“Pray hard – Play hard” at St. Nicholas
Last night, October 14, 2023, we had a small but strong group called “Pray hard – Play hard”, Young Catholic Adults at St. Nicholas Parish.
They started socializing with pizza and concluded with Vespers, which was a highlight of the evening. Some of our regular Sunday attendees participated as well at the Vespers service. We hope that more of our young adults will participate in these events and services.
A big thank you to the St. Nicholas parish on their behalf for opening doors for them and sharing this holy place of prayer with them.
Іван Франко – Vivere memento!
Весно, що за чудо ти
Твориш в моїй груди?
Чи твій поклик з мертвоти
Й серце к жизні будить?
Вчора тлів, мов Лазар, я
В горя домовині –
Що ж се за нова зоря
Мені блисла нині?
Дивний голос мя кудись
Кличе – тут-то, ген-то:
«Встань, прокинься, пробудись!
Vivere memento!»
Вітре теплий, брате мій,
Чи твоя се мова?
Чи на гірці світляній
Так шумить діброва?
Травко, чи се, може, та
Втішно так шептала,
Що з-під криги мертвоти
Знов на світло встала?
Чи се, може, шемріт твій,
Річко, срібна ленто,
Змив мій смуток і застій?
Vivere memento!
Всюди чую любий глас,
Клик життя могучий…
Весно, вітре, люблю вас,
Гори, ріки, тучі!
Люди, люди! Я ваш брат,
Я для вас рад жити,
Серця свого кров’ю рад
Ваше горе змити.
А що кров не зможе змить,
Спалимо огнем то!
Лиш боротись значить жить…
Vivere memento!
14 октября 1883
Українська поезія та література
CHILDREN’S/YOUTH CHOIR
Many years ago we had a very successful children’s, then youth choir here at St. Nicholas Parish. We would like to start up such a choir again, so all children and youth are invited to meet for the first rehearsal on Sunday, October22 after the Divine Liturgy. Immediately following the Liturgy, children/youth are asked to take 10 minutes to have a snack and then meet upstairs in the choir loft for a half hour rehearsal. Participants will be singing responses to the Divine Liturgy and learning to sing Ukrainian folk songs and children’s songs.
Багато років тому тут, при парафії Святого Миколая, у нас був дуже успішний дитячий, потім молодіжний хор. Ми б хотіли знову створити такий хор, тому запрошуємо всіх дітей та молодь на першу репетицію в неділю 22 жовтня після Божественної Літургії. Відразу після Літургії дітей/молодь просять приділити 10 хвилин, щоб перекусити, а потім зустрітися нагорі в хорі для півгодинної репетиції. Учасники співатимуть відповіді на Божественну Літургію та навчатимуться співу українських народних та дитячих пісень.
Дякую,
Joyce Chrunik-Rudiak
UCWLC Sponsored Liturgy for the Deceased:
St. Nicholas UCWLC will be offering a Panakhyda Service following the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, November 5, 2023 for parishioners who have lost a loved one since May 2023. Currently we will be offering service for Liz Hladunewich. If there is anyone else you know that should be added to the list, please contact Eleanor at 780-464-6360 or wbusko@shaw.ca so that we may have the candles ready.
Once again, our St. Nicholas UCWLC will be donating Buddy Bags to the women’s shelter, A Safe Place, in Sherwood Park. As in the past, donations are welcome from all parishioners. Please put your donations in the box titled, “BUDDY BAGS DONATIONS” in the church entrance or give them to Veronica Straty. We thank you in advance for your contributions towards this very important cause.
Scholarships – St. Nicholas UCWLC provides scholarships to students in Grades 9 and 12 who have attained honors (80%). To be eligible, parents must be members of St. Nicholas Parish and meet the Edmonton Catholic Schools Criteria which states “The criteria for Honours is: A core average of 80% of higher in English Language Arts, Social, Math, Science and Religion 80%.” Scholarships will be presented at Praznyk being held December 3, 2023.
For more information please contact Eleanor Busko at 780-464-6360
The Office for Family and Life – Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops has released its latest issue of All Things News (Quarterly Publication • Fifth Edition • Fall 2023). This issue includes a welcome message, reflection, tools for parishes and families, and other helpful resources.
Several important upcoming dates celebrating Family and Life include:
October 4-29, 2023: “Synod on Synodality” (Session 1) 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops
December 3, 2023: International Day of Persons with Disabilities
December 31, 2023: Feast of the Holy Family
February 4-10, 2024: National Catholic Health Care Week
February 11, 2024: World Day of the Sick
May 13-19, 2024: National Family & Life Week 2024
July 18, 2024: World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly
Priestly calls often follow altar service
BY FR. MIKE BOMBAK, CATHOLIC REGISTER SPECIAL
October 5, 2023
This week the Benedict XVI Institute for New Evangelization presented a new study: “Meet Our New Priests: 12 Key Findings about the Background, Discernment and Seminary Formation of Canada’s Recent Ordination Classes.”
The structure of the survey was modeled upon the USCCB study of new ordinands which has been conducted since 1998. The Institute’s study examined the two Canadian graduating classes of 2021 and 2022, with an average of 13 ordinands per year, including both diocesan and religious priests. Although this work has been conducted for many years in the United States, this is a novel Canadian project, and one which bares important information related to the direction and formation for our future priests. I encourage reading of the document itself. Here is a summary of a few of the significant findings.
A topic of conversation often raised regarding pastoral planning and parish administration is the priest shortage. Indeed, a tangible sign of the health of any diocese or eparchy is the ability to produce homegrown vocations. An invaluable insight provided by this study is an understanding of just how pronounced the vocation deficit is.
To assist in forecasting a region’s pastoral needs, the Vatican’s Central Office of Church Statistics established a replacement ratio for seminarians to priests (RRSP) which considers the number of seminarians typically needed to replace current active priests.
Using this ratio, the study has established the need for 735 seminarians compared with our current 211. In other words, to maintain our population of priests in Canada, our seminarian population must increase by 3.57 times. We have our work cut out for us in encouraging and nurturing priestly vocations, and this finding is essential for our planning, despite the daunting magnitude of the problem.
Another significant finding addresses the question of what is already working in drawing men to the priesthood. The study identified that 70 per cent of the all the respondents participated in altar serving. This commonality was significantly higher than the next closest ministry of Lector (61 per cent) and substantially higher than those in third place (Catechist, Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion and Music Ministry, all at 26 per cent). The commonality is not simply a question of Canadian context. The American respondents produced a very similar statistic of 73 per cent. The unique experience of serving as an acolyte seems to encourage and support young men in discerning a call to the priesthood.
Perhaps some of the most helpful facets of the study are the questions posed to the participants about the strengths and weaknesses of their formation program. Participants identified the Spiritual Formation Pillar as the strongest (direction, retreats, Eucharist, priestly identity) while Human Formation was considered by the participants to be the weakest, with greater specific need identified as leadership training and practical administration training etc.
Considering the speed at which newly ordained men assume pastorship, our seminarians would benefit from a more focused leadership training program.
Of course, human formation has as its foundation the family, and the report provides some excellent background research into the families of the new ordinands. Half of the respondents had either a priest or religious in the family. Of all the voices that weighed most heavily in their vocational discernment, mothers and fathers were listed just below parish priests — 78 per cent for parish priests, and 74 per cent for mothers and fathers — in response to the question: “Have the following people encouraged you to consider priesthood?”).
Pope St. John Paul II famously stated: “As the family goes, so goes the nation, and so goes the whole world in which we live.” Certainly an important dimension of that world is future vocations to the priesthood, and it would behoove us to make more explicit the connections of the work of our diocesan Marriage and Family and Vocation Offices.
Although the report has many practical suggestions for increasing and supporting vocations, I would like to leave you with one. As altar serving holds a privileged place in the formation stories of the new ordinands, the creation of altar-serving guilds within parishes could cultivate a culture of fostering vocations. Although not mentioned in the study, I would similarly suggest the re-establishment of the minor orders as provided by the direction of the 1996 Instruction for the Eastern Churches. Serving around the altar in Eastern Catholic Churches has traditionally been reserved to subdeacons and reclaiming the minor orders would provide both a positive witness and “onsite training” for those discerning a future priestly calling.
The findings in “Meet our New Priests” will go a long way to help to inform and strengthen those involved in priestly formation, which is everyone! It is well worth time and study.
“Meet Our New Priests” was presented to the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops plenary assembly Sept. 27
Statement by the Most Rev. William T. McGrattan, Bishop of Calgary and CCCB President, to the Catholic Faithful in Canada on the Recent Escalation of Conflict in the Holy Land
Over these last few days, the world has witnessed a rapid escalation of armed conflict in the Holy Land, with reports of a growing number of wounded or dead, including innocent civilians.
As the Holy Land is immersed in this violence and bloodshed, we remember that Jesus, the Son of God, who lived and walked there as Love Incarnate, through His teaching by word and deed, calls us as brothers and sisters to be always united by the bond of charity.
I invite the Catholic faithful in Canada to join other people of good will, here and around the world, in imploring God to move the hearts of those leaders engaged in the present conflict in order to deescalate the acts of terrorism, cease violence and war, and resume constructive efforts that are aimed at establishing lasting peace and concord. As we pray for peace, let us remember all the families and individuals suffering because of this most recent outbreak of violence.
As Christians we are compelled by the teachings and example of Jesus to pray for peace throughout the world. In a fraternal spirit of solidarity with Christian, Jewish, and Muslim brothers and sisters, let us join together in recalling God’s desire for peace in the land that
Jesus Christ called home.
12 October 2023
HORIZON OF HOPE: A TOOLKIT FOR CATHOLIC PARISHES ON PALLIATIVE CARE
How does our faith in Christ help us to understand the human experience of dying and death?
You are invited to join this 4-part program OCT. 16, 23, 30 Nov. 6, 7:00 – 9:00 pm focusing on Catholic teaching regarding end of life care. We will share and discuss the importance of palliative care and learn more about how we can respond to our Christian call to provide compassionate care for our loved ones at the end of life.
Parishes and church groups across Alberta will connect virtually and in person. There will be two in person centres: St. Stephen Protomartyr parish hall, 4903 – 45 St., SW, Calgary AND St. Josaphat’s Cathedral basement, 10825 97th Street N.W. Edmonton.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND? Those seeking to learn about palliative care in the Catholic Church, caregivers, persons diagnosed with a terminal illness, family members who need guidance, parishioners & pastoral care teams.
REGISTER AT: https://tinyurl.com/Eparchyhorizonofhope2023 or find the link on the Edmonton Eparchy website. If you cannot attend in person, you are welcome to join virtually. You will receive the Zoom link when you register online.
CONTACT: socialjustice@eeparchy.com
