Pope Francis’ Schedule for Holy Week, Easter

April 1 Easter Morning Mass to be Celebrated in St. Peter’s Square VATICAN CITY — Here is Pope Francis’ schedule for Holy Week and Easter: March 9: Penitential Liturgy in St. Peter’s Basilica. March 17: Pastoral visit to San Giovanni … Continue reading

The Angel of Great Counsel

Journey through salvation history to understand the pre-lenten seasons. For Judeo-Christians of the first centuries, all salvation history hinged upon Jesus’s identity as “Angel of Great Counsel” (LXX Isaiah 9:6). The Emmanuel Moleben celebrated in Byzantine churches takes its biblical … Continue reading

What would Jesus do?

As countless fellow human beings suffer terribly in a myriad of ways, and much of our planet groans from gaping human-induced wounds, our government, other governments, and many welloff people, seem to hardly care. It is what Pope Francis calls … Continue reading

From Boston to Rome

Christopher Russo met Father Will Rupp, Director of Spiritual Formation at the Byzantine Catholic Seminary of SS. Cyril and Methodius in Pittsburgh, Pa., as a student at Penn State University. He said it was “amazing” to talk to Father Will, who was serving as Eastern Catholic chaplain in Happy Valley, and see how his spiritual mentorship
benefited young people.

“During that time, I greatly benefited from the spiritual and Catholic ministries they had there. Just how the chaplains were able to talk to (young adults) and inspire them and be close to them in different challenges they had, both spiritual and personal.

“That really benefits people to have that type of mentorship for that type of pivotal points in their lives.” It’s a message Christopher, 23, of Boston, Mass., hopes to deliver as a delegate to a Pre-Synod meeting in Rome from March 19 to 24. He is one of only four young adults — and the only Byzantine Catholic — from the United States who will join about 300 others ranging from age 18 to 29 from around the world in a series of meetings prior to the Syond of Bishops’ “Synod 2018 on Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment” in October. Continue reading

First Responder

Courtney Minerd named victims’ assistance coordinator Courtney Minerd compared her new role as Victims’ Assistance Coordinator for the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh as being a “first responder of sorts.” As a licensed psychologist for almost four years, she has … Continue reading

“The race is not to the swift…”

Recalling Snow Days and the 1980 Winter Olympics When I was an 11-yearold sixthgrade student in Feb. 1980, my mom sent me to school even though a few inches of snow had precipitated a twohour delay. My grade school was … Continue reading

Eternal Memory

Rev. Father Edward M. Lucas Rev. Father Edward Michael Lucas, a retired priest of the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh, fell asleep in the Lord on January 7. He was born in Yonkers, N.Y. on Oct. 20, 1935, the son … Continue reading

Seminarians attend March for Life in Washington, D.C.

45th Annual Event Promotes Dignity of Human Life Every year I join 250,000 people to march in our national capital in support of the cause of life. A population larger than the majority of our state capitals descends on the … Continue reading