Jonathan and I presented at a meeting of the Society of Saint John Chrysostom, Youngstown-Warren Chapter, a a few days ago. The Society is devoted to greater unity between Catholics and Orthodox. We presented on the topic of internet ecumenism, and the possibilities and drawbacks involved.

The Society of Saint John Chrysostom does a lot of great things, and at the meeting were representatives from both the Catholic (Eastern and Latin Rite) and Orthodox side. Fr. Hopko, an Orthodox priest active online, regularly attends these meetings, but unfortunately was not present at this meeting. I recommend visiting the Society's site, and seeing if there are ways to get involved in your area.

I have always been committed to East-West unity, which began when I studied the Church Fathers as an evangelical. I think part of my interest in East-West unity is a result of studying Eastern and Western Fathers at the same time. However, it is easy to get complacent, and not regularly consider the importance of unity among the Apostolic Churches. I think that we are witnessing a real opportunity for greater unity all around us. One main reason is that many of our traditional ecumenical partners are moving farther and farther away from historical Christianity. Orthodox and Catholics are going to find that as society and mainline Protestantism moves farther and farther away from the faith and morality of classical Christianity, working together just makes sense. In the near future, in even western countries like Canada, we may find ourselves standing together against governments trying to stop us from even expressing Catholic and Orthodox views on controversial moral issues. We just have to get past some of our old hostilities really. Of course it is more complicated that this, but I think there is hope, and this is something we should always work for and pray for.

from www.vatican.va: "The Servant of God Fr Emilian Kovch was born on 20 August 1884, near Kosiv. In 1911, after graduating from the College of Sts Sergius and Bacchus in Rome, he was ordained to the priesthood. In the spring of 1943, he was arrested by the Gestapo for aiding Jews. On 25 March 1944 he was burned to death in the ovens of the Majdanek Nazi death camp. On 9 September 1999 he was honoured with the title "Righteous Ukrainian" by the Jewish Council of Ukraine."

"From Egypt... came to Constantinople, where Cassian became a favourite disciple of St. John Chrysostom. The famous bishop of the Eastern capitol elevated Cassian to the diaconate, and placed in his charge the treasures of his cathedral. After the second expulsion of St. Chrysostom, Cassian was sent as an envoy to Rome by the clergy of Constantinople, for the purpose of interesting Pope Innocent I in behalf of their bishop."

If you are away from home, go home!
If you are home, know how blessed you are!
If you see someone coming home, run out to greet them and be generous!

Hryhory Khomyshyn; Hryhory Khomysyn

Blessed Bishop Gregory (Hryhorii) was born March 25, 1865 in in November of 1893, he studied theology in Vienna, Austria. He was appointed rector of the Greek Catholic seminary in Lviv in 1902 he was consecrated bishop for the Eparchy of Stanislav in May of 1904, serving that see faithfully through WW1 and the Russian revolution.

He was arrested for his faith in 1939 by the NKVD and again in April 1945. He was deported to Kyiv where he died a martyr in prison on January 17, 1947, a few months short of his 80th birthday.

Some Catholic theologians have also found Scriptural evidence for the Immaculate Conception in the angel Gabriel's greeting to Mary at the Annunciation, (Luke 1:28). The English translation, "Hail, Full of Grace," or "Hail, Favored One," is based on the Greek of Luke 1:28, "Χαίρε, Κεχαριτωμένη", Chaire kecharitomene, a phrase which can most literally be translated: "Rejoice, you who have been graced". The latter word, kecharitomene, is the Passive voice, Present Perfect participle of the verb "to grace" in the feminine gender, vocative case; therefore the Greek syntax indicates that the action of the verb has been fully completed in the past, with results continuing into the future. Put another way, it means that the subject (Mary) was graced fully and completely at some time in the past, and continued in that fully graced state. The angel's
salutation does not refer to the Incarnation of Christ in Mary's womb, as he proceeds to say: "thou shalt conceive in thy
womb…" (Luke 1:31).

Dr. Alexander Roman writes well about this in the following article.

But for thos inclined to spend a few minutes, I commend to you the exceptional work of fellow Greek Catholic Joseph Daniel Barton A Byzantine Defense of the Immaculate Conception

Worth listening to, you Latins (hehe): On the Miraculous Medal

1 seminarian, 1 postulant, and 6 oridnations to the diaconate this year.

Keep them in your prayers!

* Ms. Melissa Morrow from Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Albuquerque, entered Holy Annunciation Monastery of the Byzantine Carmelite Nuns in Sugarloaf as a postulant on July 16.

* Mr. Diodoro Mendoza of Our Lady of Wisdom Church, Las Vegas, has been accepted as a candidate to study for the holy priesthood at SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary for the Fall Semester of the 2007–2008 Academic Year.

* Mr. Brian D. Escobedo was ordained to the Minor Orders, Subdiaconate and the Diaconate on July 22 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Albuquerque.

* Mr. John Bradley will be ordained to the Minor Orders, Subdiaconate and the Diaconate July 29 at Saint Anne Church, San Luis Obispo.

* Mr. Michael Mandelas will be ordained to the Minor Orders, Subdiaconate and the Diaconate on August 19, 2007, at Saint John Chrysostom Church, Seattle.

* Mr. James Danovich and Mr. Michael Hanafin will be ordained to Minor Orders, Subdiaconate and Diaconate on August 25 at St. Stephen's Pro-Cathedral, Phoenix.

* Mr. Michael Sullivan will be ordained to the Minor Orders, Subdiaconate and the Diaconate on August 26 at Saint Thomas the Apostle Church, Gilbert, Arizona.

Hat tip to Sophia Wannabe from the Byzantine Forum for the info.

His Grace, +JOHN (The Eparchy of Parma, OH) already ordained 5 men to the diaconate this year:

* Fr. Dcn. William Frederick (St. Joseph Byzantine Catholic Church Brecksville, OH)

* Fr. Dcn. Paul Latcha (St. Basil Byzantine Catholic Church Sterling Heights, MI)

* Fr. Dcn. Jeffrey Martin (St. John Chrysostom Church Columbus, OH)

* Fr. Dcn. Daniel Surniak (St. Mary Magdalene Church Fairview Park, OH)

* Fr. Dcn. Nicholas Szilagye (St. Luke Church Sugar Creek, MO)

Recent ordinations by Bishop Andrew to the diaconate for the Eparchy of Passaic (Covering most of the Eastern searboard down to Florida):

June 23, 2007 at St. Mary Church, Wilkes-Barre, PA.

* Fr. Dcn. Edward Frey
* Fr. Dcn. Soroka
* Fr. Dcn. Lawrence Worlinsky

July 1, 2007 at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Rahway, NJ.

* Fr. Dcn. Mark Koscinski
* Fr. Dcn. Charles Laskowski

Please understand that the largest two or three Roman parishes in the US have more members tha all of the Byzantine Catholic Church in America put together. Most of our parishes are so small they would not have full time priests in most Latin Diocese. At the last training period at the Byzantine Catholic Seminary there were 16 candidates from 3 of the 4 eparchies in the Metropolia present.

16 men ordained across the country from a population of some 30,000 or so just this summer. As a Greek Catholic, to me that is very special, and encouraging. We are a little flock in the great sea of America that did not even ordain married men deacons ten years ago.

Even a flock that is small in numbers yet large in faith can offer much fruit. Sometimes we look around at the low Mass attendance in churches built to hold much more and we think to ourselves "There should be more!" and despair. Well there in fact SHOULD be more, but there is no room for despair!

Many faithful years to them all! Keep them in your prayers!