UPCOMING EVENT
- Pastors are kindly requested to forward to the Chancery Office by January 31 (or shortly after their annual general parish meeting) the following documents for each parish or mission in their pastoral care:
- A current list of the Parish Council Members, including position, name, address, telephone and e-mail.
- 2018 Financial Statements, as well as a copy of the annual T3010A Registered Charity Information Return (for parishes who issue income tax receipts).
- A photocopy of the Baptismal, Marriage and Death Registers entries for the year 2018.
- Christmas Caroling with the Seminarians of Holy Spirit Seminary. If you would like to have the seminarians of Holy Spirit Seminary come and carol at your home, please contact the Seminary and ask for Ivan Simko at (587) 460-6031). Available dates: January 6-27.
- The annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity will take place from January 18-25, 2019.
An Ecumenical Prayer Service will be held at 7:00 pm, Sunday, January 20 at Saint John Bosco Roman Catholic Church (13503 – 40 Street, Edmonton), with the participation of Bishop David and other ecumenical leaders.
The theme for this year’s Week of Prayer is: “Justice and Only Justice You Shall Pursue” which is based on Deuteronomy 16.18-20. Materials for this year’s Week of Prayer are produced by and will have a specific focus on the ecumenical situation in Indonesia.
Resources for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and throughout the year 2019 were jointly prepared and published by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the Commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches.
Local resources for Canada can be accessed on the website of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity: https://www.weekofprayer.ca/2019-wpcu-resources
International resources produced by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the Commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches are accessible through the following link: http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/sub-index/index_weeks-prayer.htm
- Parishes and organizations are once again invited to share the joyous news of Our Lord’s Birth with Bishop David with the age-old custom of Christmas Carolling. Please contact the Pastoral Centre to schedule a time on Tuesday, January 22 (5:00 pm – 7:00 pm).
- The Ukrainian Musical Society of Alberta will hold its annual Concert of Carols, 3:00 pm, Sunday, January 27, at Saint John Orthodox Cathedral. Plan to celebrate the Nativity of Our Lord through the age-old tradition of carolling
- 2019 Presbyteral Council Meetings: (2:00 – 5:00 pm, Pastoral Centre): March 18, May 13, October 28.
- 2019 Clergy Conferences: (10:00 am – 4:00 pm): March 19 (Saint Basil Parish, Edmonton), May 14, November 1.
- 2019 Annual Clergy Retreat – June 10-14 (Sanctum Retreat Centre, Caroline).
- 2019 Annual Clergy Study Days: October 28-31 (Providence Renewal Centre, Edmonton).
ANNOUNCEMENTS
- His Beatitude, Patriarch Sviatoslav, issued a Pastoral Message on the occasion of the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord.
- The Ukrainian Catholic Bishops in Canada issued a Pastoral Message on the occasion of the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord
- The 2018 Synod of Bishops had as its main theme “The Word of God and Catechesis.” Patriarch Sviatoslav has now issued a post-synodal pastoral letter on this theme, entitled “Parents: The First Teachers of the Word of God”
- The Patriarchal Catechetical Commission published “A Prayerful Reading of the Gospel According to Luke” (Ukrainian and English). The guide encourages the faithful to discover the joy of the Sacred Scriptures through a reflective reading of the Gospel of Luke, whereby the entire Gospel can be read in the year 2019.
The guide is available in booklet form at your local parish, or by visting the Eparchy of Edmonton’s website: www.edmontoneparchy.com.
- Bishop David appointed Rev. Jim Nakonechny as Administrator of Saint Vladimir Parish, Red Deer, effective January 1, 2019.
- Bishop David appointed Rev. Danylo Kuc as Assistant Pastor of Saint Josaphat Cathedral effective January 1, 2019. As previously indicated, Father Danylo begins his pastoral assignment as Pastor of Saint George Parish, Edmonton.
- Bishop David appointed Iryna Laschuk as Chancellor of the Eparchy of Edmonton effective January 1, 2019. Iryna also continues in her current positon as Director of Finance and Accounting.
- Rev. Stephen Wojcichowsky, in addition to continuing to serve as Protopresbyterate (Vicar General) of the Eparchy of Edmonton, will oversee the development of on-line catechetical resources for youth, young adults, and families through the digitization and expansion of the “God With Us” catechetical program.
- The 52nd International Eucharistic Congress will take place in Budapest from September 13-20, 2020.
The theme for this Congress is “All my Springs are in Thee” (Psalm 87:7).
Budapast had an earlier Eucharistic Congress in 1937, just before the Second World War and this Congress focused on peace in the world with a hope to unite all people under Christ. The 2020 Congress will deal with the new realities within Hungary and within the world, especially against “the backdrop of a great European city, in which Christian communities await a new evangelization capable of meeting the challenges of secularized modernity” (Pope Francis, Message to Plenary Assembly of Pontifical Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses, November 10, 2018).
Pope Francis spoke to the National Delegates for this Congress and he stressed the need to create a “Eucharistic culture”, “a way of thinking and working grounded in the Sacrament yet perceptible also beyond the limits of the Church community”, “a cradle of attitudes that … impel us to express in our way of life and our thinking the grace of Christ who gave of himself to the full.”
For further information, visit: www.iec2020.hu/en/.
NOTEWORTHY
- In 2018 the Alberta/NWT Catholic Bishops sat down for an interview and conversation with Lorraine Turchansky, Chief Communications Officer, Archdiocse of Edmonton, for a Bishops’ Roundtable. The episodes are posted on Grandin Media Youtube channel:
“What Keeps a Catholic Bishop Up at Night?” https://youtu.be/5lvRDn_F1V0
“Should Bishops be Political?” https://youtu.be/MxXs0bZUu4U
The latest episode on “Catholic Indigenous Relations” is posted at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHNxm-0SHlo
Bishop David, the entire Chancery staff and volunteers extend to the clergy, religious, monastic, and faithful of the Eparchy of Edmonton a joyous celebration of the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord and prayerful best wishes for the New Year.
© 2019 Eparchy of Edmonton
9645 – 108 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta T5H 1A3
Tel: (780) 424-5496 Fax: (780) 425-2330
www.edmontoneparchy.com