Archbishop of Philadelphia took part in the episcopal ordination of the bishop of Greensburg, PA

Archbishop of Philadelphia took part
in the episcopal ordination of the
bishop of Greensburg, PA
Metropolitan Borys Gudziak took part in the episcopal ordination and installation of
Bishop Larry J. Kulick, J.C.L. who was ordained Feb. 11, 2021, at Blessed Sacrament
Cathedral in Greensburg, PA by Philadelphia Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez, D.D., principal
consecrator. Bishop Malesic, fifth Bishop of Greensburg, now bishop of Cleveland, OH
and Bishop Emeritus Lawrence E. Brandt, J.C.D., Ph.D., fourth Bishop of Greensburg,
were co-consecrators.
Archbishop Christophe Pierre, Titular Archbishop of Gunela and Apostolic Nuncio to the
United States, presented the papal bull from his Holiness, Pope Francis announcing the
appointment of Bishop Kulick.
Biography of Bishop Larry Kulick is here
Here is the replay of the episcopal ordination and instalation.

Vaccination is a personal matter for
everyone, it must be voluntary, the
Head of the UGCC in a comment for
Ukrayinska Pravda
His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the UGCC, expressed his position on
vaccination. In a comment for Ukrayinska Pravda, the Head of the Church stressed that
vaccination is a personal matter for everyone, it should be voluntary. However, the
Primate noted that when the coronavirus vaccine is available to him, he will “accept such
an offer.” Below we publish the entire commentary of His Beatitude Sviatoslav.

The notion that the Church is against vaccination is wrong. There are some kinds of
circles that are influenced by different pseudo-scientific ideas about vaccination. But the
Church primarily builds its attitude to vaccination on the basis of scientific evidence.

Today we do not know the world without vaccination. The world in which we live became
as a result of certain precautions of mankind against the spread of particularly
dangerous diseases. Believing in world conspiracies is a private matter, but it has
nothing to do with the teachings of the Church, which Christianity adheres to.

The fear of vaccination against coronavirus is quite natural because the vaccine is
something new and unexplored. It was invented in record time, and people have reason
to doubt its effectiveness, to have some concerns.

Vaccination is a personal matter for everyone, it must be voluntary. Even with official
confirmation that the vaccine is safe and affordable, the state must leave the person a
choice of personal freedom.

Our priests urge to listen to doctors in the matter of vaccination – in this matter we are
the absolute partners of our doctors. If there are no medical indications to avoid
vaccination, then you need to be vaccinated. This applies not only to the coronavirus, but
also to other diseases that can be dangerous to health today.

The church wants clergy to be among the first to have access to the vaccine. We talked
about this during the meeting of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches with the Prime
Minister of Ukraine – we mentioned that the clergy, as well as other social workers in the
country, work with people. We really want our temples to be a safe space for citizens.

If priests are included in the vaccination plan, we will advise them to take advantage of
this. But we cannot force anyone into it.

Personally, I have all the vaccinations that are done in childhood. The last thing I did a
few years ago – was a flu shot. It is perfectly normal for a modern person to use this
opportunity to protect themselves from disease.

When the coronavirus vaccine becomes available to me as a clergyman or a person of a
certain age, I will obviously accept such an offer.

It is very important for us that vaccination includes the most vulnerable segments of the
population and that the vaccination plan is fair. It is important that there is no
speculation about this case. Pope Francis notes that the most marginalized and poor
should have the right to be vaccinated, like all other citizens.

By the way, Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict have already been vaccinated.
This is a very good example for all bishops, clergy, and citizens of Ukraine.

I would advise Ukrainians who are hesitant to get vaccinated to listen to their doctors. If
the state of health does not cause contraindications to vaccination, it is worth protecting
yourself from this disease, because we know that there are no other drugs today.

Take care of your health. If you need to be vaccinated, do it.

His Beatitude Sviatoslav for the Ukrayinska Pravda

source: news.ugcc.ua

Archbishop Borys Gudziak visits
Assumption Catholic Church in Perth
Amboy, NJ
Archbishop Borys Gudziak’s visit during Catholic Schools Week – WHAT A DAY!

We started the day with a children’s Liturgy during which His Excellency Archbishop
Boris shared with us how we are all unique in our gifts and personalities. He said, just as
beautiful as Assumption Catholic Church in Perth Amboy is so is God’s grace in each of
our lives. It was a true honor to learn about our church’s icons and their meanings, a
privilege to watch two students receive a Merit Scholarship from the Ukrainian Catholic
Archeparchy of Philadelphia and pure joy to see our children.

The day got better when the Archbishop visited ACS! He was greeted in English,
Ukrainian, Portuguese and Spanish and presented with a spiritual bouquet (filled with
prayers and love), a Welcome Sign personalized with ACS’s latitude and longitude (so he
can always find us), a picture of ACS (so he can remember us) and our beautiful chimes
group who played beautifully.

Our day continued with a touching ceremony blessing our brand new STEM room in the
ground level of our school. The room was unveiled and the middle school students were
in awe of the three 3D printers, modern desks and chairs, and the innovative room! It is a
true blessing for our students!

The Archbishop enjoyed lunch with the teachers (sponsored by Investors Bank), visited

each and every classroom and even played basketball with the 7th and 8th graders.

When the teachers were asked to share their experience, this is what they said:

Ms. Cuff’s Pre-Kindergarten class: Pre-K enjoyed singing to the Archbishop today. He
was impressed that they used sign language in each of their songs. They were eager to
answer his questions and tell him all about what we do in our school. They wanted to
know when he would come visit again!

Mrs. Laffy’s Kindergarten: It was such an honorable and wonderful experience for both
my students and I that you were a part of our 2021 Catholic Schools Week. Thank you for
taking the time not only to visit Assumption Catholic School but also the Kindergarten
class. The students were so happy to sing for you! As a Catholic School teacher, it is
important to give young children a solid Catholic foundation not only on academic
excellence but also to provide a faith based environment. Your kindness and encouraging
words today was an important part of our Catholic Schools Week. We hope you come
back and visit Assumption Catholic School.

Mrs. Lombardi’s first grade class: First grade was super excited for Archbishop Borys

Gudziak’s visit today! They enjoyed the visit and talking about their favorite subjects in
school. They loved sharing their stories and illustrations that they were so proud of.

Miss Drayton’s second grade: As Archbishop Borys entered second grade the students’
faces lit up with excitement and intrigue. It was great to see them engage in
conversation with His Excellency as they connected through similar life experiences.
Students were able to ask all the questions their hearts desired which made them feel
important and heard! Truly heartfelt!

Ms.Drugos’s third grade class: Excitement was at a peak when the Archbishop came into
the third grade classroom and students went right up to him to greet him. They were
eager to tell him about themselves and were interested in hearing about his life. He was
very down to earth in answering their third grade questions (like why does he wear all
black). Students were proud to show their Catholic Schools’ Week art work. Third
graders were honored to meet our Archbishop.

Mrs. Cooper’s fourth grade class: The fourth grade would like to thank Father Ivan and
Mrs. Shumny for including us in Liturgy today. We have not been able to attend due to
the recent pandemic restrictions and today’s Liturgy allowed us to be together as a
family in our beautiful church for such a blessed event. Every time we are there we will
remember the special day that Archbishop Borys visited us during CSW 2021. We know
we are part of a beautiful church, a fantastic school ( we love the new stem lab). and a
family where we are safe to learn and grow together.

Mrs. Lawrence’s fifth grade class: Catholic Schools’ Week could have been a huge
disappointment as we fifth graders had to quarantine . . . but it wasn’t! Archbishop Borys
joined our online google meet and we had a great visit. He called us by name, spoke with
us and invited us to visit him in Philadelphia. Thank you, Your Grace, for making us really
feel part of Catholic Schools’ Week at ACS.

Middle School:

Mrs. Garcia: It was an exciting day at ACS in celebration of Catholic schools’ week. ACS
was visited by the Archbishop and our day began with a liturgy led by him. After mass,
the middle school and the staff joined Father Ivan and the Archbishop as the new STEM
room was blessed. It was a pleasure to have the Archbishop in our building and it was so
kind of him to stop by each classroom, greet the students, and answer their questions.
Although this Catholic schools’ week was not happening as planned, the surprise of
having the Archbishop visit us brought great spirit to our school.

Mrs. Mieczkowski: Today we had a special visit from Archbishop Borys Gudziak. We were
so in awe of his kind demeanor, his listening ear and uplifting personality. And what was
the highlight?! Before he left the building he decided to join the 7th and 8th graders in a
game of basketball! They have not stopped talking about it!

Mrs. Pickering: Liturgy with the Archbishop, the blessing of our brand new STEM
classroom, and playing air hockey in your classroom during lunch sound like a great day
for the Class of 2021. Could it get any better? Yes! While playing basketball with the
Class of 2022 in the auditorium, His Grace came in along with Father Ivan and both
classes played a very lively game. Everyone knew that Father Ivan was a good player, but
all were definitely impressed with the Archbishop’s moves on the court. We’ve had many
great Catholic Schools Week memories, but this one will last a lifetime!

by Fr. Ivan Turyk

The Prophetic Service of our Schools
A new school year has begun. But not for all. You may have read in the September 5 New
York Times article that this summer throughout the United States some 150 Catholic
schools were forced to close.

In the New York archdiocese 20 schools did not open their doors. Their halls are silent,
no joyful din of children. In Boston, the archdiocese has had to close nine schools so far,
with about two dozen others are on a “watch list”. The Catholic school system has been
facing overwhelming challenges for decades. Enrollment for the 2019-20 school year was
at 1.7 million, down from five million fifty years ago. Many hard-working, lower- and
middle-class families simply cannot afford to pay public school taxes and Catholic school
tuition. This summer in many cases financial difficulties could not be overcome with
Covid-19 becoming the nail in the coffin.

Catholic schools in America formed generations of Christians and citizens. They gave a

social lift to tens of millions of immigrants, their children, and grandchildren. Personally,
I am grateful for my educational experience in Catholic elementary and secondary
schools and institutions of higher learning. I have dedicated most of my adult life to the
development of a Catholic University in Ukraine that has become a model for the
country’s system of higher education.

For more than 150 years Catholic schools in the US have been teaching children the
most important things: about God, about a good healthy way to live, about reading,
writing, and arithmetic. These schools were the fruit of great generosity. Seven
generations of clergy, religious, and parents sacrificed selflessly to educate children in
the faith for life.

Pastors and parishes did everything they could to build, develop, and maintain schools at
our parishes. Thanks to the Basilian Sisters, Sisters of Mary Immaculate, and Missionary
Sisters the Ukrainian Catholic Church in the United States for decades had a formidable
network of some 35 schools. Today they are few — both sisters and schools. The
remaining six schools in our four eparchies continue to witness and render impressive
service. They teach about God and His way. They are safe and unpretentious, sincere and
welcoming.

A school cannot replace what properly should be offered by parents. If parents at home
don’t make prayer a priority in the morning and evening it is difficult for a Catholic
school to make it a priority for a child during the day. Yet, our teachers, pastors, school
directors, and sisters do all that they can to keep the schools open and Catholic.

One fact that is hardly recognized in our community is the prophetic witness that our
schools demonstrate regarding one of the most burning issues in American society,
namely racism.

Our country seems to be hopelessly divided. Catholic schools offer us hope. This is the
case with Ukrainian Catholic educational institutions. Let me give three examples I have
been privileged to observe personally during my first year of service.

In New York, at St George’s Academy, a school associated with St George’s Church, one
of our biggest parishes in America, last year’s valedictorian and salutatorian both
represented minorities: the valedictorian — Precious Mann an African American and
salutatorian — Alexandra Pabon, a young Hispanic woman. Last year’s enrollment at the
Academy was 31% Latino, 27% African American, and 2% Asian. Many minority students
are recipients of generous financial aid and scholarships.

In all Catholic schools the expenses are only partially covered by tuition. St George’s
parish, the Basilan Fathers (for decades the Basilian Sisters) and most importantly the
parishioners support the school thereby attesting to the possibility and promise of racial
unity in the Big Apple. The harmony was particularly striking during a November
Holodomor concert when together the diverse students of the Academy burst into song —
in English, Ukrainian, and Spanish.

In the Philadelphia Archeparchy, the Perth Amboy Assumption Catholic school, one of
only two left in the city, is generously underwritten by the parishioners and by the
zealous activity of the pastor, Father Ivan Turyk. Visiting this school during the Open
House Sunday before the pandemic set in I was moved by the warmth of the atmosphere,
the humanity of the teachers, and the diversity of families visiting our unsung teaching
establishment. Out of 156 students enrolled for this academic year, 69 are Hispanic, 17
African American, and seven of Indian background. In a school subsidized by a Ukrainian
Catholic parish over 60% of the students represent racial minorities.

Quietly, our schools do essential everyday work — the most important work in America —
witnessing to God, teaching and raising children to be responsible moral citizens, and
demonstrating without fanfare that different races and different ethnicities can live,

learn, and thrive together.

In 1947 the Sisters of St. Basil the Great in Philadelphia founded Manor College. For
decades a junior college, Manor recently became a four-year institution of higher
learning. Under the leadership of its visionary president Dr. Jonathan Perі it will soon
become a university. A college founded by the Sisters, in the womb of the Ukrainian
Catholic Church in Philadelphia, Manor today serves a student population in which 61%
are racial and ethnic minorities. 65% of the students are first-generation in college and
80 to 85% work while they are in college.

Since I arrived in June of last year, every time I visit Manor College, I am truly inspired.
Manor is moving boldly in the right direction. It is possible to develop Catholic education
in America, although it is difficult and requires outstanding leadership and focused
commitment of us all. It is possible to witness to the Gospel in this secularized and
polarized world. It is possible to live in mutual uplifting racial harmony.

There is no going back to the past. Although our outlook cannot be guided by nostalgia,
the sacrifice and service of our predecessors should offer not only inspiration but insight
for meeting the challenges of the future.

Serene conviction in God’s providence opens the door for creativity. God is alive in us, in
the world. We should not fear or shrink away from the call to witness the Gospel,
especially for our children. We are summoned to let the Lord show us the way through
the labyrinth of today’s trials—moral, cultural, social, political, and economic. The history
of our Church, its Cross and Resurrection, the witness of the martyrs demonstrates
clearly that there is no situation, no matter how difficult, that cannot be lived fruitfully
with God, in grace, in a spiritual way. The powers that be proclaimed our Church in
Ukraine to be dead. Yet it is fully alive!

Without doubt, there are factors not in our control that have led to the closing of our
schools. A tradition of hostility regarding Catholic schools has a long history in America.
All Catholics who send their children to Catholic schools pay twice for their education.
There are fine public schools in our country with outstanding teachers and dedicated
administrators, but too often quality is a function of the socio-economic status of the
neighborhood. Children are subject to these inequalities. In too many places public
schools—at best agnostic regarding faith in God—have failed their pupils, but parents
often have no choice. Not all can pay twice. Even if a Christian upbringing is a top
priority for Catholic families. The lack of appreciation for the contribution of the Catholic
schools to American society in government circles reflected in legislation has been more
lethal to the existence of Catholic schools than any pandemic.

In the Ukrainian Catholic Church bishops, clergy, and laity need to do serious soul
searching regarding the evangelization of the faithful, the spiritual engagement of
students, and the institutional priorities regarding infrastructure. We need to return to
the basics. Maybe this means simplifying and downsizing so that we can be spiritually
nimble. Clearly, we need to have more confidence that this is God’s Church, that He is
the source of life, and that every authentic sacrifice is lifegiving. Without confronting the
world with the joy of the Gospel and challenging a culture of comfort and conformity we
cannot be spiritually fruitful. The future of not only our schools depends on it.

As a new school year starts and Catholic schools courageously struggle through the
challenges of the times, I wish to thank and encourage our pastors and sisters, teachers,
students, and those who support the Catholic school system. Together you witness
prophetically both to the Gospel and to the possibilities of our country. Possibilities that
need heroes, committed followers of Christ, humble servants, generous and responsible
citizens who are not guided by inflammatory or ideological rhetoric, and know a good
thing when they see it. Know it, support it, and make it happen.

+Borys

This text was published in “The Way” on September 20, 2020

Pope: Patience is a hallmark of
consecrated men and women

Pope: Patience is a hallmark of
consecrated men and women
Pope Francis celebrates a Vigil Mass on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, which
is observed as the World Day of Consecrated Life. In his homily, the Pope invites
religious men and women to be patient and courageous in order to keep advancing,
exploring new paths, and responding to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

                                                           By Vatican News staff writer

At the Mass for the Presentation of the Lord, Pope Francis focused on the words of
Simeon when he “looked forward to the consolation of Israel” (Lk 2:25).

He introduced his homily describing Simeon who recognized in the Child Jesus “the light
that came to shine on the Gentiles:” He was an elderly man, the Pope explained, who had
patiently awaited the fulfilment of the Lord’s promises.

The patience of Simeon
“Let us take a closer look at Simeon’s patience,” the Pope said, “For his entire life, he
had been waiting, exercising the patience of the heart.”

He noted that “Simeon had learned that God does not come in extraordinary events, but
works amid the apparent monotony of our daily life, in the frequently dull rhythm of our
activities, in the little things that, working with tenacity and humility, we achieve in our
efforts to do his will.”

Simeon, the Pope continued, did not grow weary although in his long life there had
surely been hurtful and difficult times, but he did not lose hope: “the flame still burned
brightly in his heart.”

By trusting in the Lord’s promise, Pope Francis explained, he did not let himself be
consumed by regret or by the sense of despondency that can come as we approach the
twilight of our lives.

“His hope and expectation found expression in the daily patience of a man who, despite
everything, remained watchful, until at last ‘his eyes saw the salvation’ that had been
promised,” he said.

A mirror of God’s own patience
The Pope went on to observe that Simeon’s patience was a mirror of God’s own patience.
In fact, from prayer and the history of his people, Simeon had learnt to see in the Lord “a
God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and fidelity.”

He reflected on the letter of Saint Paul to the Romans in which the apostle says that
patience “leads us to repentance,” and quoting from the German priest, author and
academic, Romano Guardini, who once observed that patience is God’s way of
responding to our weakness and giving us the time we need to change, the Pope said that
“More than anyone else, the Messiah, Jesus, whom Simeon held in his arms, shows us the
patience of God, the merciful Father who keeps calling us, even to our final hour.”

God, Pope Francis reiterated, does not demand perfection, but always opens up new
possibilities when all seems lost, in the wish to open a breach in our hardened hearts.

God never tires of waiting for us
“This is the reason for our hope: that God never tires of waiting for us,” the Pope said,
adding that “when we turn away, he comes looking for us; when we fall, he lifts us to our
feet; when we return to him after losing our way, he waits for us with open arms. His
love is not weighed in the balance of our human calculations, but unstintingly gives us
the courage to start anew.”

Our patience
Pope Francis then invited consecrated men and women to look to the patience of God
and the patience of Simeon as they consider their own lives of consecration.

Patience, he said, is not simply about tolerating difficulties or showing grim
determination in the face of hardship, “it’s not a sign of weakness, but the strength of
spirit that enables us to ‘carry the burden’ of personal and community problems, to
accept others as different from ourselves, to persevere in goodness when all seems lost,
and to keep advancing even when overcome by fatigue and listlessness.”

He pointed to what he called three “settings” in which patience can become concrete:

Personal life
Our personal life, in which the way we have responded to the Lord’s call has not always
been constant because of disappointments, frustrations and feelings of powerlessness.

“In our lives as consecrated men and women, it can happen that hope slowly fades as a
result of unmet expectations. We have to be patient with ourselves and await in hope
God’s own times and places, for he remains ever faithful to his promises. Remembering
this can help us retrace our steps and revive our dreams, rather than yielding to interior
sadness and discouragement,” he said.

“Brothers and sisters,” the Pope exhorted, “inner sadness in us consecrated persons is
like a worm: a worm, eating us from within. Flee from inner sadness!”

Community life
A second setting in which patience can become concrete, the Pope continued, is
community life.

He said that human relationships are not always serene, especially when they involve
sharing a project of life or apostolic activity: There are times when conflicts arise and no
immediate solution can be expected, nor should hasty judgements be made.

Time, the Pope said, is required to step back, to preserve peace and to wait for a better
time to resolve situations in charity and in truth, and he urged men and women who live
in communities to cultivate this kind of reciprocal patience: “the ability to support, that
is, to bear on our own shoulders, the life of one of our brothers or sisters, including his or
her weaknesses and failings.”

“Let us keep in mind that the Lord does not call us to be soloists,” and there are many of

those in the Church he said, He calls us “to be part of a choir that can sometimes miss a
note or two, but must always try to sing in unison.”

Our relationship with the world
The third setting described by Pope Francis concerns our relationship with the world.

Recalling how Simeon and Anna cherished the hope proclaimed by the prophets, “even
though it is slow to be fulfilled and grows silently amid the infidelities and ruins of our
world.”

He said “they did not complain about how wrong things are, but patiently looked for the
light shining in the darkness of history,” and stressed that “we too need that kind of
patience, so as not to fall into the trap of lamenting that ‘the world no longer listens to
us’, or ‘we have no more vocations’, ‘these are not easy times’… “

“It can happen that even as God patiently tills the soil of history and our own hearts, we
show ourselves impatient and want to judge everything immediately. In this way, we lose
hope,” he said.

Patience helps us to be merciful
Pope Francis concluded his homily explaining that “patience helps us to be merciful in
the way we view ourselves, our communities and our world.”

He invited consecrated men and women and all the faithful never to stop welcoming the
patience of the Holy Spirit, never to stop bearing with one another and radiating the joy
of fraternal life, never to stop patiently offering our service:

“These are real challenges for our consecrated life: we cannot remain stuck in nostalgia
for the past or simply keep repeating the same old things. We need patience and
courage in order to keep advancing, exploring new paths, and responding to the
promptings of the Holy Spirit.”

Never gossip and don’t lose your sense of
humour!
At the end of the Mass Pope Francis thanked Cardinal João Braz de Aviz, Prefect of the
Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life for having welcomed those present.

He noted that in this time of pandemic patience is sorely needed to move forward
“offering the Lord our lives.”

And referring again to his just pronounced homily dedicated to “patience” he reflected on
how life within a religious community is rife with the danger of gossip.

“Please remove yourselves from gossip”, he said, “it kills community life!”

The Pope acknowledged that sometimes this is not easy but invited consecrated men and
women to “bite their tongues” before gossiping about others: “Bite your tongue, so it will
swell up and occupy your mouth and you won’t be able to speak badly!”

The other bit of advice he had in store for his brothers and sisters religious is never to
lose their sense of humour: “It helps us so much. It’s the anti-gossip, knowing how to
laugh at yourself, at situations, even at others – with a good heart!”

“Thank you,” the Pope concluded, “for what you do, thank you for your testimony. Thank
you, thank you very much for your difficulties, for the way you carry them and for the
way you bear the pain in the face of a lack of vocations: have courage, the Lord is great,
the Lord loves us. Let us follow the Lord!”

The World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life was instituted in 1997 by Pope Saint John
Paul II. This celebration is attached to the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord on
February 2nd. The celebration of World Day for Consecrated Life is transferred to the
following Sunday in order to highlight the gift of consecrated persons for the whole
Church.

Source www.vaticannews.va

Rev. Frank Patrylak Falls Asleep in
the Lord
Rev. T. Frank Patrylak (1926-2021)

Rev. Frank Patrylak, called to his everlasting reward on January 20, 2021 at the age of
94, was a retired priest of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia. Son of
John and Eva Sagan Patrylak, he was born in Hanover Township, PA on February 26,
1926 and graduated from Hanover Township High School, Class of 1944. He entered St.
Basil’s College, Stamford, CT, in 1954 to begin formation for the priesthood. Following
graduation in 1958 he entered St. Josaphat’s Seminary in Washington, DC and completed
theological studies at Catholic University and Holy Cross Seminary, Washington, DC. He
was ordained to the priesthood on April 16, 1962 at the Ukrainian Cathedral of
Immaculate Conception by Metropolitan Archbishop Most Reverend Ambrose Senyshyn,
O.S.B.M.

Over more than four decades of dedicated priestly ministry Father Frank held various
assignments including service in the Archbishop’s Chancery and at the Ukrainian
Catholic Cathedral of Immaculate Conception, Philadelphia. The parishes at which Fr.
Frank served were numerous: St. Mary’s Church, Ramey, PA; St. Michael’s Church,
Pottstown, PA; Sts. Cyril and Methodius Church, Olyphant, PA; Holy Trinity, St. Clair, PA;
Sts. Peter and Paul, Wilkes-Barre, PA; St. Nicholas, Minersville, PA; St. Mary’s, Bristol,
PA; and Sts. Peter and Paul, Clifton Heights, PA.

After his retirement in April 2005 Father Patrylak resided at The Manor at St. Mary’s in
Cherry Hill, NJ.

Father Frank is survived by numerous nieces and nephews. Reverend Patrylak was
preceded in death by his parents John and Eva Patrylak and ten siblings: brothers John,
James, Peter, Michael, Joseph, Andrew and George, and sisters Anna Scrabat, Rose
Geletej and Eva Malischak.

A parastas will be celebrated at St. Michael’s Church, 675 Cooper Landing Road, Cherry
Hill, NJ on Wednesday, January 27, at 7:00 p.m. A funeral Divine Liturgy will be
celebrated at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, January 28 at Sts. Peter and Paul Church, 20
Nottingham Street, Plymouth, PA. Following the Divine Liturgy, the burial will be at St.

Peter and Paul’s Cemetery, Plymouth, PA.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Father Frank Patrylak’s memory to Sts.
Peter and Paul Church, 20 Nottingham Street, Plymouth, PA 18651.

Videos from Online Retreats are
Posted
Videos from the Christmas and Theophany Online Retreats are Posted at the following
links.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVMQPk_9z0Lw-RzXe-Zfv_1TRZabVCheQ

Anticipating Christmas

https://youtu.be/Gv7TeS7FVwY

Theophany Retreat

APPEAL OF THE HIERARCHY OF THE
UKRAINIAN CATHOLIC CHURCH IN
THE UNITED STATES
APPEAL OF THE HIERARCHY OF THE

UKRAINIAN CATHOLIC CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES

Regarding the events of January 6, 2021

As Christians, on the Feast of the Theophany, we continue to celebrate and welcome the
Emmanuel—“God is with us,” the Prince of Peace, “the Beloved Son of the Father” who
calls us all to be His sisters and brothers in the Father’s house. But as a nation, today, we
witness an appalling assault on the central seat and process of American democracy
which must stop.

Criminal trespassing, menacing break-in, and the intimidation of senators and members
of Congress is unconscionable.

Any use of Jesus’ name to justify this violent behavior and chaos is a travesty of the
Gospel.

There is nothing Christian about it.

Americans bear a great responsibility for the future of democracy in the world.

American leaders, first of all the President of the United States, must do everything in
their power to reestablish peace and the rule of law.

There is much injustice in our land. There is much anger. No injustice will be remedied
by violence.

We ask all of our priests, religious, and faithful to pray for the future of our country, to
call for repentance, to witness to the integrity of the Gospel of our Lord, and begin the
difficult work of rebuilding the unity of America.

We are called to help all people hear and believe the fundamental truth of Theophany—
that each person is a “beloved son or daughter of the Father.”

We have a long road ahead of us.

Let us return to a motto of the founders of our country:

“In God we trust.”

+ Borys Gudziak, Metropolitan and Archbishop of Philadelphia

+ Paul Chomnycky, Bishop of Stamford

+ Benedict Aleksiychuk, Bishop of St. Nicholas Eparchy in Chicago

+ Bohdan Danylo, Bishop of St. Josaphat Eparchy in Parma

+ Andriy Rabiy,         Auxiliary Bishop of the Philadelphia Archeparchy

Theophany, January 6, 2021 5:30pm

UKRAINE’S         FREEDOM,
SOVEREIGNTY AND UNITY — JAN.
22, 2021
UKRAINE’S FREEDOM, SOVEREIGNTY AND UNITY — JAN. 22, 2021

“From this day forth, the Ukrainian National Republic becomes independent, subject to
no one, a Free, Sovereign State of the Ukrainian People.” — Act of Independence, Jan.
22, 1918

“The territory of Ukraine, divided over the centuries … will now become a great united
Ukraine. The Dreams, for which the best sons of Ukraine fought and died, have come
true.” — Act of Unity, Jan. 22, 1919

A COMMEMORATION OF THE DECLARATIONS OF INDEPENDENCE AND OF
UNITY

IN HONOR OF UKRAINE’S HEROIC FREEDOM FIGHTERS

Virtual Commemoration. The Philadelphia Branch of the Ukrainian Congress
Committee of America invites you to participate, by virtual viewing, in the annual
commemoration of the anniversaries of Ukraine’s Declarations of Independence and of
Unity, which occurred on the historical dates of January 22, 1918 and 1919. Honor and
pay tribute to all of the heroes that, both in those turbulent times and throughout history,
fought and fight for the liberty, dignity and independence of Ukraine and her people.

RECORDED AUDIO-VISUAL VIRTUAL PROGRAM

[Viewing schedule and options, commencing Jan.22 at 12:00 PM, appear below]

The virtual audio-visual recorded program will first be available, on Jan. 22, 2021, at
noon, when we encourage all persons to participate together. It opens with a Panakhyda
Requiem Service and Commemoration Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier,
located at St. Mary’s Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery, in Elkins Park, PA, just North of
Philadelphia. His Grace Archbishop Metropolitan Borys Gudziak will deliver the Homily
and His Excellency Volodymyr Yelchenko, Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United States,
will deliver words of honor and commemoration. Other honored guests and members of
Ukraine’s diplomatic corps to the United States will be viewing the service and will
participate along with you in this virtual memorial event.

At his graveside, we will also honor the service and memory of preeminent Ukrainian
statesman and diplomat Ambassador Lonhyn Cehelsky, the UNR’s diplomatic
representative to the United States who ultimately settled in and made the City of
Philadelphia his home.

This emotionally riveting program will also feature the beautiful voice of Yuliya Stupen
and the majestic music and song of the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus of North America.
Photos of prior years’ ceremonies will be streamed as well.

VIRTUAL PROGRAM SCHEDULE AND LINKS

Let us all gather to remember, to show our respect and to pray … we encourage
everyone to view the commemoration together, on Jan. 22 at 12:00 noon.

However, if you are not able to join us at the appointed time, the program will be
available to you for quite some time afterwards, as it is being hosted by the Ukrainian
Congress Committee of America on its YouTube and Facebook Pages. Here are the links:

YouTube – https://bit.ly/UCCATube

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pg/UCCA.org/videos

Presenters: UCCA – Philadelphia       &    Ukraine’s Embassy in the USA

Theophany one-day Retreat
Theophany one-day Retreat with Metropolitan Borys Gudziak, Bishops Hlib Lonchyna and
Kenneth Nowakowski!

Date: January 3, 2021 (Sunday).

Time: 14:30 – Philadelphia, 19:30 – London, 20:30 – Paris
Duration: 90 minutes
Format: Zoom-conference broadcasted to Facebook page
Language: English

Topic: You are My beloved Son (Daughter), in whom I am well pleased (see Matthew
3:17)

– The gospel narrative of the Baptism of Jesus – Bishop Hlib
– Celebrating the feast of the Theophany in the past and today – Bishop Kenneth
– The life of the Beloved. The vocation of Christ and of you and me. – Archbishop Borys
– Q&A session – 20-30 minutes

In order to receive the Zoom link, kindly fill in the form that you will find via the link
below:
https://forms.gle/jnYwwFjrjQAG5cvf9