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dated material~~deliver by August 10

August 2012

XLVIII No. 8

Bishop Michael Hrynchyshyn:

In a year or two Andrey Sheptytsky
will be proclaimed blessed

ndrey Sheptytsky is the greatest ecclesiastical figure in the history of the

entire Ukrainian Church, said long-time postulator in the beatification
process of Metropolitan Andrey, the Apostolic Exarch for Ukrainians in
France, the Benelux countries and Switzerland, Bishop MiChAEl (hrynchyshyn).
how poor our Church would be without Sheptytsky! he left a very great heritage, said the bishop in an interview to Radio Svoboda.
Bishop hrynchyshyn has been interested in the figure of Metropolitan Andrey
since 1944. in 1958 he became the postulator in the beatification of Sheptytsky. he
said the process was officially opened under Pope John XXiii, who was personally
acquainted with Metropolitan Andrey, and was very
supportive of him.
John XXiii said that he knew Andrew Sheptytsky,
that he was a great man who was not understood by his
own and by others. After meeting with the pope, the
process of beatification of Metropolitan Andrey officially began, he said.
The bishop noted that among the clergy of the
Catholic Church there were also people who tried to
disrupt the process of the beatification of the metropolitan.
At the beginning of the process Cardinal Wyszynski
from Poland twice sought to end the process. But in
1959, the eldest son of the Chief Rabbi of lviv, Kurt
lewin, came to Rome on his own initiative. lewin testified in support of the metropolitan, who hid him and
other Jews from the Nazis during World War ii. lewin
proved the righteousness of the life of the metropolitan, says Bishop hrynchyshyn.
Pope John XXiii restored the process of beatification. But two years later Cardinal Wyszynski again
appealed to the Congregationand the process was
halted. But in 1963, Cardinal JoSEPh (Slipyj) returned
from exile and testified in the case of Andrey
Sheptytsky. And the Pope renewed the process, said
the bishop.
Bishop Michael noted that the beatification of Metropolitan
Andrey is taking a long time, but that it will
Metropolitan Andrey
happen.
Even today we do not fully understand what a great man God gave the
Ukrainian people and the Church. We are still learning about the metropolitan
today, he said.
The Congregation for the Causes of Saints should consider the case of the recovery a girl in the United States. A Ukrainian family prayed to Metropolitan Andrey
for the recovery of a child born with disabilities. This case is recorded; the doctors
gave their opinions that this was a supernatural phenomenon. i hope that in a year
or two the metropolitan will be proclaimed blessed, said Bishop Michael hrynchyshyn.

Go to Page 15 to read three related articles

on the actions of and reactions to
the Servant of God, Metropolitan Andrey,
during this crucial time in world events.
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new Star 11

August, 2012

Leader of Egypt's Catholic Copts:

a Better Future Awaits
Bishop KYRILLOS KAMAL WILLIAM (Samaan, OFM)
of Assiut, Egypt Expresses Hopes after Election
MADRID, Spain, (Zenit.org). The
election of Mohammed Mursi as
president of Egypt is reason for
hope in a better future for the country's Christians, according to the
leader of the countrys Coptic
Catholic Church.
Bishop KYRILLOS (Samaan), administrator of the Coptic Catholic
Patriarchate of Alexandria, said this
at an Aid to the Church in Need
press conference in Madrid.
The future will not be worse
than what we have had before,
said the bishop.
Bishop William, who is standing
in for Patriarch ANTONIOS (Naguib), incapacitated by a stroke last
year, expressed his confidence that
President Mursi will keep promises
he made after the elections to govern for everyone regardless of religion.

In Egypt we all are Egyptian

whether Christian or Muslimand
the President has promised that
there will be a Copt and a woman
appointed as vice-presidents.
Although we still do not know
who will be appointed, we trust he
will keep his word.
The prelate expressed optimism,
saying the future looks better now.
He added: In Egypt we have 170
Catholic schools, and many of the
leaders of the country send their
children there, although they are
not Catholics.
This means that when their children are older and running the
country, they will be more open in
their relations with us Christians
and more respectful.
Christians make up 9% of
Egypt's population. There are no
more than 250,000 Catholics out of

Pontiff Recalls Contributions of

Patriarchate to Ecumenism

a total population of 83 million.

The august month of August

ou might have heard of the Spasivka Fast

then again you might not have heard the name,
passed on from eons ago. Known by most as
the Dormition Fast, it precedes by two weeks the Feast
of the Dormitionand is as strict as the pre-Pascha fast.
Linguistically, it refers to Our Saviour.
Why use a reference to Saviour for a fast that is tied
to the Dormition of the Mother of God?
The original context of the fast had a very specific reference to the entire scope of fasting and feasting relating
to following the Cross of Christ and the Resurrection.
Within that time-frame falls the Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord, lending credence to the
Saviour connection.
Some contend that the actual occurence of Christs
Transfiguration was forty days before Paschaand historically could rightfully be celebrated in February or
March. Insofar as that would fall during the Great Fast
of Lent, our Church moved the Feast to its present
placeforty days before The Elevation of the Holy
Cross (September 14), celebrating the dedication of the
church of the Resurrection in Jerusalem. (Westerners
refer to the Holy Sepulchre where Christs Body was
buried; Easterners focus on the Resurrection from that
very same spot). More Saviour reference.
The Dormition Fast begins August 1a day liturgical calendars note the Procession with the Holy Cross.
The day is the sole surviving example of our Churchs
practice of blessing water on the first of each month.
A Procession with the Cross was undertaken by
twelfth century warriors seeking divine protection in
battle. Simultaneouslybut separated by hundreds of
milesa Slavic prince and a Greek King turned back
the pagan
hordes overcome by golden rays of light
that came from an
icon that the Christian soldiers carried: of the
Mother of

Delegation from
Constantinople
Greets Pope
Benedict XVI

God, holding her Child. Both Churches commemorate

the date. Another Salvation tie-in.
Our Lords Transfiguration presents the glorified
Body of Christ as a prelude to the perfection in store for
those who heed the commandments and acquire the fullness of grace. On this day, ripened fruit is brought to the
church to be blessedas visible reminders of how the
process of growth and maturation produces a source of
nutrients to sustain our bodies. Grapes, often brought for
blessing have the further prospect of completeness in
being pressed into the wine to be used during the
Liturgynutrition for our soul.
On Dormition herbs, spices and flowers are blessed to
emulate the sweet aroma these plants producea reminder that the apostles, eager to show St Thomas
who was not present when Mary fell asleep in the
Lord was buried. Tradition states that no body was
present, only a heavenly fragrance and the sound of
angels singing.
Some parishes have a service with a burial shroud of
the Mother of Godsimilar to that on Good Friday.
The day after Dormition another Saviour connection is found in the observance of the presentation to
the Church of the icon Not Made By Human Hands
by King Agbar of Edessa: The Saviours Face was
given for veneration. It was a time of joy.
As August ends, the last month of the liturgical calendar appears as a harvest time metaphor. All comes to
fruition. Mature produce is blessed in thanksgiving. Fragrant or flavorable planst are blessed for their pleasing
attributeseven medicinal properties. All is good.
The Old Dispensation is brought to a close in August,
as the Beheading of John the Baptist is observed. Some
people even abstain from eating off a platter, and avoid
roundhead-shapedfoods.
When you bring fruit or flowers to the church to be
blessed, you bring
religion home,
to live your
faith most intimately.

VATICAN CITY, (Zenit.org).- Pope Benedict XVI

received a delegation sent by Ecumenical Patriarch
Bartholomew I. The Church of Rome and the
Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople traditionally exchange visits for the feasts of their
respective patrons.
The delegation delivered a message to the Holy
Father on behalf of the Patriarch. The delegation
included His Eminence EMMANUEL (Adenakis),
metropolitan of France and director of the office of
the Orthodox Church to the European Union; His
Grace ILIAS (Katre), bishop of Philomelion, and
Rev. Paisios Kokkinakis of the Holy Synod of the
Ecumenical Patriarchate.
The Holy Father told the group that the
Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul "gives us an
opportunity to thank the Lord for the extraordinary
works He has achieved and
continues to achieve through
the Apostles in the life of the
Church. Their preaching,
sealed by the witness of martyrdom, is the solid and
durable base upon which the
Church rests. By remaining
faithful to the deposit of faith
they have handed down to
us, we discover our own
Ss Peter and Andrew
shared roots".
Recalling the Second Vatican Council, whose anniversary will coincide with
the Year of Faith, Pope Benedict XVI highlighted
the importance of the presence of the Patriarchate
of Constantinople at the Council. We wish to
praise the Lord first of all for the rediscovery of the
profound fraternity that binds us, and also for the
path followed in these years by the Mixed
International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church as a whole, with the hope that in the
present phase progress will also be made, he said.
The Holy Father concluded his address, thanking
the Delegation and Patriarch Bartholomew I for
their continuing openness to dialogue. It is a
motive of particular joy for me to see how His
Holiness Bartholomew I follows, with renewed
fidelity and fecund creativity, the path traced by his
Predecessors the Patriarchs Athenagoras and
Dimitrios, distinguishing himself at the international level for his openness to the dialogue between
Christians and for his commitment to the service of
proclaiming the Gospel in the contemporary
world, he said.
Junno Arocho

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due to an increased incidence of hacked email accounts, and the possible danger of contracting a computer virus, it has been decided
that e-mails sent to any New Star address, even
from known senders, that do not contain a recognizable reference to your purpose in writing,
will not be opened. this simply means any and
all (no subject)-identified e-mail will be deleted,
without hesitation.
Sometimes omission of a subject is just an
oversightso be alert in sending anything important.
(Fr) John Lucas, Managing editor, New Star

12 new Star

ARMENIANS OF OLD CRIMEA MARK TRANSFIGURATION OF CHRIST: The third pilgrimage-festival

devoted to the feast of Transfiguration of Jesusalso
known as Vardavar among Armenianswas held on
July 12-15 in Old Crimea, Ukraine, OBL news
informs.
Along the lines of the event, Crimeas creative
groups performed, and films were screened on the people living in this peninsula and their cultural heritage.
The festival is organized in order to preach and consolidate the positive image of Old Crimea.
The was held under the auspices of Primate of the
Ukrainian Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church,
Crimeas abbot, Father Hayrik Hovhannisyan.

FULTON SHEEN DECLARED VENERABLE: AMARCHBISHOP LISTED AMONG NEWLY-DECLARED SERVANTS OF GOD: ROME, (Zenit.org).- In a
private audience with prefect of the Congregation for
the Causes of the Saints, Cardinal Angelo Amato, Pope
Benedict XVI approved the heroic virtue Fulton J.
Sheen, thereby officially opening his cause for canonization.
The American archbishop and former bishop of
Rochester New York lived from 1895-1979. He was
best known his 20 years of evangelical work on radio
and television. Before Archbishop Sheens cause can
advance towards beatification, the Pope must approve
at least one miracle attributed to his intercession.
ERICAN

UCU COMMUNITY CALLS LANGUAGE BILL

"CHEAP PROVOCATION": The community of the
Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU) in Lviv made
public a statement regarding the adoption of the bill on
the languages. It called the bill a cheap provocation
which artificially polarizes the Ukrainian society. UCU
also called the healthy forces to consolidate round the
idea of the protection of the Ukrainian statehood and
look for a national consensus. RISUs Ukrainian language web page posted the statement on July 4.

August, 2012
At the memorial sign to the fighters of the Ukrainian
Insurgent Army in the old Kharkiv Cemetery, which
was turned by the Communists into a Youth Park,
Protopriest, Oleh Kozub, Superior of the Parish of St.
Nicholas of the village of Tsyrkuny of the Kharkiv and
Poltava Eparchy of the Ukrainian Autocephalous
Orthodox Church (renewed) (UAOC (r)) celebrated a
memorial service for the repose of the people involved
in the mentioned act such as Stepan Bandera, Yaroslav
Stetsko, Roman Shukhevych and everyone who laid
down their life for the freedom and independence of
Ukraine. The event was organized by the Kharkiv
Regional branch of the Congress of Ukrainian
Nationalists.

ARCHBISHOP PAVEL DOES NOT SUSPECT ANYONE OF POISONING HIM: According to a report of

OLD CHURCH DESTROYED BY LIGHTNING AND

FIRE IN LVIV REGION: In the village of Lavochne of

Segodnia, quicksilver and

arsenic were detected in the
blood of the Superior of the
Kyiv Cave Monastery and a
deputy of the Kyiv City
Council representing the
Party of Regions, Archbishop PAVEL (Lebed) of the
Ukrainian Orthodox Church
-Moscow Patriarchate.
Some time ago, Bishop
Pavel found himself in the intensive care unit. Then, he
underwent treatment in Germany, where they detected
quicksilver and arsenic in his blood, substances used
for poisoning people in higher circles in the Middle
Ages. The Bishop himself does not accuse anyone. He
has just returned to Kyiv and, perhaps, we will report
to the police, said Vasyl Anisimov to the newspapers
correspondent.
According to Church lobby interviews, there are people who wish Archbishop Pavel ill as there are many
aspirants to his position associated with an honorary
status and big money.
On July10, RISUs Ukrainian-language web page
posted Archbishop Pavels commentary, according to
which he has no enemies and does not suspect any
attempt on his life.

Skole District of Lviv Region lightning set on fire a

wooden Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary of
the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.
According to the press-service of the Ministry of
Emergency Situations, the fire was extinguished by
three departments of the State Fire Fighting Service.
There were no victims.
The fire destroyed a church built in 1905 which is an
architectural monument of the national significance.
A brick chapel was rescued. So reported UNIAN.

ARCHBISHOP OF UOC-MOSCOW PATRIARCHORTHODOX IN WESTERN AND EASTERN

ATE PLEASED WITH COOPERATION WITH
UKRAINE MARK ANNIVERSARY OF RESTORCATHOLIC COMMUNITY OF ST. EGIDIO: The
ATION OF UKRAINIAN STATEHOOD IN 1941:
Administrator of the Ukrainian Orthodox ChurchRepresentatives of Sts. Cyril and Methodius Ukrainian
Theological Academy of the Ukrainian Orthodox
Church-Moscow Patriarchate in Uzhhorod and
Avhustyn Voloshyns Carpathian University marked
by prayer the anniversary of the restoration of the
Ukrainian statehood according to the Act of June 30,
1941.
So reported the web site of the Academy.
On June 30, 2012, the Rector of St. Cyril and Methodius Ukrainian Theological Academy, Commissioner
of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow
Patriarchate, Professor Archimandrite Viktor (Bed)
celebrated a prayer to remember the Ukrainian patriots
who proclaimed the Act of the restoration of the
Ukrainian statehood in the city of Lviv on June 30,
1941. The 71st anniversary of the restoration of statehood was also marked in the eastern Ukrainian city of
Kharkiv.

Moscow Patrtiarchate (UOC-MP), Archbishop ANTONII (Pakanych) of Boryspil met with a professor of the
Roma Tre University, Secretary General of the Community of St. Egidio, Adriano Roccucci in the Kyiv
cave Monastery on July 5. The community marks the
44th anniversary of its foundation this year.
According to the web site of UOC-MP, during the
meeting, the archbishop noticed the fruitfulness of the
continuous cooperation between the Orthodox Church
and the Catholic lay movement of the Community of
St. Egidio. In particular, the participants of the meeting
stressed the importance of the interaction in the area of
testimony to the whole world about the traditional
Christian values.
In the end Archbishop Antonii passed to Mr. Roccucci latest editions of the Kyiv Spiritual Academy.

UKRAINIAN CATHOLIC BISHOP ON WORLD

WAR II: Bishop BOHDAN (Dziurakh), Secretary of the
Synod of Bishops, together with UOC-KP, UOC,
UAOC, RCC and representatives of other Churches
and church communities participated in commemorations of the beginning of war between the Soviet Union
and Nazi Germany.
They held a memorial prayer service for all who died
during World War II and those who during that time
gave their lives for Ukraines freedom.
Bishop Bohdan noted that it is important for us to
see the whole context of those dramatic events in our
country and not to bypass with attention and care not
only the soldiers of the Soviet army, but also all those,
who in difficult circumstances, carried on the national
liberation struggle against both occupation regimes
that of Hitler and Stalin. Likewise, we must also
remember the countless victims of civilians, the prisoners of the concentration camps, the victims of ethnic
cleansing and forced resettlements.
War, according to him, leaves deep wounds in the
souls of people and nations which need Gods healing.
This is exactly why for us, the initiative of the community and the representatives of separate political
groupings to commemorate this day in silence and
prayer, was so valuable. It is impossible to change history. But the past has to be handed over to the Hands of
God, who in His Mercy can heal the wounds and cure
memory, summarized the UGCC bishop.

His Beatitude SvIATOSLAv (Shevchuk): The language law disrespects people

The leader of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
believes that the language law disrespects both languages and that therefore it is anti-constitutional. His
statement was made on the news program of Channel
24.
On the one hand, it is an absolute disregard for
Ukrainian as the state language; on the other hand, it is
also a disregard for the Russian language and therefore
no honest person can reconcile oneself to such a language draft legislation, stated the Patriarch.

The UGCC Primate is convinced that, in this law and

the manner in which it was accepted, there exists a perceptible disrespect towards that which is sacred for
each person.
When we talk about language or respect for a language used by one or another person, we are speaking
about the dignity of an individual. In discussing this
topic, we must first of all respect the dignity of the
human individual, regardless of which language the
individual speaks, believes His Beatitude Sviatoslav.

new Star 13

August, 2012

Why?/Why:

By Fr Denny Molitvy

This year I saw something for the first time. The day
before Lent began our priest had a ceremony after
Liturgy, where, while some songs were sung, we were
all to come forward, get anointed, kiss the cross and
then stand in place as everyone else did the same
thing, then each was to hug or shake hands and ask
for forgiveness. In a way it was nice; yet, in a way it
seemed awkward. Why did he do this?
I'm sure he must have explained it at some time
beforehand. Sometimes people do not always hear
what is said, or perhaps pay too little attention until
they are taken up by the moment.
What Father did was not anything new. He may have
just revamped the timetable a bit.
What you became a part of actually belongs to Forgiveness Vespers which has long been an integral part
of the services on the eve of the first day of the Great
Fast of Lent. Usually these vespers are celebrated later
in the afternoonearly evening. Quite a few priests
have noticed that most people who, although devout
and church-going, tend to not make another trip to
the church upon returning home after having been to
Divine Liturgy earlier in the day. Yet the service,
which includes the very underlying message of the purpose of aiding our spiritual growth through the lenten
period of introspection and self-examination amid the
added fasting, praying and almsgiving is frequently
sparsely attended. Here we focus on the connection
between forgivenessrationale for Lentand the
new commandment Christ gives us to love one
another, as I have loved you. When weighed against
the forgiveness we receive, we can hardly be hesitant to
exercise that gesture of love: forgiveness.
A solution, as you experienced, is to push the time of
these vespers forward to attract those already present
for the Divine Liturgy to be able to take advantage of
the opportunity to make this very basic concept of
Christian living a part of your religious development.
In some parishes there may be a special meatless,
dairy-free meal or pot-luck scheduled between the services to give some idea of the wide variety of lenten
foods that are possible. This also reinforces the lapse of
time that should separate Divine Liturgy from Vesperseven if it is only an hour during which you eat.
It is certainly a chance for parishioners to socialize,
building closeness in the members of the community
with the further benefit of finding a means to strengthen their faith at the same time.
Surely you are aware of the need for repentance and
request for forgiveness. Perhaps it has not been stressed
enough that this communal aspect is a foundation of

Soccer, Anyone?

hings are finally calming down in Ukraine

sports wise, at least. If you dont know what Im
talking about, it probably means that, like me,
you are American-born and thus have absolutely no
interest in soccer. You see, in June Ukraine got together with its supportive Polish neighbors to host the 2012
Euro cup: soccer fans from all over the continent
flocked to Kyiv, Donetsk, Kharkiv, and Lviv to see
their national teams duke it out on the soccer pitch. (In
case you are interested, Spain won the tournament,
trouncing Italy 4-0 in Kyiv.)
For those of you for whom footballi.e., the name
by which soccer is known in the rest of the world
refers to a very different game played at Notre Dame
on Saturday afternoons in the fall, let me offer a few
words of explanation. Instead of the weird football
shape with which NFL fans are familiar, soccer balls
are round. In essence, soccer is like the game of hockey
so popular with our Canadian neighbors to the north,
except that it is played on grass rather than ice and is a
lot slower. (Notice: I refrained from saying boring
even though that is the word which I most closely asso-

your parish (and personal) life. It becomes more concrete when we are prompted to stop and thinkas in
your case. A gospel message comes to life.
This act of reconciliation is not only for the person in
the pew. Some years ago, now-retired Bishop BASIL
(Losten) of the Stamford Eparchy brought this to the attention of his entire eparchy with a letter written to be
read in every parish. Perhaps in reading it you may
notice that it was nice to hear, perhaps even awkward to write or even read or listen to. But it was a
profound statement in the worthiness of self-examination, acknowledgment of human imperfection, and a
desire to implement the grace-building presence of
Christ's guiding principles for each member of His
Mystical Body. No matter our station in life, or position, each is an integral part of the Church, for whom
Christ was born, lived, died and resurrected! Here are
Bishop Basil's words: There are decisions I have
made as person and as a bishop that were wrong.
There are good decisions, which I have made that, nevertheless, have hurt people. There are things that I
have said which hurt and offended. There are actions I
have done that tore down rather than built up. There
are things that I have done which without my even realizing it, have hurt and offended. ... if I have sinned
against you, hurt you, or offended you in thought,
word, deed, or action, knowingly or unknowingly,
please forgive me, a sinner, and pray to God for me.
Reflect upon the concept, and perhaps find ways to
exhibit similar sentiments in your own expression of
asking forgiveness. And, keeping these ideas in mind,
next year when your parish celebrates Forgiveness
Vespers again it will be nicer, perhaps less awkward.
The heartfelt lines in Bishop Basils letter were penned just before the year 2000 began, in response to a
call by Pope John Paul II for all Catholics to apologize
and forgive before 1999 ended. In tune with the scope
and purpose of Forgiveness Sunday and its familiar format, Bishop Basil followed through with the Holy
Fathers suggestion to prepare for the millennium, and
a new era in the life of the Church.
Certainly his familiarity with our Churchs annual
undertaking of a new Lent as a journey toward Pascha
was a jumping-off point for Bishop Basil. He had the
advantage of prior experience with the process. The
whole exercise as Lent begins (each year) provides the
framework of a successful season of self-examination,
and a greater realization of the epitome of existence
resurrection to the wondrously inexplicable destiny
that awaits us as faithful practitioners of Christian idealism: the Kingdom of heaven.
That hug you mentioned is no mere gesture based

ciate with soccer, but I digress)

Soccer is a team sport: players need to be able to
work together toward the same goali.e., winning
the game. Teamwork and cooperation are essential;
without them, defeat will almost certainly be the outcome. Here in France, there is quite an uproar because
les bleusthe beloved national team which, once upon
a time very long ago, dominated the soccer world and
even won the coveted World Cupdid not make it
beyond the quarter finals. The selectionneur has been
absolutely pilloried in the press, since it is the universal
opinion that he put together a team made up of spoiled,
selfish superstars utterly incapable of working with one
another, thus ensuring hlas the defeat of the team and
the disgrace of France; unlike Louis XVI, he managed
to escape with his head still attached, albeit minus a
job.
We Ukrainians, since we are not noted for teamwork,
can probably relate to the plight of les bleus. A case in
point: did you see the battle royal that broke out in the
Ukrainian parliament over the language issue? One of
the friars here in Paris, who had witnessed the sorry
spectacle on TV, said to me, Two guys started punching one another, and they were almost fatter than you!
(The truth only hurts if it should. Ouch!)

upon human feeling, nor a social nicety: it is an embrace of acceptance (mutual, by its nature). The very
words of the Resurrection Matins (sung also for Forgiveness Vespers) call us to embrace one another
as we sing the hymn of victory: Christ is risen from
the dead! these two reminders before and after Lent
are the basis for the kiss of peace and far superceed a
handshake, high five, wave or any other sign of
peace. It says, shows and lives forgiveness and
love in Christs Name.
What you experienced may have been new to you,
but has been a fixture in the rubrics of our Church for
centuries. As prompted by the Spirit Who spoke to us
through the Fathers gathered for Vatican II, we are
exhorted to reacquaint ourselves with our venerable,
ancient, Eastern approach to lifeand the afterlife.
The anointing with the oil of gladness with which
your face now glistens in a context of renewed fervor
in approaching the journey of Lent, is a stepping-stone
to the timeless eternity, to which you aspire.
No prayer, gesture or action associated with Forgiveness Vespers is superficial. All lead us to a better understaning of our individualand importantplace in the
Church, the Body of Christ.
Each is biblically inspired. The focus is on the judgment
to be rendered that determines our eternal fate.
Each of our thoughts, words and deeds has a consequence that is far-reaching. Our eternal destiny is determined by how we have responded to the Lords Prayer
(the Our Father) in our everyday dealings with others.
Jesus taught us how to praynot in uttering words as a
memorized formula, but as a plea to be forgiven (by Him)
in the exact same way we have forgiven others. Really!
Our serious attention to this directive is best paid by
entering Lent with the purpose of serving others as selflessly as did God in sending His Son for our salvation.
We follow the call to fast with a gleaming face (oil anointing) aware that perfect joy will be our ultimate reward. And sharing that joy in a mutual gesture of acceptance (an embrace that shows forgiveness of wrongs saying Christ is among us!) sets the tempo for our life after
that experience; not only for Lent, but, forever.
We take a step onward in our journey to Christs triumph over deathand the sin that causes itinviting
everyone to come forth, faithful, to the Resurrection.
What an awe-full opportunity! Jump at it!
Send your questions to:
Fr Denny Molitvy
2245 W Rice St
Chicago, il 60622, or:
WhyWhyNewStar@cs.com
Give your name, parish and city
(which will not be published)
for verification, if necessary.

So what does any of this have to do with the Ukrainian Catholic Church in the United States? Plenty!
Think of Christ as the ultimate selectionneur, choosing
members for His team i.e., the Church. The goal of
Christs team is the victory of Christs Kingdom of
peace and justice over those forces which favor selfishness and greed, ultimately leading to hatred and division in the Church, in the nation, in the world. Unfortunately, Christ foolishly continues to choose as His
teammates those who, like us, often seem to have much
more in common with the opposition than with the
goals of our own captain. Thinking that we know
better than the Christ Whose goal is the well-being of
all, we choose to selfishly follow the path of ambition
and greed, thus leading to ultimate
defeatincluding our own. Christ
told Peter that the gates of hell
would not prevail against His
Church; if were starting to feel
the heat of the hellish adversary,
perhaps the fault is neither Christs
nor Peters but our own.
Hey, Adam and Eve, how do you
like them apples?
Fr Jim Karepin, OP

14 new Star

August, 2012

God Particle

s a member of the American Chemical Society

for over forty years, this week I read with
much excitement about a great scientific event
printed in a recent chemical journal. Particle accelerators around the world discovered an elusive Higgs
boson. Decades of scientific work and over ten billion
dollars were invested into tracking this almost mythical
subatomic particle with a monstrous doughnut-shaped
machine many meters in circumference. It uses as
much electrical energy as is used to light up an entire
city.
At light-speed velocities, these accelerators force
head-on collisions of two beams of protons which produce subatomic particles. The collider is nicknamed
the window on Creation, because it creates a tiny
mini-Big Bang upon collision. In only a fraction of a
trillionth of a second, the Higgs boson appears at the
collision site and then rapidly decays into ordinary subatomic particles. The scientific community dubbed the
Higgs boson as the God particle.
Some then cringed since this discovery led to the

time for grandma

y Grandmother died a half century ago,

but she did not live in the 20th century.
Hers was a simple, practically monastic,
life. My Grandfather died fifteen years after the
birth of the last of seven children, all of whom left
the farm for urban life and its promises.
My Grandmother moved to the neighboring village into a small cottage on a half-acre plot after the
children left. She rose early and took her daily ten
minute walk to the church for the Divine Liturgy.
For breakfast she prepared a bowl of cereal. Then
she tended to her garden; digging, planting, harvesting, depending on the season. In the afternoon she
slowly read her prayer book. Then she baked bread,
prepared meals, did some sewing, milked the cow

Biblical story of when God set the universe into motion

with a simple let there be light! The scientific world
believes the universe started off with a cosmic explosion, the Big Bang, over 13 billion years ago sending
stars and galaxies hurtling everywhere. The problem
remains that this present scientific theory cannot
explain the how and why of the initial cosmic explosion
if they leave out God. Scientific experimentation can-

after getting it from the pasture, and

before sundown she would tell stories and fables to her grandchildren
who anticipated a continuation of the
fable that concluded at a climaxpoint the evening before.
In the 21st century we are bombarded with different interests: technology, entertainment, health concerns, science, politics, economics,
all vying for our time. Do we have time
for prayer, meditation, or visits to family and
friends? Do we take time to discern the use of our
time in storing up eternal treasures?
We cannot revert to the 19th century life. Whether
we take charge of the way we use time or whether
the progress of time-saving tools, our use of the
internet, time spent traveling, time spent on enter-

Kids Page: What is a Monk?

he kids of the aging hippies in my neighborhood understanding of monks is based mostly

upon the DVD exploits of Jet Li and Jackie
ChanShaolin martial arts masters who pummel
wicked ninjas for a living. Ive tried to explain to them
that, no, I dont kick or punch bad guys, or do acrobatic
Spidermanish combat gymnastics. There was a time,
several decades ago, when I was pretty agile, but Ive
never been into violence or physical confrontations.
My battles are mostly spiritual and interior, involving
attempts to overcome my own self-contained personal

not identify what put the bang in the Big Bang! They
acknowledge that everything we see around us: the
galaxies, stars, planets including living creatures, owes
its existence to the Higgs boson which is the God
particle. The discovery of the Higgs boson for scientists is the first step toward a much grander theory of
Everything that will only be understood if God is recognized as the Initiator of all creation.
Scientists and all of humanity, must recognize God as
the Creator of Everything. Creation of Humankind is
neither random nor meaningless. God is guiding all of
creation as well as also guiding our lives toward His
purpose. All creation is initiated and lives by the breath
of God. His Spirit is alive in everything. Humanity
lives within the will of God and His creation.
St. Paul (2 Cor. 3:18) writes, All of us, gazing with
unveiled face on the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory.
Humanity and all of creation should rest in the quiet
peace of trusting God, our God particle, who made
all, sustains all, and leads all humanity, to their destiny,
which is eternal life with God.
Sister Jonathan Wachko, OSBM

the Challenges of
Discipleship
Office of Faith Formation
tainment, dominates our use of time, then the question to be asked is, Are we preparing for life
beyond time?
At present in America our life expectancy has
lengthened by 25 years in the last 100 years. We are
given more time by the grace of God to prepare, by
our choices, an eternal life with God.

mom and say You

know, Juliet, I believe
there are medicated
shampoos that will get
rid of those little critters. Then wed all have
a good laugh, take her
dish for the post-Liturgy
potluck into the trapeza,
give it to the cook-ofthe-week, and proceed
into the katholikon.
OK, kids: here are
some pictures to help
you learn the difference
between monks and
monkeys.*
At first glance they
do seem pretty similar
but if you look closely, there are subtle differences.
Of course we are all Gods beloved creatures, no
matter how fuzzy or strangely-dressed or undressed. It
isnt our individual unique differences or idiosyncrasies which define us, but our underlying similarity,
our unity as fellow expressions of Gods love, and how
dedicated each of us is to embracing and sharing that
love.
On that count we humans, monks or not, are WAY
ahead of the poor monkeys. But of course, we cant
hang by our prehensile tail from a tree branch. You win
some, you lose some.

demons and base inclinations.

Monks are creatures of habit (little joke
there. Ho, ho, ho). Actually the long flowing garment monks wear as a rule (more
ho, hos) is properly called an inner riassa
[Slavonic: podryasnik; Ukrainian: pidryasnik]. Literally it is
liturgical underwear. A wide leather belt
keeps it from catching on everything you
walk near. There was a monk who would
say when asked what do you call that outfit you guys wear? Oh, well, the Romans
call it a cassock, but were Eastern Christians, we have our own Greek and Slavic
names for stuff. We call it a dress.
Believe me, the first time you try to walk
up some stairs in your monastic pidryasnik you see his
point. Many monasteries are located on steep hillsides,
very staircase intensive. Unless you were into serious
cross-dressing before entering your monastic vocation
you either learn fast or fall down a lot. A slow learner,
I had bruised knees for several months.
A wonderful lady used to bring her precocious eightor nine-year-old daughter to the monasterys Sunday
Divine Liturgy now and then. If the little girl spotted me
trying to sneak through the parking lot she would cry:
Look! Its a monkeymonk! And look, he has bugs in his
hair! Regarding her hair, I would reply Goodness! I
believe you, too, have bugs in your hair. Id turn to her
OK, kids: here are some pictures to help you learn the difference between monks and monkeys.
At first glance they do seem pretty similar but if you look closely, there are subtle differences.

*DISCLAIMER: Apes include gorillas, chimpanzees as well as monkeys. The top photo is not of only monkeys. [ed.]

new Star 15

August, 2012

Lviv History of religion Museum opens exhibition

about rescue of Jews By greek Catholic Clergy
during war for People to Feel United

he history of Lviv is the history of a mini-state in which for

centuries live different peoples
with their own histories and cultures,
with their customs and religions. The
exhibition Those Who Saved the
World at 36 Staroyevreyska Street is
a small story about the people of the
Jewish quarter. The exhibition
opened on June 27.
The exhibit was created by the Lviv
Museum of the History of Religion
and is dedicated to the actions of the
Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
(UGCC) in saving Jews during
WWII, the head of the information
department of the Lviv Museum of
the History of Religion Iryna
Tsebenko told RISU.
The direct organizers of the actions

to save the Jews were the Sheptytsky

brothers UGCC Metropolitan Andrey
and Archimandrite Clement. Hundreds of Jews, including many children, hid in male and female monasteries of the UGCC. Monks, priests,
and the faithful of the Church risked
their own lives to save Jews, revealing
their attitudes toward them on the
basis of the Christian principle of
love, on the ideology of universal
unity.
The focus of the exhibition is on the
Holocaust and the Righteous. A few
parts of the exhibit show different
aspects of Jewish life in prewar Lviv.
One section is dedicated to European
politicians and philosophers who contributed to the emergence of the antiSemitic element in the ideology of the

Nazis.
The exhibition includes documentary materials, photographs of priests,
nuns and monks, and rescued Jews
direct participants in these events; certificates and medals of people
declared Righteous among the
Nations, their personal belongings.
There are also parts of the exhibit
devoted to Blessed Omelyan Kovch
and to Lviv residents who saved Jews.
As of January 1, 2011, 2,363 citizens of Ukraine have the title
Righteous among the Nations. They
were awarded diplomas and medals
with the engraved text: Whoever
saves a life is considered as if he has
saved an entire world.

Metropolitan Sheptytskys Role in Rescuing Jews and

His Principles of Humanity to Be Studied in Lviv

he summer school Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytskys

Social Thought: Rescue of
Jews and Modern Problems of
Humanity was launched on June
25 in Lviv. Twenty-five students
from all over Ukraine are participating in the program. It is the second consecutive year that the
Institute of Religion and Society

(IRS) of the Ukrainian Catholic

University has organized the
school, press service of UCU reports.
The summer school was opened
with a prayer led by Auxiliary
Bishop of Lviv Archeparchy BENEDICT (Aleksiychuk). The director of
IRS, vice-rector of UCU Myroslav
Marynovych, commented: We
wanted to attract the attention of the
Ukrainian society, including students and post-graduate youth, to
Metropolitan Andrey. To chip
away at the stereotypes that surround one of the central figures in
the history of the Ukrainian
church.
This year the organizers are
focusing on one aspect of Andrey
Sheptytskys activity, namely the
rescue of Jews and problems of
humanity. According to Myroslav
Marynovych, this page of the metropolitans life is still unknown and
invaluable in Ukraine: We are
always fluttering between different

ideologies, trying to pick the right

one. At the same time we forget
that the line of demarcation between good and evil does not go
through ideology but through the
human heart. And in Sheptytskys
fate and work this is all very well
expressed. This knowledge we
want to give to the Ukrainian society, said the vice-rector.
Canadian scholar Andrii Krawchuk, historians Yaroslav Hrytsak,
Liliana Hentosh, Ihor Smolsky,
political and cultural scientist Taras
Vozniak, and political scientist
Yaroslav Kit will teach at the program.
In addition to lectures, the participants of the summer school will
visit some places associated with
Metropolitan Sheptytsky, meet
with the Jewish community, and
pray together in the crypt of the
Cathedral of St. George, where the
metropolitans mortal remains repose.

President of
Ukrainian Jewish
Committee Grateful
to UGCC for Saving
Jews during War

he Ukrainian Jewish Committee (UJC) welcomes the renaming of a street in Lviv after the
Blessed Omelian Kovch.
According to the president of the UJC, Oleksandr
Feldman, Omelyan Kovch is a true example of a great
Ukrainian, an example of humanity and self-sacrifice
in the name of Faith.
Feldman also
believes
that
long-time consistent position of
the
Ukrainian
Greek Catholic
Church (UGCC)
aimed at restoring historical justice and strengthening
mutual
respect between
people of different religions and
nationalities
deserves individual human gratitude.
I always knew that in me beloved Lviv live deep
traditions of tolerance, based on spiritual, cultural and
civic dignity, said Feldman.
On May 18 in Lviv, Vinnytsia Street was renamed
Fr. Omelian Kovch Street, and on May 11 in
Peremyshlyany, with the participation of the head of
the UGCC Patriarch Sviatoslav Shevchuk and more
than a thousand priests and hierarchs of the UGCC, a
monument to the Blessed Priest Omelian Kovch was
unveiled.
Omelian Kovch is a holy martyr of the Ukrainian
Greek Catholic Church, a priest, a righteous of
Ukraine. During the German occupation he rescued
Jews and sent a letter to Adolf Hitler, in which he condemned the genocide of Jews.
For this in 1942 Kovch was arrested and imprisoned
in the Majdanek concentration camp, where he secretly continued his pastoral activity. He was killed and
burned in a gas chamber in 1944.
According to Oleksandr Feldman, the Ukrainian
Jewish Committee also supports the recognition of
Metropolitan of the UGCC Andrey Sheptytsky as a
Righteous among the Nations, LB.ua reports.

New eastern Catholic Bishops Named for France

The Ukrainian Greek
tion from the office by Bishop MICatholic Church has a new
bishop. Pope Benedict XVI
CHAEL (Hrynchynominated the rector of the
shyn).
Ukrainian Catholic UniBishop-nominee
versity Rev. Dr. Borys
Borys (Gudziak)
will bring the numGudziak as Apostolic
Exarch for Ukrainians in
ber of bishops of the
France and appointed him
Ukrainian Greek
as Titular Bishop of CarCatholic Church to
cabia. This is officially
forty-nine.
announced by the Vatican
Fr. Borys GudzBishop-elect Borys
Press Service.
iak was born in
The new bishop will be the Syracuse, New York, in 1960 and
Apostolic Exarch for Ukrainians in ordained as a priest in 1998. His
France (The exarchate also in- PhD in Byzantine and Slavic studcludes Belgium, the Netherlands, ies was earned at Harvard UniverLuxemburg, and Switzerland). The sity. He is the author of more than
Holy Father accepted the resigna- fifty works on the Church, theolog-

ical formation and various cultural

themes
As well, a new eparchy of NotreDame du Liban de Paris of the
Maronites, based in Paris, France
has been established. Fr Nasser
Gemayel, pastor of the parish of St
Tecla in Masqua, Lebanon, is the
first eparchal bishop of the new
eparchy and apostolic vicar to Maronite faithful in Western and
Northern Europe.
The bishop-elect was born in Ain
Kharroube, Lebanon in 1951 and
ordained a priest in 1981. He studied in Lebanon and France, has
been active in pastoral care and
education and is the author of several books on the Maronite Church.

16 new Star

August, 2012

Members of automobile tours

became Friends with those under
Care of Kyiv Caritas

ot long ago, the organizers of automobile

tours Dozor Lite contacted the central
Caritas (of Kyiv). This community
(Dozor Lite) has worked successfully in Kyiv for
quite a long period of time, and decided to devote
their tour number 100 (the anniversary one) to the
protection of children and to make this event a charity with a fair and an auction of crafts created by
children.
Halyna Lee, who manages the work with children
and youth in the local Caritas, said: The Republic
of SHKID became the theme for this automobile
trip; even though it is connected with the bloody
period of our history, it is associated with the cult
film of Hennadiy Poloka about the homeless people.
While performing the search tasks, participators had
the possibility to feel themselves just like the street
children do, to see their typical hiding places. The
most important goal of this journey was to provide
assistance to Caritas-Kyiv in dealing with such
children.
The preparations for this event took the workers of
Kyiv Caritas three weeks. Children and youth,
together with volunteers and workers produced the
real works of art with beads, drawings, junk art, etc.
Those works of art were created by children who are
in difficult life circumstances, the former street
children; a couple of simple key rings were produced by young people, who are under care of the
local mobile station.
The two directions of Caritas work were emphasized during the preview and foreword to the tour:
assistance to those, who find themselves homeless
on the streets, as well as, the preventive work with
those children who belong to the risk group.

Beginning of the childs life on the street is, usually,

just the result of bad relations within the family or
overall life situation of the family. Therefore, the two
directions of work, which were identified, are equally important.
The eagerness of the Dozor Lite team should be
appreciated, as they did everything they could for
the charitable component of the event to reach its
successthe workers of Kyiv Caritas state. Both,
for them as well as for Caritas, it was the first
experience of such kind. The participants of the tour
started arriving at the finish line about midnight. The
awards ceremony and the charity auction lasted until
half-past one. Despite the fact that everybody was
tired and it was late, all those who were present in the
hall of City Pub were benevolent and active.
Moreover, this event attracted the attention of journalists of the national TV channel 1+1, who did
not remain aloof but provided financial donations as
well as moral support.
Funds collected at the auction, as well as charitable
donations of team-participators account for 5,626
hryvnias. These funds will be used for the needs of
the street children as well as, those who are in the
risk group.
By Nadiya Chorna

new Document ethics and Finances on european

Commissions on Justice and Peace

he UGCC Commission on Justice and Peace

participated in the working meeting of the
European Commissions on Justice and Peace to
draft a new document entitled Ethics and Finances.
The meeting was held on June 29-30 in Cologne
(Germany). Rev. Oleh Luka, an assistant of the UGCC
Commission on Justice and Peace participated in the
meeting and reported that in addition to Ukrainian representatives, there were also representatives of
Germany, Belgium, Ireland, France, Malta and Spain,
who are in fact the authors of the new document.
The working meeting lasted for two days. During the
first day, the main topics of the document Ethics and
Finances were agreed upon and each section was
assigned to a small work group. The second day consisted of a series of discussions about the ratification of
the text of the document. Ethics and Finances is the
next in line joint product of the European Commissions
on Justice and Peace. This document will contain the
following sections: 1. Economic decisions based on the
notion of justice; 2. World administration and financ-

Bishops in IvanoFrankivsk Report on

Contemporary
Migration Challenges

ing; 3. Finances and social service; 4. Finances and

long-term outlooks for the future.
A significant feature of this document is also its conclusion. It will contain a series of practical recommendations for financial institutions, representatives of
administration and management of various types of
social undertakings as well as for church structures,
beginning with the administration and extending to
average Christians. The working draft is completed;
its ratification will be proposed at the September gathering of the European Commissions on Justice and
Peace. Doubtlessly, the document materials are useful
and relevant for many, and therefore they will be disseminated through all available means so that society
and competent individuals in given areas are informed.
The document will also be presented to the European
Parliamentarians. It is especially gratifying that both
the faithful of our Church as well as all citizens of
Ukraine will be able to benefit from this document
because we will also provide a Ukrainian version. The
document is based on a series of important scholarly
and practical works of leading contemporary experts

special course on missionary pastorate for

upper class students was held at the St.
Josaphat Ivano-Frankivsk Spiritual Seminary (June 25 - July 1). Sixty-eight seminarians
participated in the course organized by UGCC
Pastoral-Missionary Department (PMB).
Bishop JOSEPH (Milian), director of the PastoralMissionary Department, reminded the seminarians
that although the emigrants of the first, second,
third and fourth waves, all migrated from their
native land in search of easier bread-winning,
earning bread as an immigrant has never been
easy. From the beginning of the migration process,
the Church, as a mother, tried to send her representatives, pastors, kinds of spiritual trainers so that
they could assist people in foreign lands to find
spiritual strength. In addition the speaker also
mentioned the challenges faced by UGCC pastors
outside of Halychyna and Ukraine.
He explained the rationale of having a separate
structure within the Church that would focus solely
on migrants. As is known, over the last several
years, UGCC has maintained a Pastoral-Missionary
Department, headed by the Bishop. According to
him, migration is not only a challenge but also an
opportunity for positive changes.
Eyewitness reports on actual pastoral care and its
needs in Lutsk, Odesa-Crimea and DonetskKharkiv exarchates were presented by Bishop JOSAPHAT (Hovera), Lutsk exarch, Bishop BASIL
(Ivasiuk), Odesa-Crimea exarch, Rev. Ihor Tabaka,
parish administrator in Liubotyn in Kharkiv oblast,
and Roman Cheremsky, a parishioner of St.
Nicholas the Miracle Worker Church in Kharkiv.
Bishop Josaphat shared with the seminarians some
truths; he did not paint an idyllic beautiful scene,
but presented a realistic picture of what awaits the
one who is fulfilling Christs precept: the life of a
priest is the fulfillment of Christs will. The hierarch emphasized Christs understanding of service,
and advised no one to yearn for a good parish
which would guarantee him everythinga ready
church, a pastors home, hundreds of faithful who
would attentively listen to the priest and then would
reverently kiss his hand and would praise him for
his goodness.
It is worthwhile to note that the special course
includes a prayer/liturgical part, (Matins, Divine
Liturgy, Vespers), course presentations, eyewitness
testimonies by pastors from Ukraine as well as
abroad, as well as practical exercises done in
groups.
UGCC Department of Information
and practitioners in the sphere of economics. Also it
will include documents and works of the Church
regarding issues of ethics and finances. Therefore, we
are eager to work now on both the ratification of this
document and its dissemination in society, stated the
meeting participant, Rev. Oleh Luka.
Commission Secretariat

Pope Seeking to Re-establish Serenity in Curia

Benedict Calls Heads of Dicasteries, Cardinals to Meeting
VATICAN CITY, (Zenit.org).- In the wake of the socalled Vatileaks scandal, which has involved the publication of confidential Vatican documents, Benedict
XVI is seeking to re-establish a climate of serenity and
trust in the Curia, says the Vatican spokesman.
Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, director of the

Vatican press office, released a statement Saturday

about meetings the Pope had that day, first with heads
of dicasteries and then with certain cardinals: George
Pell, archbishop of Sydney, Australia; Marc Ouellet,
prefect of the Congregation for Bishops; Jean-Louis
Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for

Interreligious Dialogue; Camillo Ruini, retired vicar

general of His Holiness for the Diocese of Rome, and
Jozef Tomko, retired prefect of the Congregation for
the Evangelization of Peoples.
"The Holy Father is seeking to deepen his knowledge
of the situation through continuous dialogue with those
people who share with him the responsibility for governing the Church," Father Lombardi offered.
continued on page 18

new Star 17

August, 2012

Egyptian Prelate Optimistic About New President

Coptic Catholic Bishop Expresses Hope of Christian-Muslim Peace
LUXOR, Egypt, (Zenit.org).- Coptic Catholic Bishop
JOANNES (Zakaria) of Luxor, Egypt, said he and fellow
Copts were optimistic after Egyptian President-elect
Mohammed Mursis post-election victory speech
Sunday, when he said he wanted to reach out to
Christians as well as Muslims.
In an interview with Aid to the Church in Need,
Bishop Zakaria said the Muslim Brotherhood candidates success was a cause for hope in spite of many
Christians concerns that the partys apparent openness
masks an Islamist and intolerant policy agenda. The
bishop said that many people in Luxor had voted for
opposition candidate Ahmed Shafiq in the June run-off
elections but were reassured by Mursis speech, which
suggested a positive approach to tourism, to the local
economy. The people of Luxor are so afraid that the
Muslim Brotherhood will stop tourism but they are
now hoping that what Mr. Mursi said in his speech will
be true, he said.
Bishop Zakaria highlighted reports that Mursi was
considering choosing a Copt for the post of vice president and had spoken in support of tourism and
womens rights. Saying he was optimistic," Bishop
Zakaria added: We hope he will honor his promises
made in his speech after he was announced as
President.
The bishop referred to an extract in Mursis speech
where he said: Egypt is for all Egyptians; all of us are

equals in terms of rights. All of us also have duties

towards this homeland. As for myself, I don't have
rights. I only have duties We Egyptians, Muslims
and Christians, are advocates of civilization and construction.
Commenting on the speech, Bishop Zakaria said: It
is true that in the past the Muslim Brotherhood have
not lived up to their promises. When you are not in

US Bishops Note Fundamental

Flaws with Health Care Law
Urge Government to Repair Affordable
Care Act after Supreme Court Upholds Legislation
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Zenit.org).The United States Conference of
Catholic Bishops urged Congress and
the Obama administration to repair
flaws to the Affordable Care Act
(ACA) after the U.S. Supreme Court
issued a decision upholding the law.
Signed into law in 2010, the Patient
Protection and Affordable Care Act
requires individuals not covered by
employer or government-sponsored
insurance plans to maintain minimal
essential health insurance coverage or
pay a penalty unless exempted for religious beliefs or financial hardship, a
provision commonly referred to as the
individual mandate. Certain provisions
and mandates within the health care law
have been a point of contention since its
passing.
In a press release posted after the
Supreme Court decision, the USCCB
stated that for nearly a century they
"have been and continue to be consistent advocates for comprehensive
health care reform to ensure access to
life-affirming health care for all, especially the poorest and the most vulnerable."
"Although the United States
Conference of Catholic Bishops did not
participate in these cases and took no
position on the specific questions presented to the Court, USCCB's position
on health care reform generally and on
ACA particularly is a matter of public
record."
The bishops ultimately opposed final
passage of the Affordable Care Act for
several reasons.
ACA allows use of federal funds to
pay for elective abortions and for plans
that cover such abortions. The USCCB
noted that such a move contradicts

long-standing federal policy. "The risk

we identified in this area has already
materialized, particularly in the initial
approval by the Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS) of 'high
risk' insurance pools that would have
covered abortion," the USCCB stated.
The U.S. bishops also found fault
with the ACAs lack of conscience protection, both within and beyond the
abortion context. The Health and
Human Services (HHS) mandate within
the ACA would force religious institutions and other employers to cover sterilization, contraception, and abortifacient drugs. Several rallies have been
held nationwide opposing the HHS
mandate.
The USCCB statement also noted
that the Affordable Care Act fails to
treat immigrant workers and their families in a fair manner, saying that it
"leaves them worse off by not allowing
them to purchase health coverage in the
new exchanges created under the law,
even if they use their own money."
"This undermines the Act's stated
goal of promoting access to basic lifeaffirming health care for everyone,
especially for those most in need," the
statement read.
Concluding their statement, the
USCCB stated that the U.S. Supreme
Courts decision does not diminish the
moral imperative of health care for all.
The bishops also stated that it does not
eliminate the need to correct the flaws
outlined in their statement.
"We therefore continue to urge
Congress to pass, and the Administration to sign, legislation to fix those
flaws," the U.S. bishops urged.

power, you can say what you want but they now have
the big responsibility of government, it is very different.
Once people listened to Mr. Mursis speech, they
were not worried. Things are calmer. The people are
waiting to see what he can do in the future.
Economy
Turning to other key factors, Bishop Zakaria said
tackling Egypts huge economic problems was a top
priority for the new president. He said that political turmoil had devastated Luxors local economy, which is
heavily dependent on tourism, and that unemployment
was now at almost 50 percent.
The bishop said the new president needed to build a
political consensus in order to tackle economic problems. We hope he will create a new government
involving all the parties, not just the Muslim
Brotherhood. We are praying for this, he said. After
careful and comprehensive monitoring of election
news reports, he was hopeful that the Muslim Brotherhood would not pursue an Islamist agenda.
He argued that the Mursis very narrow majority of
51.73 percent meant he would not wish to alienate the
many who voted for Shafiq, the one-time prime
Minister under Hosni Mubarak, the former Egyptian
president whose 30-year presidency ended after mass
protests in Egypt

Testimony of 30 Living
Vatican II Participants
Stirs Wave of Emotions
Father Lombardi Comments on Pope's Trip to Remember Council
ROME, (Zenit.org).- The director of
the Vatican press office commented on
Benedict XVI's trip to the house of the
Verbites in Nemi, Italy, noting that it
was a chance for the Pope to visit the
place where as a young theologian he
worked on documents of the Second
Vatican Council.
Young Joseph Ratzinger worked at
the spot in 1965.
"The dynamic and prolific atmosphere of study, debate, and prayer created the environment for the plenary
meetings of the Council Fathers in
Saint Peters," Father Lombardi explained.
The Vatican spokesman noted that
Cardinal Roberto Tucci has recently
spoken about similar work that went on
in Ariccia, Italy, with the involvement
of young Bishop Karol Wojtyla in
preparation of Gaudium et spes.
"About thirty of those who participated in the Second Vatican Council are
still living, among them Council
Fathers and experts, and their testi-

monies stir up a wave of emotions in

those who, like us (even though we
were not directly involved), recall that
extraordinary time of fervor, enthusiasm, and hope," Father Lombardi said.
"It is our wish that the 50th anniversary
of the Council, which we are preparing
to celebrate in October, will be an
opportunity to enthusiastically reunite
ourselves to that atmosphere of listening to the Holy Spirit, so that the documents can be re-read today along the
lines of the '"hermeneutic of reform," of
renewal in the continuity of the one
subjectChurch which the Lord has
given to us. She is a subject which
increases in time and develops, yet
always remaining the same, the one
subject of the journeying People of
God. (Address to the Roman Curia,
22.12.2005). For this reason Joseph
Ratzingernow Popewisely exhorts
us, as a privileged and authoritative witness, and expert of the conciliar assembly."

Archive photo of Council Fathers during a Vatican II session.

18 new Star

August, 2012

Common Declaration of His Holiness Pope Paul vi

and the ecumenical Patriarch athenagoras i
At the end of the visit of the Patriarch Athenagoras
to Pope Paul VI, the following joint declaration was
published:

ope Paul VI and the Ecumenical Patriarch

Athenagoras I give thanks in the Holy Spirit to
God, the author and finisher of all good works,
for enabling them to meet once again in the holy city
of Rome in order to pray together with the Bishops of
the Synod of the Roman Catholic Church and with the
faithful people of this city, to greet one another with a
kiss of peace, and to converse together in a spirit of
charity and brotherly frankness.
While recognizing that there is still a long way to go
on the road toward the unity of all Christians and that
between the Roman Catholic Church and the
Orthodox Church there still remain points to clarify
and obstacles to surmount before attaining that unity
in the profession of faith necessary for re-establishing
full communion, they rejoice in the fact that their
meeting was able to contribute to their Churches
rediscovering themselves still more as sister
Churches.
In the prayers they offered, in their public statements and in their private conversation, the Pope and
the Patriarch wished to emphasize their conviction
that an essential element in the restoration of full com-

munion between the Roman Catholic Church on the

one side and the Orthodox Church on the other, is to
be found within the framework of the renewal of the
Church and of Christians in fidelity to the traditions of
the Fathers and to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit
Who remains always with the Church.
They recognize that the true dialogue of charity,
which should be at the basis of all relations between
themselves and between their Churches, must be rooted in total fidelity to the one Lord Jesus Christ and in
mutual respect for each one's traditions. Every element which can strengthen the bonds of charity, of
communion, and of common action is a cause for spiritual rejoicing and should be promoted; anything
which can harm this charity, communion and common action is to be eliminated with the grace of God
and the creative strength of the Holy Spirit.
Pope Paul VI and the Ecumenical Patriarch
Athenagoras I are convinced that the dialogue of charity between their Churches must bear fruits of a cooperation which would not be self-seeking, in the field
of common action at the pastoral, social and intellectual levels, with mutual respect for each one's fidelity
to his own Church. They desire that regular and profound contacts may be maintained between Catholic
and Orthodox pastors for the good of their faithful.
The Roman Catholic Church and the Ecumenical

Holy Father Recalls ecumenical Initiatives of

Patriarch Athenagoras and Popes John XXIII and Paul vI
VATICAN CITY, (VIS) - This morning in the
Vatican, in a traditional meeting for the Solemnity of
Sts. Peter and Paul Apostles, Benedict XVI received a
delegation sent by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
I. The Church of Rome and the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople traditionally exchange visits for
the feasts of their respective patrons.
The delegation, which delivered a message to the
Holy Father on behalf of the Patriarch, was made up of
His Eminence EMMANUEL (Adenakis), metropolitan of
France and director of the office of the Orthodox
Church to the European Union; His Grace Ilias Katre,
bishop of Philomelion, U.S.A., and Rev. Paisios
Kokkinakis of the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical
Patriarchate.
Benedict XVI told the group that the Solemnity of
Sts. Peter and Paul "gives us an opportunity to thank
the Lord for the extraordinary works He has achieved
and continues to achieve through the Apostles in the
life of the Church. Their preaching, sealed by the witness of martyrdom, is the solid and durable base upon
which the Church rests. By remaining faithful to the
deposit of faith they have handed down to us, we discover our own shared roots".
"In our meetingas we entrust to the intercession of
the glorious Apostles and Martyrs Peter and Paul our
prayer that the Lord ... may soon grant us that blessed
day in which we can share the Eucharistic breadwe
thank God for the journey of peace and reconciliation

He has caused us to travel together. This year marks

the fiftieth anniversary of Vatican Council II. ... It was
during that Councilattended, as you well know, by
certain representatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate
as fraternal delegatesthat a new and important phase
in relations between our Churches began. Let us praise
the Lord above all for the rediscovery of the profound
brotherhood which unites us, and for the distance covered over these years by the Joint Commission for
Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church
and the Oriental Orthodox Churches, also in the hope
that it will continue to progress in the current phase".
"As we remember the anniversary of Vatican
Council II, I think it right to recall the person and
works of the unforgettable Ecumenical Patriarch
Athenagoras who, together with Blessed John XXIII
and Servant of God Paul VI, moved by that passion for
Church unity which arises from faith in Christ the
Lord, promoted important initiatives which paved the
way to renewed relations between the Ecumenical
Patriarchate and the Catholic Church. I am profoundly
glad that His Holiness Bartholomew I, with renewed
faithfulness and fruitful creativity, is continuing along
the path laid down by his predecessors Athenagoras
and Demetrios, and is known throughout the world for
his openness to dialogue among Christians and his
commitment to announcing the Gospel in the modern
world", the Holy Father concluded.

continued from page 16

the Church, not only in Rome but also internationally,

may profitably exchange ideas and suggestions with
the Holy Father in order to help re-establish that climate of serenity and trust in the service of the Roman
Curia."
Father Lombardi said the Pontiff will continue "his
discussions and reflections, also taking advantage of
the fact that many pastors have come to Rome for the
Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, [June 29] which is an
extraordinary opportunity for the community of the
universal Church to feel united to the Pope in prayer,
service, and the witness of faith for mankind in our
time."

He noted that Saturday, June 16, the Holy Father

already met with the commission of cardinals he
formed to investigate the leaks situation.
Saturday's meeting with the dicastery heads focused
"on the issue of coordinating the work of the Roman
Curia, something which is particularly important and
urgent today in order to bear effective witness to the
spirit of union which animates it," Father Lombardi
added. "In the afternoon he has chosen to meet with a
number of members of the College of Cardinals who,
by virtue of their vast and varied experience serving

Patriarchate are ready to study concrete ways of solving pastoral problems, especially those connected
with marriages between Catholics and Orthodox.
They hope for better cooperation in works of charity,
in aid to refugees and those who are suffering and in
the promotion of justice and peace in the world.
In order to prepare fruitful contacts between the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, the
Pope and the Patriarch give their blessing and pastoral
support to all efforts for cooperation between Catholic
and Orthodox scholars in the fields of historical studies, of studies in the traditions of the Churches, of
patristics, of liturgy and of a presentation of the
Gospel which corresponds at one and the same time
with the authentic message of the Lord and with the
needs and hopes of today's world. The spirit which
should inspire these efforts is one of loyalty to truth
and of mutual understanding, with an effective desire
to avoid the bitterness of the past and every kind of
spiritual or intellectual domination.
Paul VI and Athenagoras I remind government
authorities and all the world's peoples of the thirst for
peace and justice which lies in the hearts of all men.
In the name of the Lord, they implore them to seek out
every means to promote this peace and this justice in
all countries of the world.
October 28, 1967

ENCOUNTER 2012 update

Presenters of the Main Sessions of Encounter 2012
have been announced.
The topic The How and What of Lay Leadership: ActionPut on Christ will be addressed at
the Mid-West and West Coast
sessions by Fr Deacon Sabatino
Carnazzo.
Deacon Sabatino serves at
Holy Transfiguration Melkite
Greek Catholic Church in
McLean, Virginia, a parish of
the Eparchy of Newton.
He is the founding director of
the Washington, DC-area Institute of Catholic Culture. He has
Fr Deacon
extensive experience in presentSabatino
Carnazzo
ing tenets of the New Evangelization.
At the East Coast conference, the same topic will be
addressed by the newly-installed bishop of Manchester, New Hampshire, Bishop
Peter A Libasci. Bishop Peter is
familiar with Eastern Catholics,
particularly the Byzantine Tradition. As auxiliary bishop of
Rockville Centre, New York,
he had bi-ritual faculties to be
able to serve parishes in the
stead of priests who were vacaBishop
tioning or otherwise unavailPeter A Libasci
able from time-to-time.

Successor to Metroplitan
Nicholas Named
JOHNSTOWN, PA - Meeting in Special Assembly
which was presided over by His Eminence, Archbishop DEMETRIOS of America, Diocesan Locum Tenens,
the priests of the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of the USA nominated the Very Rev.
Archimandrite Grigorios (Tatsis) as successor to His
Eminence, Metropolitan NICHOLAS (Smisko) who died
in March, 2011.

new Star 19

August, 2012

GROUP REGISTRATION
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parish group, to obtain Group Rate:
Minimum of five (5)
1:___________________________
2:___________________________
3:___________________________
4:___________________________
5:___________________________
6:___________________________

NOTE
NOTE

TO

Mark registration for Clergy or Main conference(s) and location. Include a check or money order.
Individual: $75.00; Group 5 or more: Register with one name and one check (@$50.00/person).
List full name of each group member on one form (at right). Your registration will be acknowleged.
Contact hotel directly (not Orbitz or travelocity, etc). use code encounter for special rate.

____
Name ____ ________________________________ ___ ______________________________________
Last
MI
First
title
_______
Home Address ______________________________________________________________ __________
Apt
Street
________________________
______
_____________________________________________________
Zip/Postal Code
ce
State/Provin
City
______ __________
__________
__________
_________
__________
_________________ ___________________
State/Province
City,
Parish: Name,
eparchy

7:___________________________

CLERGy: the fee to attend either the thursday/Friday Sessions or the Saturday/Sunday Sessions is $75.00
the fee to attend both the thursday/Friday Sessions and the Saturday/Sunday Sessions is $125.00

ALL PARTICIPANTS: Complete Registration form; mark the Session you will attend. Make check payable to: Encounter 2012
(registration due two weeks prior to each Session: Mid-WestSeptember 6; EastSeptember 27; WestOctober 18.
Forms and fees to be mailed to:
National Office, ENCOUNTER 2012
191 Norman Avenue
Roebling, NJ 08554-1125

TO

Bishops Chancery

oFFiCE hoURS:
Monday-Friday; 9:00 am--4:00 pm
Central Time Zone

Telephone:
(773) 276-5080
fax: (773) 276-6799

The office is closed on all

major Church holy Days
and National Civic holidays

Deadline for the September

New Star is august 15

20

New stAr

August, 2012

A gift for Forgiving

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onfession is a dreaded word to some people if it builds a fear of going into a

black box of doom with a screen that separates you from the priest. Can he see
through it; will he know who I am? The embarrassment! Woe is me! I will be
judged and condemned all at once. The priest will judge me for how serious my sins
are (maybe I will leave off the big ones). Then he will impose a penance (act of atonement, punishment) in order for sins to be forgiven. It is all so devastating. Sound familiar? This concept stolen from the Western Church has darkened a sacrament that is
actually a redeeming Mystery in our Eastern Church. Let's see how.
Sin breaks Gods law and separates you from God. To restore the illumined state
of one who was baptized is the main purpose of confession: a spiritual medicine; the
priest is the doctor who gives a prescription to ease the pain.
The gift of Holy Confession is important in continuing on the path of salvation to the
heavenly kingdom. The human soul thirsts for a peaceful conscience and eternity with
God. Confession grants grace to heal your soul and change your life. It has nothing to
do with punishment. It is a Mystery of healing and reuniting with your Church. In
Confession sins are truly forgiven, if you actually repent for them, and
what is forgiven cannot be punished. It is a sacramenta Mystery
"the visible form of an invisible grace" (St Augustine).
You need to prepare for a positive Confession with prayerful examination of feelings, thoughts, words, acts, attitudes, habits, values, priorities, goals, direction and way of life. This should not be limited to your
personal religious life, but also to family relationships, social activities,
school life, professional conduct, business dealings, political commitments and even recreational pursuits, because your entire existence is to
be lived in the light of the Holy Spirit.
"Have you committed a sin?" asks St John Chrysostom, "then enter
the Church and repent of your sin ... For here is the Physician, not the
judge; here one is not investigated but receives remission of sins." In our
Church confession should not be in a confessional, but in the main part
of the church where we stand before the Icon of Christ with the priest
alongside. (You wouldnt go into a dark box and talk through a screen to your doctor,
would you?) You should not be embarrassed before him; he is human like yourself and
can understand and have compassion. He knows human weaknesses and the temptation
we all face and not judge you. He represents Christ, the Divine Physician, to whom you
are really confessing.
Begin with the sign of the cross; the priest invites you to confess sins openlysince
that nothing is hidden from Christ. This is a time to talk about temptations or problems
you face. The priest will analyze your symptoms and offer guidance to avoid future
temptations. He might even suggest prayers that will help you. If you had hurt someone, he may suggest you apologize to him or her. If you had taken something, he might
ask you to return it if possible, or to make a monetary offering of equal value to an
orphanage or the poor. Doing this helps restore peace to your heart and clears your conscience. The priest is not there to be judge and jury, nor to impose a penalty or punishment for wrong-doing. He is there as a spiritual physician. To examine the symptoms
you told him, to help cure you and prescribe a remedy. Now you make a sincere promise to God to try not to sin anymore and return to being one of His enlightened children. Then the priest will cover your head with his epitrachil and say the Prayer of
Absolutionto forgive your transgressions. The priest speaks for the Church through
the prayer: he is not the source of forgiveness, but a visible instrument, expressing
Gods forgiveness of the truly penitent heart.
St. John Chrysostom said, Let us accept form God the repentance that heals us.
Confession renews the image of God in the purity of baptism, and in the process of
your deification, your communion in Christ with the Holy Trinity. When you
take part in the Holy Mystery of Confession, you show God your desire to
grow in the virtues of humility and mercy and gain one of the greatest blessings
the God gives his faithful. It is indeed a holy and saving gift.
Phyllis Muryn Zaparaniuk

Coupon for non-parishioners. Parishioners: Pay your parish directly.

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Published monthly with the permission and authority of his Grace, Bishop RiChARD (Seminack), by St
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eDitoriaL BoarD anD ContriBUtorS:

Fr John lucas, Managing Editor
Petro Rudka, Ukrainian Editor
Fr James Karepin, oP
Fr leonard Korchinski
Fr Denny Molitvy
Fr Deacon Michael Cook
Just Another Monk of the Eastern Church
George Matwyshyn
Serge Michaluk
olenka Pryma
Nazar Sloboda
Pani Barbara Wroblicky
Phyllis Muryn Zaparaniuk