PARMA, Ohio — It was a double golden jubilee weekend for the Byzantine Ruthenian Church in the United States, June 21-23. Both the Metropolia of Pittsburgh and the Eparchy of Parma turned 50 this year, and a series of events were organized to mark the milestone. In Parma, the community gathered for a two-day program at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, June 21-22. More than 300 people participated at the various events throughout the weekend. The next day, a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the cathedral in Pittsburgh, followed by a reception. READ MORE.

I would like to say a few words about St. John the Baptist, a humble person and great saint, who lived his life close to Jesus Christ. Many people thought he was the Messiah, but he told them, “I am not the Messiah… I am ‘the voice of one crying out in the desert, “Make straight the way of the Lord’” (Jn 1:20,23). As Scripture says, John “was not the light, but came to testify to the light” (Jn 1:8). For this reason, our tradition gives him the title of “Forerunner” to underscore his preparatory role. READ MORE.

GARFIELD HEIGHTS, Ohio — Bishop Milan Lach, SJ, of Parma, Deacon Bill Fredrick and Barry Sabo, a parishioner at St Joseph Parish in Brecksville, Ohio, received the honors of the Fourth Degree in the Knights of Columbus April 27. Both Bishop Lach and Deacon Fredrick are now knighted in the highest degree of the Knights of Columbus and hold the title Reverend (Bishop/Deacon) Sir Knight. READ MORE.

CAREY, Ohio — Retired Bishop John Kudrick of Parma led the Seventh Annual Women’s Retreat at the Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation, March 15-17, on the theme “How Does Penance Heal?” Retreatants prayed Small Compline, the Akathist to the Mother of God, a Panachida and Vespers. They celebrated Divine Liturgy and had quiet time for private prayer and reflection. Bishop Kudrick gave the didactic sessions on the role of penance in the life of a Christian. Firstly, he said, Christians must be with Jesus. Christians must stand still and listen to Jesus, as did the Apostles on Mount Tabor, surrender to his plan, then act accordingly. READ MORE.

MERRILLVILLE, Ind. — Jamee Nycole West received her high school’s highest award at convocation May 31. West, who was baptized at St. Michael Byzantine Catholic Parish in Merrillville, received the Bishop Andrew Grutka Award for Christian Service, conferred to the senior at Andrean High School who “best exemplifies a deep faith and commitment to serving others in little ways and in large ways, one who is motivated by their faith to serve others.” The award is named for the first bishop of the Diocese of Gary, who was deeply committed to Catholic education. READ MORE.

CHICAGO — The audited financial statements of the Eparchy of Parma for the fiscal year July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018 indicate a decrease in spending, but also a decrease in net assets. In a letter dated June 10, the eparchy’s CFO, Martin F. Kopmeyer, said the eparchy’s net assets decreased by $438,000, as spending decreased by $96,000 from the previous year. In 2016-2017, the eparchy had reported a decrease in net assets of $465,505. “The eparchy had net assets of $1,132,000 at June 30, 2018, compared with $1,570,000 at June 30, 2017,” he said in his letter. READ MORE.

EUCLID, Ohio — St. Stephen Parish feted the 60th anniversary of its church on Pentecost, June 9. Bishop Milan Lach, SJ, of Parma celebrated a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy and preached the homily (on page 2). Father Robert Jager, the assistant to the parish administrator, Father Bruce Riebe, concelebrated. About 150 people attended the Divine Liturgy, which was followed by mirovanije, a flag ceremony on the grounds in the front of the church, and a free luncheon in the parish hall, which included the screening of the Horizons Media documentary, “From Mariapoch to Mariapoch.” READ MORE.

WASHINGTON — Bishop Milan Lach, SJ, of Parma visited the headquarters of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops June 6, where he met with officials from Catholic Home Missions (CHM) and asked for additional financial support for the eparchy. Present at the meeting were Mary Mencarini Campbell, USCCB executive director of National Collections, Richard Coll, CHM director, and Ken Ong, grants specialist. Bishop Lach was accompanied by John F. Kurey, Esq., who serves as stewardship director for several Eastern Catholic eparchies. READ MORE.

PARMA, Ohio — Holy Spirit Parish celebrated its golden anniversary on Pentecost, the parish patronal feast day, June 9. Fifty years earlier, June 15, Father Lawrence J. Slavik and a group of parishioners from Holy Ghost Parish in the Tremont neighborhood of Cleveland celebrated the first Divine Liturgy in the new church building for Holy Spirit Parish at 5500 W 54th Street in Parma. The celebrant was the newly consecrated Bishop Emil Mihalik, the first bishop of the Eparchy of Parma. READ MORE.

We are celebrating Pentecost today. As we heard in the first reading (Acts 2:1-11), the room was filled with wind and tongues of fire appeared above each Apostle. They began to speak in different languages and they went out to Jerusalem to proclaim the Gospel. Jesus promised his Apostles the Holy Spirit. Who is this Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus, who gives life to everyone who is open to it. How do we receive the Holy Spirit? Through the holy sacraments in our life. READ MORE.

PARMA, Ohio — Fifteen teens from several parishes attended the annual ByzanTeen Lenten Day of Reflection at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist on Palm Sunday, led by the nuns of Christ the Bridegroom Monastery and Bishop Milan Lach, SJ, of Parma. Inspired by their pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 2017, the nuns led the teens in an interactive “pilgrimage” to various prayer stations they set up in the cathedral and on the cathedral grounds that represented different sites in the Holy Land that are significant in Jesus’ journey to the cross, his death and resurrection. READ MORE.

BURTON, Ohio — The nuns of Christ the Bridegroom Monastery celebrated the 10th anniversary of their founding April 3, thanking God for providing the means to live out their call to prayer and hospitality within the Eparchy of Parma. The nuns commemorated the anniversary simply on their own at the monastery; they plan to celebrate with the wider community at their Bridegroom’s Banquet benefit dinner Oct. 19. In the 10 days leading up to the anniversary, the nuns posted previously unpublished photos from their first 10 years on their blog and social media accounts. READ MORE.

BRECKSVILLE, Ohio — About 150 people attended the fourth annual Miracle of Mariapoch Gala, a fundraiser for the Shrine of Our Lady of Mariapoch in Burton, Ohio. The May 11 event was held at the New Orleans Party Center of St. Joseph Parish. The pastor, Father Bruce Riebe, began the evening with prayer, and shrine director Deacon Bill Fredrick welcomed the guests. Attendees then wined and dined on an assortment of small plate offerings and desserts, including a doughnut bar, prepared by Bob Dirda and volunteers. READ MORE.

BRECKSVILLE, Ohio — Former all-conference volleyball player Lindsay Shirilla has more on her resume than athletic prowess. The Notre Dame College graduate and St. Joseph parishioner works as a nurse at the Cleveland Clinic. This past Lent, she went on her first professional medical mission trip to Honduras. The purpose was to treat people by providing doctor visits, medication and dental work. Her main responsibility was triage. The team would see between 200 and 300 people per day, she said. READ MORE.

BUCHAREST, Romania (CNS) — In an increasingly globalized world where technological and economic developments have both benefited and excluded many, the Catholic and Orthodox churches must learn to listen to each other and walk together, Pope Francis said. Meeting with Romanian Orthodox Patriarch Daniel and the Permanent Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church May 31, the pope said both churches must “go out and engage” with their flocks who fall prey to the uprooting of “traditional values and weakening ethics and social life” that “leads to attitudes of rejection and hate.” READ MORE.

BLAJ, Romania (CNS) — The memory and witness of Romania’s martyred bishops are a reminder that Christians are called to stand firm against ideologies that seek to stifle and suppress their cultural and religious traditions, Pope Francis said. On the last leg of his visit to Romania, the pope June 2 celebrated a Divine Liturgy during which seven Eastern-rite Catholic bishops, who died during a fierce anti-religious campaign waged by the communist regime in Romania, were beatified. READ MORE.

We are beginning our pilgrimage in Rome in thanksgiving for the 50th anniversary of the Eparchy of Parma and also to pray for our eparchy and its faithful. We will be in blessed and sacred places in Rome that are connected with our faith and with our Byzantine Catholic Church, with our identity. You are certainly tired right now, but you can offer up this tiredness for our church. To be pilgrims is not easy. It’s not a trip, it’s a pilgrimage. READ MORE.

CLEVELAND — Olivia Pearce, a fifth grader at St. Mary Byzantine Catholic School, won first place in the LifeWorks of Ohio essay contest for her age group. LifeWorks Ohio is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization devoted to education that affirms the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death. The annual contest gives students an opportunity to show their commitment to the social justice principle of life and dignity of the human person. This year’s contest theme was, “Your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father” (Mt 5:16). Isabella Ramirez, a reporter for the Horizons’ Kids page, interviewed Pearce on her experience. READ MORE.

CLEVELAND — The Eastern Christian Formation students from the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, St. Mary Parish and Holy Spirit Parish had a hands-on experience of making prosphora, the bread used for Communion, and an up-close presentation of the rite of preparation. Father Marek Visnovsky, pastor and administrator of the three parishes, brought all the ingredients for the prosphora recipe and a batch of dough that was already rising to a Saturday morning class, held at the cathedral. Students received the prosphora prayers, which they prayed together. He pointed out the correlation between Jesus being referred to as the “Bread of Life” and his birth in Bethlehem, a name that means “house of bread.” READ MORE.

FLUSHING, Mich. — Parishioners of St. Michael Byzantine Catholic Church and their pastor, Father James Batcha, made a sick call and birthday visit with their oldest living parishioner, George Dunich, who turned 102 April 10. READ MORE.