Every day, we are tested in our faith. We need to decide whether we believe in God or whether we will rely on our own knowledge, decisions and solutions for our lives. In today’s Gospel, Jesus Christ invites us to believe as the centurion believed. At that time, Jews would not associate with pagans or enter into their houses. To do so would have made them impure and prohibited them from participating at synagogue. In the Gospel of Matthew, a Roman centurion — a pagan — goes to Jesus. And what does Jesus do? He speaks with the centurion. In speaking with a pagan and answering his petition, Jesus Christ shows that he is the Savior of all people everywhere in the world. READ MORE.
PARMA, Ohio — The youngest ordinary bishop of a diocese in North America was enthroned June 30. Bishop Milan Lach, SJ, became the fifth bishop of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma during a Divine Liturgy of Enthronement at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, after having served as its apostolic administrator since last summer. He succeeds Bishop John Kudrick, who resigned in May 2016. READ MORE.
PARMA, Ohio — The new bishop of Parma is a “gift from the Slovak church,” said the bishop of the second-largest Byzantine Catholic eparchy of Slovakia. Bishop Milan Chautur, CSsR, of Kosice was one of three European Ruthenian bishops to concelebrate the Divine Liturgy of Enthronement for Bishop Milan Lach, SJ, at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist June 30. READ MORE.
The prefect of the Congregation for Eastern Churches, Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, sent a congratulatory message to Bishop Milan Lach, SJ, on the occasion of his enthronement. Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States, read the message in full below. Your Excellency Bishop Milan Lach, bishop of the Eparchy of Parma of the Ruthenians, Your Excellency Archbishop Pierre, Your Excellency Archbishop Skurla, Metropolitan Archbishop of Pittsburgh of the Ruthenians, Your Excellencies, Reverend Fathers, venerated religious men and women, brothers and sisters in Christ, I greet you with the expression so dear to the Eastern tradition, the Lord is risen! On June 1, the appointment of the Holy Father, Pope Francis, of His Excellency Bishop Milan Lach as bishop of the Ruthenian Eparchy of Parma was made public. READ MORE.
Archbishop William C. Skurla of Pittsburgh preached the homily at the enthronement liturgy for Bishop Milan Lach, SJ. An excerpt of his homily is offered below. In Paul’s First Epistle to Timothy, we hear of the job description or necessary qualification of a bishop who oversees spiritual needs of an eparchy (or diocese). Paul tells us that whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task. READ MORE.
Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States, read the apostolic letter of appointment for Bishop Milan Lach, SJ, during the enthronement ceremony. His discourse is published below. Dear friends, I am truly pleased to be with you as His Excellency the Most Reverend Milan Lach is solemnly enthroned as the fifth bishop of the Eparchy of Parma of the Ruthenians. READ MORE.
PARMA, Ohio — Many of the people traveled long distances to join those from local parishes to attend the June 30 celebration for the enthronement of Bishop Milan Lach, SJ, as the fifth bishop of the Eparchy of Parma. Bethany Saunders of St. Nicholas Parish in Barberton, Ohio, expressed her hope for the episcopate of Bishop Lach. READ MORE.
CHICAGO — At the beginning of the basic text of Jesuit spiritual life, “The Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola,” the founder of the Society of Jesus states unequivocally that the goal of life is to be indifferent to all things, except to the will of God. St. Ignatius writes: “For this it is necessary to make ourselves indifferent to all created things as much as we are able, so that we do not necessarily want health rather than sickness, riches rather than poverty, honor rather than dishonor, a long rather than a short life, and so in all the rest, so that we ultimately desire and choose only what is most conducive for us to the end for which God created us.” READ MORE.
CHICAGO — The fifth bishop of the Eparchy of Parma said he is committed to growing and strengthening the local church in the years ahead, and will refer to a handful of top pastoral priorities that he has identified as a guide. Bishop Milan Lach, SJ, was enthroned as the eparch June 30, after having tended to the pastoral needs of the eparchy for nearly one year as apostolic administrator. READ MORE.
BURTON, Ohio — More than 30 girls gathered for the annual Girls’ Camp at Christ the Bridegroom Monastery, June 21-24. Participants were inspired by the theme, “Apart from me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5). Mother Theodora Strohmeyer, the hegumena of the monastery, spoke about how she grew close to God. She said she had a strong love of God even as a child and, had she not welcomed him into her life, she would not have been able to accomplish all that she has. READ MORE.
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. READ MORE.
HOMER GLEN, Ill. — The Homer Glen, Illinois, Junior Women’s Club held its first-ever Garden Walk June 22, and the prairie of Annunciation Parish was the group’s first stop. The walk included six different horticultural sights around the village of Homer Glen and each one had a particular theme. Annunciation Parish was the only church site. The other sites were private homes on neighborhood streets. READ MORE.
CHICAGO — Pilgrims going on this year’s Horizons’ pilgrimage, themed “From Mariapoch to Mariapoch,” will experience one of the most unique contributions of Greek Catholic culture: the architecture of wooden churches. Pilgrims will travel with Bishop Milan Lach, SJ, to Central Europe, from Sept. 16 to 28, to discover the spiritual roots of the Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic Church. READ MORE.
CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Although we sing and proclaim, “God is with us,” that spiritual reality is often trampled by the struggles of daily life. Perhaps for this reason, the Mother of God throughout history has made her presence known in special and miraculous ways. Sometimes, she has expressed herself in the form of weeping icons. This phenomenon is a manifestation of grace within the church. READ MORE.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — This year’s Orientale Lumen conference, held June 18-21, offered reflection and discussion on the theme “Sister Churches: Fact or Fiction?” In the opening video presentation, Metropolitan Kallistos Ware of Diakleia said some people view all churches headed by patriarchs as “sister churches.” He reflected on the relationship between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches and what it means when either church views itself as the “true church.” Despite various schisms and conflicts, the break between churches was not complete, and they still consider each other as sisters, he said. He gave the example of when, in the 17th century, Jesuits were invited to hear confessions in some Orthodox churches, and, in some places, both participated in Corpus Christi processions. He questioned whether there ever was a complete schism between East and West. READ MORE.
CHICAGO— Pope Francis appointed Redemptorist Father Marian Andrej Pacak as the new bishop of the sui iuris Slovak Catholic Eparchy of Sts. Cyril and Methodius of the Byzantine Rite in Canada, based in Toronto. At age 45, he will be the youngest bishop in Canada. He succeeds Bishop John Pazak, CSsR, who served there as bishop prior to being named eparch of Phoenix in May 2016. Bishop Pazak continued to serve as administrator of the Canadian eparchy until now. READ MORE.
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis gathered ecumenical leaders from around the world at the tomb of the patron saint of Byzantine Catholics to pray for the Middle East. Pope Francis traveled July 7 to the southern Italian Adriatic port city of Bari to host a day of reflection and ecumenical prayer at the Basilica of St. Nicholas. READ MORE.