PITTSBURGH — Twelve young men attended the “Come and See” discernment weekend at the Byzantine Catholic Seminary of Sts. Cyril and Methodius. The Nov. 2-4 program consisted of prayer, talks and social interaction with current seminarians and seminary staff, aimed at helping participants reflect on God’s will in their lives. READ MORE.

PARMA, Ohio — No longer occupied with the demands of parish life, Father Michael Hayduk said he is enjoying the extra time he has now in his retirement for prayer. The 67-year-old priest retired after 41 years of active ministry this past summer. Parishioners of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, where he served his last pastoral assignment, threw him a retirement party in the parish hall Aug. 17. READ MORE.

BRECKSVILLE, Ohio — The nuns of Christ the Bridegroom Monastery raised almost $175,000 at their annual Bridegroom Banquet fundraiser Nov. 10. The nuns raised $87,486 from the 280 people in attendance, as well as donors who contributed before the event, and a generous anonymous donor pledged to match the amount raised. The funds will go towards general monastery expenses, hospitality expenses, and renovations to their chapel bathrooms, lighting, roof, gutters, siding and mold removal in the chapel basement. READ MORE.

CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. — St. Nicholas parishioner Peter Swanney was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout at his troop’s court of honor July 21. Eagle Scout is the highest rank in the Boy Scouts of America, which is achieved only by 4 percent of Scouts. The process takes several years and involves passing through the various ranks, earning at least 21 merit badges, of which 13 are required for Eagle. READ MORE.

BRECKSVILLE, Ohio — A fourth-century bishop, who is also the patron saint of Byzantine Catholics, has inspired Christians and non-believers for the past 17 centuries, said Father Joseph Marquis, founder and director of the St. Nicholas Institute in Detroit. READ MORE.

The feast of St. Nicholas is nearly upon us and so we are reminded once again of the generosity of this legendary saint of the church. We all know the story of how he secretly managed to drop bags of gold coins through an open window into stockings hung by the fire. This gold was then used as dowries for three poor girls. READ MORE.

CHICAGO — A new nonprofit organization, called Byzantinos, in cooperation with Sts. Cyril and Methodius Choir of the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Theotokos in Kosice, Slovakia, has released a new one-hour recording of traditional Ruthenian Christmas carols. READ MORE.

HOMER GLEN, Ill. — Parish activities are always more than just an activity. They are venues where the Holy Spirit acts in ways that are unique to each event, and where personal and communal formation happen. On the heels of the two-day inaugural regional pilgrimage at St. Mary Parish in Whiting, Indiana, Oct. 6-7, the ByzanTEENS and pre-ByzanTEENS of Annunciation Parish planned a hiking trip Oct. 8, with Bishop Milan Lach, SJ, of Parma at Starved Rock State Park near Oglesby, Illinois, where Bishop Lach’s grandfather was born. READ MORE.

St. John the Baptist Parish rolled out is new logo, “Holy Rolls,” for the sale of its Hungarian nut and poppy seed rolls at the city’s “Dessert First...Taste of Solon” event, held at Signature of Solon Country Club Nov. 11. READ MORE.

HOMER GLEN, Ill. — The annual Prairie Fest at Annunciation Parish, Aug. 10-12, offered many “Simeon Moments.” These are moments when one is moved to pronounce the words of the Just Elder Simeon, as he encountered the Christ child in the temple: “Now you may dismiss your servant, O Lord, according to your word, in peace” (Lk 2:29). READ MORE.

ST. MEINRAD, Ind. — The clergy of the Eparchy of Parma gathered for their retreat at St. Meinrad Archabbey and Seminary in St. Meinrad, Indiana, Oct. 22-25. Father Ronald Knott, a priest of the Archdiocese of Louisville and professor emeritus at St. Meinrad, was the presenter. A seasoned priest, well-known speaker and author, Father Knott spoke from the depths of his pastoral ministry, which took him from the missions in Appalachia to the historic cathedral of Louisville. His journey eventually led him to the classrooms of St. Meinrad Seminary, one of the larger magnet seminaries in the United States, where he formed priests and seminarians. READ MORE.

CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Two St. Nicholas parishioners earned religious awards in the Scouting movement over the summer. Father Joseph Repko, the pastor, presented the Marian Medal to Senior Girl Scout Margie Swanney. The medal is earned by completing the program booklet, “Mary, the First Disciple.” READ MORE.

While our faithful have come to expect a dispensation from the fast on the Friday after Thanksgiving, this year, I am exhorting all of the faithful to keep the usual practice of fasting and abstinence, asked of us by the church. READ MORE.

I love this time of year. The changing of the seasons from the long hot days of summer to the cool and beautifully colored days of autumn guide my mind to the glory of God at work around us. It’s important to take this beauty in and reflect on the goodness that God has bestowed on us. READ MORE.

CHICAGO — Horizons’ 40th-anniversary funding appeal raised $11,005 as of Nov. 2, and donations continue to trickle in. Horizons would like to express its gratitude to all of its donors for their generosity. The one-month direct mail campaign was launched Sept. 1 to raise funds for Horizons’ growing communications apostolate. READ MORE.

We all heard about the tragedy in Pittsburgh, the killing of 11 innocent Jewish people by a gunman in a synagogue Oct. 27. It’s so relatively close to us. We can ask ourselves why this man, with so much hatred toward the Jewish people, sought to kill. This tragic event leads us to reflect on the meaning of life and on the question of evil. To kill people, who are simply praying to God, is a terrible thing. Innocent people are dying because of their faith: this is hell. READ MORE.

WHITING, Ind. — They came to their windows and stood on their porches all along the half-mile route. The sweet Marian hymns sung by 100 Byzantine and Roman Catholics through the streets of Whiting, Indiana, drew neighbors to watch with reverence as the faithful walked by, led by their bishops and priests and holding blue and white candles. The candlelight vigil procession, from the shrine altar of the Protection of the Mother of God at St. Mary Byzantine Catholic Parish to the Grotto of the Immaculate Conception nearby, was one of the highlights of the two-day inaugural Midwest Marian Pilgrimage, organized by St. Mary Parish, Oct. 6-7. READ MORE.

WHITING, Ind. — The smallest parish in Chicagoland hosted the first Midwest Marian pilgrimage Oct. 6-7. The two-day marathon of prayer included two bishops — one Eastern and one Western — and 250 faithful over the weekend. St. Mary Parish in Whiting, Indiana, is home to an outdoor shrine altar dedicated to the Protection of the Mother of God. This past winter, Bishop Milan Lach, SJ, of Parma asked the parish to plan the regional pilgrimage on the weekend after the feast day, Oct. 1. READ MORE.

MARBLEHEAD, Ohio — The majesty of Lake Erie and the beauty of the Marblehead Peninsula drew about 250 people to St. Mary Byzantine Catholic Parish Aug. 26. The daylong event was one of three eparchial Marian pilgrimages to be held in the eparchy’s 12-state territory this year. The first was in Burton, Ohio, at the Shrine of Our Lady of Mariapoch in August. Marblehead hosted the second, and St. Mary Parish in Whiting, Indiana, hosted the third (see page 3). READ MORE.

OREGON, Ohio — Father James Kubajak has taken his retirement after 41 years of active ministry in the Eparchy of Parma. Parishioners at St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Oregon, Ohio, where he served for 33 years, held a retirement party for him after the Divine Liturgy, Aug. 12. About 40 people attended. READ MORE.