In Solidarity with Ukraine: The Eparchy of St. Josaphat in Parma (USA) Held Its Clergy Days
The Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of St. Josaphat in Parma held the Clergy Days on April 24–27, 2023 at the Jesuit Retreat Center in Parma, OH.
The event, led by the eparchy’s Ordinary, Bishop Bohdan J. Danylo and attended by the priests, ministering in the eparchy that stretches from the State of Ohio to the State of Florida, comprised a few parts including the focus on the current war in Ukraine, especially accentuating the tremendous support for the people of Ukraine from the people in the United States that St. Josaphat Eparchy has been receiving. On the first day of the event, Bishop Bohdan, among other things, during the opening conference titled “Between Yesterday & Tomorrow: in preparation for St. Josaphat Eparchy Golden Anniversary 1983–2033” went over the eparchy’s preparation for its 50th anniversary in 2033 as the eparchy observes its 40th anniversary this year. The first conference also included a general discussion on the situation with the war in Ukraine with the mentioning of a significant amount of the financial donations for the country that the eparchy has been receiving and how they were being distributed for the various needs in Ukraine. A meeting of the eparchy’s presbyteral council likewise took place on that day.
The event’s second day included a couple of presentations. First, Dr. Donna Dobrowolsky, during her conference titled “Hope & Help 4 Ukraine: Healing Traumas & Curing Wounds,” spoke on the aspects, including the pastoral ones, of how to heal people wounded psychologically and spiritually, especially due to the current war in Ukraine, including tackling the issue of suicide that, unfortunately, is one of the outcomes of severe psychological traumas that affect some people. Afterwards, Dr. Theresa Farnan delivered a presentation titled “Person & Identity: A pastoral response to gender ideology” on the spread of gender ideology in the global world and how to confront this evil pastorally.
On the third day of the event, Very Rev. Chorbishop Anthony Spinosa, Director of the Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon in North Jackson, OH — a known pilgrimage site of the Maronite Catholic Church in the United States — shared with the attendees the ecclesial origin as well as the spiritual and liturgical richness of the Maronite Catholic Church, one of the Eastern Catholic Churches. Chorbishop Anthony, who celebrates this year the 40th anniversary of his priestly ordination, also delivered a homily on that day during a Divine Liturgy presided over by Bishop Bohdan J. Danylo. Afterwards, Fr. Mark Shuey, Dean of the Mid-Atlantic Deanery of St. Josaphat Eparchy and a person responsible for the mission activities in the eparchy, delivered a presentation on the mission situation in the eparchy. Following Fr. Mark’s presentation, Bishop Bohdan shared some good news with the present priests, namely that effective September 1st of this year — the beginning of the new Church Year according to the new, namely Gregorian calendar — Pokrova Ukrainian Catholic Church in Parma, OH will join other parishes in the eparchy in following fully the Gregorian calendar liturgically — the parish that hitherto followed the old, namely the Julian calendar. Afterwards, Fr. Kevin Bezner from the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke Ukrainian Catholic Mission in Arden, NC who, together with Katie Matlak (the wife of Fr. Joseph Matlak, pastor of St. Basil the Great Ukrainian Catholic Parish in Charlotte, NC), is responsible for religious education in St. Josaphat Eparchy, spoke about the religious education and catechetical endeavors in the eparchy.
During the Clergy Days, the participants also took part in the prayer services of the Hours in the main chapel and a conference room of the retreat house as well as in the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, presided over by Bishop Bohdan J. Danylo, on April 25th and April 26th at St. Josaphat Cathedral in Parma.
On the fourth and concluding day of the event, the clergy partook in the presentations on various eparchial matters delivered by Bishop Bohdan J. Danylo, Very Rev. Canon Steven Paliwoda, Eparchy’s Chancellor, Chief Financial Officer, and pastor of St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church in Lorain, OH and St. Michael Ukrainian Catholic Church in Rossford, OH, Fr. Lubomir Zhybak, pastor of Holy Trinity Ukrainian Catholic Church in Youngstown, OH and St. Anne Ukrainian Catholic Church in Austintown, OH as well as the director of the eparchy’s offices of youth ministry and children and youth protection.
Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of St. Josaphat in Parma
