Ukrainian Catholic Parish of the PROTECTION of the BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

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1. Easter pastoral letter of His Beatitude Sviatoslav.

Вих. ВА 25/074 ENG

EASTER PASTORAL LETTER

OF HIS BEATITUDE SVIATOSLAV

Most Reverend Archbishops and Bishops,

Very Reverend and Reverend Fathers,

Venerable Brothers and Sisters in Monastic and Religious Life,

Dearly Beloved Laity in Christ of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church

The One who delivered the three youths from the furnace,

Having become man has suffered as a mortal,

And with suffering clothed mortality in the splendour of incorruption,

The only blessed God of our fathers, most worthy of praise.

Ode 7, Paschal Canon

Christ is risen!

Beloved in Christ!

The Pascha of Christ is the feast of transformation—of humankind and the universe, of sorrow into joy; the feast of victory—of good over evil, life over death. Early in the morning the myrrh-bearing women hurry to the tomb with tears to anoint the body of the crucified and buried Saviour. But instead of their lifeless Teacher, they meet a bright angel who announces to them the risen and living Christ. They come in sadness to anoint the Buried One with myrrh, and depart anointed with the oil of gladness: “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen!” (Luke 24:5-6). The One whom they saw yesterday among the dead, today the angel commands them to seek among the living in the resurrection! Tears of sorrow and myrrh for the deceased are suddenly transformed into tears of joy and anointing for the proclamation of the greatest Good News in human history: He is risen!

The wondrous mystery that enveloped the myrrh-bearing women becomes a reality for each of us. Today we meet the risen Lord, who triumphantly emerges from the tomb and leads out of the tombs all those who have fallen asleep since time immemorial. Christ is risen in a human body, and every human being is resurrected with Him. The empty tomb becomes a place where our hearts are filled with inexpressible joy, for now the risen Lord leads us with Him into the joy of eternal life in God.

The One who delivered the three youths from the furnace, having become man has suffered as a mortal…

That Sunday morning, the myrrh-bearing women and all the disciples who, at their call, ran to the empty tomb of the Saviour, still carried in their hearts the horror and despair of two days earlier, when they saw Christ despised, tortured, and dead on the cross. How painful that Saturday after the crucifixion must have been for them—a day of fear, confusion, doubts, lost hope in the Teacher—a day when there was not a single sign or word from God. However, the very next morning, the luminous herald of the Resurrection, as if piercing the living, spiritual experience of humanity with the gaze of eternity, says to all Christ's disciples: “He is not here!”

The hymns with which the Church today welcomes the Saviour who triumphantly emerges from the tomb, show us that, in celebrating Pascha, we must not look only to the past. And we, who have survived more than three years of full-scale war in Ukraine, are called by that same angel to seek and see the presence of Jesus in His resurrection in the place where He is—in our paschal “today.”

The Paschal Mystery of the suffering, death, and resurrection of the Lord reveals the deepest meaning of the spiritual experience that our people are living today. Helping us to see the suffering and risen Jesus among us, Melito of Sardis, as if summing up the Easter experience of persecuted Christians of the 2nd century in Asia Minor, says: “[Christ] was present in many so as to endure many things. In Abel he was slain; in Isaac bound; in Jacob a stranger; in Joseph sold… who became human in a virgin, who was hanged on the tree, who was buried in the earth, who was resurrected from among the dead, and who raised mankind up out of the grave below to the heights of heaven” (Paschal Homily, 65-67). This is why we sing today that our Saviour is “the one who delivered the youths from the furnace, becoming man, suffering like a mortal.”

The same Lord who once descended into the flames of the Babylonian furnace to save those three youths who remained true to the faith of their fathers, refusing the godless command of the tormentor, takes upon Himself all the unjust suffering and persecution of biblical and human history. He is the one who suffers today in the body of Ukraine! It is He who is being killed in our girls and boys at the front. It is He who continues to be tortured in our prisoners. It is He who is being kidnapped in children sold into Russian slavery. It is He who is wounded in our heroes and who cries with the eyes of our mothers, children and orphans who have lost their sons, husbands and fathers. It is He who is being victimized and humiliated in different countries of Europe and the world in the person of our emigrants and refugees seeking to protect their children from war and caring about the future of our people. It is He, our Saviour, who is not only with us today, but also in us. He shares our pain and our suffering, because He sees us, knows us, and feels us in Himself, and suffers our wounds in His own body. Therefore, we, Ukrainians, can now say with the Apostle Paul that with our sufferings in our flesh we are “filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the Church” (Col. 1:24). That is why the Church of Christ always stands with the suffering because the Lord Himself dwells in them. He who, having become man, suffers as a mortal, and bears our present wounds on His resurrected body!

And with suffering clothed mortality in the splendour of incorruption…

On this bright day of Christ's Resurrection, we clearly see that our Saviour not only suffers in the body and wounds of Ukraine but also is risen in us! It is He who comes out of death without experiencing corruption, victoriously breaking chains without breaking the seals of the tomb. It is He who adorns what is mortal, the very suffering of each of us, with the splendour and power of immortality and incorruption. Today, especially in this Paschal time of our Church and our people, we know from our own Christian experience, acquired amidst the horrors of war, that the life and resurrection of Jesus Christ pulsates in our veins. In celebrating Easter, through our sufferings in the Lord we are clothed with the splendour of incorruption.

This pulsation of the power of the Risen One in the body of our Church, the experience and awareness that in our mortal body we are already beginning to be partakers of His divine life today is the source of our Christian hope. Celebrating Easter, we wish to bear witness to the Resurrection of Christ and say to the whole world: “Christ is risen – truly He is risen!” On this great feast, we strive to bear witness to the power of hope for Ukraine, shining it on the whole world. Ukraine is now the epicentre of global changes. That is why people all over the world are waiting with such trepidation for the testimony of hope from Ukraine. We already have this hope; we draw it from the risen Saviour and share it with all humanity.

Today in Ukraine, the hope that is found in the splendour of incorruption which adorns us all through suffering, has many bright faces. It can be seen and encountered among our people. Hope shines in the faces of the defenders of Ukraine, who for the eleventh year in a row have shown that the Russian invader, who is numerically larger than us, can and must be stopped. Hope shines in the faces of doctors and rescuers who, after each missile attack, tirelessly save the lives of the elderly, adults, and children. Hope shines in the faces of loving parents, mentors and teachers who, amidst the horrors of war, often at risk to their own lives, raise children, teach them faith in God and all that is good, just, and eternal. Hope shines in the faces of young Ukrainians, on whose shoulders has fallen the greatest cross—the burden of wartime hardships—and who, despite everything, do not stop loving and dreaming, creating families and giving birth to children, conquering the heights of knowledge and sacrificing the most precious things for their country’s liberty, including their own lives and health.

In this jubilee year declared by Pope Francis, who invites us to become pilgrims of hope, let us boldly share with the whole world our faith in the risen Saviour! Let us not be afraid to speak the truth about our struggle, about the peace and justice for which we strive and which we build every day! Let us not hesitate to confront falsehood, because violence and death constantly seek justification by resorting to slander and lies! In response to the darkness spread by the enemy of this world, let us shine the light of hope among a confused and frightened humanity. The Apostle to the Gentiles encourages us to do this: “…We rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Rom. 5:2–5).

The only blessed God of our fathers, most worthy of praise.

On this joyful and bright day, we bless and glorify our Creator and Saviour, as our predecessors-ancestors in faith did from generation to generation. We lift up a prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord our God, crucified and resurrected for our salvation. We thank Him for the gift of faith, hope, and love that He constantly puts in our hearts; we thank Him even for the trials that He sends us so that we can show His love and kindness to those who suffer.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ! Allow me to also thank you from the bottom of my heart and greet you on the feast of victory—of good over evil, light over darkness, hope over despair, truth over deceit. I know that each one of you, wherever you may be, contributes to this victory—both with small and great deeds. Our enemy seeks to destroy everything he cannot conquer; he strives to exterminate those he cannot subjugate and enslave. Therefore, each of his deadly missiles and each drone is only a sign of his weakness and inevitable defeat. For in the risen Christ, we are invincible!

Today I share a Paschal word of hope with all who have suffered physically, materially, and morally from this war—Ukrainian soldiers and civilians. With the Resurrection of Christ, I greet our hero-fighters, who bravely stare into the face of death, lovingly protecting those who stand behind their backs. I assure you of my unceasing prayer for you and your families. I greet our wounded in battle, whose sacrifice is most precious to us. I accompany your physical and spiritual healing with prayer. I greet those who are in enemy captivity or live in occupied territories. Be assured that we do not forget you, because you are always dear and close to us. I greet Ukrainians who have a husband or wife, son or daughter, brother or sister, father or mother fighting at the front. I embrace those who over the past year have lost relatives or loved ones, those missing in action. I share your pain and your anxiety, and in prayer I entrust your loss to the boundless and life-giving mercy of God. I greet those who are fighting for victory by ensuring the vitality and critical infrastructure of our cities and villages. I greet our volunteers, community activists, and all caring people of goodwill. I greet government leaders and diplomats, accompanying with prayer your efforts to achieve a just peace. I greet all refugees, displaced persons, and those who are far from home on this day of Paschal joy and victory. I convey to you the warm embrace of your mother Church.

I extend my Easter greetings and thank those who in Ukraine and abroad have opened their hearts to support their suffering sisters and brothers in need, materially and morally. I greet and bless our clergy, our military, hospital and academic chaplains, our monastics, especially on the frontline and in combat zones.

I embrace everyone: children, adults, and the elderly, men and women—and I wish that, in sharing the blessings of our Easter basket, you will feel the presence of the God of hope, who grants us joy and peace. I sincerely wish you a blessed Easter feast, a tasty sharing of our traditional blessed egg, and a Paschal joy that is full of light.

The grace of our Risen Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all!

Christ is risen! Truly, He is risen!

† SVIATOSLAV

Given in Kyiv

at the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ,

on the 5th Sunday of Lent, dedicated to our Venerable Mother Mary of Egypt,

and the Repose of Saint Methodius, Teacher of the Slavs.

April 6, 2025 A.D.

2. Easter pastoral letter of Ukrainian Catholic bishops of Canada

Protocol # H/51E/2025

2025 PASTORAL LETTER

OF THE UKRAINIAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS OF CANADA

ON THE OCCASION OF THE FEAST OF THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD

To the Reverend Fathers, Religious Sisters,

Venerable Monastics, Seminarians, & Brothers and Sisters in Christ!

Christ is Risen! Indeed, He is Risen!

Dearly Beloved in Christ!

Let us recall a time in our lives when we longed to belong… A person visited Ukraine many years ago for the first time. When he returned to Canada, people asked, “what was it like?” With some difficulty, he struggled for words to describe what it meant to him and how it felt. He ended by saying that the trip completed him in a way he didn’t know he was incomplete— to visit the people and places of his heritage and cultural roots. He discovered that he belonged. Is there a moment in your life when you became aware that you ‘longed to belong’?

Each time we celebrate the sacrament of Reconciliation, the sacrament of the Eucharist, indeed, each time we celebrate Easter, we come just a bit closer to understanding this mystery of ‘longing to belong’. God fashioned us to belong in loving relationships, especially within the immeasurable, uninterrupted, and eternal Life of the Trinity. In a sense, death is the hopelessness of not belonging to God and never knowing His eternal friendship. However, the Resurrection is God’s free offering to us, a resurrection from this type of death, from the feeling of not belonging to God!

Yet, our fragile faith requires effort on our part. Distractions and temptations often lead us to doubt this profound truth. Where is the Body of Christ in the midst of the uncertainty in life that comes from greed, empty promises, political strife, natural disasters, imprisonment, loss of limbs, loss of peace of mind, war, and death? We are sometimes overwhelmed by loneliness and feeling incomplete.

Today, however, Jesus offers us the Body of Christ, the faithful, people in our families, parishes, and religious communities. The Holy Spirit chooses to dwell in each person. Despite many weaknesses, we are chosen by God to help one another reflect on this truth and experience it in tangible ways. Jesus Christ is Truth. The Body of Christ is Truth. And we are part of that Truth. That is where we belong. When do we feel this most deeply? We belong the most when we welcome others and remind them that they, too, belong to the Body of Christ, the Church. In truth, God created us with this deep desire to belong, a ‘longing to belong’. In Him, ‘we are completed in a way that perhaps we didn’t know we were incomplete’.

Our experience of the Risen Lord is a journey of discovering how we belong – with each confession and every time we receive the Eucharist, with every psalm and hymn that we sing. Every time I forgive someone from my heart, I relive and witness to the resurrection of Jesus. He said the greatest commandments in the Gospel are… “you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” (MK 12:29-31 NRSV)

As members of the Body of Christ, may each of us humbly ask for the grace to continue to acknowledge the desire of every human heart, the desire to belong and to participate in the eternal Life of the Trinity. In this Body, the Theotokos is ‘our hope, our protection, our refuge, our comfort, and our joy’. During this Year of Jubilee of Hope, may we celebrate this awareness of everyone’s ‘longing to belong’. As members of the Body of Christ, may God bring hope to others through each of us, our families, and our communities.

Sincerely Yours in the Risen Lord,

+ Lawrence Huculak, OSBM

Metropolitan Archbishop of Winnipeg

+ David Motiuk

Eparchial Bishop of Edmonton

+ Bryan Bayda, C.S.s.R.

Eparchial Bishop of Toronto

+ Michael Kwiatkowski

Eparchial Bishop of New Westminster

+ Michael Smolinski, C.S.s.R.

Bishop of Saskatoon

+ Andriy Rabiy

Auxiliary Bishop of Winnipeg

+ Michael Wiwchar, C.S.s.R.

Bishop Emeritus of Saskatoon

Given on April 12, 2025

On Lazarus Saturday and commemoration of holy confessor Basil

3. Вінніпезька Архиєпархія Оголошує Три Відпустових Храми на Ювілейний Рік

На 2025 Ювілейний рік Вінніпезька Архиєпархія має три відпустові храми: Катедра святих Володимира і Ольги у Вінніпезі, Каплиця блаженного мученика владики Василя Величковського при церкві святого Йосифа у Вінніпезі, та церква Непорочного Зачаття і гротто Люрдської Божої Матері у Кукс Крік. Декрет, підписаний митрополитом Лаврентієм, набув чинності 29 грудня 2024 року.

Відзначення Ювілейного 2025 Року Божого, проголошеного Папою Франциском під гаслом «Spes non confundit» («Надія не засоромить»), почалося молитвою, проголошенням Ювілейного року і відкриттям Святих дверей Папою Франциском 24 грудня 2024 року у соборі Святого Петра, а відтак усі католицькі єпископи оголосили Ювілейний рік у своїх єпархіях та дієцезіях 29 грудня. 

У Вінніпезі відкриття Ювілейного року очолив Преосвященний Владика Андрій Рабій, який звершив Божественну Літургію в Катедрі святих Володимира і Ольги 29 грудня 2024 року. Вірні, які здійснять паломництво до відпустових храмів, приступлять до святих Тайн Сповіді та Причастя і помоляться у наміренні Святішого Отця, матимуть можливість отримати повний ювілейний відпуст протягом Святого року.

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Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Winnipeg Announces Three Pilgrimage Sites for the Jubilee Year

For the Jubilee Year of 2025, the Winnipeg Archdiocese have three pilgrimage churches: the Cathedral of Saints Vladimir and Olga in Winnipeg, the Chapel of Blessed Martyr Bishop Vasyl Velychkovsky at St. Joseph's Church in Winnipeg, and the Church of the Immaculate Conception and the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes in Cooks Creek. The decree, signed by Metropolitan Lawrence, came into effect on December 29, 2024.

The celebration of the 2025 Holy Year, proclaimed by Pope Francis under the motto "Spes non confundit" ("Hope does not disappoint"), began with prayer, the proclamation of the Holy Year, and the opening of the Holy Doors by Pope Francis on December 24, 2024, at St. Peter's Basilica. Subsequently, all Catholic bishops declared the Holy Year in their dioceses and archdioceses on December 29.

In Winnipeg, the opening of the Jubilee Year was led by His Excellency Bishop Andriy Rabiy, who celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of Saints Vladimir and Olga on December 29, 2024. The faithful who make a pilgrimage to the pilgrimage churches, receive the Sacraments of Confession and Communion, and pray for the intentions of the Holy Father will have the opportunity to receive a plenary indulgence throughout the Holy Year.

4.                                           PASTORAL LETTER ON THE JUBILEE YEAR 2025

                                                            PILGRIMS OF HOPE

 To the Very Reverend Clergy, Monastics and Religious Sisters and Brothers, Seminarians   

and Laity of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Canada

Glory to Jesus Christ!

“Hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love

has been poured into our hearts through the

Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:5)

Dearly Beloved in Christ!

Pope Francis has declared 2025 to be a Jubilee Year with the uplifting theme of “Pilgrims of Hope”. This is surely a providential declaration as we see that the whole world certainly needs and hungers for a reason for hope and a new beginning which is at the very heart of a ‘jubilee’ year. This is truly a very exciting time for us and the world in which we live!

The concept of a jubilee year is found in the Holy Scriptures from ancient times as a year of freedom and homecoming. On the fiftieth year the trumpet was to be sounded throughout the land, thus ushering in a time of renewal and forgiveness, (cf. Leviticus 25:9 ff) a time of reconciliation and honesty. It was a time to show due glory and gratitude to the Lord God Who grants us every blessing and grace. It was not just a special year, but a new beginning between rich and poor, weak and strong, as well as a reason for moving past fears and grudges held far too long.

Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ directly alluded to the new beginning that a jubilee initiated when He shocked and inspired the people in His crowded hometown synagogue in Nazareth (Luke 4:16-21). There He read the ancient Scriptures of the Prophet Isaiah Who foreshadowed an even more profound Jubilee at the coming of the Christ Who will free Israel from all oppression (Isaiah 58:6; 61:1 ff). When Jesus came, He proclaimed the Good News of faith and freedom that went far beyond the freeing of slaves and captives and physical healing, and the alleviating of the material burden of the poor. He offered Himself as the only suitable sacrifice that released all from the slavery of sin and granted life eternal.

In this spirit of offering a fresh new beginning for all peoples of the earth, the Church revived the concept of a Jubilee year of favour back in the year 1300. Jubilee years were called for by the Popes of Rome to be held every 100 years, then 50 and even every 25 years. Circumstances sometimes disrupted the scheduling of a jubilee year. However, Jubilee years of grace and celebration were also declared for special occasions or anniversaries. Besides the 25-year intervals, Jubilee Years were also declared to commemorate the anniversary of Christ’s saving passion, death and resurrection – for example in 1933 and 1983. Our present Pope Francis declared a Jubilee Year of Mercy in 2016 to mark the 50th Anniversary of the close of the Second Vatican Council. This coming year we have the joy of the first quarterly Jubilee of the 21st Century. We want to fully understand the opportunities that this year brings to have maximum benefit of the grace that it offers.

In the past, who were those most thrilled and relieved by the declaration of a Jubilee Year? Why, those who had fallen into bad times: those who had lost land or were about to lose it; those sold into slavery, and those who were surrounded by hopelessness.

It is much the same for a Jubilee Year declared by the Holy Father. He announces a new Jubilee Year, and we rejoice at a renewed chance for true conversion and great changes!

We begin with Confession and Holy Communion

Among the greatest treasures with which the Lord empowered the Church and thus gave the mandate to “go and teach all peoples” (Matthew 28:19-20) and bring them into the fold of Christ – are the Mysteries… i.e. the Sacraments. The “Sacraments of Initiation” and that of “Penance” are surely essential to our salvation and our ongoing strength and happiness throughout this life and onto life eternal. The Mysteries of Baptism and Chrismation, we receive when we enter into the Church. By these mysteries we “put on Christ. Alleluia!” The most awesome Mystery, that of the Holy Eucharist - the living body, blood and divinity of Christ - completes these Sacraments of initiation. The Eucharist we may, and are encouraged to receive often as we make this earthly pilgrimage through life - even daily. Through the Holy Eucharist we are nourished and strengthened to live our own life in Christ, and fulfil our calling to Evangelize those around us. To receive the Holy Eucharist worthily and to simply maintain ourselves in the favour of the Lord, we also turn to the Mystery of Penance by which we are reconciled to our Lord through what we commonly call “Confession”.

These two Mysteries/Sacraments of Penance and Holy Communion have a central role in the Jubilee Year. Perhaps as an encouragement, making a good Confession and receiving Holy Communion worthily are tied to receiving the Jubilee “plenary indulgence”.

A Sacrifice, An Offering, An Act of Faith

Becoming an authentic follower of Christ and then living the life of a follower, requires making a sacrifice (often an ongoing sacrifice) and actively witnessing to our faith.

Jesus very clearly spoke of the need to “deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). It also sometimes means showing your faith, even when that seemingly poses a risk. The blind men shouting at the side of the road (Matthew 20:29-33), the woman touching the hem of His cloak (Mark 5:25-28), the many people who travelled far to Jesus in hope (Mark 3:7-10): all made the effort to come to Jesus, but also risked not receiving what they had hoped for. The Lord wants us to understand that we stand to receive much more than what we may hope for as did the paralytic whose friends wanted him to receive physical healing. Jesus granted him the much greater and eternal grace of forgiveness of his sins (Mark 2:5). When we make the effort to make our way to the Lord by a physical pilgrimage/journey and ultimately by an act of our hearts and souls, we will never go away empty handed. Again, an offering of time and prayer and a “pilgrimage” of one kind or another are also linked to receiving a “plenary indulgence” for ourselves or for another.

The Jubilee Indulgence

One of the special graces of this Year of Hope involves what is known as a “Plenary (i.e. full or total) Indulgence”. This is certainly a longtime western tradition, but Eastern Catholics have also undertaken the practice as a unique impetus for prayer and personal renewal. The basic definition of this is, “a grace granted by the Church through the merits of Jesus Christ to make reparation in the event of temporal punishment for sin”. This is how we understand it.

When we sin, we want to seek forgiveness as soon as possible. When we are forgiven, we are truly forgiven. However, there are always consequences for our sin. Damage, especially spiritual, has been done. We seek forgiveness for our sin through Confession - the Mystery of Penance. The Lord through His Church forgives us. However, the consequences remain and must be addressed. We will atone for those consequences in this life or in the next (cf. Purgatory) so that we may enter purified into the presence of God. The Church, by the authority given by Christ, calls for reparation for sin, encouraging all the faithful to observe some very important, but quite easily achievable conditions, to receive the Holy Sacraments of Penance and the Most Holy Eucharist. Also, crucial elements here are a Pilgrimage of Hope and prayer for the successor of the Holy Apostle Peter, who is called by Christ to be among the brothers a sign of Unity, because the Lord willed it so!

Praying for the Deceased

For the Lord, all his children are alive, and for the wandering Church it is important not only to maintain unity with the Church Triumphant but also with the Church suffering, where in prayer we maintain the bond of love between us, through the Holy Spirit. In his Jubilee declaration, Pope Francis more than once asks that we remember to pray for the souls who have departed from this earthly life.

Jubilee Pilgrimages

The Holy Father, Pope Francis, will officially open the Jubilee Year in Rome on the Eve of the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord – 24 December 2024. After that Christmas celebration of Hope, eparchies and dioceses and shrines around the world will open the Jubilee Year locally on Sunday 29 December 2024. The Ukrainian Catholic Eparchies across Canada will join in this latter initiative with a Special Divine Liturgy at their respective Cathedrals.

Each of our Eparchies has a special Jubilee plan to allow and encourage all the faithful of each eparchy to fully enjoy the benefits of the Jubilee Year and to share the message of hope in many ways. These plans will continue to be developed over the year, so please check the eparchial websites.

The Archeparchy of Winnipeg

 June 27: Blessed Vasyl Velychkovsky Shrine at St. Joseph church, Annual Pilgrimage

 July 12: Cathedral of Sts. Volodymyr and Olga - Praznyk

 August 15-17: Immaculate Conception Church and Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes (Cooks Creek) - 71st Annual pilgrimage

Eparchy of Edmonton

 June 22: Eparchial Pilgrimage to Saints Peter and Paul Parish, Mundare, Annual Vidpust

 Travelling Miraculous Pilgrimage Icon – Our Lady of Hoshiv, Basilian Monastery, Mundare; parish to parish in 2025.

 “Always Our Parishioners” Pastoral Initiative; weekly visits by local pastor and lay extraordinary Eucharistic ministers to sick and shut-ins.

 Pilgrimage to Blessed Vasyl Shrine and other holy sites in Winnipeg

Eparchy of Toronto

 Every Deanery will have a designated Pilgrimage Church so that the Faithful may easily travel to a nearby Jubilee site.

Eparchy of Saskatoon

 June 14-15: Cudworth Pilgrimage, Our Lady Sorrows

 September 13-14: Millenium Pro-Life Cross Pilgrimage

Eparchy of New Westminster

 June 28-29: Eparchial Pilgrimage to Sts. Peter and Paul Church, Grindrod

 Main Jubilee Year Pilgrimage Destination: Holy Eucharist Cathedral, New Westminster

‘ALL-CHURCH’ AND INTERNATIONAL EVENTS

There will certainly be more Jubilee Year events in each of the Eparchies, as well as Ukrainian Catholic events in Rome for the year. Throughout the year, our faithful will be participating in local, national and international events. There are already plans for members of our Church to travel to Rome for various special gatherings, including:

• The Jubilee for Eastern Churches (May 12-14);

• the Jubilee for Bishops (June 25),

• Jubilee for the Ukrainian Catholic Church (June 28);

• the Jubilee for Youth (July 28-August 3);

• Jubilee for Catechists (September 26-27), etc.

The Jubilee Year Committee for our Ukrainian Catholic Church has posted information about several exciting events organized! Among them:

• Online Encounter of Youth from around the World! (December 31);

• The Word of God Day (January 12);

• Catechism for Families (February 15);

• World Jubilee Day for the Elderly (October 7);

• Jubilee Week for Families (May 11-17); etc.

Those interested in participating in international events may contact their respective eparchial Chancery office and monitor the eparchial website for information.

THE JUBILEE IS FOR EVERYONE

It must be clearly stated, that those whose health or other circumstances will not permit them to travel far to the major churches and shrines or even to nearby designated Jubilee sites should not be dismayed. Those individuals or families who cannot afford the travel or afford the time, should know that the Church wants them to experience the Lord’s mercy and obtain the grace of the Jubilee Year no less than anyone else. The Vatican Jubilee Year website (www.iubilaeum2025.va) and our Church’s excellent website (https://ugcc.ua/iubilaeum2025) address this matter very succinctly: – “Those who cannot make the Jubilee pilgrimage due to illness or other circumstances are nonetheless invited to take part in the spiritual movement that accompanies the Jubilee year, offering up the sufferings of their daily lives, and participating in the Eucharistic celebration.” Even if making a pilgrimage is not possible, the other conditions for the Plenary Indulgence and a prayerful journey deeper into a life of faith with Jesus are doable. Speak with your parish priest. We believe that he will be happy to arrange something with you so that no one is left out of reach the gift of the Jubilee!

The Jubilee Year calls upon us to take full advantage of the opportunities provided for our own spiritual renewal. We are also called to become true Pilgrims of Hope for the world – especially others around us who too are daily seeking a stronger and more vibrant faith. The Jubilee Year calls us out to do something for ourselves and for others by acts of mercy, indulgences, and joyfully sharing our hope and faith. This Jubilee can be a new, refreshing beginning for each of us and for our Church as a whole!

May we all have an amazing and fulfilling Jubilee Year!

Together with you as Pilgrims of Hope in Christ,

+ Lawrence Huculak, OSBM

Metropolitan Archbishop of Winnipeg

+ David Motiuk

Bishop of Edmonton

+ Bryan Bayda, C.Ss.R.

Bishop of Toronto

+ Michael Kwiatkowski

Bishop of New Westminster

+ Michael Smolinski, C.Ss.R.

Bishop of Saskatoon

+ Andriy Rabiy

Auxiliary Bishop of Winnipeg

+ Michael Wiwchar, C.Ss.R.

Bishop Emeritus of Saskatoon

+ Stephen Chmilar

Bishop Emeritus of Toronto

Given on December 15, 2024

On Sunday of the Holy Forefathers