Articles and Letters
Called to the Holy Mountain: The Monks of Mount Athos Gem in Vatican's Art Collection Gets a New Look One of the gems of the Vatican's priceless religious art collection — a 6th century reliquary containing the fragments of the cross on which Jesus was crucified — has gotten a new look after being restored to its Byzantine-era glory, experts say.
His Eminence, Daniel Cardinal Dinardo, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, magnanimously invited the Houston Byzantine Catholics to participate in the large-scale evangelization conference hosted by the Archdiocese. Houston Byzantines answered and also extended the invitation to Byzantines all over the state. Through workshops, a parish-sponsored information booth and the serving of Great Vespers in the Co-Cathedral, a strong witness to the ancient faith heritage of the Byzantine Church was shared with our brothers and sisters of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.
On Saturday, August 8, in the heart of Texas, beautiful strains of Byzantine chant were heard in the town of Buffalo, Texas, situated approximately half-way between Dallas and Houston. This unusual assembly gathered shortly after 10am as the temperature outside continued to rise, following the ascent of the midday sun.
Texas ByzanTeen Pilgrimage 2009 On Wednesday, August 5, 2009, St. Basil the great welcomed the youth from St. John Chrysostom Byzantine Catholic Church to Irving, Texas for a two-day Texas Pilgrimage to observe the Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord on August 6.
Come and See: Exploring Diaconal Ministry Texas-style Eight men and their wives recently answered the call to “Come and See,” attending a retreat spearheaded by the Southern Proto-Presbyteral District of the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh to learn more about diaconal ministry and discern whether this is where God might be calling them to serve. The retreat took place on June 5-7, 2009, at the parish social hall of St. John Chrysostom Parish in Houston, Texas. Inquirers were evenly split, four coming from the host parish and four from St. Basil the Great in Irving. This was a first step before entering into a more formal discernment process involving the role of diakonia, or service.
Pope Benedict XVI's Address on Sts. Cyril and Methodius Last month, Pope Benedict XVI used the Holy Brothers and Equals-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius to teach about evangelization. These Saints are the enlighteners of the slavs and they are the Patron Saints of our Church. Our ancestors in the faith, received Christianity through their missionary efforts, establishing the Church of Greater Moravia which eventually became the Byzantine Catholic Ruthenian Church. The Pope's address bears witness to the impact that these Saints have had and today they model for us evangelism, on the Church level as well as on our local parish level.
Doubting Thomases? Not in Texas!
by Fr. Elias L. Rafaj The past ten years have seen a flurry of conciliatory gestures between the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church. These events are often occasions for theological homilies, documents, photos, and even the restitution of relics of different saints.
For Life: A Meditation on the Icon of “Rachel Lamenting Her Children” A reflection on the beautiful icon on loan to our parish from the Birthisel Family.
An in-depth article about the workshop experience.
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