When my great-nephew was five-and-a-half years old, I praised him for being exceptionally well-behaved at his grandmother’s wake at the funeral home. I told him how good he was, and how proud we were of him. His response was, “You know, I get way too much appreciation.” In these days when it seems that negativity and competition are sometimes too evident, I wonder if there is such a positive as “too much appreciation.” I can’t imagine that we can ever be too grateful for the goodness in our lives, that which comes from God above and that which we extend to each other. READ MORE.

UNIONTOWN, Pa. — The 84th annual pilgrimage in honor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help will be Sept. 1-2 at Mount St. Macrina. The theme is “Mary, Hope of All Generations.” “For 84 years, the pilgrimage has brought together generations of young and old to pray, sing and share in the many blessings of this holy time,” said Basilian Sister Ruth Plante, provincial superior. “Come, bring your joys, sorrows, concerns and fears to her, and find peace and comfort in her loving care.” READ MORE.

The feast of St. John the Baptist is a big feast for our eparchy. As you know, St. John the Forerunner is our patron saint. The Gospel reading today tells us about the beginning of the Forerunner’s life. We could say that the events surrounding his conception and birth were a little bit strange. They also reflected the signs and traditions in the Old Testament, in which unbelievers were punished. READ MORE.

LATROBE, Pa. — Spirits were high among participants at the 2018 Byzanteen Youth Rally as they learned about reaching out to others and making an impact on the world. About 90 Byzantine Catholic teens from across the United States gathered for the July 5-8 event, held on the St. Vincent College campus grounds. Benedictine Father Boniface Hicks of St. Vincent Archabbey was the rally’s keynote speaker. He spoke to the teens on the theme of the rally, “Who is My Neighbor?” inspired by Fred Rogers of “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood” fame, who was from Latrobe. READ MORE.

BRECKSVILLE, Ohio — When Karen (nee Zemba) Griffith was diagnosed with cancer, she was determined to do everything in her power to defeat it. During a visit with her niece in Oregon, they stopped to pray at the St. Peregrine Shrine located in the National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother in Portland. READ MORE.

PARMA, Ohio — One of the longest-standing parishes in the eparchy celebrated its 120th anniversary last month. St. John the Baptist Parish, whose church serves as the cathedral of the Eparchy of Parma, celebrated its 120th anniversary on the feast of its patron, June 24. Bishop Milan Lach, SJ, of Parma celebrated the Divine Liturgy, followed by the annual Tuscan Sunday Supper in the parish hall. The liturgy was moved to a later time to accommodate the luncheon and to add to the celebration. READ MORE.

STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. —Parishioners of St. Basil the Great Parish and members of GCU Lodge 250 gathered for a Flag Day celebration June 10. After the morning Divine Liturgy, they gathered outside the church at the flagpole. Lodge President John P. Minarish opened the program by speaking about the symbolism of the U.S. flag. Father Mychail Rozmarynowycz, the pastor, spoke about the freedom enjoyed in the United States. Refreshments followed in the social hall. READ MORE.

CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. — St. Nicholas Parish honored its 2018 graduate and presented him with an icon June 24. Peter Swanney graduated summa cum laude from Royal Oak High School, located in Royal Oak, Michigan. Swanney was a member of the National Honor Society and Phi Beta Kappa; he also played violin in the school orchestra. At St. Nicholas, Swanney has been an altar server for many years and plays violin with the Beskidy Folk Ensemble at the Carpatho-Rusyn Society of Michigan’s annual potluck. In the fall, he will study engineering at the University of Detroit. READ MORE.

Every day, we are tested in our faith. We need to decide whether we believe in God or whether we will rely on our own knowledge, decisions and solutions for our lives. In today’s Gospel, Jesus Christ invites us to believe as the centurion believed. At that time, Jews would not associate with pagans or enter into their houses. To do so would have made them impure and prohibited them from participating at synagogue. In the Gospel of Matthew, a Roman centurion — a pagan — goes to Jesus. And what does Jesus do? He speaks with the centurion. In speaking with a pagan and answering his petition, Jesus Christ shows that he is the Savior of all people everywhere in the world. READ MORE.

PARMA, Ohio — The youngest ordinary bishop of a diocese in North America was enthroned June 30. Bishop Milan Lach, SJ, became the fifth bishop of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma during a Divine Liturgy of Enthronement at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, after having served as its apostolic administrator since last summer. He succeeds Bishop John Kudrick, who resigned in May 2016. READ MORE.

PARMA, Ohio — The new bishop of Parma is a “gift from the Slovak church,” said the bishop of the second-largest Byzantine Catholic eparchy of Slovakia. Bishop Milan Chautur, CSsR, of Kosice was one of three European Ruthenian bishops to concelebrate the Divine Liturgy of Enthronement for Bishop Milan Lach, SJ, at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist June 30. READ MORE.

The prefect of the Congregation for Eastern Churches, Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, sent a congratulatory message to Bishop Milan Lach, SJ, on the occasion of his enthronement. Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States, read the message in full below. Your Excellency Bishop Milan Lach, bishop of the Eparchy of Parma of the Ruthenians, Your Excellency Archbishop Pierre, Your Excellency Archbishop Skurla, Metropolitan Archbishop of Pittsburgh of the Ruthenians, Your Excellencies, Reverend Fathers, venerated religious men and women, brothers and sisters in Christ, I greet you with the expression so dear to the Eastern tradition, the Lord is risen! On June 1, the appointment of the Holy Father, Pope Francis, of His Excellency Bishop Milan Lach as bishop of the Ruthenian Eparchy of Parma was made public. READ MORE.

Archbishop William C. Skurla of Pittsburgh preached the homily at the enthronement liturgy for Bishop Milan Lach, SJ. An excerpt of his homily is offered below. In Paul’s First Epistle to Timothy, we hear of the job description or necessary qualification of a bishop who oversees spiritual needs of an eparchy (or diocese). Paul tells us that whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task. READ MORE.

Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States, read the apostolic letter of appointment for Bishop Milan Lach, SJ, during the enthronement ceremony. His discourse is published below. Dear friends, I am truly pleased to be with you as His Excellency the Most Reverend Milan Lach is solemnly enthroned as the fifth bishop of the Eparchy of Parma of the Ruthenians. READ MORE.

PARMA, Ohio — Many of the people traveled long distances to join those from local parishes to attend the June 30 celebration for the enthronement of Bishop Milan Lach, SJ, as the fifth bishop of the Eparchy of Parma. Bethany Saunders of St. Nicholas Parish in Barberton, Ohio, expressed her hope for the episcopate of Bishop Lach. READ MORE.

CHICAGO — At the beginning of the basic text of Jesuit spiritual life, “The Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola,” the founder of the Society of Jesus states unequivocally that the goal of life is to be indifferent to all things, except to the will of God. St. Ignatius writes: “For this it is necessary to make ourselves indifferent to all created things as much as we are able, so that we do not necessarily want health rather than sickness, riches rather than poverty, honor rather than dishonor, a long rather than a short life, and so in all the rest, so that we ultimately desire and choose only what is most conducive for us to the end for which God created us.” READ MORE.

CHICAGO — The fifth bishop of the Eparchy of Parma said he is committed to growing and strengthening the local church in the years ahead, and will refer to a handful of top pastoral priorities that he has identified as a guide. Bishop Milan Lach, SJ, was enthroned as the eparch June 30, after having tended to the pastoral needs of the eparchy for nearly one year as apostolic administrator. READ MORE.

BURTON, Ohio — More than 30 girls gathered for the annual Girls’ Camp at Christ the Bridegroom Monastery, June 21-24. Participants were inspired by the theme, “Apart from me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5). Mother Theodora Strohmeyer, the hegumena of the monastery, spoke about how she grew close to God. She said she had a strong love of God even as a child and, had she not welcomed him into her life, she would not have been able to accomplish all that she has. READ MORE.

INDIANAPOLIS — The Father’s Day weekend became of even greater importance, as the new spiritual father of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma, Bishop Milan Lach, SJ, made his first visit to St. Athanasius the Great Parish. The weekend began with a personal meeting with the pastor, Father Bryan R. Eyman, about the various areas of parish and pastoral life. READ MORE.

HOMER GLEN, Ill. — The Homer Glen, Illinois, Junior Women’s Club held its first-ever Garden Walk June 22, and the prairie of Annunciation Parish was the group’s first stop. The walk included six different horticultural sights around the village of Homer Glen and each one had a particular theme. Annunciation Parish was the only church site. The other sites were private homes on neighborhood streets. READ MORE.