News – Page 3 – Royal Doors

Feb

17

2022

An Extraordinary Life for Extraordinary Times

Faith, 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

07

2021

By David Petras

Our Holy Father Nicholas

Faith, 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…

May

14

2021

By Fr. Michael Winn

The Season of Pentecost – Mission Days Guidebook

Christian Life, News

By taking an active role in the spiritual efforts of these ten Mission Days, we are called to better understand that, by their very nature, our parish communities and families (domestic churches) have a missionary character. This missionary spirit is a consequence of the gift of our Baptism, by virtue of which we, as Christians, take upon ourselves the responsibility to believe, live, serve, and share the witness of our faith in Christ, not just among our family members, but with our neighbours, wherever we may live. Thus, the mission of our parish community is to allow our Lord to…

Mar

22

2021

By Brent Kostyniuk

All You Orthodox Christians

Both Lungs, News

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. John Chrysostom, is intended for something quite different from the parishioner’s understanding. Specifically, during the Ektenia of Fervent Supplication, the following petition is prayed by the priest. “We also pray for the people here present who await Your great and bountiful mercies, for those who…

Feb

16

2021

By Fr. Michael Winn

“Voluntary, accessible, safe”—the position of the UGCC concerning vaccination against COVID-19

News

On February 8th in Kyiv the all-Ukraine forum “Ukraine 30. The Coronavirus: challenges and answers” began its work. This is a societal dialogue on the pandemic and the fight to overcome it. The first day of the forum concluded with a special session: “A conversation among religious leaders of Ukraine,” during which speakers discussed the Church’s position on vaccination against COVID-19 and specifically how their particular religious community influences the faithful on this matter. The Ukrainian Greco-Catholic Church was represented at the forum by Fr. Oleksa Petriv, the director of the Department for external relations of the UGCC.During the session…

Sep

26

2020

By Brent Kostyniuk

Internment

Both Lungs, News

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 Canadian history began when the War Measures Act came into law in 1914. Under the pretext of safeguarding the country from enemy aliens, some 8,500 men were interned as prisoners of war. Far from being enemy alien combatants, these men were civilians. Some detainees were…

Apr

15

2020

By Respected Author

Metropolitan-Archbishop Emeritus Stephen Sulyk

News

Born into life—October 2, 1924Born into Eternal Life—April 6, 2020 https://youtu.be/EVCffVekg_E from The Way On Monday, April 6, Metropolitan-Archbishop Emeritus Stephen Sulyk while a patient at Virtua Voorhees Hospital, Voorhees NJ was called home to the Lord. Archbishop Sulyk, 95, served as Archbishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia and Metropolitan of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in the United States. He was appointed Metropolitan-Archbishop of Philadelphia by St. John Paul II on December 29, 1980 and was consecrated bishop in Rome on March 1, 1981. The principal Consecrator was His Beatitude Josyf Cardinal Slipyj, and the Principal Co-Consecrators were…

Apr

04

2020

By Respected Author

Holy Week & Pascha – A Brief Explanation

NewsHoly Week, Lent, Pascha

by Fr. Peter Babej Lazarus Saturday The Great Fast (40 days) ends on the Friday before Palm Sunday. Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday form a short and joyous prelude to the days of grief which will follow. Bethany is the place where Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead and reveals Himself to be “the Resurrection and the Life.” “Those who believe in Me, even though they die, will live” (John 11:25). Bethany is also the point of departure for Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem. On this Saturday, we go to Bethany, to Lazarus’s tomb. We want to meet Jesus at Bethany…

Dec

18

2019

By Fr. Michael Winn

2019 Christmas Greetings from the Patriarch

News, UGCC

Most Reverend Archbishops and Metropolitans,God-loving Bishops, Very Reverend Clergy, Venerable Monastics,Dearly Beloved Brothers and Sisters,in Ukraine and throughout the world Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy!Lk 2:10 Christ is born! Glorify Him! Beloved in Christ! Today the angels in heaven sing and celebrate, all creation is filled with joy, for the Saviour and Lord is born this day in Bethlehem of Judea. This joy, which we especially experience with today’s illustrious feast, is an integral part of being for every believing Christian, a visible sign and fruit of God’s unceasing presence. The joy of…

Dec

08

2019

By Brent Kostyniuk

Our Byzantine Heritage

Both Lungs, News

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 Ukrainian people. Even then it was centuries old. However, “Why Byzantine?” you may well ask. The answer lies deep in Christianity, in the first centuries of the Church’s existence. As the early Church grew it formed around five centres - Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria, Byzantium, and…