Generations of Faith for Byzantine Churches
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Bishop John's Welcome
“O Christ our God, we give you thanks for this day and everyday trust that we are blessed to be able to know you more and love you more. We are blessed to be able to participate in a new approach to a creative faith formation for all ages.
We do this so that our parishes may continue to grow in the knowledge of you; see our parishioners, all our people of all ages and stages of life to learn together. We beseech you O Lord our God, grant us the wisdom to understand and the courage to fulfill this endeavor. For you are Christ our God and our Teacher and we pray in the words you taught us,
Our Father……”
Welcome! “Vitayemo”!
As mentioned in the prayer, this is a new endeavor. We want to learn more about Christ, the Church he founded, what our church teaches and celebrates throughout the year, and how it applies to all of us. Generations of Faith for Byzantine Churches gathers our faithful of all ages and stages of life to learn together. This is unique, but yet this is what parish should be, what family should be.
I thank you all for coming today to participate in this workshop. Thanks to Fr. Popyk for organizing it. And a special thank you to Sr. Ann Laszok of the Basilian Sisters, who has worked on this program, and who will conduct the workshop today. You know there are many problems in our world today. I just returned from a bio-ethics workshop for Bishops in Dallas, Texas. Science is progressing rapidly. It is difficult to keep up with all its moral implications. Bishops and priests cannot do it alone. We need good, knowledgeable lay people. You know at one time the Catholic Church, the Catholic vote had a voice, not any more. This has to change. Our Church is challenged by our modern world. We can only respond if we know our faith, what our church teaches, what is truly “right and wrong” and not what I “think or live”, or would do”.
So again, welcome. Let us refresh our parishes. Let us learn together what it means to be Ukrainian Catholic, for the good of our people, for the salvation of our souls.
Thank you!
Slava Icycy Xrysty!
Praised be Jesus Christ!
Bishop John Bura
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GOF NEWS:
On April 16, 2010 the Generations of Faith for Byzantine Churches program ran for the Holy Eucharist Cathedral in New Westminster British Columbia Canada.
GOF for Byzantine Churches in Holy Eucharist Cathedral, BC Canada
Sr. Ann Laszok, OSBM trains leaders from 17 parishes in the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy
of Edmonton.
On January 23-24, 2009 Sister Ann Laszok, OSBM presented the use of Generations of Faith for Byzantine Churches to the Eparchy of Edmonton. In attendance were priests and core leaders from some 17 parishes. The inservice started on Friday evening with the Forgiveness Vespers (since the session that was used for training purpose was the Great Fast).
Saturday morning a mini Great Fast session was experienced and later explained by Sr Ann. The afternoon was filled with planning how the parishes would implement Generations of Faith for Byzantine Churches in their parishes.