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U.S. Bishop Chairmen for Doctrine and for Pro-Life Address the Use of the Johnson and Johnson Covid-19 Vaccine.
The USCCB has directed the faithful, that one has the moral obligation to choose either the Pfizer or Moderna Covid-19 vaccine instead of the Johnson and Johnson Covid-19 vaccine when given the ability to choose.
“The approval of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine for use in the United States again raises questions about the moral permissibility of using vaccines developed, tested, and/or produced with the help of abortion-derived cell lines.
“Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccines raised concerns because an abortion-derived cell line was used for testing them, but not in their production. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine, however, was developed, tested and is produced with abortion-derived cell lines raising additional moral concerns. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has judged that ‘when ethically irreproachable Covid-19 vaccines are not available … it is morally acceptable to receive Covid-19 vaccines that have used cell lines from aborted fetuses in their research and production process.’[1] However, if one can choose among equally safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines, the vaccine with the least connection to abortion-derived cell lines should be chosen. Therefore, if one has the ability to choose a vaccine, Pfizer or Moderna’s vaccines should be chosen over Johnson & Johnson’s.
“While we should continue to insist that pharmaceutical companies stop using abortion-derived cell lines, given the world-wide suffering that this pandemic is causing, we affirm again that being vaccinated can be an act of charity that serves the common good.”
Please click the title above to be taken to the USCCB website.

The Sisters of St. Basil the Great in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, are celebrating their 100th Anniversary this year. This particular community of nuns were very influential in the Eparchy of Parma by teaching in our schools and they were originally founded at our church, Holy Ghost, on Kenilworth Avenue in the Tremont neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio.

In 1918, because of the influenza epidemic, many children were left orphans. To provide for them, an Orphange was opened, under the care of two Sisters and three postulants. Later in 1920, these Sisters and postulants were replaced by Rev. Mother Macrina, O.S.B.M., with two other Sisters and six candidates. These Basilian Sisters, under the superiorship of Mother Macrina, began a Motherhouse as a new branch of the Sisters of St. Basil the Great for the "Uhro-Rusins" or "Carpatho-Rusins". On June 19, 1921, the six candidates received their veils. In June 1923, all the Sisters were transferred to the St. Nicholas Orphanage of the Greek Catholic Union in Elmhurst, Pennsylvania, and later after a time in Factoryville, Pennsylvania, they established their Motherhouse at Uniontown, Pennsylvania. - Excerpt from the Golden Jubilee Commemorative Book for Holy Ghost, Cleveland, Ohio, 1959.

Vatican City - Adrian Dancă January 12, 2021 - Vatican News . "With deep sorrow, we inform all Greek Catholic believers and all Romanians that today, January 12, 2021, at 15:20, His Holiness Florentin Crihălmeanu, Bishop of the Greek Catholic Diocese of Cluj-Gherla, died suddenly at the Monastery of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Mother of God from Cluj-Napoca ”: we find this out from a communication of the Press Office of the Greek Catholic Episcopate of Cluj-Gherla, sent through the spokesperson Fr. Daniel Avram.
Born in 1959 in Iași, he moved with his family to Turda. In 1984 he graduated from the Faculty of Mechanics of the Polytechnic Institute of Cluj. He attended clandestine theology classes during communism, and in 1990 was ordained a priest by Bishop George Guțiu. He continued his specialization studies in theology at the Pontifical Urban University of Rome and became a professor at the Greek Catholic Theological Institute in Cluj. In 1997 he was consecrated bishop by St. John Paul II in St. Peter's Basilica, being at that time the youngest Catholic bishop in the world. From 2002 he became the bishop of the Greek Catholic diocese of Cluj-Gherla. Succeeding in harmonizing the zeal of pastoring souls and deepening theological culture, in 2005 he received his doctorate in theology at the Urban University.

Please click on the title above to read Bishop Milan Lach's Christmas Pastoral Letter for 2020.

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has issued a statement on the moral acceptability of the COVID-19 vaccines that are currently available. Please click on the title above to be taken to the Vatican website for the entire statement.

Please keep in your prayers the soul of Sr. Emma Pauline Fedorchak who fell asleep in the Lord on December 14, 2020. Sr. Emma Pauline was a Sister of St. Basil the Great and served the Eparchy of Parma as a teacher at the former St. Mary’s School in Whiting, Indiana; the school of the now closed parish of St. Michael’s in Gary, Indiana; and at the former St. Mary’s in Chicago, Illinois. She usually taught grades 1-3.
Please click on the title above to view her obituary from the Sisters of St. Basil the Great at Mt. Macrina.

The Ohio Catholic Bishops Conference has issued a statement regarding the moral acceptability of the available COVID-19 vaccines. Please click on the title above to read the complete statement.

On December 3, the funeral services were held for Bishop Emeritus Gerald Dino of the Eparchy of Phoenix at the Cathedral of St. Stephen in Phoenix, Arizona.
On Saturday, November 14, at 4:02pm MST, Bishop Emeritus Gerald N. Dino of the Eparchy of Phoenix fell asleep in the Lord. He had suffered two strokes and the most recent one was very devastating. He now can rest in the embrace and love of Almighty God.
Bishop Gerald is survived by his sister Joyce, brother-in-law, Bob Strikla, and his brother James Dino. Please keep them in your prayers as this has been extremely difficult for them.
Bishop Gerald was born January 11, 1940 in Binghamton, New York. On March 21, 1965, he was ordained a priest for the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Passaic. On December 6, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him bishop of the Eparchy of Van Nuys, and on March 27, 2008 he was consecrated a bishop. At his request, Pope Benedict XVI transferred the see of the Eparchy of Van Nuys to Phoenix, Arizona in February 2010.
On reaching the age of 75, Bishop Gerald submitted his resignation to Pope Francis, who accepted it and appointed his successor John Stephen Pazak in May 2016. Bishop Gerald continued to serve the Eparchy of Phoenix as Protosyncellus until his death.
T he Eparchy of Parma extends its condolences and prayers to the clergy and people of the Eparchy of Phoenix. Vicnaja pamjat'!
                                                               

On Sunday, August 16, the Eparchy of Parma made their annual Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Mariapoch in Burton, Ohio. Please click on the title to view the complete article.

This year, we celebrate the 350th Anniversary of the weeping of the Icon of Our Lady in Klokočov, Slovakia.  Having been blessed with our own copy of this miraculous icon, the Eparchy of Parma is hosting a pilgrimage of the Icon of Our Lady of Klokočov to the parishes within the Eparchy.  Please click the title above for the full article.

St. Mary Hospitality House has resumed operations at Holy Spirit Church in Parma, Ohio. It will be open on Tuesdays at 3PM and serving will begin at 4PM.

Today we commemorate the suppression of our Greek Catholic Church in the territory of modern day Slovakia. This is a sad day in our history, but we must not forget our past. Rather, we must recall it and draw strength and courage from the intercession of those who stood up for the truth and who were persecuted for it. Among these brave leaders we celebrate Bishop Gojdič and Bishop Hopko, whom we venerate as martyrs. Please click the title above for the full article and historical pictures.

The Office of Religious Education has begun a new online video series for children and parents of the Eparchy of Parma, to ensure that catechesis continues in the home during Covid-19. "Iconography 4 Kids" episodes will have Father Marek Visnovsky talking about how icons are made and the symbolism behind each stage of the process.