Prayer, Celebration, Unity, and Mission Outreach: “From Heart to Heart”

On the Occasion of the Inauguration of the Ministry of Metropolitan Archbishop Borys Gudziak
Philadelphia, PA /Washington, DC June 2 to June 9, 2019

Vision:

Praying for the Descent of the Holy Spirit to foster our relationship with God and our neighbor— “heart to heart”. To promote and nurture relations within the Archeparchy and Metropolia, with the Archdiocese in Philadelphia, the city’s Ukrainian-Americans and with the local community at large, with our brothers and sisters from other eparchies, countries, rites, and Churches. To engage the youth “heart to heart,” putting young people at the center of the Church’s mission.

Recognizing the rich legacy of our ancestors and handing it on, enhanced, to a new generation. The program of “heart to heart” prayer and community-building events should spiritually inspire participants in an enduring way and be capacity building for the Archeparchy. The considerable efforts and resources of an enthronement should not be expended to produce a short-lasting if impressive “firework.” Each event, gesture, or symbol is guided by the vision —what does not immediately promote it can be postponed. The five priorities and celebration program embodying the vision prepare all participants for Pentecost—the Descent of the Holy Spirit Who renews us and commissions us to go forth and bear the “Good News” to all people of good will.

Five priorities for preparing and living the celebrations:

1

Do all in the spirit of the Kingdom of God that is in our midst—in peace, humility, and joy, praying for and receiving the gifts and fruits (Gal 5, 22) of the Holy Spirit. The importance of prayer, of a personal “heart to heart” relationship with “Jesus Christ who is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Heb 13,8) This celebration is a prayer of God’s people. Let us trust and open our hearts to the Lord and our neighbors.

2

Foster unity between bishops, clergy and faithful; unity of the Metropolia, the global Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church and of the Church Universal, especially the in the US. The celebration recognizes the needs of the poor, infirm, and handicapped, fosters ecumenical relations, and enhances our relationship with the cathedral neighborhood and the city of Philadelphia as well as with national and diplomatic institutions and representatives in Washington. God and the people of God are the focal point of this celebration. The bishop(s) model(s) this priority. The participating bishops represent their local Churches to the people of the Archeparchy. The celebrations have at their core the unity of the people of God gathered around the Word and the Eucharist at the Cathedral.

3

Youth and children are not only welcome but the focus of the celebrations. We recognize and receive the gifts of our fathers and mothers in the faith and pass them on to a new generation. We articulate the authentic Gospel in an idiom of the twenty-first century. The proclamation flows out of the creative, living tradition of the Church and is understandable to the youth. The celebration manifests that reaching out to the youth is our top priority. Its goal is to help the youth grow in their faith, pray, participate in liturgy, and reach out to the poor, infirm, and handicapped, rejoining in the Lord.

4

 The week will be a grateful appreciation of God’s graces in the history and tradition of the archeparchy. At the same time, it entails critical analysis of our present spiritual life and contemplation of God’s plans for our future. We move forward in a creative, contemporary way, while being rooted in our Eastern Christian tradition. The week should foster an attitude of theological/spiritual reflection and discernment.

5

In the midst of wide-spread cultural banality, the celebrations nurture aesthetic subtlety and richness. The week is characterized by attention to evocative symbols, quality liturgical singing and music, and particularly the beauty and art of living well in relationship with God and our neighbor — the “beauty of love”. Our symbolism and style are vital, rooted in tradition and future-oriented.

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Program

Head of organizing committee: Bishop Andriy Rabiy, Apostolic Administrator. 
All service will be bi-lingual Ukrainian/English