100 Years of Faith and Light| National Catholic Register

The Byzantine Catholic Church in the US has accomplished many great things and brought countless souls to bask in the light of Christ.

“Was there no one to return and give thanks to God but this foreigner?” —Luke 17:18 

In Jesus’ time, he was often spurned by his own people but found praise and thanksgiving among foreigners. Samaritans, Greeks and social outcasts like lepers recognized the light that shone forth from Christ.

When we look at the history of the Catholic Church, we see that the faithful from abroad have often become the Church’s greatest missionary disciples. Men like Sts. Cyril and Methodius and, in contemporary history, Bishop Basil Takach, have illuminated the Church by bringing the light of Christ from a foreign land to a home on new shores. Bishop Takach was the first bishop of the Exarchate for Byzantine (Ruthenian) Catholics in the U.S. (which would later become the Metropolitan Church of Pittsburgh).

The centenary of this gift of the East to American soil was celebrated Oct. 12-13 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and Epiphany Byzantine Catholic Church (Annandale, Virginia). Bishops, clergy and the faithful from the four U.S. eparchies of the Byzantine (Ruthenian) Church gathered together to celebrate and give thanks to God for the gift of their Eastern Catholic faith.

On Oct. 12, pilgrims were welcomed at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., to celebrate a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy. Metropolitan William Skurla, Archbishop of the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh, was the principal celebrant, joined by Bishop Kurt Burnette (Passaic), Bishop Robert Pipta (Parma) and other clergy from the various U.S. eparchies.

During his homily, Bishop Robert reminded pilgrims of the “stark reality” of our Byzantine Catholic history, a history which included periods of being treated “as a leper.” However, the bishop continued, that the healing of historical wounds, which comes from the Holy Spirit, has empowered our Church with a spirit of thanksgiving and profound joy. He pointed to the example of Bishop Takach who, upon his arrival in America following his episcopal consecration in Rome, appealed to the Holy Protection of the Mother of God.

It was Bishop Takach and his successors who called for Byzantine Catholics to embrace those practices and customs that spring from our authentic Byzantine patrimony, eschewing the Latinizations that were often embraced as an attempt to “appear more Catholic.” Byzantine Catholics enjoy a rich theological, spiritual and liturgical tradition that is uniquely their own. However, Bishop Robert reminded us, that we walk in the light of the same Catholic faith — East and West.

Providentially, this centenary celebration also marked the 50th anniversary of the dedication of the Byzantine chapel (dedicated to the Holy Protection of the Theotokos). The Byzantine chapel, located on the crypt level of the Basilica, features a mosaic icon of Our Lady of Pokrov (Holy Protection of the Theotokos) and an iconostasis featuring icons of Christ the Teacher, the Theotokos and Christ Child, and Sts. Stephen and Lawrence (on the service doors). On the left wall of the chapel are mosaic icons of Sts. Cyril and Methodius and the “weeping icon” of Our Lady of Máriapócs, set against an image of the Carpathian Mountains. On the right wall is depicted the Statue of Liberty, the Seminary of Sts. Cyril and Methodius in Pittsburgh, and an icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help.

During the Moleben (a liturgical service of prayerful supplication), Bishop Kurt Burnette, Eparch of Passaic, reflected on the unique position of the human person as “made in the image and likeness of God.” This image and likeness, he said, allows us to love and forgive and to participate in God’s great creative act via great works of art.

The Byzantine chapel is itself a great work of art, created by the renowned Church artist Christine Dochwat. Dochwat completed the chapel at age 40, she is now 90 years old, and the 4th recipient of the Order of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky, the highest award of the Ukrainian-Greek Catholic Church. Bishop Kurt concluded by reminding pilgrims that the Mother of God continues to stand by our crosses, consoling us and bringing us peace.

The pilgrimage concluded at Epiphany of Our Lord Byzantine Catholic Church in Annandale, Virginia. An anniversary banquet was held Oct. 12 with a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy celebrated on Sunday. Parishioners and pilgrims thoroughly enjoyed their pilgrimage experience.

Marking 100 years is a great achievement for any institution. Our Byzantine (Ruthenian) Catholic Church in the U.S. has indeed accomplished many great things and brought countless souls to bask in the light of Christ. There are still many challenges to overcome and souls to soothe by his grace. Greater evangelization and catechesis to attract new members to our Church, an aging clergy struggling to keep up, and our “still small voice” amid the much louder voices among Latin-Rite Catholics, all present us with challenges and opportunities.

With the constant protection of the Mother of God and the prayers of the great canon of Eastern Catholic saints, we have hope and confidence as St. Paul says, “that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6).

For more information about the Byzantine (Ruthenian) Catholic Church in the U.S., please visit the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh, the Eparchy of Passaic, the Eparchy of Parma and the Eparchy of Phoenix.

The recording of the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at the Basilica-Shrine can be viewed here.

The Moleben can be viewed here.