. And so will you, as the divine “now” will create a better future for yourselves, your descendants, the Church and all of humanity.

My dear youth! I greet you with this special youth day! Thank you for your active, mature, and responsible Christian life position. Be assured: who follows Christ and their life walks in the ways of God, such a person will always achieve a blessed goal—true freedom and happiness, which do not pass away.

The blessing of the Lord be upon you!

+ SVIATOSLAV

Given in Kyiv

at the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ,

on the Day of the Venerable Mark, Bishop of Arethusa, and Deacon Cyril, and others martyred by the persecutor Julian, April 11, 2019 A.D.

Nativity Pastoral Letter of his Beatitude Sviatoslav

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Most Reverend Archbishops and Metropolitans,
God-loving Bishops, Very Reverend Clergy, Venerable Monastics,
Dearly Beloved Brothers and Sisters,
in Ukraine and throughout the world

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given;and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
(Isaiah 9:5)

Christ is born! Glorify Him!
Beloved in Christ!

Today heaven and earth is filled with the light of joy and peace. Angels and men, all creation welcomes Christ the Saviour born in human flesh. All of us together with the shepherds and wise men hasten to the poor stable-cave to join Mary and Joseph in venerating the incarnate God, who rests on hay in a manger. We hasten to receive the love and peace that the Lord brings into a world of hate and violence.

The Gospel narrative of the Nativity conveys to us the Good News proclaimed by the angel: “And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger” (Luke 2:12). In the Christmas carols and services of this mystical night we hear of a mighty heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2:14). All of humanity, in awaiting the birth of the Saviour, had hoped for the beginning of a new era in human history—a new time when the Messiah as Prince of Peace would restore harmony to human relations, would abolish all forms of violence of men against men; not as a victor in war, like his ancestor David, but as the Son of God, conquering the very reason for wars and hostility—human sin, that evil which is the greatest disfigurement of paradisiacal happiness.

Human beings are created by God for peace which is a sign of the presence and action of the Holy Spirit (see Galatians 5:22-23). In spite of our nature, fallen through sin, human beings invariably seek this peace, even though we may not always know how to achieve it. For this very reason our Divine Liturgy, after calling for the establishment and strengthening of the blessed Kingdom of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, immediately invites us to pray for peace from on high for the entire world and the well-being of God’s holy churches. Indeed, today’s feast proclaims to us that Christ is the Prince of Peace and that the might of God is revealed in peace.

When we hear the word “prince,” we immediately think of a person who has authority and power. We encounter many “princes,” good and bad, in various spheres of human life: politics, employment, family, and even church life. However, from the Gospel perspective and in light of the example of Christ as Prince of Peace, it becomes evident that divine authority is expressed through service, and divine power is found in the infinite and unconditional, faithful, and sacrificial love of the Lord for His creation.

A human being can live in peace and become a servant of peace only when he or she receives the Prince of Peace, newly-born today, into their hearts, into their internal spiritual world, into their personal and social life. Saint Paul writes in his epistle to the Ephesians: “He is our peace” (Ephesians 2:14). Therefore, the greatest expression of God’s universal might, the manner in which the Prince of Peace manifests His power and authority, is not in the humiliation of others through injustice and violence, but in serving others out of unconditional love for the sake of peace!
At times in our daily lives it may seem to us that the one who is powerful is the one who is able to humiliate another. However, in reality such an expression of power is violence. Therefore, standing before the manger of the Prince of Peace, we begin to understand that violence is always the argument of a weakling, of one who wishes to appear powerful. It is the behaviour of a coward, who simply fears the other, no matter how weak.

Christ endured violence from the very moment of His birth. King Herod, whom history calls great, in reality was a little coward: he feared for his authority, he perceived himself a failure in the face of God as a powerless Child. In order the retain authority and the riches entailed in it, he resorted to violence: commanding the death of the little ones of Bethlehem, the children of his own people! The peace of God, on the other hand, is always mightier than human violence, and that is why He is always victorious.

Only the powerless and weak in spirit adopt a strategy of insidious attack, aggression, or blind violence as a method of ensuring one’s authority, being incapable of convincing or leading others any other way. In contrast, human frailty, vested in Divine power, often becomes the pledge of true victory and a lasting peace. Let us recall what the Lord revealed to the Apostle of the nations: “My power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). The weakness of God is mightier that the appearance of human power. Herod was buried not long after the birth of our Lord Jesus, while Christ, the Prince of Peace, is alive—yesterday, today and forever! (see Hebrews 13:8).

Beloved in Christ! To celebrate Christmas is to be filled with peace from heaven and to say “no” to violence. Let us receive the newly-born Saviour as Prince of Peace in our families and become, following the example of St. Joseph and Mary the Theotokos, bearers and custodians of peace. Let us avoid all forms of violence—in word and deed—especially in our family circle, in relations between husband and wife or parents and children. Let us reject the culture of death which allows for the killing of the innocent unborn and, as we see in some countries of the world, encourages the gravely ill or elderly to shorten their life under the guise of a so-called “sweet death,” which is nothing more than an offense against God and a crime against the sanctity and inviolability of human life.

Let our ancient Christmas carols resound in our schools and educational institutions, safeguarding our children from events of violence. In societies where we live, let us not permit the presence of blind physical or moral violence on the political battleground. Representatives of political forces who encourage violence and foment conflicts are in reality spiritual weaklings, and they will never be capable of serving the common good of our people. Wherever we live, whether in Ukraine, which in the near future will be electing a president and parliament, or in the countries where our people have settled, let us support those who aspire elected office not in order to rule others, but in order to serve. Let us support those who resist violence and seek to establish the peace of God, a peace that is just and lasting.

Let us celebrate Christ’s Nativity today and bring forth the joy and peace that comes from heaven. Let us conquer violence and fear, both in our personal lives, and on all the fronts of this war, whose consequences profoundly affect each and every one of us. Let us counter foreign aggression, as do those who defend our native land in Ukraine’s East, with the sacrifice of our love, in active solidarity with the victims of aggression. Let us be persistent in prayer, calling for the peace of God upon our land, in our families and hearts! May the words of the prophet Isaiah be fulfilled for us: “Violence shall no more be heard in your land, devastation or destruction within your borders; you shall call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise” (Isaiah 60:18).

Beloved Brothers and Sisters! With this Christmas letter I greet all of you who today, as domestic Church, receive the new-born Christ into your families—parents and children, the elderly and youth. I hasten to share the good news of joy and peace with those, who labour abroad—far away from their home and loved-ones. I embrace those brothers and sisters who have been forced to migrate, who miss their native lands, and all, who today carry on their bodies and in their hearts the wounds of war and violence.

With the Nativity of Christ, I especially greet our soldiers, the defenders of peace and victors of war. My thoughts and prayers go to the cold prisons, where our prisoners of war and of conscience continue to suffer; to the hospitals, where our wounded in battle for our nation regain their health; to the homes, where Ukrainians afflicted with grief mourn the loss of their loved-ones because of the war. The Lord of peace is with us! May the Christmas star shine upon us with its light, and in every home the words of our carol-song resound clearly:

Ангели співають: (The Angels sing:)
«Слава» восклицають, (Exclaiming“Glory!”)
На небесах і на землі (Inheaven and on earth)
Мир проповідають.(Proclaiming peace.)

I wish all of you the authentic joy that is given to the children of God,a cheerful celebration of Christ’s Nativity, and a happy, peaceful and blessed New Year!
Christ is born! Glorify Him!

† SVIATOSLAV

Given in Kyiv
at the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ,
on the day of our father St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia,
the 19th (6th)of December in the 2018th Year of our Lord

Christmas Pastoral of the Ukrainian Catholic Hierarchy of the U.S.A.

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To Our Clergy, Hieromonks, and Brothers, Religious Sisters,
Seminarians and Beloved Faithful

“Today Christ is Born of the Virgin in Bethlehem. Today, the eternal One has a beginning, today the Word becomes incarnated. All the heavenly powers rejoice, and all who dwell on earth are happy. The magi offer the gift to the Master, the shepherds proclaim the marvel; and we cry aloud unceasingly: Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace and good will to all.”
STICHERA AT THE PRAISES, MATINS OF THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD.

The liturgical texts of the Nativity of Our Lord often repeat a word “Today” and call everyone to respond to God’s invitation. Emmanuel—God with Us—came to the world over two thousand years ago and was greeted with marvel by shepherds and magi offering him homage and gifts. If we want that joy of Christmas to invade our lives, we must do what the shepherds did so long ago. We must come to our parish churches and bow before the newborn King. Hope is available but only to those who will humble themselves and bow in faith before the Lord Jesus Christ. We often think about Jesus Christ each year in the Christmas season. We are deeply touched by the beauty of the nativity scene, and resolve to know Christ personally, follow Jesus in our daily lives and be with Him. But, then the Christmas season passes and the pressures of a new year lead us away from the manger. There is great danger in coming near to Christ but never making a commitment. Sooner or later, we must make a personal commitment that Jesus Christ will be our Lord and Savior. Every time we put it off, it becomes harder the next time. May God give us, the grace to make room in our hearts for Jesus Christ! The angel said, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior.” “Unto you.” “For you.” He came for us! This is where Christmas becomes intensely personal. It’s not enough to say abstractly that we believe Christ came. Many people say that and are still lost in their search for the living God. It’s not enough to say that Christ came for someone else. We can never be saved until we say, “Christ came for me. He died for me. He rose from the dead for me.” Two thousand years ago God sent a gift wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. Jesus is God’s Christmas gift to us. But we will never experience Christmas joy until we personally receive God’s gift—the Lord Jesus Christ. There is left to each of us a choice. What will we do with the Christ-child this Christmas? Will we run to meet him and make him welcome in our hearts? Will we sing with the angels or will we be too busy to go to see the babe in the manger? Will we open our hearts and our homes to Jesus? Today, let us come and welcome Emmanuel—God with Us. Let us with joy welcome Christ among us! The beauty of this personal encounter with the living God will call us to share this “Good News” with others. This is the same message the shepherds received from the angels. If we want to experience the real joy that Jesus wants for us, then we must learn to share! By sharing what God has so generously given to us, we will receive an even greater gift—the gift of joy. This is the true joy. It is found in a Person—in Jesus Christ our Savior. This joy flows out of a relationship with the One who never changes, the One who never lets us down, the one who never leaves us or forsakes us—the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior. On this Christmas day, let us come to our churches and personally encounter this great joy. Let us experience the life-giving Christ. Then, with the deep personal conviction we will be able to share this “Good News” with those whom we encounter in our daily lives, and say to one another “God is among us”!

+PAUL (Chomnycky, OSBM) Eparch of Stamford +

ANDRIY (Rabiy) Apostolic Administrator of the Archeparchy of Philadelphia

+BENEDICT (Aleksiychuk) Eparch of St. Nicholas in Chicago

+ BOHDAN J. (Danylo) Eparch of St. Josaphat in Parma

+JOHN (Bura) Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia