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 Do you believe in miracles? Well of course you do. Miracles are at the heart of our Christian religion, foremost of which is the miracle of Jesus Christ rising from the dead on Easter morning. But what I mean is do you really, really believe in your heart that miracles occur every […]
by Brent Kostyniuk When I was in Grade Three, our teacher asked the class what we would do if someone came into the room and threatened to shoot anyone who was Christian. It was an incredibly scary prospect back then and it still is today. Yet, there are brave and faithful people who resist any […]
by Brent Kostyniuk For six years now, this column has worked at spreading the message of St. John Paul II who proclaimed that the Church – that is you and I – should breathe through both lungs, East and West. One who breathes through both lungs is Fr. Mark Woodruff a priest with bi-ritual faculties […]
by Brent Kostyniuk Back in September, Both Lungs recalled a particularly uplifting Divine Liturgy I attended while on holidays in London. The celebrant was Father Mark Woodruff who had been ordained in the Latin Church, but who had bi-ritual faculties. This month, Both Lungs visits with Father Mark to get a different perspective on the […]
by Brent Kostyniuk O, Most merciful Lord and You, Son of Righteousness We greet you with holy Christmas Last year You gave us a harvest, You gave us goodness, You gave us health, You gave us wealth Then help us this year so that it will be better. Given Ukrainians’ love for ritual and symbolism, […]
by Brent Kostyniuk “So, what did you do for summer holidays?” This time of the year, as life begins to return to its normal routine, that question seems to be a popular one as people gather at the office water cooler or coffee machine. Unfortunately, as a freelance writer, discussions about summer holidays are generally […]
by Brent Kostyniuk “I’ve looked at life from both sides now…” I’m sure Joni Mitchell’s words mean something different to just about everyone who hears them. Over the past several months, they have taken on a special new meaning for me, as I reflect on St. John Paul II’s famous exhortation that the Church needs […]
by Brent Kostyniuk As this marks the fiftieth appearance of the Both Lungs column, it seems appropriate to learn more about the context in which Saint John Paul II made the remark from which this column takes its title and its theme. As it turns out, he used the phrase many times. However, one which […]
by Brent Kostyniuk Both Lungs is about East and West, the belief and spiritual heritage we share as Catholics, and the elements of our respective traditions which are different. It is about unity in diversity. Now during Lent, or the Great Fast as it known in the East, an opportunity has come to encounter a […]
by Brent Kostyniuk One of my son-in-laws is fond of saying, “You say pot-ay-to and I say pot-ah-to.” He usually makes the comment towards the end of a long conversation when we have been discussing cars or modern technology. We never really argue and our discussions never become heated. However, we come from different generations […]
