Holy Eucharist Parish

Your Kingdom, O Christ our God,
is a Kingdom of all the ages,
and Your rule is from generation to generation.
Made flesh of the Holy Spirit and made man of the ever-Virgin Mary,
You have enlightened us by Your coming.
Light of Light, Brightness of the Father,
You have made all creation shine with joy.
Everything that breathes praises You,
the Image of the Father’s glory.
O God–the One who is–and always was,
who shone forth from a Virgin, have mercy on us.
(from the Vespers of the Nativity)

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
May our Lord bless you graciously this holy season as we celebrate the birth of our Saviour. May the gifts of time, talent and treasure you offer Him be multiplied throughout the world, and may You receive His mercy fully.

Father Michael

When our Ukrainian Catholic Bishops of Canada went for their ad limina visit with the Holy Father in Rome earlier this year, Fr. Darren Kawiuk, our former pastor, was able to participate in an audeince with the Holy Father. Let’s continue to pray for Fr. Darren while he studies in Rome.

Father Vladimir Bozyk peacefully fell asleep in the Lord this past Saturday, December 16, 2006. Father Vladimir received the Holy Mysteries of our Lord’s Body and Blood that very morning from Metropolitan-Archbishop Lawrence. Accompanying him were our auxiliary bishop, David, and our Chancellor, Father Richard. Father Vladimir had been under doctor’s care at the Riverview Health facility for the last month as a result of a losing battle with cancer. At his side when he reposed in the Lord was our dear sister in Christ, Elaine Bowman.

Funeral Services are as follows:

Wednesday, December 20, 2006
7:00 pm, Priestly Parastasis
Sts. Vladimir and Olga Cathedral
114 McGregor Avenue

Thursday, December 21, 2006
10:00 am, Funeral Divine Liturgy
St Michael Church
400 Day Street
Burial at All Saints Cemetery
Memorial Meal at Holy Eucharist Parish Centre, Watt and Munroe

Wednesday, January 24, 2007
40 Day
4:30 pm Priestly Parastasis
7:00 pm Divine Liturgy
Reception to follow

There was a certain family that constantly complained about the stresses of Christmas. Each year, they put up their Christmas tree the weekend of Thanksgiving. And each year, they attended parties and concerts and ballets and plays during December. They strung thousands of lights on their house. They scoured newspapers and catalogs and raced from one store to the other. Then they exhausted themselves gift wrapping everything, unable to keep track of what they’d bought for whom. As the presents stacked up, so did their credit-card debt. The family feasted on sugar plums until they sickened themselves and felt bitter and hollow that their expectations of the holiday never materialized. And on Christmas morning, the family members seemed as bored and tired as the Christmas tree that had dried out and dropped most of its needles. There was another family determined to keep Advent and Christmas happy, holy seasons. Each December, the family prepared by prayer time together and the parents created a Christmas budget. The parents immediately tossed tempting catalogs into the recycling bin and even muted their television during commercials to avoid the crush of Christmas consumerism. During Advent, they politely declined invitations in favor of simple, restful, family rituals. To promote social justice and eliminate clutter, the family gave alternative gifts in the names of loved ones. They had trees planted to reforest Ireland, livestock delivered to people in Third World countries, books donated to schools in disadvantaged areas of their city. They gave one another cotton clothes made by nuns and enjoyed cookies baked by monks. The family always waited until just before Christmas to decorate their tree. And when Christmas morning arrived, the fir was still fresh, and so were the family members.

Adapted from December 2006 Grace in Action Newsletter 

Dec 24 - Sunday of the Holy Fathers
9:00 am - Divine Liturgy in Ukrainian and English

Dec 25 - Nativity of our Lord
Dec 24, 3:00 pm – Vespers & Divine Liturgy of St Basil
Dec 24, 10:00 pm – Great Complines & Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom
Dec 25, 10:00 am – Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom

Jan 6 - Theophany of our Lord
Jan 5, 6:00 pm – Vespers & Divine Liturgy of St Basil with Great Blessing of Water
Jan 6, 8:00 am – Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom