Both Lungs

by Brent Kostyniuk In the Byzantine religious tradition, a new Christian becomes a complete member of the Church by receiving the three Mysteries (Sacraments) of Initiation—Baptism, Chrismation, and Holy Eucharist–at the same time. The rationale for this is that from the beginning, the new Christian will be able to fully participate in the life of the Church. For an infant, he begins a life-long association with Jesus, being able to receive Him regularly from the very start of his life. If we truly believe in the spiritual nourishment the Holy Eucharist provides, then we are also able to believe that…

by Brent Kostyniuk Most Catholics will be well aware of World Youth Day (WYD), a gathering of young people which takes place in a different country every three years. A much more accessible event, Unity, is sponsored annually by the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Canada. This year, Unity will take place from August 17 to 20 at St. Peter’s Abbey in Muenster Saskatchewan. Sarah Buchko, Youth and Young Adult Minister for the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saskatoon, explains the significance of Unity 2017 for Ukrainian Catholic young people. “Unity is not only a reunion gathering for young adults who may…

by Brent Kostyniuk On numerous occasions, St. John Paul II exhorted all Catholics, and indeed all Christians, to appreciate that the Church had to breathe through both lungs—East and West. The message was so important to him that the Pontiff issued the Apostolic Letter Orientale Lumen [The Light of the East]. With a sense of the historic, the Letter coincided with the hundredth anniversary of Orientalium Dignitas [On the Churches of the East] issued by Pope Leo XIII in November 1894. Both popes hoped that knowledge would lead to understanding, which in turn, would lead to greater cooperation and even…

by Brent Kostyniuk When our daughter Victoria was quite young, one of her favourite Bible stories was that of Jesus roasting fish by the shore of a lake and calling Peter over to join him. It remains one of my favourite images of the Risen Christ. It is a very comforting image. Jesus has returned through the Resurrection and wants to share a meal with His friend. Although He can enjoy a piece of fresh caught tilapia, He can also pass through walls as if they didn’t exist. Is this what heaven will be like? A very different image of…

by Brent Kostyniuk One of the most distinctive features of the interior of a Byzantine church is its iconostasis, a richly decorated icon screen which establishes the altar area. Far from being a wall which isolates the nave from the sanctuary, theologically the iconostasis actually serves to bring the two together. In Byzantine theology, the sanctuary is believed to be heaven placed on earth. It is the Holy of Holies. In this way, events which are part of the spiritual realm are made available to those on earth. This may be likened to the great Temple in Jerusalem. The holiest…

by Brent Kostyniuk While Jesus lived on earth, one of His great ministries was healing the sick. The Gospels are filled with accounts of these miracles which teach us of His merciful love and compassion. So often, however, physical healing was linked to spiritual healing. Indeed, His primary concern was the salvation of souls. Jesus’ mission of healing was carried on by the Apostles and remains with us today in the Holy Mystery (Sacrament) of Anointing of the Sick. Like the miracles of Jesus, it can bring both physical and spiritual healing. The Holy Mystery of Anointing may be traced…

by Brent Kostyniuk Those who are old enough will remember the Baltimore Catechism. We spent religion class after religion class memorizing the commandments, the prayers, and those concise statements which defined our relationship with God. At the time, that Catechism, more than anything, seemed to encapsulate the Catholic faith. However, as importance as it was, the Catechism did not address the spiritual needs of Eastern Catholics. While reliance might today seem to have been over emphasized, the need for a catechism, in whatever form it takes, is essential to any religion. In that light, publication of the Catechism of the…

by Brent Kostyniuk Although the Catholic Church consists of 23 separate or sui iuris Churches, over 98 per cent of her members belong to the Latin, or Roman, Church. The remainder belong to the 22 Eastern Churches, which include Coptic, Maronite, and Ukrainian Catholics among others, Put another way, of the 1.2 billion Catholics worldwide, only 16 million are of the Eastern Catholic Churches. Inevitably, as in any family, conflicts do arise when dealing with each other. Recently, Pope Francis issued an Apostolic Letter intended to bring a little more harmony into this family. The Apostolic Letter De Concordia Inter…