St. Luke the Evangelist

October 18th is the Feast of our Patron: St. Luke the Evangelist.

He opened his Gospel account saying, "Since many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, I too decided, after investigating everything carefully from the very first, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you have been instructed."

Come and visit us to see the Eastern tradition of the Gospel that has been handed down to us.

Did You Know Series # 18

Did You Know?

“One important way to grow in mutual understanding and unity consists precisely in improving our knowledge of one another.  The children of the Catholic Church already know the ways indicated by the Holy See for achieving this: to know the liturgy of the Eastern Churches; to deepen their knowledge of the spiritual traditions of the Fathers and Doctors of the Christian East” (Orientale Lumen 24, Pope John Paul II).

As a Bridegroom Embraces His Bride

As  a Bridegroom embraces his Bride so Christ embraced the Cross.

Incarnate Love Invites Us

Christ is born!  Let heaven and earth rejoice!

Did You Know Series # 17

Dormition of the Theotokos

Did You Know?

“One important way to grow in mutual understanding and unity consists precisely in improving our knowledge of one another.  The children of the Catholic Church already know the ways indicated by the Holy See for achieving this: to know the liturgy of the Eastern Churches; to deepen their knowledge of the spiritual traditions of the Fathers and Doctors of the Christian East” (Orientale Lumen 24, Pope John Paul II).

The Feast of the Dormition of Mary and her Assumption into heaven was a feast of the East long before the Roman Catholic church accepted it.

Did You Know Series # 16

Did You Know?

“I have a keen desire that the words which Saint Paul addressed from the East to the faithful of the Church of Rome may resound today on the lips of Christians of the West with regard to their brothers and sisters of the Eastern Churches: ‘First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world’ (Rom 1:8).  The Apostle of the Gentiles then immediately and enthusiastically stated his intention: ‘For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you, that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine’ (Rom 1:11-12).  Here the dynamic of [East and West] meeting is wonderfully portrayed: knowledge of the treasures of [each] other’s faith” (Orientale Lumen 22, Pope John Paul II).

Christ is Risen!

Christ is Risen!  Christos anesti!  Christos Voskrese!

"We feel drawn to follow the example of Our Redeemer and Master, Jesus Christ, Who, when about to return to Heaven, implored of God, His Father, in earnest Prayer, that His Disciples and followers should be of one mind and of one heart: I pray . . . that they all may be one, as Thou Father in Me, and I in Thee: that they also may be one in Us.  And as this Divine Prayer and Supplication does not include only the souls who then believed in Jesus Christ, but also every one of those who were henceforth to believe in Him, this Prayer holds out to Us no indifferent reason for confidently expressing Our hopes, and for making all possible endeavors in order that the men of every race and clime should be called and moved to embrace the Unity of Divine Faith. . . . .

Nor is there any reason for you to fear on that account that We or any of Our Successors will ever diminish your rights, the privileges of your Patriarchs, or the established Ritual of any one of your Churches.  It has been and always will be the intent and Tradition of the Apostolic See, to make a large allowance, in all that is right and good, for the primitive Traditions and special customs of every nation." Pope Leo XIII Praeclara Gratulationis Publicae

Did You Know Series # 15



Feast of The Annunciation

 Did you know?

“It has been stressed several times that the full union of the Catholic Eastern Churches with the Church of Rome which has already been achieved must not imply a diminished awareness of their own authenticity and originality.  Wherever this occurred, the Second Vatican Council has urged them to rediscover their full identity, because they have ‘the right and the duty to govern themselves according to their own special disciplines.  For these are guaranteed by ancient tradition, and seem to be better suited to the customs of their faithful and to the good of their souls’” (Orientale Lumen 21, Pope John Paul II).

Great Lent

Today Great Lent commences.  The liturgical life is fundamentally one of imitating Jesus and sharing in the mystery of his life.  Driven by the Spirit, through prayer and fasting Jesus prepared himself for his future ministry.  Even throughout the next three years he spent his nights in prayer so as to constantly stay attuned to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

Great Lent beckons us to get in tune with what's really driving us and to examine how attuned we are to the Spirit of Holiness.

Did You Know Series # 14

Presentation of the Lord

Did you know?

“It has been stressed several times that the full union of the Catholic Eastern Churches with the Church of Rome which has already been achieved must not imply a diminished awareness of their own authenticity and originality. Wherever this occurred, the Second Vatican Council has urged them to rediscover their full identity, because they have ‘the right and the duty to govern themselves according to their own special disciplines. For these are guaranteed by ancient tradition, and seem to be better suited to the customs of their faithful and to the good of their souls’” (Orientale Lumen 21, Pope John Paul II).

Did You Know Series # 13

Theophany of the Lord

Did you know?

“The Church of Christ is one.  If divisions exist, that is one thing; they must be overcome, but the Church is one, the Church of Christ between East and West can only be one, one and united. . . . . . True union is possible only in total respect for the other’s dignity without claiming that the whole array of uses and customs in the Latin Church is more complete or better suited to showing the fullness of correct doctrine” (Orientale Lumen 20, Pope John Paul II).

Did You Know Series # 12

Did You Know?

“The Catholic Church values highly the institutions of the Eastern Churches, their liturgical rites, ecclesiastical traditions and their ordering of Christian life.  For in those churches, which are distinguished by their venerable antiquity, there is clearly evident the tradition which has come from the Apostles through the Fathers and which is part of the divinely revealed, undivided heritage of the Universal Church” (Vatican II Decree on the Eastern Catholic Churches 1).

Ikon of St. Nikolaus

Did You Know Series # 11

Did You Know?

In the matter of reconciliation between the Eastern Orthodox Churches and the Church of Rome, “conversion is also required of the Latin Church, that she may respect and fully appreciate the dignity of Eastern Christians, and accept gratefully the spiritual treasures of which the Eastern Catholic Churches are the bearers, to the benefit of the entire catholic communion; that she may show concretely, far more than in the past, show much she esteems and admires the Christian East and how essential she considers its contribution to the full realization of the Church’s universality” (Orientale Lumen 21, Pope John Paul II).

Presentation of Mary in the Temple (Nov 21st)

Did You Know Series # 10

Assumption of Mary — Coptic

Did you know?

“From their very origins, the Churches of the East have had a treasury from which the Church of the West has drawn largely for its liturgy, spiritual tradition, and jurisprudence. Nor must we underestimate the fact that the basic dogmas of the Christian faith concerning the Trinity and the Word of God made flesh from the Virgin Mary were defined in Ecumenical Councils held in the East” (Vatican II Decree on Ecumenism 14).

Did You Know Series # 9

Transfiguration of Christ

Did you know?

Regarding the differences between East and West, Pope John Paul II remarked, “we can co-operate in proclaiming the Kingdom or we can become the upholders of new divisions” (Orientale Lumen 19, Pope John Paul II).

Did You Know Series # 8

Did You Know?
“Although in the first centuries of the Christian era conflicts were already slowly starting to emerge within the body of the Church, we cannot forget that unity between Rome and Constantinople endured for the whole of the first millennium, despite difficulties. We have increasingly learned that it was not so much an historical episode or a mere question of pre-eminence that tore the fabric of unity, as it was a progressive estrangement, so that the other’s diversity was no longer perceived as a common treasure, but as incompatibility” (Orientale Lumen 18, Pope John Paul II).

Death of Metropolitan Basil M. Schott, OFM

Metropolitan Basil M. Schott, OFM 1939-2010


Statement of Bishop John on the Death of His Eminence, Metropolitan Basil Schott


It was with sadness that this morning (10 June 2010) we learned of the death of Metropolitan Basil Schott.

Having succeeded His Eminence as Bishop of Parma and in serving with him as a fellow bishop of our Metropolitan Church, I have come to know and respect him. Metropolitan Basil directed his attention equally well to individuals and institutions.

His interest in people was beautifully evidenced once again just this week in the realization of his desire to celebrate the Year for Priests by calling all the priests of our Byzantine Catholic Metropolitan Church from the country to a fraternal gathering in Pittsburgh.

In all types of gathering, from the faithful in parishes to meetings of bishops, he could be found mingling with those present and allowing his welcome smile to spread throughout. Their response was always sincere, appreciative and supportive. Over the past months of his illness, I have received many inquiries, sentiments of concern, and assurances of prayer from those who knew him.

His service to this Eparchy, to the Metropolitan Church, to the Eastern Catholic Churches, in this country and in Europe, and to the universal Church will long be remembered. His affable personality allowed him to contribute in a role of leadership to methodically effect change to correspond to a changing world.

May God grant to his servant Metropolitan Basil blessed repose and eternal memory.

Did You Know Series # 7

Did you know?

“At a time when it is increasingly recognized that the right of every people to express themselves according to their own heritage of culture and thought is fundamental, the experience of the individual Churches of the East is offered to us as an authoritative example of successful inculturation” (Orientale Lumen 7, Pope John Paul II).

Did You Know Series # 6

Did you know?
“In the study of revealed truth East and West have used different methods and approaches in understanding and confessing divine things. It is hardly surprising, then, if sometimes one tradition has come nearer to a full appreciation of some aspects of a mystery of revelation than the other, or has expressed them better. In such cases, these various theological formulations are often to be considered complementary rather than conflicting” (Vatican II Decree on Ecumenism 17).

Did You Know Series # 5 (Holy Week)

“In the study of revealed truth East and West have used different methods and approaches in understanding and confessing divine things. It is hardly surprising, then, if sometimes one tradition has come nearer to a full appreciation of some aspects of a mystery of revelation than the other, or has expressed them better. In such cases, these various theological formulations are often to be considered complementary rather than conflicting” (Vatican II Decree on Ecumenism 17)