Christian Life

Jun
08
2019
By Fr. Michael Winn
ByziMoms for ByziPriests

ByziMoms for ByziPriests

Christian Life, News
This is a new Apostolate that may appeal to many. Its mission: Our Byzantine Church is in need of refreshment, renewed energy and the vitality that only the Holy Spirit can provide. ​It is our desire, as ByziMoms, to call down the fire of the Holy Spirit upon our Byzantine Church by praying daily for each and every one of our Byzantine priests so that they may experience all of the blessings that God intends for them, and through them, for us! ​If you would like to join our Apostolate, click the button to the right and join our facebook…
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Nov
17
2018
By Fr. Michael Winn
Prayer in Our Parishes and in Our Families

Prayer in Our Parishes and in Our Families

Christian Life, , ,
To Our Clergy, Hieromonks and Brothers, Religious Sisters, Seminarians and Beloved Faithful In the last few years in our Church we often mention the “Vibrant Parish” strategy. In my opinion, one sign of a vibrant parish lies in its ability to give life and give birth to new, living, vibrant parishioners. A dead or dying parish is unable to give birth to new parishioners, or it will give birth to parishioners who are spiritually dead. In my view, a living parish exists when there are two dimensions present in it - vertical and horizontal. The vertical dimension is reflected in…
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Sep
30
2018
By Fr. Roman Planchak

Giving Back to the Giver

Christian Life,
FROM TIME TO TIME, Christians in a number of communities, including the ancient historic Churches, are encouraged to tithe to their congregation. Tithing – the giving of 10% of one’s income – is mandatory in some groups. Mormons, for example are required to tithe and only tithe-paying members are allowed to enter Mormon temples and to receive its “ordinances” (sacraments). Many Pentecostal groups teach that, if you are not tithing, you are robbing God.   Tithing in the Old Testament The practice of tithing arose at the start of the Israelite nation. When the Israelites occupied the promised land, eleven…
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Sep
24
2018
By Fr. Roman Planchak
Imitator of Stephen in his trials

Imitator of Stephen in his trials

Christian Life, Faith
FROM SEPTEMBER, 2013 TO APRIL, 2014 government and rebel forces struggled for control of the ancient Christian town of Ma’loula, Syria, a UNESCO World Heritage site and home to a number of shrines and monasteries. One of them is the ancient Orthodox women’s monastery of St Thekla from which 12 nuns were abducted and held by rebel forces for three months. Almost unknown in the West today, St Thekla was held in great esteem in the early Church and is still revered in the Christian East. Her festival, on September 24, has attracted pilgrims since at least the fourth century.…
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Feb
05
2017
By Fr. Michael Winn
The Purpose of the Great Fast

The Purpose of the Great Fast

Christian Life, Liturgy
Because we did not fast we were banished from paradise. So then let us fast so as to return back to paradise. (St. Basil, On Fasting, 1) Although our time has brought with it many changes in church laws, traditions, and discipline, and the Second Vatican Council has relaxed the rules for fasting, including the Great Fast[1], nevertheless, the Forty Days Fast still has significance for our spiritual life. For various reasons, today we may be unable to fast in the same way as our ancestors did; yet even today we are obliged to a spiritual fast—that is, we are…
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Jan
28
2017
By Fr. Michael Winn

Fasting and Abstinence Rules Prescribed for the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church | 2015

Christian Life
Definitions Abstinence means that we do not eat a certain type of food or any other foods that have that as an ingredient. Fasting means that we eat less food. A general rule is that for a day of fast, the amount of food of the main meal is less than the other two meals combined. Those exempt from fasting and abstinence are: Children under the age of 14 Adults over the age of 60 those who are gravely ill pregnant women post-partum mothers breast-feeding mothers travellers (if travel time exceeds 8 hours) those engaged in heavy labour those who…
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Jan
23
2017
By Fr. Michael Winn
Blessed Martyrs of Pratulin

Blessed Martyrs of Pratulin

Christian Life, Faith
Today is the anniversary of the massacre of thirteen peasant men and boys who died defending a little Greek Catholic church in what is now Poland. They gathered, with their families and neighbors, to prevent the Russian Imperial government from imposing an Orthodox priest into their parish. This took place when the Tsar destroyed the last Greek Catholic eparchy in the empire, Chelm, in 1873 – 1875. Deportations had already begun of clergy and lay leaders who were sent off in long columns on foot to Siberia. Read more at Father Christopher Zugger  
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Dec
12
2016
By Fr. Roman Planchak

Enough vs. Abundance

Christian Life
DAY AFTER DAY Christians say the Lord’s Prayer, asking God to “give us this day our daily bread,” that is, to provide us with what we need for today. The rich man in Christ’s parable (Luke 12:16-22) clearly has a different perspective. He is not just concerned about today but about tomorrow, finding his security in the “grain and goods” he has stored up. The man’s approach seems eminently practical – we do the same with our IRAs and annuities. Nobody wants to end their days on earth in a welfare hotel. But if we put absolute confidence in any…
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