The continuing series of articles about the relationship and experience between Eastern and Western Catholics as seen through the eyes, mind, and heart of Brent Kostyniuk of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
by Brent Kostyniuk A priest once told me how he had been chastised by an upset parishioner because he prayed for the Orthodox Church during the Divine Liturgy. We both got a chuckle out of the story; however, it did point to a misunderstanding. The prayer, repeated several times during the Divine Liturgy of St. […]
by Brent Kostyniuk “Then we went on to Greece, and the Greeks led us to the edifices where they worship their God, and we knew not whether we were in heaven or on earth. For on earth there is no such splendour or such beauty, and we are at a loss how to describe it.” […]
by Brent Kostyniuk It has become fashionable to resurrect historic injustices and blame them for present day conditions. However, there is one event which remains little known, which brought horrible sufferings to thousands, and for which no reparation has even been considered—the internment of Ukrainian Canadians during World War I. Imprisoned This infamous incident in […]
by Brent Kostyniuk In this time of the pandemic, it is normal, if not expected, that people will worry about what lies ahead. For many, the fear of death brought about by this new plague has become a part of everyday life. However, as Byzantine Christians, we know full well what lies in store. At […]
by Brent Kostyniuk “You’re not really Catholic. You belong to that Ukrainian church.” How often have we, as Ukrainian Catholics, had to explain to others that, yes, we are Ukrainian and Catholic? A young mother arrived at a Catholic school in Edmonton to register her son, bringing along his baptismal certificate from a Ukrainian Catholic […]
by Brent Kostyniuk As Ukrainian Catholics, we, along with others, are the inheritors of a rich Byzantine Christian tradition. It provides a spirituality abundant in prayers, icons, hymns, and liturgies intended to draw us ever closer to God. It has been our birth-right for over 1000 years since St. Volodymyr arranged the baptism of the […]
by Brent Kostyniuk Some years ago there was a popular film titled My Big Fat Greek Wedding. It followed the daughter of a Greek immigrant family in her romance with a very non-ethnic boyfriend. Eventually, romance led to marriage. However, before that could take place, the boyfriend had to be baptized. The girl’s father proudly […]
Brent Kostyniuk For Ukrainian Catholics, and indeed all Byzantine Christians, icons are a vital part of their prayer life. So closely linked are the two, some faithful find it difficult to pray without being able to gaze on an icon. Often referred to as windows to heaven, icons are not meant to be realistic images […]
by Brent Kostyniuk “Cure the sick, O physician of our souls and bodies.” So we pray at each Divine Liturgy. This petition reminds us not only of our need for healing but helps us to recall the many miracles of healing which Jesus performed during his public ministry. During those three years, our Lord showed […]
by Brent Kostyniuk Breathing through both lungs is the expression St. John Paul II used on many occasions to express his great desire for the Church—both East and West—to be united in our common faith in the Triune God. In order to be united, however, we must first know and understand each other. Looking at […]
