Faith – Royal Doors

Jun

25

2024

New Particular Law for the UGCC

Faith, Featured Articles, News, UGCCcanon law, law, particular law

This article was updated on June 25, 2024. In 2018 the UGCC promulgated the newest version of the Particular Law. You can find the official Ukrainian alongside an unofficial translation of the document here:UGCC Particular Law 2021 (PDF) (Word) (archeparchy.ca) The newest version of ecclesial laws for Ukrainian Catholic faithful was officially promulgated on 4 April 2018 and will take effect on 7 April 2018. This was accomplished by the publishing of both the Decree of Promulgation and the text of the updated version of Particular Law on the Church's official website for this purpose. The full text is presently…

Jun

23

2024

By Brent Kostyniuk

“Buying a Mass Card”

Both Lungs, Faith

by Brent Kostyniuk When a loved one is gravely ill, or perhaps has passed away, we long to do whatever is possible to help them in this world, or the next. Out first inclination should be to pray for that person. However, often it seems as if our prayers are not enough. We want to do more. We want a stronger and more direct means of imploring God’s mercy. At those times, we often approach our pastor and request a Divine Liturgy be said for that person. When I was growing up, I often heard my parents and relatives talk…

Jun

23

2024

By Respected Author

A Short Historical Summary of the Ukrainian Catholics in Canada

Faith

by Most Rev. Andrew Roborecky, D.D. [CCHA Journal 16 (1949), 25-36] In 1891 two Ukrainian Catholic peasants left their wives and parents, and alone, knowing no friends, language or customs, sailed for Canada. Like Joshua, they sailed “to spy out the land.” These two sturdy pioneers were Wasyl Eleniak, still living in Chipman, Alberta, and Ivan Pilipiwsky, who died several years ago. They came from the village of Nebiliw, county Kalush, in Galicia, then Austria-Hungary. Pilipiwsky went to Alberta, while Eleniak worked hard for two years on a farm near Winnipeg, saved his earnings, and sailed back to his native…

Apr

09

2023

By Respected Author

The Paschal Homily of St. John Chrysostom

Faith, Featured ArticlesPascha

If any man be devout and love God, let him enjoy this fair and radiant triumphal feast. If any man be a wise servant, let him rejoicing enter into the joy of his Lord. If any have laboured long in fasting, let him now receive his recompense. If any have wrought from the first hour, let him today receive his just reward. If any have come at the third hour, let him with thankfulness keep the feast. If any have arrived at the sixth hour, let him have no misgivings; because he shall in no wise be deprived therefore. If…

Dec

18

2022

By Brent Kostyniuk

St. Nicholas

Both Lungs, Faith, Featured Articlesnicholas

by Brent Kostyniuk Of all the saints commemorated in the Byzantine liturgical year, one of the most beloved surely has to be our Holy Father Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra. Although not exclusively a Ukrainian saint, he has won a special place in the hearts of Ukrainians. In Canada alone, there some two dozen Ukrainian Catholic parishes dedicated to his memory. Come December, no Christmas concert is complete without a visit from St. Nicholas, dressed in his bishop’s vestments, arriving to bring presents for the children. In return, he is serenaded with O, Xto, Xto a carol telling of…

Jul

18

2022

By Fr. Michael Winn

Becoming Byzantine

Christian Life, Faith, Featured Articles, News

The series, Becoming Byzantine, is intended to be an online introduction to Byzantine Catholic Faith, Worship, and Life, based on the teachings of the catechism, Christ Our Pascha. Each month, the series sponsors a 90-minute webinar which will serve as a conversation introducing the topics and themes from the Catechism (which can be read afterwards), as well as from the recorded videos that will be available on our YouTube Channel. This can be used for individual, group, or parish study. You can view the entire series here.

Feb

17

2022

By Respected Author

An Extraordinary Life for Extraordinary Times

Faith, Featured Articles, News

by Lidia Wasylyn Who could have guessed that a child born February 17, 1892, into a humble, deeply religious family in Western Ukraine would become a prince of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, leading his flock into the 20th century? Such was God’s plan for this child and from an early age, his faith pulled him into service for his long-suffering Ukrainian Catholic faithful. This child’s fate was predetermined, and God’s will led and empowered him throughout his extraordinary, exemplary yet challenging life. The year 2022 marks the 130th anniversary of the birth of one of the giants of the Ukrainian…

Dec

11

2021

By Fr. Michael Winn

40 Day Reading Plan of Christ Our Pascha

Faith, Featured Articles

40 Day Reading Plan of Christ – Our Pascha, the Catechism of the Ukrainian Catholic Church On Knowledge of the Catechism (April 1937) I strongly remind the priest-pastors about this great and holy obligation before God (to teach catechism), and now I come to you, Dear Brothers and Sisters, to you, fathers of Christian families, to you, Christian mothers, to you, Brothers and Sisters, members of various church brotherhoods. Help our priests, help me, your Bishop-Pastor, to spread among the people, but especially among the youth, a knowledge of the holy faith, a knowledge of the catechism. This is the…

Dec

09

2021

By David Petras

Conception of Saint Anna

Faith, Featured Articles, Liturgy

by Very Rev. Archpriest David Petras The conception of the all-holy virgin Mary in the womb of Anna is celebrated on December 9 in the Byzantine tradition, for a natural reason, that the Eastern ancients thought a girl was in the womb one day less than a boy. However, in the Ruthenian Church in America, the feast is now celebrated together with the Roman Church on December 8, nine months before her birth on September 8, because she is the patron of the United States. [The Ukrainian Catholic Church celebrates this feast on December 9.] It is clear that this…

Dec

07

2021

By David Petras

Our Holy Father Nicholas

Faith, Featured Articles, Liturgy, News

by Fr. David Petras One can easily say that the greatest saint of the Byzantine Church is Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia. Yet the only thing we know of him for certain is his name, and that a holy man named Nicholas was the bishop in Myra in the fourth century. He has become essentially connected with the feast of Christmas. While the details of his life are certainly legendary, the first appearance is the Vita per Michaelem, in the ninth century, and then by Simeon Metaphrastes in the tenth century, yet we cannot help but suspect…