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Category: Parish Events

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In 1914, at the outbreak of the First World War, parts of western Ukraine were within the Austro-Hungarian Empire, one of the Central Powers against which Britain and her dominions and allies were at war. This prompted the Canadian government of the time to class Ukrainian immigrants and naturalised Canadians of Ukrainian descent as enemy aliens under the War Measures Act. Ukrainian Canadians were treated as enemy aliens regardless of their individual origins, political views, or allegiances. Across the country, approximately 8,000 men, women, and children were confined to internment camps, labour camps, or local gaols. Another 80,000 were registered as enemy aliens and required to regularly report to police and carry and produce identity papers on demand. The internment and registration of Ukrainians in Canada lasted from the outbreak of the war in 1914 until 1920, two years after the cessation of fighting.

For a year, from 20 September 1914 to 17 September 1915, Ukrainians in Nanaimo were interned at local provincial government premises, before being relocated to camps elsewhere in the province. In all, 24 receiving stations and camps were set up across Canada, with Ukrainian Canadians being joined as the war went on by those of German, Austrian, Bohemian and other descent.

On Sunday 27 October 2024, at 11AM, we will hold a memorial service—Divine Liturgy followed by Panakhyda—for the victims of Canada’s internment operations during the First World War. We are especially pleased to welcome our brothers and sisters from Saint Mary the Protectress Ukrainian Orthodox parish in Parksville on this occasion.

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On Sunday 9 June, we celebrated the 40th anniversary of Saint Michael the Archangel church, in the company of many parishioners and friends, including some who had been present at and worked for the establishment of the parish. Following Divine Liturgy, we hosted a Ukrainian cultural festival in celebration not only of our parish but of the whole Ukrainian community in the Nanaimo area, expressed in dance, song, poetry, crafts and, of course, delicious food.

Thank you to everyone who played a part in making this day so special. From the tireless organizers and dedicated volunteers who helped us and in the kitchen to the talented performers who filled our day with beautiful music, dance, and song—your contributions are deeply appreciated.

To everyone who attended and supported our community with your presence and donations, thank you for joining us in celebration. Your enthusiasm and spirit made this day truly memorable.

Here's to many more years of unity, culture, and faith in our wonderful community!

40th anniversay cake decoration, in Ukrainian colours.

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Father Stepan preaching on his first day at the parish.

Today I want to express sincere gratitude to God for the gift of my vocation, to Bishop Rev. Michael Kwiatkowski for his blessings and faith, to Father Yuriy Vyshnevskyy for his assistance and support, to the Parish Council, and to all of Parishioners St.Michael the Archangel Parish for your trust and prayers, to all those who are journeying alongside me in priesthood, for the opportunity to serve you to the best of my ability, and to open pathways to a deeper understanding of God. I will strive to do my very best everyday!

With prayer, Father Stepan Vytvytskyi

Сьогодні я хочу висловити щиру подяку Богу за дар мого покликання, Владиці Михаїлу Квятковському за його благословення, о. Юрію Вишневському за його підтримку, парафіяльній Раді і всім Парафіянам Парафія Св. Архангела Михаїла за довіру та молитву, всім тим хто є поряд зі мною у дорозі священства, за можливість якнайкраще послужити Вам та відкривати шляхи до ближчого пізнання Бога.

З молитвою, Отець Степан Витвицький

Father Stepan and Father Yuriy, 23 March 2024/

Dear Father Yuriy,

On behalf of the parish community, I would like to express sincere gratitude to you for your years of service at our parish.

Your passion for ministry and deep faith have touched many people in our community. You have always been ready to help and support everyone who turned to you, and your wisdom and patience have always inspired us.

We are thankful for your sermons, your prayers, and your dedicated service. Your efforts are invaluable, and we believe they nurture the spiritual life of our parish. May God bless you and your family and help you continue to serve with love and dedication. We do not say goodbye, but rather, see you next time.

With prayer, Father Stepan Vytvytskyi and the parish community.

Шановний Отче Юрій ,

Я б хотів від імені парафіяльної спільноти висловити щиру подяку вам за ваші роки служіння на нашій парафії. Ваша пристрасть до служіння та ваша глибока віра вплинули на багатьох людей у нашій громаді. Ви завжди були готові допомогти і підтримати кожного, хто звертався до вас, і ваша мудрість та терпеливість завжди надихали нас.

Ми вдячні за ваші проповіді, ваши молитви та ваше віддане служіння. Ваші труди неоціненні, і ми віримо, що вони плекають духовне життя нашої парафії. Нехай Бог благословить вас і вашу родину і допоможе вам продовжувати служити з любов'ю та відданістю. Ми із вами не прощаємось, а кажемо: до зустрічі.

З молитвою, Отець Степан Витвицький та парафіяльна громада.

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On Saturday 11 June, 1–4PM, we will be hosting a welcome party for new arrivals to the mid-island area from Ukraine. This event is being co-organised by St Michael’s parish and local welcome basket volunteers, and provides an opportunity for new Ukrainian arrivals, their host families, friends and parishioners to meet, get to know each other, exchange information, eat together, and hopefully enjoy some nice weather.

In order to help us plan this event, please let the organisers know if you will be attending, how many people will be in your party, and whether you might bring some food/drink, no later than Sunday 5 June. Please use the online form to confirm attendance. [Parishioners can also let Gloria know if they plan to attend.]

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11–12 March 2022

Father Yuriy Sakvuk in liturgical robes

We are pleased to announce that Father Yuriy Sakvuk, a priest from Ukraine, will be providing our Lenten retreat this year. Father Sakvuk will pray the Stations of the Cross with us and give an address at 5:30PM Friday, and give the homily at Divine Liturgy at 11:00AM Saturday. He will be available to hear confessions on both days.

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Please note that in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, Father Nakonechny's retreat on 20 –21 March has been cancelled.

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Father Jim has prepared a short series of reflections on the theme Becoming a Healing Presence that we will publish on Fridays in the weeks leading up to the retreat. This is the third.

Becoming a Healing Presence. To become a healing presence to everyone around us we must prepare to live a life of SURRENDER. The word surrender is often interpreted in the world as weakness, giving up or losing, but the spiritual meaning is actually quite opposite. To surrender in the Christian sense is actually a sign of strength and victory. How can that be? Well, consider this: ‘If I put all things in God's hands, I will see God's hands in all things.’ It takes a great deal of spiritual maturity to able to let go and let God. We are comfortable when we are in control, when we know what is going to happen. The Gospel tells us: ‘For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.’ How many of us are actually willing to live this message fully? It is a tough one, but little by little we must trust in the Lord as the Master of our lives. He created us. He loves us and He wants us to be in love with Him. When we begin to surrender everything to God on a daily basis He will not abandon us, but will continually guide us, but we everything in His hands. May our Lord give us the grace to surrender so that we see Him more and more in our daily lives.

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Please note that in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, Father Nakonechny's retreat on 20 –21 March has been cancelled.

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Father Jim has prepared a short series of reflections on the theme Becoming a Healing Presence that we will publish on Fridays in the weeks leading up to the retreat. This is the second.

‘The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field’ (Matthew 13:44).

Have you ever thought of your daily life as a treasure hunt? Have you ever wondered why everyone else seems to have all the good fortune or luck and it just never seems to come your way? It happens to all of us from time to time, but do not worry or despair, since I want to share a secret with you: Life is a treasure hunt. Yes, really it is, but we have to be spiritually aware of the world around us and actively looking for the treasures that God places out for us on daily basis. I like to refer to these treasures as ‘golden nuggets’ which God places for us to recognise Him throughout the day. Just like the man in St. Matthew‘s gospel who found a treasure and was filled with joy, we too must actively look for treasures during the day and perceive them as gifts from God, lovingly given to us. Treasures come in all shapes and sizes, it may be a phone call from someone we were just thinking about, it may be some help that came just at the right time or maybe it was a clean bill of health: these are all ‘golden nuggets’, treasures given to us from God.

Your task for this week is to go on a personal treasure hunt ... sounds like fun? Yes, it is. Begin to look at your daily routine and look for the treasures that our loving Lord weaves into your day. Notice the little things and especially when they bring you joy and then smile knowing that God placed it there just for you. Take a few moments at the end of the day to reflect on those ‘golden nuggets’ you found and thank God for them. When we are aware of God's grace and active participation in our lives we will begin to collect an abundance of spiritual treasures.

Happy hunting!

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Please note that in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, Father Nakonechny's retreat on 20 –21 March has been cancelled.

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Father Jim has prepared a short series of reflections on the theme Becoming a Healing Presence that we will publish on Fridays in the weeks leading up to the retreat. This is the first.

In Psalm 46:10 we read ‘Be still, and know that I am God.’ Most of us have heard this verse before, but how many of us have reflected upon its true meaning? If I am not still, can I really know God? In today's world the thought of being still can be quite scary for many of us. You mean no noise, no computers, no iPads or smartphones? Yes. How can we communicate with God if we are constantly in a rush and constantly being bombarded by the noise of world around us? We barely have time to pray, but somehow we always have time to look at our phones, watch television and check our emails. The Lord is calling us during this Great and Holy Lent to be still and to enter into the silence of our hearts so that He can speak to us. During this next week, purposefully schedule time to sit before an icon and gaze at our Lord in silence. No words, just look at each other. You look at Him and let Him look at you. It may seem awkward at first, but start with baby steps. Try five minutes the first day and then add an extra minute each day. When we find solitude and silence we begin to experience the divine presence of God and that my friends is what we are all called to experience in this lifetime and in the next. Christ loves us so much that He wants to be the core of our lives, so that we may be a reflection of His divine image and become a healing presence to all that we encounter. ‘Be still, and know that I am God.’

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Holodomor Memorial, Kyiv

On Saturday 23 November, our 11AM Divine Liturgy will be followed by panakhyda (memorial prayers) for the victims of the Holodomor, the genocidal famine imposed on the Ukraine in the early 1930s.

This year, our prayers are joined for the first time with official commemoration of the anniversary of the Holodomor in the British Columbia Legislature, as instituted in the recently adopted provincial legislation recognising the fourth Saturday in November as Ukrainian Famine and Genocide Memorial Day. The legislation was introduced by the leader of the BC Green Party, Andrew Weaver, who is of Ukrainian heritage on his mother's side. The bill was unanimously adopted by the legislature.

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BILL M 225 – 2019
UKRAINIAN FAMINE AND GENOCIDE (HOLODOMOR) MEMORIAL DAY ACT

WHEREAS the term ‘Holodomor’ means extermination by means of starvation, and is based on the Ukrainian words ‘holod’, which means hunger, starvation or famine, and ‘moryty’, which means to induce suffering, to kill or to exterminate;

AND WHEREAS the Holodomor refers to an act of genocide and a campaign of deliberate starvation against the Ukrainian people committed by the Soviet state in 1932 and 1933;

AND WHEREAS the purposes of this Act are to recognize the millions of Ukrainians and others who perished during the Holodomor and to provide an opportunity to reflect on the enduring lessons of the Holodomor and other crimes against humanity;

AND WHEREAS the fourth Saturday in November has, in past years, been proclaimed Holodomor Memorial Day in British Columbia with reference to the Ukrainian Famine and Genocide ("Holodomor") Memorial Day Act (Canada), this Act would allow the day to be memorialized by the Legislature;

AND THEREFORE HER MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of British Columbia, enacts as follows:

Ukrainian Famine and Genocide (Holodomor) Memorial Day
1 To memorialize those who perished as victims of the Holodomor, the fourth Saturday in November in each year is Ukrainian Famine and Genocide (Holodomor) Memorial Day throughout British Columbia.

Commencement
2 This Act comes into force on the date of Royal Assent.

Explanatory Note
This Bill recognizes the Ukrainian Famine and Genocide (Holodomor) of 1932-1933. The term ‘Holodomor’, a Ukrainian word that means ‘extermination by means of starvation’, is used to describe the famine and genocide that killed millions of Ukrainians and others during the period of forced collectivization in the Soviet Union. The Holodomor was deliberately planned and executed by the Soviet regime to systematically destroy the Ukrainian people's aspirations for a free and independent Ukraine. No fewer than 4.3 million people, and possibly as many as 10 million, died during the Holodomor.

Today, some of the survivors of the Ukrainian Famine and Genocide (Holodomor) of 1932-1933 and their descendants reside in British Columbia. They have contributed greatly to British Columbia's cultural, economic, political and educational life.

The Government of Ukraine, the Parliament of Canada, the provincial legislatures of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec, UNESCO, the United Nations, the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate, the European Parliament and over 40 other jurisdictions worldwide have officially condemned the Holodomor or recognized it as a genocide.

The Government of Ukraine has declared the fourth Saturday in November as the day to commemorate the Ukrainian Famine and Genocide (Holodomor) of 1932-1933. The Parliament of Canada and other Canadian legislatures have followed suit. With this Bill, the Province of British Columbia officially recognizes the importance of commemorating this event.

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Stations of the Cross booklet cover

Our 2019 Lenten retreat with Fr Joe Ostopowich takes place this week, Friday & Saturday 12–13 April.

On Friday evening, Fr Joe will be available to hear confessions from 6:30 PM. At 7 PM we will pray the Stations of the Cross, followed by our annual memorial service at which we pray Panakhyda (Панахида) for all departed parishioners and our loved ones. Following the prayer services, Fr Joe will deliver a spiritual talk on the themes of repentance and kindness.

On Saturday morning, Fr Joe will preach at our regular Divine Liturgy at 11 AM.

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On Friday 12 and Saturday 13 April, Fr Joe Ostopowich will conduct a Lenten retreat at St Michael’s Ukrainian Catholic parish. Fr Joe will be available to hear confessions from 6:30PM on the Friday, followed by a Lenten prayer service (7PM) and a talk. Fr Joe will also hear confessions and preach at Divine Liturgy on the Saturday (11AM). To help us prepare mentally and spiritually for the retreat, Fr Joe has provided a series of short reflections on the themes of kindness and forgiveness; these will be published here on Fridays leading up to the retreat date. This is the fifth and final.

People eventually forget what you said and what you did, but they never forget how you made them feel. The great tragedy in our communities is that there is loneliness and isolation. The best thing we can give someone is the presence of our self. Acknowledge their presence in our lives and communities. Acknowledge they too are as important as we are.

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On Friday 12 and Saturday 13 April, Fr Joe Ostopowich will conduct a Lenten retreat at St Michael’s Ukrainian Catholic parish. Fr Joe will be available to hear confessions from 6:30PM on the Friday, followed by a Lenten prayer service (7PM) and a talk. Fr Joe will also hear confessions and preach at Divine Liturgy on the Saturday (11AM). To help us prepare mentally and spiritually for the retreat, Fr Joe has provided a series of short reflections on the themes of kindness and forgiveness; these will be published here on Fridays leading up to the retreat date. This is the fourth.

Both the tax collector and the Pharisee made their fair share of mistakes but with one difference; the tax collector came clean and admitted them. The Pharisee, on the other hand, hid his. Very few people like to admit their mistakes. They try to cover them up or blame someone else. It takes strength and character to say, ‘I blew it and I am sorry. How can I make this better?’

God doesn't want you to be like the Pharisee, who feels he has no need for repentance. And God doesn’t write you off. Rather, God encourages you to practice admitting and taking responsibility.

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This weekend, at our regular Divine Liturgy on Saturday 23 March, we celebrate the Veneration of the Holy Cross.

The Cross is the proof of the love of God. The Cross is the unshaken wall, the unconquered weapon, the Kingdom of virtue.The Cross has torn asunder our mortgage and rendered useless the prison of death. The Cross has opened Paradise; it has admitted the thief and has guided the human race from impending disaster to the Kingdom of God.

—St. John Chrysostom

The Third Sunday of Great Lent and the week that follows are devoted to welcoming the Precious Cross of Christ. This adoration of the Cross does not have a penitential character, but rather the opposite: ‘through the Cross, joy has come to the whole world.’ Having reached the midpoint of Lent, we take refreshment as though at a spiritual oasis, in the shade of the Cross, which is the banner and emblem of Christ’s victory. The Cross is a sign of our joy in Christ’s triumph. The liturgical texts express this joy; all the hymns in praise of the Cross have a victorious note to them.

For us Christians, the Cross of Christ is our boast! Saint Paul said, ‘God forbid that I should boast, except in the Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ.’ To show our pride in the Cross we bring out the Cross into the church for veneration and we adorn the precious Cross with flowers. Thus we express our faith that what might have seemed to be the ‘dead wood’ of the cross became the bearer of Life. Dry wood is highly inflammable, yet in the kondak we sing:

‘... no longer does the flaming sword guard the gates of Eden, for in a strange and glorious way, the Wood of the Cross has put out its flames, and My Saviour, You have stood on the Cross and called out to those in hell: ‘enter again into Paradise.’

The precious Cross remains in the nave of the church for veneration throughout the week, until Friday. Most of us are not able to come to church each day, but of course we can all pray at home. So during this week, as we pray at home be sure to kiss the cross and pray at least ‘To Your Cross, O Master, we bow in veneration, and we glorify Your holy Resurrection!’ Thus we keep the joy of the Cross throughout the week, and we strengthen the link between the family and the church.

[Adapted from content from the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Edmonton.]

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The annual Easter Bazaar, organised by the Ukrainian-Canadian Cultural Society of Nanaimo and the Vesna Ukrainian Dancers, will take place this year on 6 April, in St Michael's parish hall. Please come out to support these two organisations and to stock up on perogies, borscht, cabbage rolls, and other delicious Ukrainian fare for Easter. Doors open at 11:00 AM, and close at 3:00 PM.

Note: On that weekend, to ensure that parishioners and bazaar attendees both have access to parking, our regular Liturgy schedule will be adjusted. There will be no Divine Liturgy on the Saturday, but instead the service will be at 3:00 PM on Sunday 7 April.

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On Friday 12 and Saturday 13 April, Fr Joe Ostopowich will conduct a Lenten retreat at St Michael’s Ukrainian Catholic parish. Fr Joe will be available to hear confessions from 6:30PM on the Friday, followed by a Lenten prayer service (7PM) and a talk. Fr Joe will also hear confessions and preach at Divine Liturgy on the Saturday (11AM). To help us prepare mentally and spiritually for the retreat, Fr Joe has provided a series of short reflections on the themes of kindness and forgiveness; these will be published here on Fridays leading up to the retreat date. This is the third.

Everything reacts differently to being hurt. Some people bury their feelings and try to live as if nothing happened. Others go on the attack and seek ways to get even. Still others chew on the hurt and never let it heal. The three healthiest words you can express, however, are ‘I forgive you.’  It is only with these words that you'll be on your way to healing.

Feel the pain and give it a name—resentment, anger, bitterness, hatred. Do not fear these feelings, but don't dwell on them. Once you think you‘re done with the pain, you can move on to forgiveness. That doesn't mean approving or excusing what the person said or did, forgiveness releases your need for revenge. Forgiveness is not for them alone: it is for you as well. Forgiveness is kicking all the negative emotions to the curb. Forgiveness is like a surgery: you cut out the pain that should not be there. Forgiveness is never easy but it is the only way to stop pain.

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On Friday 12 and Saturday 13 April, Fr Joe Ostopowich will conduct a Lenten retreat at St Michael’s Ukrainian Catholic parish. Fr Joe will be available to hear confessions from 6:30PM on the Friday, followed by a Lenten prayer service (7PM) and a talk. Fr Joe will also hear confessions and preach at Divine Liturgy on the Saturday (11AM). To help us prepare mentally and spiritually for the retreat, Fr Joe has provided a series of short reflections on the themes of kindness and forgiveness; these will be published here on Fridays leading up to the retreat date. This is the second.

Feeling nervous and inadequate, you walk into a roomful of people and think ‘I'm not good enough; I have nothing to offer.’ This is not true! No one in any room is better than you are—we are all equal. We are uniquely created by God, who blesses us with value and dignity.

We don’t always know what others are facing in life—setbacks, rejection or tragedy. Despite the smiles on their faces, many are worn down, lonely, hurting. Saying four simple, yet powerful words can help ‘I am proud of you.’ These words propel us forward when we know someone is impressed by who we are and what we do.

Make it a point to say to others ‘You amaze me.‘ ‘I am so honoured to know you.’ ‘You are important.’ At little cost to you, this gesture can be a lifeline to someone who feels like they are sinking.

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Following the blessing of icons for the feast of the Triumph of Orthodoxy at the end of our Divine Liturgy this weekend, parish chairperson Victor Uniat presented a plaque, a gift from him and his wife, inscribed with the names of the clergy who have served this parish since its beginning in the 1980s. The plaque will be mounted inside the narthex of the church.

Victor Uniat presents clergy plaque

Since the founding of the parish in June 1984, we have been blessed to be served by these clergy:

Protodeacon Paul Stephaniuk
1984–1986

Father Yaroslav Dowbush
1986–1988

Father Ken Olsen
1988–1989

Fr Bruce Powers
1989–1991

Fr Anthony Stammitti
1992–1995

Fr Volodymyr Dmyterko
1995–1997

Fr Steven Basarab
1998–2000

Fr Volodymyr Bilous
2000–2003

Fr Alan Wizinsky
2003–2010

Fr Brian Kelty
2010–2011

Fr Theo Machinsky
2011–2018

Fr Yuriy Vyshnevskyy
2018–

[Image including Victor Uniat published with his permission.]

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On Friday 12 and Saturday 13 April, Fr Joe Ostopowich will conduct a Lenten retreat at St Michael’s Ukrainian Catholic parish. Fr Joe will be available to hear confessions from 6:30PM on the Friday, followed by a Lenten prayer service (7PM) and a talk. Fr Joe will also hear confessions and preach at Divine Liturgy on the Saturday (11AM). To help us prepare mentally and spiritually for the retreat, Fr Joe has provided a series of short reflections on the themes of kindness and forgiveness; these will be published here on Fridays leading up to the retreat date. This is the first.

Kindness takes root when we look beyond ourselves to the needs of others. ‘All about me’ or ‘I am always right’ attitudes cause us to miss opportunities to show kindness:

  • to the exhausted Mom juggling between childcare and work
  • to a stressed out Dad trying to pay bills
  • to the teenager seeking affirmation and help
  • to the lonely person seeking love

All need someone to ask, ’Can I help you?’

As the Great Fast begins, perhaps we can all learn to treat each other well and offer a bit of kindness along the way.

Let’s make it real. Find someone who needs a dose of kindness. Visit those who cannot come to Church. Derail gossip by saying something nice. This list is endless!

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Following our regular Divine Liturgy at 11AM on Saturday 19 January, Cynthia Lazaruk from St Nicholas the Wonderworker Ukrainian Catholic parish in Victoria will give a presentation on a 2017 tour of the Holy Land. Please join us for this inspiring look at the locations of the Gospel events.

Church of the Resurrection, Jerusalem.
Church of the Resurrection (Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre), Jerusalem.
[Photo: Jorge Lascar, Creative Commons.]

 

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Join us on Saturday 17 November, following our regular Divine Liturgy, for a presentation about the life and legacy of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky OSBM.

Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky

Andrey Sheptytsky was Metropolitan Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church between 1901 and 1944: a tenure that encompassed two world wars and seven different political regimes in Ukraine. According to the historian Jaroslav Pelikan, ‘Arguably, Metropolitan Andriy Sheptytsky was the most influential figure … in the entire history of the Ukrainian Church in the twentieth century.’

Father Yuriy will present a short video (approx. 30 minutes), and lead discussion.

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On Saturday 24 November, our parish will commemorate the 85th anniversary of the Holodomor—from морити голодом, ‘to kill by starvation’—, the man-made famine that killed millions of Ukrainians in the 1930s. The full extent of this famine has only become known in the years since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the opening of historical archives in Russia and Ukraine. Although the exact number who died as a result of the famine cannot be known, recent scholarship suggests it is between 3.3 and 7.5 million.

At the end of our liturgy on that day, we will have Panakhyda (memorial prayers) for the victims of the Holodomor, and after the service will gather in the parish hall to watch the film Bitter Harvest. This 2017, English-language film mixes romance and action genres to tell the story of the Holodomor through the experience of two young lovers struggling to survive and resist the Bolshevik forced collectivization of farms and starvation policies.

We expect to start the film at about 12:30 PM, and it is 1 hour and 43 minutes long. All are welcome.

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The annual Christmas Bazaar, organised by the Ukrainian-Canadian Cultural Society of Nanaimo and the Vesna Ukrainian Dancers, will take place this year on 1 December, in St Michael's parish hall. Please come out to support these two organisations and to stock up on perogies, borscht, and other delicious Ukrainian fare for the holidays. Doors open at 11:00 AM, and close at 3:00 PM.

Note: On that weekend, to ensure that parishioners and bazaar attendees both have access to parking, our regular Liturgy schedule will be adjusted. There will be no Divine Liturgy on the Saturday, but instead the service will be at 3:00 PM on Sunday 2 December.

Announcement of Ukrainian Christmas Bazaar, 1–2 December 2018

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Our parish praznyk (the annual celebration of the feastday of our patron, St Michael the Archangel) will take place earlier than usual this year so that as many parishioners as possible can be present. On Saturday 27 October, following the 11AM Divine Liturgy, a parish luncheon will be held in the church hall. Parishioners old and new, visitors, and family members are all welcome.

If you would like to contribute by bringing a dish of food to the meal, that will certainly be appreciated, but there is no obligation. We expect to have plenty of food, including traditional Ukrainian dishes.

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Beginning in October, our parish will be hosting a series of monthly presentations and discussions. These will take place after Divine Liturgy on Saturday, and will consist of a short video on a select topic, followed by discussion. The presentation and discussion will be led by Fr Vyshnevskyy, and all are welcome. This is a great opportunity to learn about aspects of Eastern Christianity in general and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in particular.

20 October — Christ our Pascha: the catechism of the Ukrainian Catholic Church.
The inaugural session of our new education programme will look at the new catechism, Christ our Pascha, which was published by the synod of the UGCC, first in Ukrainian in 2012, and in English in 2016. The presentation will look at how this catechism differs from the 1992 Catechism of the Catholic Churhc and reflects our complementary but distinctive theological and liturgical traditions. As His Beatitude Sviatoslav, head of the UGCC, said in his announcement of the new catechism:

This Catechism witnesses to the intrinsic relation of the Kyivan-Christian tradition to universal Christianity. Thus, this Catechism addresses the UGCC faithful, as well as members of other Churches and all people who are sincerely seeking the Truth.

More information about following sessions will be published as their dates approach:

17 November — Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky: a gift to humanity.

15 December — The Eastern Catholic Churches: what are they?