Pastoral Letters of Metropolitan Archbishop Basil Schott

The celebration of the great feast of Pascha prompts us to look back to our recent Lenten journey and reflect on the answers to the questions with which we began the journey across the Ocean of the Great Fast.

What is the truth of our lives? What does justice mean in our lives -- individually, corporately and universally? What happened to our zeal for the Gospel? Have we fully opened the gift of faith and salvation given so freely to us in Baptism? Whether we answered these questions correctly or not -- today, Pascha enlightens us and we are welcomed to participate in the light of the feast of the Resurrection of the Lord.

Did we fast from falsehood, criticism and gossip in the Church, the family, the workplace, and even among our friends? Did we give alms to the poor and the less fortunate to combat the many injustices in society today? Did we pray for and also encourage our neighbors who seem to have no faith? Did we proclaim the good news of the Gospel with zeal? Did we make an enemy a friend during this Great Fast? Whether we did or did not -- today, Pascha enlightens us and we are welcomed to participate in the light of the feast of the Resurrection of the Lord.

Pascha is the feast of community. Pascha encourages us to embrace one another -- those who love us and those who hate us. Pascha gives us confidence to call brother and sister -- those in the community and those on the periphery. Pascha empowers us to be forgiven and to forgive everything and everyone -- nothing and no one is excluded. Pascha frees us. Pascha heals us. Pascha assures us of our own resurrection. Pascha is our joy.

Let us joyfully greet one another on this most sacred day -- Pascha -- Christ is risen from the dead! By death he trampled Death; and to those in the tombs he granted life.

Asking the risen Lord to fill our hearts with the joy of the resurrection , I remain

In the name of the Lord!

Metropolitan Archbishop of Pittsburgh

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Pastoral Message for the Great Fast

January, 2008

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Beloved Bishops, Clergy, Monastics and Laity,

We enter the Great Fast with the prayer “Let us begin the time of this bright fast, giving ourselves over to spiritual struggle. Let us sanctify our soul and purify our body. Let us not only fast from food; let us also abstain from every passion and cultivate spiritual virtues. Let us faithfully persevere in this, so that we may be worthy to see the holy passion of Christ our God and the joy of his holy Resurrection” Vespers-Sticherion.

The Great Fast is a spiritual struggle. It is a spiritual journey that is deeply personal and internal and one that needs all of our energy to “be aware of my sins and not to judge others.” In order to persevere on the journey the Epistle to the Ephesians exhorts us to “draw strength from the Lord and his mighty power” and to “put on the armor of God.” We need to put on the belt of truth manifested by the prayer of the Publican; the breastplate of justice manifested by the Prodigal; the shoes of zeal for the spreading of the gospel manifested by the apostles; the shield of faith and the helmet of salvation manifested and given to us in baptism and the sword of the spirit, the word of God. Truly this is a time to enter into a spiritual journey.

This prompts us to ask some questions. What is the truth of our lives? Are we often pulled into the lair of the Father of Lies? What does justice mean in our lives—individually, corporately and universally? What has happened to our zeal for the gospel—the loss of which we can never blame on anyone else? Have we fully opened the gift of faith and salvation given so freely to us in Baptism? We must give and own individually the answers to these questions. The Great Fast gives us the time to reflect and meditate on them. Truth, justice, zeal, faith, salvation and the word of God are the vehicles that will either help us or hinder us in the spiritual struggle of the Great Fast.

All of this is to be done in the context of fasting, prayer and almsgiving. Let us fast from falsehood, criticism and gossip in the Church, the family, the workplace and even among friends, because they can destroy people’s lives. Let us give alms to the poor and the less fortunate to combat the many injustices in society today. Let us pray for and also encourage our neighbors who seem to have no faith or because of the events of their lives feel that God has forgotten them. Let us proclaim the good news of the Gospel with zeal. During this Great Fast make an enemy a friend, then the Gospel message will come alive in each of us as our actions speak louder than our words.

My sisters and brothers “let us begin the time of this bright fast” and persevere in virtue. Imparting my blessing on each of you, I remain

In the name of the Lord!

Metropolitan Archbishop of Pittsburgh

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Pastoral Message for the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord

December 25, 2007

Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

Venerable bishops, clergy, monastics and laity,

The silence of the first Christmas was broken forever when the Word was made flesh (Jn 1:14). The first-born of all creatures was born and all creation was made new in Christ.

“How shall I tell you of this great mystery? He who is without flesh becomes incarnate; the Word puts on a body; the invisible is seen; He whom no hand can touch is carried; and he who knows no beginning now begins to be. The Son of God becomes the Son of Man: Jesus Christ (Aposticha Sticherion-December 26).

Silence continues to surround many of us today and to engulf us in an endless downward spiral without faith, hope and love. We see, feel and experience it all around us. In fact, it can speak so loudly that it mutes the message of the Gospel.

What is the silence that surrounds us today and needs to be broken by the Word of God — Jesus Christ whose birth we celebrate?

The isolating silence of selfishness, self-centeredness and narcissism; the dividing silence of frustration, mistakes and loneliness; the deadening silence of the lack of community, of always having to be right and rigid individualism; the diminishing silence of revenge, envy and anger; the doubting silence of unbelief, confusion and relativism; the imprisoning silence of hopelessness, depression and despair: these can only be broken by the Word of God — Jesus Christ whose birth we celebrate today.

Negative silence unlike true silence blocks out and destroys our ability to be open and receptive to the Word of God. We need to exchange the negative silence of our lives for the life-giving silence that can only come from God who allows us to listen. We listen! We wait in patience. We become fully alive only when silence breaks into a thousand pieces because the Savior, Jesus Christ has been born for us.

“We need the greater and lesser hopes that keep us going day by day. But these are not enough without the great hope, which must surpass everything else. This great hope can only be God, who encompasses the whole of reality and who can bestow upon us what we, by ourselves, cannot attain. . . .” (Spe Salvi, Pope Benedict XVI).

“Today the invisible nature is united with our visible nature through the Virgin. Today the infinite Essence is wrapped in swaddling clothes in Bethlehem. Today God is guiding the Magi by a star so that they might worship him. With the gold, frankincense and myrrh, he is foretelling his three-day burial. Let us cry out to him: Having become incarnate from the Virgin, save our souls, O Christ God” (Praises - December 26).

Let the silence be broken with the joyful greeting to one other: Christ is Born! Glorify Him! Christos Razdajetsja! Slavite Jeho!

I extend to each of you my blessing, and wish you and your loved ones a blessed Christmas and a holy New Year. I remain

In the name of the Lord!

Metropolitan Archbishop of Pittsburgh

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Pastoral Message for the Feast of the Resurrection

April 8, 2007

Christ is Risen! Indeed, He is Risen!

Beloved bishops, clergy, monastics and laity,

Pascha has arrived. You and I are called to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The long deadening winter of the Great Fast is overwhelmed by the life-giving springtime of the feast of Easter. The willows of last Sunday – the first sign of spring – proclaim that new life is at hand.

We have traveled through the ocean of the Great Fast supported by silence, forgiveness and community. Today, we enter into the Paschal celebration – the safe harbor of the resurrection of Jesus the Christ – to which everyone is invited. Whether we fasted, prayed or gave alms or not, we are all invited to the celebration. No one is excluded. St. John Chrysostom reminds us: “If you began in the first … third…sixth … eleventh hour, do not hesitate since the Lord accepts the last along with the first.”

There are no excuses to fail to participate in the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Whatever is holding us back has lost its grasp. Whatever makes us hesitant has lost its power. Whatever confuses and restrains us is now clarified and unchained. Whoever has diverted our attention is also invited. The celebration has begun; nothing and no one can exclude us.

It is no longer a time to be silent but to sing out with all of creation that Christ is risen. “Let the heavens properly rejoice, and let the earth be glad and let the whole visible and invisible world celebrate: for Christ, our everlasting joy is risen.”

It is no longer a time to be bent over by the burden of the lack of forgiveness but to announce to all – good and bad, old and young, clergy and laity, healthy and sick – that Christ is risen. “This is the day of resurrection. Let us be enlightened by this feast, and let us embrace one another. Let us call brothers and sisters, even those who hate us, and in the Resurrection forgive everything.”

It is no longer a time to stand alone but to walk joyfully in community proclaiming that Christ is risen. The proclamation is to all: rich and poor, vigilant and careless, fasters and those who did not. Everyone is invited. St. John Chrysostom again reminds us: “The table is overflowing, the feast is sumptuously prepared, the food is abundant, let no one go away hungry. Enjoy the feast of faith, receive the riches of loving kindness . . . the universal kingdom has been revealed and forgiveness has shone forth from the tomb.”

Let us complete our journey together, reconciled in community – Church, archeparchy, parish, monastery and family – singing with joy: Christ is risen from the dead! By death he trampled death; and to those in the tombs, he granted life!

Bestowing my Episcopal blessing on all of you during this Paschal Season, I remain

In the name of the Lord!

Metropolitan Archbishop of Pittsburgh

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Pastoral Message for the Great Fast

February, 2007

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Beloved bishops, clergy, monastics and laity,

The Great Fast has arrived. You and I are called to prepare for the Feast of Pascha. The Church gives us this special time to help in our preparation.

We have already traveled through the Sundays of Zacchaeus, Publican and Pharisee, Prodigal Son, Meat Fare and Cheese Fare. Now we enter into the Great Fast itself. Girded with fasting, prayer and almsgiving, let us set out on this internal journey and enter into the ocean of darkness in our lives in order to arrive at the safe harbor of the light of the Resurrection of Jesus the Christ on Pascha.

To enter into the ocean of darkness in our lives takes courage, confidence and hope. There is a saying that we can forgive a child who is afraid of the dark, but the real tragedy of life is when adults are afraid of the light. Are we afraid of the light? What dark area of our lives do we keep hidden from light? Who will help us to go from the darkness to light? We know that it is Christ, the risen Christ, who alone is able to light up the darkness of our lives which for some can be as thick as mud.

We are each empowered to go from darkness to light by God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - in the Mystery of Baptism also called the Mystery of Enlightenment or Illumination. Clement of Alexandria tells us that being baptized, we are illuminated and become children of God and that in Baptism we stand on the frontier of mystery - the mystery of the light of God.

There are three areas to reflect on that may help us on our journey through the Great Fast.

During the Great Fast, let us participate in the gift of silence. But we must remember, as the Desert Fathers tell us, to simply refrain from talking without a heart that is listening to God is not silence. If we must speak, let our words be positive, honest, praising and appreciative of the image of God in our brothers and sisters. Should we find something not positive, lacking of praise or unworthy of the image of God, then let us speak to God about it in prayer for our brothers and sisters. Remember that for every word we utter about another we will be held accountable in the Kingdom. What better time than now to practice silence?

During the Great Fast, let us participate in the gift of forgiveness. Forgiveness allows us to travel from darkness to light, from death to resurrection, from Adam to Christ. Whom do we have to forgive? From whom do we have to ask forgiveness? Are we able to rejoice when our enemy is forgiven? The passion, death and resurrection of Jesus are all about forgiveness, without which, we will never enter the kingdom. During the Great Fast, let us remove our sandals in forgiveness before the mystery of the other person we meet on our journey in whom the Mystery makes his Theophany. The Great Fast is a special time to participate in the Mystery of Reconciliation. What better time than now to go to confession?

During the Great Fast, let us participate in the gift of community. We are not called to journey alone. We are called to journey with each other. The greatest danger in going from darkness to light is to separate ourselves from each other. Fellowship in community allows us to be supported on this journey. Koinonia is the hallmark of the Church especially during the Great Fast. We cannot do it alone. St. Basil reminds us: if you travel alone, whose feet will you wash? May prayer, almsgiving and fasting help us to participate fully in the communities of our lives. What better time than now to build community?

Let us journey together in community - Church, eparchy, parish, monastery and family - maintaining a prayerful silence in order to help us enter into the mystery of forgiveness without which the Great Fast has no meaning.

May the prayer of St. Gregory of Sinai be ours during the Great Fast. "May we become who we are. Find Him who is already ours. Listen to Him who never ceases speaking to us. Own Him who already owns us."

Remembering each of you in prayer during the Great Fast, I remain

In the name of the Lord!

Metropolitan Archbishop of Pittsburgh

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Pastoral Message for the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord

December 25, 2006

Christ is born! Glorify Him!

Beloved bishops, clergy, monastics and laity:

The Christmas season is one that helps us overcome our natural distrust or lack of hope that is so prevalent in our times. It is the season that reaffirms the message that “God is with us!” So many of the problems of today have to do with the feeling that God is not with us, and in fact that no one is with us. What started out as a millennium of peace and concord has become a time of war, violence, terrorism and dissension among peoples of the world in the areas of religion, ethnicity and politics. Perhaps we look for God in the wrong places?

Pope Benedict in a recent message said: “God ‘comes’: he comes to be among us, in each of our situations; he comes to live in our midst, to live with us and in us; he comes to overwhelm the distances that divide us and separate us; he comes to reconcile ourselves with him and with each other. He comes in the history of humanity, to knock on the door of each man and woman of good will, to bring to individuals, to families and to peoples the gift of community, of concord and of peace.”

A knock on the door presupposes that there is someone to answer it. It presupposes that there is someone who wants to answer it. It presupposes that there is someone who is able to answer it. Do we even hear the knock? Do the noises of our lives mute the sound of the knock? Do we hide behind the doors of our lives and hesitate to open them wide when God knocks? Each of us can answer these questions and indeed do something about them.

Once we open the door of our lives to God, a great mystery is revealed. That mystery is Jesus Christ and the salvation he brought to us. St. Jerome reminds us that “Christ saved men not with thunder and lightning, but as a small baby born in a manger. . .” St. Athanasius tells us that “the Word was not impaired in receiving a body, that He should seek to receive a grace, but rather He deified that which He put on, and more than that, gave it graciously to the human race.” Indeed, the birth of Jesus Christ is a mystery of love. Once we open the door of our lives to Christ, we find as Lactantius tells us that, “Christ is the door of the greatest temple. He is the way of light. He is the guide to salvation. He is the gate of life.”

Will we welcome God in the person of Jesus Christ as the Theotokos did when God knocked at the door of her young life? She welcomed him with faith and love.

As we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, may each of us and our families be filled with the light, salvation and life that only He can give to us.

On the Nativity of the Lord, may God find in each of us, a good and open heart. Let us open wide the doors of our hearts in order to receive the gifts that God so overwhelmingly bestows on us. Truly, God is with us! The only question is: Are we with God?

Bestowing my blessing upon all the bishops, clergy, monastics and laity of the Metropolia, I remain

In the name of the Lord!

Metropolitan Archbishop of Pittsburgh

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Pastoral Message for the Feast of the Resurrection

April 16, 2006

Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!

Dear faithful in the Risen Christ!

Journeys are very much a part of life. Wherever we go or travel, it is usually on roads and byways, whether by land, sea or air. A difficulty in any journey is choosing the right road to travel. We can use MapQuest on the Internet. While extremely useful, sometimes, the directions outlined are not necessarily the best route to our destination. The fastest route to our destination is not always the most advantageous and it can be treacherous.

Journeys are very much a part of the gospels. Jesus is usually on a journey. He walks with his disciples from here to there and it is on these journeys that he taught his disciples and the people: walking by the Lake of Galilee (Mt 4:18); seeing the crowds, he went onto the mountain (Mt 5:1); he began to teach them by the lakeside (Mk 4: 1); he made a journey around the villages, teaching (Mk 6:7); one Sabbath he was walking through the cornfields (Lk 6:1); he made his way to the Mount of Olives (Lk 22:39); carrying his own cross, he went out to the Place of the Skull, where they crucified him (Jn 19:17).

Journeys continued after the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, as we find him on the road — the road to Emmaus. He is not alone but traveling with two disciples. The mood is somber as they discuss the events of the previous days. The risen Christ listens carefully and when the opportunity for him to teach presents itself, he does just that. “You foolish ones! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer before entering into his glory?” (Lk 24: 25) Jesus continued to explain, beginning with Moses and all the prophets, the passages throughout the scriptures that were about himself. Then, in “the breaking of the bread,” the disciples finally recognized the Risen Jesus.

Journeys continue in our lives and it seems that we are constantly on the road. Journeys are not always physical, but can be emotional, intellectual, social or spiritual as well. But in any of these, the fastest route is not always the best way to reach the destination. The world in which we live belies this with ever higher speed limits, instant communication and frustration with inconvenience or delay. We want everything to be done in an instant. But just as in ordinary travel, the fastest route to a place is not always the best. The Emmaus event was a long slow walk culminating in “the breaking of the bread” whereby the disciples recognized the Risen Jesus.

The Emmaus event also is the sign for us that on all our journeys we really meet the Risen Christ in “the breaking of the bread,” the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the center of our lives. The communion of love is found in the Eucharist. Pope Benedict XVI tells us: “Communion, the fruit of the Holy Spirit, is nourished by the Eucharistic bread and expressed through fraternal relations, a kind of anticipation of future glory. . . it is the gift that lifts us out of our solitude and brings us to participate in the love that unites us to God and with one another” (Catechesis - March 29, 2006).

Just as Jesus burst forth from the tomb and trampled death by death, so today, in the Eucharist the Risen Christ bursts forth and allows us to trample everything on the journeys of our life that leads us to death and not to resurrection.

Let us burst forth with the Risen Christ in the Church by proclaiming the Gospel to ourselves and to whomever has ears to hear. Let us burst forth with the Risen Christ in our families by living according to the Gospel. Let us burst forth with the Risen Christ in ourselves by living our strengths and diminishing our weaknesses. Let us burst forth with the Risen Christ so that we may journey in community not only during this Paschal Season but for the rest of our journey.

Let me close with the words of the Kontakia of Romanos: “Lift up your hearts, Christ is risen; form choruses and sing along with us: the Lord is risen. He has burst forth, he who was created before the dawn; do not be downcast but take courage. Spring has appeared — burst forth — let us clap our hands and say: He has returned to life, who offers resurrection to the fallen. Christ is risen!”

Bestowing my blessing, I remain

In the name of the Lord!

Metropolitan Archbishop of Pittsburgh

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Pastoral Message for the Great Fast
February 2006

“Let us begin the time of this bright Fast, giving ourselves over to spiritual struggle. Let us sanctify our soul and purify our flesh. Let us not fast only from food; let us also abstain from every passion and cultivate spiritual virtues. And let us faithfully persevere in this, so that we may be worthy to see the holy Passion of Christ our God and the joy of his holy Resurrection” (Vespers -Great Fast).

To the Hierarchs, Clergy, Monastics and Laity of the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh:

Our Lenten journey begins as we sing this meaningful hymn on the eve of the first day of the Great Fast. The Great Fast has come and will be filled with darkness and brightness, spiritual struggle and success, fasting and receiving, passion and virtue. Our goal is to arrive at the shore of the Resurrection and our task is to persevere until the end. St. Paul encourages us: “Therefore…let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith” (Heb 12:1-2).

One of the ways in which we can persevere is by ridding ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us. The meaning of the word cling has a diversity of meanings. It can mean to be totally overtaken or to be easily distracted. This gives us a clue that perseverance is not an easy task. Burdens and sins cling to us, and in a sense, distract us from our Lenten journey. We understand this when we reflect on our lives. Jealousy, pride, impurity, hatred and envy – to name a few – cling to us with great power and distract us from keeping our eyes fixed on the Lord Jesus. Distractions and clingings are addictions of all kinds, not least of all, the addiction to sin. The distraction and clinging is often subtle and therefore deceptive and insidious in controlling our lives without us being aware of it.

We received the grace of perseverance in Baptism. It is not possible to persevere by our own efforts alone. To be strengthened and fortified, we need the gift of perseverance given to us in Baptism. St. John Chrysostom reminds us that “to be called and cleansed was a gift of grace. But when we were called and clothed in clean garments, to continue to keep those garments clean pertains to the perseverance of those who are called” (Homily -Gospel St. Matthew).

St. Cyril of Jerusalem reminds us that in baptism “we stand on the frontier of mystery.” The Great Fast is a frontier of mystery in which we must persevere. We are called to persevere in our vocations: first as Christians, followers of Christ: then as fathers, mothers, single individuals, children, priests, deacons, religious men or women. This is not easy. Our passions and sins cling to us and distract us from the vocations to which we are called. The Church gives us the gifts of fasting, personal prayer and almsgiving as means to strengthen our resolve to persevere especially during the Great Fast.

It is important to realize that the Great Fast takes place in community – the community of the Church. We journey with our brothers and sisters and often times in spite of them. That is why during the Great Fast, it is necessary to join as much as possible in the community of the faithful, which includes our family, parish, Archeparchy and Metropolia.

The community supports and encourages us on our journey to Pascha. We build up our parish community not only by fasting from food but also by fasting from quarreling, disputes, gossip and grudges. We build up our parish community by attending and participating in the liturgical services during the Great Fast, in particular, the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts and the Mystery of Reconciliation. Finally, we build up our parish community by sharing our physical and spiritual alms as individuals and as a community. The alms of generosity, kindness, forgiveness, cooperation, prayer and love must be shared with each other.

Let us encourage each other during this Great Fast and persevere to the end so that the community of our family, parish, Archeparchy and Metropolia can greet the Risen Lord on the Feast of Pascha.

Bestowing my blessing on all the Faithful of our Church during this special season, I remain

In the name of the Lord!

Metropolitan Archbishop of Pittsburgh

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Pastoral Message for the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord

December 25, 2005

Christ is born! Glorify Him!

To our beloved hierarchs, clergy, monastics and laity;

"Do not change that which is in season for that which is out of season; nor the Time for the times."

(Ephraim Homily 11-20)

We are fully aware that we are well into the season of winter, as we are blanketed in the cold and starkness of its embrace. The days are grey and bleak, and darkness comes too soon in the afternoon and lingers too long in the morning. Though we may murmur about the inconveniences of wearing more clothing, slippery travel and snow removal, winter can sometimes bring calm to our lives. With a heavy snowstorm comes a welcomed lack of activity and perhaps even an unexpected Sabbath from our ordinary routine.

The characteristics of winter can also be reflected in the spirit that is sometimes present in our lives. Coldness, distance, self centeredness and, I dare say, even a sense of boredom with all that is can pervade our being with numbness. Thus it is an opportune time to reflect and join in the prayer of the prophet Daniel: "Bless the Lord, frost and cold, praise and glorify him forever. Bless the Lord, ice and snow, praise and glorify him forever." (Daniel 3:68-70)

We can never forget that it is into our cold world of winters that the Father sent his Son to be our Redeemer. The conditions of the Bethlehem cave were bleak and stark. The world was dark and cold because of sin, brokenness and incompleteness. To this Christ brought the light of redemption, the warmth of love, and the hope of an eternal springtime.

"Christ, the son of Mary, brings to light all things new. Catch the scent of this fresh breeze, and at once burst into new life. Stand erect . . . for Christ has overtaken you." (Romanos - On the Nativity II)

As we celebrate the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord, there are areas of our lives that need continual redemption. Our hearts, grown cold and indifferent, need the love of Jesus. Our minds - troubled by memories, dreams unfulfilled, evil, envious or negative thoughts - need the light of Christ. Our hands, filled with so many material things not able to grasp that which cannot be held, need to be supported by faith. Without Jesus Christ and the warmth of the Gospel message, we remain wells without water, winters without Christmas, wanderers without a destination.

Let us celebrate the birth of Jesus with joyous gratitude for all he is and for all he does for us. Jesus is always in season and always the Time around which our lives revolve. We ask Mary, the Theotokos, to help us ever be aware of his light, ever present in the season and time we call our lives.

I extend to each of you my episcopal blessing, and I wish you and your loved ones a prayerful Christmas and a holy New Year.

Metropolitan Archbishop of Pittsburgh

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Pastoral Message for the initiation of "Chosen from Among the People: A Five-Year Strategic Plan for Vocations"
August 6, 2005

Glory to Jesus Christ!

To the Faithful of the Archeparchy,

For some time now, we have been hearing about the "vocations crisis" in the universal Catholic Church, especially here in the United States . The Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh knows this reality all too well. We are experiencing an unprecedented decrease in the number of men and women entering the seminary and monasteries to serve as priests, deacons and religious sisters and brothers.

Our monastic communities of sisters and brothers are nobly struggling to continue their vital ministries in education, healthcare and social work so that they may serve God by serving others. Our priests are remaining in parish ministries far beyond normal retirement age. Additionally, about one-third of our priests now serve two or even three parishes. We all realize the urgency facing us in 2005; however, consider how dire this situation will become ten, fifteen, or twenty years from now if we continue to neglect our collective responsibility. Without vocations, our church cannot survive.

In response to this critical need, I have appointed a Vocations Committee with whom I have been working over the past year. This dedicated group of twelve men and women - clergy, religious, and laity - has crafted and proposed "Chosen from Among the People: A Five-Year Strategic Plan for Vocations." The plan's mission is "to invite and assist men and women in discerning their call to discipleship in the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh as priests, religious women, monastics and deacons."

The central focus of this diligent effort is to create and distribute information about vocations in the Byzantine Catholic Church while increasing overall awareness of the timeless need and importance of vocations in service to God and His people. Over the next five years, we will build and expand on programs currently in place in our Archeparchy as well as embark upon new vocations initiatives.

Essential to the plan is a wide range of multimedia materials and activities, with an emphasis on inviting youth and young adults to consider a life of discipleship, a life of service, a life of leading others in faith. A strong Internet presence is envisioned with the planned addition of an interactive vocations page to the Archeparchy's official web site. Distribution of print materials will extend throughout and beyond the ranks of our Church membership, seeking also to invite others to follow Christ and experience His love through our beautiful and unique Eastern Catholic spirituality.

We will also continue a formal prayer program that has the potential to touch every home in the Archeparchy. Since September 2004, the "Pilgrim Vocation Icon" has been handed from family to family in parishes across the Archeparchy. By continuing to encourage prayer for vocations at the family level, it is hoped that this experience will in turn strengthen the parish community's resolve to encourage vocations and inspire actions that will positively influence those who are considering such a call.

We know that a call to a vocation is a gift from God. However, one who hears that call also needs to hear the encouraging words and feel the welcoming arms of the church - that is you, the faithful, the people of God - if indeed he or she is to be inspired and confident to answer. For this reason, your full and unconditional support of " Chosen from Among the People" is vital. Nurturing vocations is not solely the work of a committee; it is the responsibility of the entire Church. We must all work together to invite and support those who will lead our Church into the future.

Realizing, valuing and affirming the accomplishments and service of those who have already chosen to answer the call is an integral part of keeping our Church strong as we invite others to say "yes" to the Lord. I therefore ask you to begin your commitment to our vocation effort by taking a moment to pause and reflect. Think about the clergy and religious who have influenced your life. Think about the priests who absolved you from your sins, gave you the precious Body and Blood of Our Lord, showed concern and gave you counsel during the difficult times in your life. Think about the deacons, sisters and brothers who taught you, encouraged you, or ministered to you in some way.

Now think about who will be there to minister to our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

On August 6, 2005, the Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord, our Archeparchy formally initiates "Chosen from Among the People: A Five-Year Strategic Plan for Vocations." As we work together, and with God's help, may we create an even stronger bond in our Byzantine Catholic Church, a precious gift which we have shared for generations. Our fervent efforts to work together towards the goal of increasing vocations in our time will likewise enable us to pass this gift on to those who will continue the Lord's work into the future.

Assuring you of a special remembrance in my prayers and bestowing my blessing, I remain,

In the name of the Lord!

Metropolitan Archbishop of Pittsburgh

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Pastoral Message for the Feast of the Resurrection

March 27, 2005

“Christ is risen from the dead!

By death he trampled Death;

And to those in the tombs

He granted life.

This is the hymn that fills the world with rejoicing today. This is the hymn that proclaims to all that Christ is the Lord. This is the hymn that declares that Good Friday was a beginning and not an end. This is the hymn that turns our darkness into light, our sadness into joy, our fears into hope. This is the hymn that announces that the “corruptible put on incorruption and the mortal put on immortality.” (St. Athanasius – Incarnation of the Word)

We sing about the Resurrection not as something in the past but rather in the present. We meet Christ in the present and it is in the present that he meets us. We do not celebrate an event that happened in the past and has no effect in the present or the future.

The present is the window of our lives. Without it we are not able to look back to that which came before nor to look forward to that which will come. Without the present moment we cannot exist. It is here that we meet the risen Christ.

The present paschal moment is important in the Church. We must continually proclaim that Christ is risen. We must preach it from the rooftops to the sidewalks, from the suburbs to the inner city, from the church to the workplace.

The risen Christ continually opens the window of the present paschal moment for us all. We must take the faith that has been given to us in baptism and share it with others rather than keep it locked in a golden dome. We must take the hope that has been given to us in baptism and share it with others rather than bind it in the mistakes and failures of the past. We must take the love that has been given to us in baptism and share it with others rather than only direct it inward where it will shrivel up and die. This can be done only in the present moment.

The present paschal moment is important in our families. Time is the most important gift we can share with each other. We must not allow the present paschal moment to become the past without having even shared it with those we call wife, husband, mother, father, brother, sister, son and daughter. We must announce to them that Christ is risen – and then live it. This can be done only in the present moment.

The present paschal moment is important in our individual lives. “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” (Gal. 2:20) We are called to share all the gifts that the risen Lord has given us. Unless we share in the present moment, the danger is that we will become spiritual misers. The more we accumulate, the emptier we become. This is especially true in our spiritual lives. Everything that is not shared, that is not lovingly given to others, will leave us as empty shells. We will be as the empty tomb. The risen Christ will not be present.

Because of the resurrection, we are called to journey beyond the safety of our lives. To find Christ, we have to go to the church, to our family, to the streets, to the prisons, to the hospitals, to the nursing homes – perhaps even to our own homes. We will find him with the poor, the desperate, the embittered. The marginal and ordinary people, whom the risen Christ alone makes extraordinary.

As we celebrate Easter, may we as church, family and individuals allow the risen Christ to enter into the present of our lives and continue to fill us with faith, hope and love. Then may we have the courage to share who we are with those we meet on our journey to eternal life. No one can be a stranger in our midst because Christ is risen!

Bestowing my blessing on the clergy, religious and laity of the Archeparchy, I remain

In the name of the Lord!

Metropolitan Archbishop of Pittsburgh

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Pastoral Message for the Great Fast

February 2005

To the Hierarchs, Clergy, Monastics and Laity of the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh:

We have recently celebrated the birth and baptism of Jesus Christ and now find ourselves in the Great Fast as we prepare for the Feast of Pascha. We began with Jesus as a newborn child and then saw him as a young man being baptized in the Jordan after which he began his public ministry preaching the reign of God - ending in his suffering, death and resurrection. Two thousand years later during the Great Fast we remember what Jesus preached and we reflect upon the effect his suffering, death and resurrection has had in our lives. The Great Fast is a time to assess how we measure up to the teachings of the Lord.

The Great Fast is viewed as a time for the practice of penance and repentance. And indeed it is. It is a time when we can do without many things, which are pleasurable that we like and with which we are comfortable. For some it is a negative time, a time to lose weight by not eating, a time to control our tongues by not speaking, For others it is positive time, a time for more prayer, a time to use our material goods not for ourselves but others.

We pray at Forgiveness Vespers, which begin the Great Fast, saying: "The light of your grace has shone upon our souls, O Lord. Behold, this is the favorable time, the season of conversion. Let us turn away from the works of darkness, and let us clothe ourselves with the armor of light.

Thus, the Great Fast can be the time to be empowered by our strengths. It can be the time to pray but to also look at what we are praying about. It can be the time to fast but also to give food to those who have none. It can be the time to give alms but also to give of ourselves to those who are poor in a myriad of ways.

What are our gifts? What are our talents? What are the blessings God has given us? The Great Fast can be the time to use our gifts, talents and blessings. To only concentrate on our failures, to only stress our liabilities, to only decry our lack of blessings is to remain in the works of darkness. God created each one of us and gave us all that is needed for salvation. He gave us the armor of light. Like Christ, we were baptized and received all the gifts of this Mystery. These are our strengths.

Very often we want to be like others. Not realizing that we neither have their gifts and talents nor their liabilities and failures. We often lead our lives based on the pressures of society and our peers as to who we should be. We are told what to wear, what to eat, what music to enjoy, what professions to advocate, what to think - how to live our lives. We can spend our days trying to please others and waste our lives by not developing our own gifts, talents and blessings. "Just as a writing pen has the need of one to employ it, so also does grace have need of a believing heart . . . . It is God's part to confer grace and gifts, but ours to accept, guard and use." (Cyril of Jerusalem - Catechetical Lectures )

Let us journey through the Great Fast fortified by prayer, fasting and almsgiving and let us accept the gifts that God has given us and be empowered by them. If it is kindness, overlook another's harshness; if it is humor, help others to dry their tears; if it is sensitivity, be more gentle with the hard-hearted; if it is intelligence, be more of a teacher; if it is hope, encourage others in despair; if it is a positive spirit, help those imprisoned by negativity; if it is forgiveness, lighten the burden of those who can't forgive; if it is a peaceful spirit, share it with those who live in a world of conflict - internal and external; if it is prayer, encourage those who find prayer difficult; if it is fasting, encourage others held captive by food; if it is almsgiving, be patient with those preoccupied with themselves; if it is faith, don't hesitate to speak the truth. Applying our strengths and gifts during this Great Fast can be a vehicle of God's grace to others and us.

Praying that the Lord direct our steps during this Great Fast and bestowing my blessing, I remain

In the name of the Lord!

Metropolitan Archbishop of Pittsburgh

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Pastoral Message for the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord

December 25, 2004

Christ is born! Glorify Him!

To our beloved hierarchs, clergy, monastics and laity;

O Christ our Lord and our God, you did not think equality with God something to be grasped at, but you emptied yourself, you took the form of a slave and were born in human likeness. Enlighten us as we celebrate your holy birth. Make us worthy to see the mystery of your becoming man for us, while remaining God in eternity. Fill our minds with understanding that we might see you even in the least of our sisters and brothers" ( Royal Hours).

The mystery of the feast of the birth of Jesus Christ that we are celebrating fills us with a sense of humility and unworthiness. We cannot comprehend the unending love of the Father to send the Son to take the form of a slave and be born in human likeness. To be the recipient of this unending love is humbling. The light of this love continually silhouettes the darkness of our unworthiness. An unworthiness that could only be wiped away by the coming of the Lord "who account of his great love, became what we are, so that he might bring us to what he himself is" ( Ireneaus: Against Heresies ). St. Gregory Nazianzus says: "On the one hand being, and eternal being of eternal being, above cause and word, for there was no word before the Word; and on the other hand for our sakes also becoming, that he who gives us our being might also give us our well-being."

"God saw that we worship things created; He put on a created body, that in our custom he might capture us" (Ephraim the Syrian: Hymns of the Nativity ). It is awe-inspiring to feel that in this feast God captures us. So much of our activity is geared to capturing the love and respect of others by all we do during this special season. But to be captured by God humbles yet empowers us to act in the presence of such a mystery. Indeed, we needed to be captured by God through his Son, Jesus Christ; without being captured we could not be free and liberated.

There are many ways in which we continually need to be captured by God. Our fears need to be captured to turn them into hope; our pettiness into generosity; our struggles with forgiveness into acceptance; our need to control into openness; our anger into gentleness; our speaking into listening. To be captured by God necessitates a change in our hearts and minds, which is difficult. May this special feast give us the courage and boldness to do just that.

We are in the midst of celebrating the "Year of the Eucharist." The Divine Liturgy is the concrete expression of the mystery of the incarnation. The Word of God takes human nature through which God and humanity are united. The Divine Liturgy is the center of our lives and from it flows the ability not only to be captured by Christ but also to become united with him by partaking of his body and blood. A unity that is so intimate that "all of us who become partakers of this one bread and cup may be united with one another in the communion of the one Holy Spirit" (Anaphora of St. Basil). It is a perfect time to reflect on being captured by God in the Eucharist.

Christmas is the time of gifts. Today, we celebrate the greatest gift God gave us: the birth of his Son, Jesus Christ. We need to open the bow of the gift of the humanity of Jesus Christ and discover divinity while allowing the gift of his divinity to capture the humanity of our lives. May this blessed feast be the occasion for reflection on what a priceless gift Jesus Christ is for all creation.

In spirit of hope, I extend to you my blessing and wish you and your loved ones a most blessed Christmas and a holy New Year. I remain

In the name of the Lord!

Metropolitan Archbishop of Pittsburgh

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Pastoral Message for the Feast of the Resurrection
April 11, 2004

Christ is Risen! Indeed, He is Risen!

Sisters and Brothers in the Risen Christ!

Having passed through the dark open doorway of the Great Fast, we arrive into the light of the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The risen Lord graciously welcomes us. Nothing can ever be the same. We exclaim to all who have ears to hear: "Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death and to those in the tombs granting life ."

We celebrate this glorious feast as individuals, family and as church. We greet each other with a holy kiss and proclaim that "Christ is risen!" and respond "Indeed, He is risen!" This is the feast of light. This is the feast of joy and love. This is the feast of feasts. "We celebrate the victory over Death, the destruction of the deep abyss, and the birth of a new eternal life" (Easter Matins).

The risen Lord graciously welcomes us as individuals. Our relationship with the Lord is always individual. The resurrection of the Lord allows us as individuals to change from darkness to light, from despair to hope, from unbelief to faith, from hatred to love. We stand alone before the risen Christ. We were baptized into Christ, we have put on Christ, we have entered into the death and resurrection of the Lord.

The risen Lord graciously welcomes us as family. A family is made up of individuals. All of us: mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers are invited to the feast. It is in our family, biological or social, that each of us is called to live out our baptismal commitment to the risen Lord. It is my hope that all our families can celebrate Pascha this year in a special manner. Attend Easter services as a family and then celebrate together at a special meal for the occasion. It can be the time to extend a gracious welcome to members of our family who have distanced themselves from their baptismal commitment and invite them back to the celebration. It can also be the time to invite someone less fortunate than we to partake of this life-giving celebration.

The risen Lord graciously welcomes us as community - the Parish. The love of the risen Christ brings individuals joined in family celebrating together in community - the parish - the Church. Our parishes are resplendent with light, flowers and scents of spring and freshly prepared foods. Life abounds. Just as the risen Christ appeared before his disciples in community, it is also in our parish community that the same risen Christ empowers us to lead the Christian life. All the members of the parish have been empowered through Baptism, Chrismation and the Eucharist. It is through these Mysteries that the individual becomes part of a community-the Church. Sadly, some of the members leave the Church because of hurt and misunderstandings. We must welcome back those who have fallen away, those who do not attend our parishes. We need to seek them out. We need to remember them in prayer. "Let us call sisters and brothers even those who hate us, and in the Resurrection forgive everything" (Easter Matins). They always remain our sisters and brothers, part of our family, members of the community of the Church because of their baptism.

Today truly is the time for celebration as individuals, family and Church because Christ is risen. Assuring you, clergy, monastics and laity, of a special remembrance in the Divine Liturgy on Easter Sunday, I remain

In the name of the Lord!

Metropolitan Archbishop of Pittsburgh

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Pastoral Message for the Great Fast
February 2004

To the Church of Pittsburgh:

The doorway of the Great Fast is open and it is the time for repentance. The plaintive melodies of the Pre-Sanctified Liturgy, the dark vestments, the prostrations, the fasting and giving of alms signal, indeed, that the season of the Great Fast has come. We begin with the hope that we will be able to keep the Fast. Should we stumble or falter on the journey, we have confidence that, with the help of God and our brothers and sisters, we will pick ourselves up and continue.

Although the Great Fast is a holy season, it can be filled with dangers. Anytime we set out on a journey to do good, evil is not far behind. In fact it will challenge us throughout the journey. We must make a special effort to always have before us the thought that it is not what we do or do not do that matters. What matters is what God is doing in each and every one of our lives. The evil of pride and hypocrisy can lurk in the shadows of the doorway of the Great Fast and try to trap us. It is not the time for broadcasting all that we are doing and how wonderful we are for doing it. It is rather the time for breaking down all that is in us, which distorts our baptismal gifts.

"Let us keep a spiritual fast; let us break up every hypocrisy; let us flee the traps of sin; let us forgive the offenses of others, so that our sins might also be forgiven" ( Matins - Third Week ). Let us enter the doorway of the Great Fast supported by the triptych of prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

Let us enter the doorway of the Great Fast in prayer. We are called to pray individually and in community. It is important for us to attend the various Lenten Services in our parishes and in particular the Liturgy of the Pre-sanctified Gifts. It is equally important each day to pray individually by putting ourselves in the presence of God and listening. There are many opportunities throughout the day, whether at home, school, traveling or in the workplace during which God is calling you and me to pray.

Let us enter the doorway of the Great Fast as those who fast. We are called to fast. For some, because of various reasons, the minimum is to follow the Archieparchial Regulations for Fasting. For others, with God's grace, they can enter into the ancient and traditional fasting traditions of our Church. For all of us, we must remember that fasting is not simply about the abstaining from certain foods, but also the abstaining from unkind words, envy, anger, demands of any kind, holding grudges and revenge. The latter fasting is often more difficult than the prior.

Let us enter the doorway of the Great Fast as almsgivers. We are called to give alms. Alms is not only concerned with material things but also spiritual. The widow of the gospel reminds us that we must give alms not only from our bounty but also from our need. Should we be