On Thursday, January 9th, Bishop Paul Chomnycky met with the Stamford Eparchy Departments officials to discuss the pastoral activities action plan of their various offices for the upcoming year of New Evangelization and Missionary Spirit.

On Saturday morning, January 25 a Moleben service to the Most Holy Mother of God was celebrated by Bishop Paul Chomnycky and clergy of St. Basil Seminary in the seminary chapel.  Attending the service were faithful of St. Vladimir Cathedral along with the students, parents and teachers of the local Ukrainian Heritage School.  They were gathered to pray for a peaceful resolution to the crisis gripping Ukraine.  In his words to the faithful, Bishop Paul stressed that, although we feel helpless in the current situation, sincere prayer, especially to the Mother of God, is the most powerful weapon we possess.  May God bless the Ukrainian nation and may the Most Holy Mother of God protect with Her powerful Omophor, all those who are in harm's way on the Maidan in Kyiv.  БОЖЕ ВЕЛИКИЙ ЄДИНИЙ, НАМ УКРАЇНУ ХРАНИ!

On Friday evening, March 7, 2014 St. Basil Seminary is offering a great opportunity for laity to enter into the Great Lent spirit.  The New Evangelization and Missionary Activities in My Life Retreat/Seminar will focus on real and concrete steps that each and everyone of us can take to spread the "Good News" of Jesus Christ n our daily lives.   For more information please visit St. Basil Seminary website at www.stbasilseminary.com

With the beginning of the Great Lent, the Eparchy of Stamford, has entered into a new phase of the New Evangelization and Missionary Spirit activities.  The time of Lent is a time of spiritual reflection and renewal.  The New Evangelization must start with each and every one of us re-examining our relationship with Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.  May Jesus Christ light shine brightly in our life and this year Lenten journey be a time of witness of God's love to others!   Being and acting as a true Christian is the best Evangelization.

On January 30, the Feast of Three Hierarchs, St. Basil the Great, St. Gregory Theologian and St. John Chrysostom, St. Basil Seminary Board members met to review the seminary activities. In addition, the directors discussed the future plans for the institution, including, the celebration of the 75th Anniversary of St. Basil Seminary on September 18-20, 2014.

On Friday, February 14, a meeting of the Pastoral Council of the Stamford Eparchy was held in St. Basil Seminary in Stamford, CT.  The members discussed the status of the implementation of resolutions of last year's Eparchial Sobor.  A 2014 Eparchial Action Plan for the New Evangelization was also tabled.  The Action Plan calendar highlights two main events: Eparchial Women's Day (May 3) and Eparchial Men's Day (October 4).

On Thursday evening, February 20 the Ukrainian Catholic community of Stamford gathered in St. Vladimir's Cathedral to pray for peace in Ukraine and for the repose of the souls of the victims who have died in the escalation of violence on the Maidan in Kyiv in the last days.  Bishop Paul, assisted by cathedral rector Fr. Ihor Midzak and eparchial clergy, led the faithful that packed the sanctuary for the 7 pm service, in the celebration of a Moleben to the Mother of God and a Panakhyda memorial service.

On Wednesday, February 5th, St. Basil Seminary administration met to plan upcoming programs and activities in Spring of 2014. The main topic of the meeting was the 75th Anniversary of St. Basil Seminary and College. St. Basil Seminary is planning Alumni Reunion, Theological Symposium entitled Theological Education in North America, and Anniversary Banquet. For more information, please, visit St. Basil Seminary web-site at www.stbasilseminary.com

From March 3 to 6 the Stamford eparchial clergy gathered for their annual spiritual retreat at Mount Alvernia Retreat Center in Wappingers Falls, NY.  The retreat master this year was the noted Ukrainian Catholic Church historian and archival researcher, Rev. Dr. Athanasius McVay, who based his conferences on Pope Francis' recent Apostolic Exhortation, "Evangelii Gaudium - The Joy of the Gospel".  At the climax of the retreat, Bishop Paul distributed a special icon for the New Evangelization to all of the pastors and then blessed the icons in the main chapel of the retreat center.  The icon, which is a reproduction of the mosaic in the sanctuary of St. Basil Seminary chapel in Stamford, CT, symbolizes the Good News of the Gospel being preached to the world.  Blessed by Bishop Paul and taken to all the parish churches, the icons also serve as a tangible sign of unity among the parish churches of the Stamford Eparchy.

A LENTEN RETREAT FOR YOUNG ADULTS

The Eparchy of Stamford invites single and married couples ages 18-35 for a lenten retreat weekend, March 14-16, in a most beautiful and picturesque spot in New York State.

For more information contact Fr. Taras Chaparin: 203-324-7698,

email: tchaparin@yahoo.com. RSVP by March 10!