EPARCHIAL NEWSLETTER October 2017

UPCOMING EVENTS

Opening Celebrations of Bishop David Motiuk Catholic Elementary/Junior High School on Monday, October 2 at 7:00 pm (855 Lewis Greens Drive NW Edmonton).
During the month of September, the Eparchy of Edmonton conducts its annual Vocations and Seminary Collection.“It takes a whole village to raise a child.” It likewise takes the support of the whole Church to form a deacon, priest, religious, monastic and lay member for ministry in the Church. It also takes our support to offer on-going education and formation for those already in sacred orders or involved in lay ministry.
The faithful can acknowledge the role they play in nurturing vocations by offering their financial support to help defray such expenses as formation programs, retreats, conferences, seminars, tuition, books, and room and board.

The collection supports Holy Spirit Seminary, Ottawa; the Basilian House of Studies, Edmonton; the Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate Novitiate, Winnipeg; Clergy Study Days; and the Eparchial Diaconal and Lay Ministry Formation Programs; The collection also assists the Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Institute of Eastern Christian Studies, Toronto, which serves the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Canada by providing academic and spiritual formation for our future Church leaders.

Studying at Holy Spirit Seminary this year are:
- Subdeacon Cyril Kennedy (Doctoral Studies in Sacred Scripture, Catholic University, Washington, DC);
- Roman Kobyletskyy (ESL at the University of Ottawa and possibly theology studies at Saint Paul University, Ottawa in January, 2018);
- Orion Wiebe (Philosophy Studies, Concordia University, Edmonton)
The suggested donation amount is $25.00 per family.

Thank you for your generosity! May God bless you and your families!
The Office for Evangelization and Catechesis, Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, has prepared resources for celebrating Catechetical Sunday, October 1.The major theme is Missionary Disciples in the Vineyard of the Lord which is divided into four sub-themes:
1) catechists are called to be missionary disciples;
2) facilitate encounters with Christ;
3) accompany others;
4) live in solidarity with the poor and marginalized.

The resources are available on the website of the Office for Evangelization and Catechesis.

Parishes may wish to use the liturgical suggestions for a special blessing of catechists either on Sunday, 1 October 2017, or at another time when catechists are gathered together.
The 2017 World Mission Day will be celebrated this year on October 22. Pope Francis’ Message for the occasion, entitled “Mission at the heart of the Christian faith,” is available at the Holy See’s website: vatican.va
The Holy Father has issued his Message for the First World Day of the Poor, entitled “Let us love, not with words but with deeds,” to be celebrated on November 19.
2017 Presbyteral Council meetings:
- Monday, October 30 (2:00–4:00 pm, Providence Renewal Centre)
2017 Clergy Conferences:
- Friday, November 3 (9:00 am-1:00 pm, Providence Renewal Centre).
Annual Clergy Retreats:
- June 11-15, 2018, Sanctum Retreat Centre, Caroline; Retreat Master: Fr. Brian Kolodiejchuk, MC, member of the Missionaries of Charity Fathers, postulator of the cause of canonization of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and editor of A Call to Mercy: hearts to love, hands to serve, Mother Teresa.
Annual Clergy Study Days – October 30-November 2 (Providence Renewal Centre, Edmonton). Theme: “The Theology of Ad-ministration – The Ministry of Management.”
- Sharing in Christ’s Ministry: to teach, to sanctify, and to shepherd;
- The Leadership Style of Jesus;
- Pope Francis and the Joy of the Gospel;
- Communicating the Word of God;
- Fostering Volunteerism;
- Fostering Lay Leadership;
- Stewardship of Time and Energy: a personal call to ministry;
- Stewardship of Talent: leadership and emotional intelligence;
- Stewardship of Treasure: financial management and what to do with the numbers;
- Dealing with Difficult People;
- Theology of Harmony: the Twelve Apostles and Brotherhood.
Presenters include: Sr. Zoe Bernatsky, ssmi, Jayne Buryn, Stan Fisher, Teresa Kellendonk, Iryna Laschuk, Bishop David Motiuk, Rev. Myron Pyszcz, Fr. Stephen Wojcichowsky, and Dr. Theresa Zolner.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Bishop Peter Stasiuk, Chair of the Patriarchal Catechetical Commission, issued an annual Pastoral Letter to Catechists on behalf of His Beatitude, Patriarch Sviatoslav, and the Synod of Bishops (PDF ENG/ PDF UKR).Bishop Peter also provided an update on the activities of the Patriarchal Catechetical Commission (PDF ENG/ PDF UKR).
The Catholic Bishops of Alberta issued a Pastoral Letter on the Ministry of a Catholic School Trustee.Municipal elections take place on October 16, including the election of school trustees.In the letter, the Bishops encourage all Catholics to participate in the electoral process and propose some considerations to assist voters in their discernment of the appropriate candidate for the office of school trustee.
Bishop David, upon the recommendation of Very Rev. Gabriel Haber, osbm, Provincial Superior, Order of Saint Basil the Great appointed:
- Rev. Daniel Wach, osbm, as Pastor of Holy Trinity Parish, Vegreville;
- Rev. John Sembrat, osbm, as Assistant Pastor of Holy Trinity Parish, Vegreville; and
- Rev. Irenej Valyavka, osbm, as Pastor of Lamont and Distirct Parishes.

NOTEWORTH

Published are articles covering recent events in the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Alberta by Jayne L. Buryn, Communications Coordinator, Eparchy of Edmonton: