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Last Updated: 30 November 2023

vatican.va - The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Michael Smolinsky, C.Ss.R., until now provincial superior of the Congregation of the Redemptorists in Canada, as bishop of the eparchy of Saskatoon of the Ukrainians, Canada.

Curriculum vitae

Msgr. Michael Smolinksy was born on 10 September 1972 in Saskatoon, Canada. He entered the novitiate of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists) on 1 September 1997, and gave his religious vows on 15 August 2002. He attended the University of Saskatchewan, where he was awarded a licentiate in education, and obtained a Master of Divinity from the University of Saint Michael’s College in Toronto. He also attended courses on Eastern Christians at the Sheptytsky Institute of Saint Paul University in Ottawa.

He received priestly ordination on 5 July 2003 in the Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Saskatoon, from the then-Bishop Kyr Michel Wiwchar.

He has held the following offices: director of a reception house (2005-2015); extraordinary member of the Provincial Council of the Redemptorists (since 2008); parish priest of Saints Peter and Paul in Saskatoon (2015-2019). Since 1 August 2019 he has served as regional superior of his Congregation.

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Last Updated: 27 November 2023

Episcopal Ordination and Enthronement of Fr. Robert Pipta as the Sixth Bishop of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma, November 8, 2023. A sacred and solemn occasion, filled with rich traditions and rituals that have been passed down through generations.

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Last Updated: 19 November 2023

Salhiyeh, Lebanon 
6 November 2023 

After a month of war in Gaza, I again raise my voice with all peace advocates, saying:

Stop the War

Stop the Shooting

Stop the Killing

Stop the bloodshed.

“Come to a common word.” (Surah 3: 64)

Jesus calls everyone to peace: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.” (Matthew 5:9)

Saint Paul the apostle, addresses us, as he did the Ephesians, with this sublime spiritual appeal, “For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us.” (Ephesians 2:14)

All leaders of nations throughout the world, come together in a universal peace march.

Work today and not tomorrow for a just, lasting and comprehensive peace for all the children of the Holy Land, the land of the prophets and righteous people, the land of the birth of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, the land of the Night Journey or Miʿraj, the land for all of us Christians, Muslims and Jews, Palestinian Arabs and Israelis.

I welcome the efforts made worldwide, and especially by the United States of America, to stop the war and find a fundamental resolution of the Palestinian issue.

I say to everyone that we are all children of God, stewards of God, all human beings, equal in God-given dignity. We are all created “in his image and likeness.” (Genesis 1:26)

May our homes, mosques, churches and synagogues be places of prayer and supplication, asking God for peace, who is the God of peace.

Stop the War, Stop the War, Stop the War.

O God and King of Peace, give our land your peace.

Gregorios III
Patriarch Emeritus

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Last Updated: 22 October 2023

17.10.2023 - We ask His Holiness, the Patriarchs, the Cardinals, the Bishops of all Churches and of all nations to issue a statement calling on the whole world - the European Union, the United States and all countries of the world – to work towards the two-state solution in the Holy Land in accordance with the oft-repeated UN resolutions on the Holy Land. We ask you to advocate energetically and by all available means for this international resolution on the two states of Israel and Palestine to be implemented.

Just, universal and lasting peace is the greatest good for all the inhabitants of the Holy Land, which is the land of peace and the homeland of Jesus Christ, the King of Peace. If the Holy Land experiences a war of annihilation, by Palestinians against Israelis and Israelis against Palestinians, as is currently the case, this war will bring destruction to the entire Middle East.

Nations of the world, stand together for peace in the Middle East, which is peace for the Holy Land and for all of us.

Peace, peace, peace is the future for the Middle East and for the whole world.

Patriarch Emeritus Gregorios III

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Last Updated: 19 September 2023

Vintage Books Now Available

A treasure trove of classic Greek-Catholic prayer books in Church Slavonic (Latin characters) has recently been discovered and Eastern Christian Publications has been invited to sell these “collector items.” The books are in mint condition (brand new still in original cases) and include:

Duchovni Pisni (Slavonic Hymns), Stefan Papp, Presov, 1969, Hymns with music, 200 pages. $40.00 – advance sale $30.00.

Maly Izbornik (A Small Collection Prayers), Nikolai Choma, Uzhorod, 1924, Prayerbook for the faithful, 416 pages. $60 – advance sale $50.00.

Velikij Izbornik (A Large Collection of Prayers), Bishop Paul Gojdich, Presov, 1937, Prayerbook for the clergy, 750 pages. $90 – advance sale $80.00.

Advance orders will ship October 1st. Order now; limited supply.

Context: This edition of the Maly Izbornik is the exact same book that my Grandma Figel bought for $3.00 in the 1920’s. She left it with my father when she died, and who left it to me on his passing. It is well worn since she used it daily, and every week at Sunday Liturgy in church for 70+ years. I considered scanning and making it available as a reprint for the 100th anniversary next year, but now I don’t need to! The Velikij Izbornik was used for Saturday Evening Vespers at St Mary’s in New York City as late the early 1980’s. The Duchovni Pisni was compiled after the Prague Spring of 1968 for the people of Slovakia to restore the hymns of Mukachevo, the mother church.

See more information and sample pages on the ECP website. Place your advance orders here:

https://ecpubs.com/featured-products/

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Last Updated: 15 September 2023

As the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church concludes its Holy Synod, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk expresses his gratitude for Pope Francis' closeness to the people of Ukraine and reflects on the Church's pastoral care of people wounded in war.

vaticannews.va - By Sr. Nina Benedikta Krapić, VMZ

The bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) concluded their annual Holy Synod on Thursday, which took place in Rome and included an audience with Pope Francis.

The UGCC Synod focused on the Church's pastoral care for people wounded in Russia's war in Ukraine.

On the sidelines of a press conference, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, spoke to Vatican News about the work of the Synod and about the support shown by the Pope for Ukraine.

Q: From the audience you had with Pope Francis, what is the most important for you?

The Holy Father is with us, and we manifested our Catholicity, our full and visible communion with the successor of Peter. And with that communion, with that good news, we are coming back home.

I admired the humility of Pope Francis. He was well aware of his own faults, his own not very clear expressions. And he corrected himself. To be able to correct yourself in the presence of your brother bishops - that is a sign of deep humility.

And among other things, he wished to listen to us, not only to myself, to the head of the Church, but he gave a possibility, an open floor, for each one of 45 bishops to speak out in behalf of the simple, wounded, disappointed people of Ukraine.

And this mutual dialogue, a capability to listen to, ministry of listening, was something which for us, wounded by the war, was a healing moment.

Q: What are your expectations from the visit of Cardinal Zuppi to China?

I have expectations, and wish that the visit will be a baby step toward an authentic, just and secure peace.

Q: The focus of the Synod was on the pastoral care for wounded people. What is exactly that you hope to do?

First of all, we are emphasizing on the formation of priests, religious and bishops as well, because we have to change our methods.

We have to understand better what is going on with the psychological and emotional part of the human being, but also spiritual one, to be more empathic with the people and to be more helpful to them. Because if you would simply say to a wounded soldier without legs in the hospital, I do understand you, you would be wrong.

And I think that the pastoral care of wounded people is a big challenge, especially for the pastoral activity of the Church.

Q: Your country is in the state of war. What is happening in Ukraine with the Church, and with lay people and consecrated people on the other hand?

Many things, but first of all in such a dramatic circumstances all of us Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox, Jews, Muslims, we learn how to discern what is the most important things for you right now today.

And I learned that for me most important things, which is a source of my personal resilience, is faith.

To be faithful to our Lord Jesus Christ, to believe in the grace of the Holy Spirit, to sanctify the holy name of the Holy Trinity among the atrocities of war. That is the source of the resilience and resistance of the people of Ukraine.

Link to story at vaticannews.va.