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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.
The bishop also met with the outgoing parochial vicar, Father John Russell, who left the following weekend to take up his new assignment as administrator at St. Stephen Parish in Allen Park, Michigan.
Bishop Lach presided at Vespers; he complimented the cantors and congregation for their singing.
Sunday morning dawned hot and humid, with near-record temperatures in Indianapolis. The heat index was well over 100 degrees, and the church’s air conditioning unit was hard-pressed to keep the bishop, clergy and faithful at a comfortable temperature. The bishop presided at Matins and celebrated the Divine Liturgy. Fathers Eyman and Russell concelebrated.
Glenn Grabow, Max Beaver and Olga Vaughn welcomed Bishop Lach with the traditional presentation of bread, salt and the keys of the church, as the Divine Liturgy began.
The bishop, in his homily, reminded the community of its responsibility to remain faithful and proclaim the Gospel to everyone outside of the church.
The church was filled with spirited singing and with the sounds and movement of the numerous young children. Athanasius Goshorn, the youngest son of cantor Brian Goshorn and his wife, Suzanne, joined Bishop Lach at the tetrapod during the homily to kiss the icon and cross enthroned there.
Bishop Lach met parishioners after liturgy in the parish hall during the weekly parish potluck luncheon.
After the luncheon, Bishop Lach met with the parish advisory board in the rectory dining room. He shared with them his optimism about the parish, given the large percentage of young families and children at liturgy. He shared with the board the condition of the eparchy and the ongoing need to pray for vocations.
He also reminded the board of the responsibility of the parish to meet its assessment, health insurance and other eparchial financial obligations.
He concluded his stay at the parish by visiting Father Russell and his family at their home.
Caption: In the presence of Bishop Milan Lach, SJ, Father Bryan R. Eyman, pastor of St. Athanasius the Great Parish, reads the announcements from the bulletin prior to the end of the Divine Liturgy June 17. Bishop Lach was on a pastoral visit to the parish on Father’s Day weekend. (Photo: Kevin Miller)
As published in Horizons, July 8, 2017.
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