Bishop Mykola Bychok made a pastoral visit to Canberra
On Sunday, May 12, Bishop Mykola Bychok, Eparch of Melbourne, visited the parish of St. Volodymyr in Canberra. The bishop arrived in Canberra to join the local faithful in congratulating Fr. Wolodymyr Kalinecki on his 75th birthday.
During the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, Bishop Mykola was concelebrated by Fr. Wolodymyr Kalinecki, Administrator of St. Volodymyr’s Parish, and Deacons Michael Zylan, Chancellor of the Melbourne Eparchy, and Vasyl Motrichenko, who travelled to Canberra from Melbourne to join the bishop in prayer and celebrate Fr. Wolodymyr’s anniversary.
Bishop Mykola delivered a homily in which he reflected on the topic of knowledge, emphasising that it is an integral part of our lives. Throughout our lives, we constantly learn something new and enrich ourselves and others with new knowledge.
“’And this is eternal life, that they know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent’ (John 17:3). The bishop quoted and explained, ‘The most important thing in our lives is to know God on the roads of our lives, to see him, and, on the other hand, through this knowledge of God, to share him with other people. And this is especially important now, in this time between the Ascension and the Descending of the Holy Spirit.’ The bishop emphasised the importance of the Missionary Decade, which is currently underway in the Melbourne Eparchy and during which, during these ten days, we have the opportunity to know our loving God and renew the truths of faith.
At the end of the Divine Liturgy, Bishop Mykola congratulated all mothers on Mother’s Day and read a prayer for mothers. After that, he addressed Father Wolodymyr with a congratulatory speech, in which he thanked him for his long service in the Melbourne Eparchy of Sts. Peter and Paul and noted: “Father Wolodymyr is characterised by simplicity, openness, and accessibility. Because of this simplicity, it seems to attract people and also helps them discover the face of a loving and merciful God.” So Bishop Mykola wished Fr. Wolodymyr to continue to nurture these virtues in his ministry.
Afterwards, the participants gathered in the parish hall, where they shared the joy of Fr. Wolodymyr’s 75th birthday with the parish community at a joint meal.
Press office of the Melbourne Eparchy
