News - March 2018 RSS Feed

MUNSTER, Ind. — The graces a Christian seeks in praying the Prayer of St. Ephrem are only possible if he or she cooperates with God, said Bishop Milan Lach, SJ, during an afternoon Lenten retreat Feb. 25. The event, called “Lord and Master of My Life: A Catholic Pilgrimage in the Byzantine Tradition,” gathered 112 people from the eparchy’s Midwest region at the Carmelite Monastery in Munster. It was the first event organized by the recently formed Fellowship of St. Ephrem, aimed at fostering community among Byzantine Catholic parishes in the region. READ MORE.

MUNSTER, Ind. — A new grassroots lay initiative in the eparchy is working to create a greater sense of community, connection and welcome among the Byzantine Catholic parishes of the Midwest region. “It was an idea that kept nagging at me,” said Donna Tang of St. Mary Parish in Whiting, Indiana.She shared her idea with a few members of the four Northwest Indiana and Illinois parishes last year and, before long, they had formed the Fellowship of St. Ephrem. READ MORE.

CHICAGO — Moviegoers this Easter season likely will not get what they expect when they sit down to watch “Paul, Apostle of Christ,” released in theaters March 23. For starters, it is not a typical chronological recounting of a saint’s life, abounding in moments of heroic virtue. Forget any scenes of what made Paul famous: his vast travels for the sake of the Gospel, his establishment of fledgling Christian communities and his preaching in the Areopagus. READ MORE.

HOMER GLEN, Ill. — When Katie Reidy decided it was time to follow her childhood dream and pursue a career in film, she never had Christian filmmaking in mind. But somehow, said Reidy, no matter where she has sent her resume these past seven years, “I still end up at a Catholic film company — which is a great thing!” Reidy was working at a crisis pregnancy center and attending Annunciation Byzantine Catholic Parish in Homer Glen, Illinois, when she decided to pull up stakes in 2011, move to Los Angeles, and try her hand in the film industry. READ MORE.

PARMA, Ohio — “Who is my Neighbor?” is the theme for the National ByzanTEEN Catholic Youth Rally, July 5-8, at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Fred Rogers of “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood” fame was born in Latrobe, thus the philosophy behind the theme. The program will emphasize the Gospel story of the Good Samaritan and include a “Rise Against Hunger” packing event. All four Byzantine Catholic bishops will be present for the Saturday evening liturgy. READ MORE.

WHITING, Ind. — Reflecting on his priesthood, Monsignor Frank Korba was sure of one thing: “God as my witness, I loved every liturgy I stood at the altar for. It was a privilege, a joy, and a gift.” “To be able to stand at the altar and make Christ present for all those people in the pews — they walked out better than when they walked in. They came in with their troubles, they left strengthened,” he said. READ MORE.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Young people want trusted guides as they explore their faith and their vocation, said five young adults from the United States attending the Vatican’s pre-synod meeting. The U.S. delegates to the Vatican meeting March 19-25 also said the 305 young adults from around the world want to see young people consulted more often in their parishes and dioceses. READ MORE.

HOMER GLEN, Ill. — It’s not every day that producers of a major motion picture organize a private screening for the Byzantine Catholic Church. Such was the case, however, for “Paul, Apostle of Christ,” released in theaters March 23. ODB Films organized the exclusive pre-release screening at Annunciation Parish Feb. 19, and two Byzantine Catholic media were invited: Horizons and Father Thomas J. Loya, the pastor and radio host of “Light of the East.” READ MORE.

HOMER GLEN, Ill. — To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Blessed Pope Paul VI’s encyclical “Humanae Vitae,” Father Thomas J. Loya presented a series of lectures on the document during the first four weeks of the Great Fast. Coincidentally, during Lent, March 6, Pope Francis signed a decree approving the canonization of Blessed Pope Paul VI. He will be declared a saint in late October at the end of the Synod of Bishops on youth and discernment. Blessed Paul VI was pope from 1963 to 1978. READ MORE.

BRECKSVILLE, Ohio — Teens from four Cleveland-area parishes gathered for a Lenten day of reflection at St. Joseph Parish March 4. Father Michael Denk, parochial vicar at St. Gabriel Roman Catholic Parish in Concord, Ohio, gave a talk about how to experience God every day. He explained how cell phones and technology have taken the place of prayer, since it is so common for people to check their phones instead of praying a rosary, for example. READ MORE.

CLEVELAND — Boys camp, held at the Shrine of Our Lady of Mariapoch in Burton, Ohio, is a great way to be with other Byzantine Catholic boys and to get to know more about our faith. You also get to spend time alone with Christ and focus on dedicating your life to him. It feels amazing to wake up every day to go to Matins or Divine Liturgy. Last year, we attended an ordination, which was a great experience, especially for the boys considering the priesthood. It was something I will always remember. READ MORE.

PARMA, Ohio — The first-ever Eparchy of Parma live-streaming adult enrichment series, “Divine Liturgy: Traveling through Scripture,” concluded March 22. Participants could attend the presentations on five Thursdays during Great Lent in the Eastern Christian Media studio at the cathedral complex or view the live-stream on YouTube. Viewers could also chat or e-mail questions during the presentations, as well as before the next class. While the live audience was small, online viewers averaged 35 per session from the states of California, Florida, Indiana, Ohio, South Carolina and Texas, and even from overseas in Croatia. Online viewers at later times averaged more than 180 per week. Deacon Joseph Hnat of St. Mary Parish in Cleveland was the presenter. The series focused on highlighting the Biblical sources used in the Divine Liturgy, and the book, “Time for the Lord to Act,” by Archpriest David Petras was used as reference material. READ MORE.

PARMA, Ohio — It took only the first two sessions of the Pre-Cana weekend, held at the cathedral complex March 17-18, for a participant to approach presenter Father Thomas J. Loya of the eparchy’s Marriage and Family Ministry with feedback. Father Loya recalled how the young man said, “This is not what I expected. I expected a boring weekend and being told ‘do this and don’t do that.’ I really did not even want to come to this. I was brought up Catholic but my only experience of it was just a bunch of rules and things like that. This Pre-Cana program is so different. I cannot wait for tomorrow’s sessions.” READ MORE.

ST. LOUIS, Mo. — The Eastern Catholic Bishops of the United States gathered for their annual meeting in St. Louis, Missouri, March 6-7. The four active Byzantine Catholic Ruthenian bishops of the United States attended, including Archbishop William Skurla of Pittsburgh (seated, far right), Bishop Kurt Burnette of Passaic (seated, fourth from right), Bishop John Pazak of Phoenix (standing, center), and Bishop Milan Lach, SJ, apostolic administrator of Parma (standing, far right). READ MORE.

UNIONTOWN, Pa. — The Sisters of St. Basil the Great welcomed more than 80 visitors to their motherhouse at Mount St. Macrina during their open house, March 11, organized in celebration of National Catholic Sisters Week. The event included tours of the Heritage Room, chapel visits, refreshments, and displays. Visitors expressed gratitude and a joyful spirit, as they met new friends or renewed acquaintances. READ MORE.

CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Parishioners of St. Nicholas Parish gathered March 4 for a classic Motor City experience — the assembly line — but with a Lenten twist. The parish production line made sandwiches and then assembled packed lunches for the homeless. This packed-lunch project was the parish’s largest run to date. All of the sandwiches were donated to St. Margaret of Scotland Roman Catholic church’s Warming Center in St. Clair Shores, Michigan. READ MORE.

Rita Strohmeyer, mother of Mother Theodora Strohmeyer, hegoumena of Christ the Bridegroom Monastery, died this past winter at the age of 85. Rita was born May 31, 1932, in Bazetta Township, Ohio, the daughter of John and Anna (nee Rohr) Ramsey. She died Jan. 13, at Hospice House in Poland, Ohio. READ MORE.

BRECKSVILLE, Ohio — St. Joseph parishioner Victoria Kattler was part of the first relay swim team in the history of Cuyahoga Heights High School that made it to the state swim meet in Canton, Ohio, Feb. 22. Her team ranked 18th in the state in the 200-meter medley relay, and 23rd in the 400-meter free relay. Kattler is a sophomore and has been on the swim team for four years, since the seventh grade. READ MORE.