Lenten Service for Ukraine: Praying for Peace
An Anniversary: One year ago, in February Russia invaded; in March we saw what the invasion was.
STAND in solidarity,
HOPE in God’s faithfulness,
PRAY for Ukraine.
Order of Service:
-Welcome and Letters from Bishop Paul of Stamford, Metropolitan Methodios
-Ukrainian Moleben Service, (Archbishop Gudziak and Cardinal Sean Presiding. Archbishop Gudziak Preaching the Homily)
-Cardinal Sean – Remarks
-Blessing/Dismissal
-Reception with Refreshments hosted by the Ukrainian Parish of Christ the King
Confirmed: photo exhibit by Ukrainian Cultural Center of New England.
Donations may be given toward Rebuilding Churches in Ukraine. So far, 494 churches have been destroyed or damaged (source: World Council of Churches).
Why
To pray and show solidarity with the people of Ukraine in a time of historic witness to the Gospel, to Good, to Humanity.
-Lent is a time of Solidarity with the suffering.
-Hope comes from faith and steadfastness: The Feast of the Annunciation is March 25, signifying how God remembers us, We respond in faith like Mary, and Christ comes to be with us.
-Remembering (The Ongoing Attack)
In February Russia invaded; In March we saw what the invasion was:
March 1: Babyn Yar Memorial Center Bombing
March 2: Fall of Kherson city
March 4: Russian attack convoy only 15 miles from Kyiv
March 9: Maternity Hospital Bombing
March 16: Theater of 1000 civilians marked “Children” Bombed
March 19: Mariupol Art School with 400 civilians Bombed
March 20: Shopping Center in Podilskyi Bombed, Battle of Kiev climax- Makariv, Bucha, Irpin, Bilohorodka
March 26: Lviv Bombed
March 28: Forced Deportation of Children Announced
About The Ukrainian Catholic Church https://ugcc.ua/en/
The Ukrainian Catholic Church is the largest Eastern Catholic Church in the world, with over 4 million members. Their spiritual heritage stretches more than a thousand years in the Ukrainian culture to the Baptism of Kyivan Rus in 988 A.D. in the Dnipro River under St. Volodomyr the Great.
About The Ukrainian Catholics in America https://ukrarcheparchy.us/
150,000 Ukrainian Catholics live in North America. They have 3 diocese or eparchies and one archeparchy. Archbishop Borys serves as the Metropolitan for the Ukrainian Catholics in the US. After the fall of the U.S.S.R., Archbishop Gudziak helped to build the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv and serves as its president. The Ukrainian Catholic parish in Boston is in the jurisdiction of Bishop Paul Chomnycky, O.S.B.M., Ukrainian Catholic Bishop of Stamford, CT.
About The Ukrainian Catholics in Boston http://www.christ-the-king-ucc.org/ukrainians_in_boston.php
Ukrainian Catholics have been worshiping in their tradition in Boston since at least 1895. The parish of Christ the King Ukrainian Catholic Church today is home to a large number of recent emigres from the fall of the Soviet Union. Very Rev. Archpriest Yaroslav Nalysnyk is a medical physician, with a doctorate in ministry. He trained in the military medical academy in the former Soviet Union and was ordained in the underground Ukrainian Catholic Church enduring Soviet persecution in Lviv. Ukrainian Catholics keep close ecumenical ties with the Ukrainian Orthodox in the neighboring parish of St. Andrew led by Fr. Roman Tarnavsky.
About Ukrainian Catholics in Boston and the War.
Christ the King Parish adopted this credo at the beginning of the invasion: Faith, Truth, Action, Justice, Love, and Compassion. This helped the parish to be concrete in their response to the devastation of the war. Christ the King Parish sent to Ukraine more than $300,000 in humanitarian support. Boston’s Ukrainians wish to express sincere gratitude to all people of good will here in Boston for their moral and financial support of Ukraine during this critical time of war.
About the Archdiocese of Boston www.BostonCatholic.org
The Diocese of Boston was founded on April 8, 1808 and was elevated to Archdiocese in 1875. Currently serving the needs of 1.8 million Catholics, the Archdiocese of Boston is an ethnically diverse and spiritually enriching faith community consisting of 249 parishes, across 144 communities, educating approximately 31,000 students in its Catholic schools and 156,000 in religious education classes each year, ministering to the needs of 180,000 individuals through its pastoral and social service outreach. Mass is celebrated in more than twenty different languages each week. The Boston Archdiocese has contributed to the Metropolia Humanitarian Aid Fund to create a special fund for Rebuilding the Church in Ukraine. For more information about the Archdiocese, please visit www.BostonCatholic.org