Beatified Hierarchs Subject of Commissioned Word
by Kathe Kress
Clergy and seminarians who concelebrated and served for the Divine Liturgy (from left) front row: Subdeacon Bryan Scotton, Timothy Fariss, Subdeacon Thomas Moses, Miron Kerul’-Kmec. back row: Neven Peša, Father Will Rupp, Father Valerian Michlik, Father Robert Pipta, Father Andrew Deskevich, Father Christiaan Kappes, Nathan Adams. Seminarians not pictured: Reader Oliver Black, Michael Kunitz, Thomas Wells, Eugene Yeo and Deacon George Wendt.
On Friday August 26 the Byzantine Catholic Seminary of SS. Cyril and Methodius marked a new academic year with an Opening Day Divine Liturgy. Protosyncellus Very Rev. Andrew Deskevich, representing Bishop William, joined Seminary Rector Very Rev. Robert Pipta, Serra Chaplain Father Valerian Michlik, Academic Dean Rev. Christiaan Kappes and Director of Spiritual Formation Father William Rupp to celebrate the Liturgy in the Seminary Chapel.
Following the Liturgy, Father Robert blessed the icon of our three blessed martyred bishops, Paul Gojdich, Theodore Romzha and Basil Hopko, written by the hand of iconographer Peter Verešcák from the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Košice (Slovakia).
The Byzantine Catholic Serra Club had commissioned the icon and found a pedestal easel for the icon. The Serrans also donated a candle stand and holy water font to accompany the icon. All have found a home near the Theotokos side altar (shrine) in the Seminary Chapel. Following the services, the club provided a catered lunch in the Seminary Dining Room.
Byzantine Serrans stand in front of the new icon at the Theotokos side altar in the Seminary Chapel. (from left) front row: Dorothy Mayernik, Sam Barone, Marylyn Barone, Kathe Kress, Lee Trankocy, Sylvia Bender, Pat Bovee, Eileen Chiprich, Marty Bovee, and John Fisher. middle row: John Tomko, Frank Chiprich, Joe Senko, Rich Trankocy, Arleen Jama and Bill Kress. back row: Father Robert Pipta, Icon of the beatified Martyred Bishops and Father Valerian Michlik.
New Serran Inducted Sylvia Bender Newest Club Member
Byzantine Catholic Seminary Rector Father Robert Pipta officiated at Ms. Sylvia Bender’s Byzantine Serra Club induction ceremony during the organization’s June 15 dinner meeting. Sylvia is a member of St. Gregory Parish in Upper St. Clair, Pa. Father Robert was guest speaker at the June meeting and graciously agreed to serve at Sylvia’s induction, as Father Valerian Michlik, the Byzantine Serra Club Chaplain,a tour group to Rome during that time.
Each member of the Byzantine Catholic Serra Club of Pittsburgh pledges “to uphold the club mission is “to foster, affirm, promote and support, by prayer and deed, vocations to the priestly and diaconal ministries and to the consecrated life in the Byzantine Catholic Church.”
Congratulations and thanks to Sylvia for her commitment to fostering vocations.
Sylvia Bender makes her Serran pledge as Father Robert Pipta offers to her the symbolic lit candle.
