Pope Accepts
Bishop's Resignation
Consultors Elect
Eparchial Administrator
As we go to press, word has
reached us that His Holiness John Paul II has accepted the resignation of His
Grace Bishop George Martin Kuzma effective December 5, 2000. Bishop George served almost 10 years as Bishop
of Van Nuys.
Following the norms of the
Code of Canons for the Eastern Churches, the Eparchial Consultors met on
December 7, 2000 at the Pastoral Center in Phoenix and elected the Right
Reverend Mitred Archpriest Stephen G. Washko, currently Rector of St. Stephen
Pro Cathedral in Phoenix, as the Eparchial Administrator of Van Nuys. He will govern the Eparchy until a new
Bishop is enthroned as third Bishop of Van Nuys.
May the Lord grant to our
God-beloved retired Bishop George and to Archpriest Stephen, our Eparchial
Administrator, peace, health, and happiness for many years!
Official Announcements
and Appointments
Pastoral Handbook 2000 was promulgated on October 1, 2000 with an effective date of November 1, 2000. This new edition replaces the 1992 and 94 editions. Clergy, monastics and the faithful are urged to become familiar with its contents.
St. Philip the Apostle Byzantine Catholic Church has moved to 3866 – 65th Street, Sacramento, CA 95820-2033; Telephone: Office: 916-452-1888; Rectory: 916-383-1552; FAX 916-452-6333, effective November 1, 2000.
Reverend William O’Brien is relieved of his assignment as Librarian at the Pastoral Center and assigned as Parochial Vicar to St. John Chrysostom Church, Seattle, Washington effective December 1, 2000.
Christ is born! Glorify Him!
May
you and your loved ones find peace and joy that comes from knowing the Lord Jesus
Christ!
With
a remembrance in our Christmas Liturgies and Prayers,
+Bishop George and
Pastoral Center Staff
St. Philip the Apostle Church in Sacramento, California moved from Florin Road to 65th Street and 14th Avenue on November 14, 2000. This concluded a lengthy chapter in the parish’s history to find a new central location with adequate facilities that could better satisfy the needs of the parish. The newly acquired church was originally a Serbian Orthodox Church that had been sold to a Korean Presbyterian group from whom it was purchased by St. Philip’s parish.
On November 14th, the Feast of St. Philip the Apostle, the parish community entered their newly acquired church. The Right Reverend Archimandrite Wesley Izer, representing Bishop George Kuzma, celebrated the first Divine Liturgy with over fifty parishioners and friends in attendance. Concelebrating with Archimandrite Wesley were the Right Reverend Archimandrite Januarius Izzo, OFM, Parish Administrator, Reverend John Lucas, founding Pastor and currently assigned to the local Ukrainian Church, and Reverend Mark Malone, Pastor of the local Melkite Church.
The new church will undergo necessary remodeling to conform to our liturgical traditions and needs as indicated in the Pastoral Handbook. The date of the solemn blessing of the church has been tentatively set for after Pascha, 2001.
Vocation Director’s Meeting
Metropolitan
Judson with (left to right)Fathers Dennis Hrubiak, Robert Pipta (Van Nuys),
Dennis Bogda, and Edward Cimbala at the National Conference of Diocesan
Vocational Directors who met recently at Last Vegas.
Father Washko
Elevated
Very Reverend Stephen Washko was elevated to the rank of Mitred Archpriest at the hands of Most Reverend George M. Kuzma, Bishop of Van Nuys, on September 27th at an evening Liturgy in St. Stephen Pro-Cathedral in Phoenix. Right Reverend Wesley Izer, SDB, Protosyncellus of the Eparchy, was the main celebrant of the Liturgy. Concelebrating with him were the Right Reverend Stephen Washko and Reverend William Skurla of Tucson. Father Stephen was invested with the epigonation, the jeweled pectoral cross, and a crown in the presence of his family, priests of the Eparchy, parishioners, and his friends from various parishes where he served. Following the ceremony a reception was provided in the parish hall.
Pastoral Handbook Promulgated
The revised Pastoral Handbook was promulgated on October 1, 2000 and took effect November 1, 2000. It replaces the previous 1992-94 edition and incorporates other directives and memoranda issued since then. The Pastoral Handbook applies Canons, and the recently promulgated Metropolia Law to the established procedures that safeguard the smooth administration of the Eparchy and Parishes.
The new Handbook is divided into eight sections dealing with Church Administration, Clergy, Lay Persons, Monastics and Religious, Worship, and Vocations. It is also set up in such a way that new statutes can be conveniently added. Each parish received two copies one of which is to be available for the faithful to read.
Andrew Bodnar to be
Ordained Deacon
Andrew Bodnar, long time parishioner of Holy Protection Byzantine Catholic Church in Denver, Colorado, has been accepted by Most Reverend George M. Kuzma for the reception of Minor Orders and for ordination to the Diaconate on December 18th. The Most Reverend Basil Schott, OFM, Bishop of Parma, will celebrate the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy and Diaconal Ordination with Administrator Stephen Washko representing the Eparchy.
Bodnar completed his studies for the Permanent Diaconate at St. Thomas Theological Seminary in Denver, Colorado, in 1981. At this time, however, the Permanent Diaconate program in the newly-established Van Nuys Eparchy was under review with a moratorium established that was lifted only two years ago. Both the Director of the Permanent Diaconate Program of the Archdiocese of Denver and the parish priest at Holy Protection highly recommended him at the time.
The bestowal of Minor Orders of Acolyte-Reader-Cantor and the Subdiaconate will precede the Ordination to the Diaconate. The Reverend Chrysostom Frank, Administrator of Holy Protection Church, has indicated his eagerness to have Mr. Bodnar serve the parish in the ministry of the Diaconate.
Basilian
Sisters Hold Elections
Pictured second from the left, Sister Barbara Swindells, Pastoral
Associate at Van Nuys Cathedral was elected Councillor of the Sisters of St.
Basil at a recent election.
Most Rev. Bishop George Kuzma
surrounded by the parishioners from Anaheim, California, who came to celebrate
his retirement.
Bishop George was the guest of honor in late October celebrating his retirement and farewell to the Eparchy. Because of his deteriorating health, Bishop finds it necessary to seek help in a nursing facility. He will be leaving in the near future for Mt. Macrina Manor Nursing Home on the grounds of the Sisters of St. Basil in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. The priests and religious of the Eparchy participated in a Moleben for Vocations, followed by a formal dinner with Bishop in the parish hall.
Bishop spoke briefly after the dinner thanking all present for sharing with him in the ministry to God’s people in the Eparchy and praised their dedication to Christ and His Church. He encouraged them to continue faithful in their service, and attributed to them the success accomplished in the spread of the Byzantine Church on the West Coast.
As an expression of his gratitude Bishop presented each priest and religious with a special icon of St. George, a replica of his coat of arms, and spoke briefly with each.
The second celebration took place on the Saturday following with the parishioners of St. Stephen as well as representatives from many of the parishes of the Eparchy. Following the usual Vesper Liturgy, over two hundred faithful congregated in the parish hall for the opportunity to greet Bishop and enjoy the reception provided.
Holy Resurrection Monastery hosted its Fifth Annual Pilgrimage in honor of the Mother of God, “Searcher for the Lost” the first weekend in October. Over 600 pilgrims traveled to the desert Monastery for a weekend of prayer and fellowship. They came from parishes within the Eparchy of Van Nuys and from many other parish communities, eastern and western, Catholic and Orthodox.
This was a special event for the Eparchy of Van Nuys and for all other Christians who joined them. It was the major part of the observance by the Eparchy of the Great Jubilee of the year 2000. It also gave many people the opportunity of celebrating with the monks the canonical establishment of their monastery by Bishop George Kuzma and the formal installation of Father Nicholas as Hegumen of the Monastery.
This latter event took place toward the end of the Sunday Divine Liturgy, celebrated by Archimandrite Wesley Izer, who represented Bishop George, absent for reasons of health. Over 30 priests and deacons were present for this Liturgy plus a great multitude of pilgrims.
In his homily Archimandrite Wesley stressed the importance of the Mystery of Reconciliation as an essential element of a pilgrimage. As if to indicate that the homily had an effect, hundreds of confessions were heard over the pilgrimage weekend.
Father Nicholas expressed his gratitude at the conclusion of the Liturgy to the many people who have helped the monks live their monastic vocation. After gratitude to Bishop George and the Eparchy, Father singled out for thanks the Conventual Franciscans of California, from whom the monks acquired their property, and who this year, in an act of Jubilee charity, forgave the mortgage still owed.
Pilgrims
from the Van Nuys Eparchy
at the Millennium
Pilgrimage at Uniontown.
Eparchial Calendar
Nov. 14 St. Philip the Apostle Church
Sacramento, California
Simple Blessing of New Church
Nov. 23 St. Stephen Pro-Cathedral
Phoenix, Arizona
Thanksgiving Day Liturgy
Dec. 3 St. Nicholas Church
Fontana, California
St. Nicholas Day Celebration
Vespers and Dinner
Dec. 9-15 Guadalupe Pilgrimage
Mexico City
Dec. 12 Lady of Guadalupe Basilica
Mexico City
Divine Liturgy 4 PM
Dec 18 Holy Protection Church
Denver, Colorado
Hierarchical Divine Liturgy
and Diaconal Ordination
of Andrew Bodnar
Dec. 25 St. Stephen Pro-Cathedral
Phoenix, Arizona
Christmas Divine Liturgy
Jan. 6 St. Stephen Pro-Cathedral
Phoenix, Arizona
Theophany Divine Liturgy
and Blessing of Jordan Water