New Cardinal-designate Bishop Mykola Mychok has last week emphasised the that we must recognise and see the signs of the times in our lives.
Speaking to Perth parishioners and clergy at the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy on Monday 28 October at the Ukrainian Perth Parish of St John the Baptist Church, Bishop Bychok was joined for the occasion by clergy of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Eparchy of Saints Peter and Paul of Melbourne in addition to Perth Catholic Archdiocese Vicar General, the Very Rev Fr Vincent Glynn, Embleton Parish Priest Fr Patrick Toohey, Melkite Greek Catholic Church Parish Priest Fr Elias Kilzi and Ukrainian Autocephalic Orthodox Church of Australia priest Fr Vasyl Olevych.
Bishop Bychok and clergy of the Ukrainian Eparchy were in Perth for the annual Clergy Conference which took place in Safety Bay from 28 October to 1 November.
Continuing his homily, Bishop Bychok said the most important sign should be the person of Jesus Christ, who took on a body, became one of us, suffered, was crucified, and rose again on the third day, which we recognise every day when we pray the Creed.
“Another important sign is the ministry of the clergy of our Eparchy, who are called to preach the crucified and risen Christ, our Saviour,” Bishop Bychok said.
“It is a great favour of God that we have workers in Christ’s vineyard,” he continued.
At the end of the Divine Liturgy, those present sang a prayer for Ukraine: “God, the Great One.”
Guests then gathered at the parish hall for dinner and were also provided the opportunity with an introduction from each of the clergy of the Eparchy.
During the sessions of the Conference, the clergy worked on adapting the Eparchial statutes, based on the Parish Rulebook of the UGCC, the Charter of the Parish Pastoral Council of the UGCC, and the Charter of the Parish Economic Council of the UGCC, issued by the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC in 2015. A session on the safeguarding of minors and vulnerable people was also held.
The visit of Bishop Mykola and the Ukrainian clergy also included a meeting with 97-year-old Redemptorist priest Fr Thomas McFall, the oldest Redemptorist in Australia.
Clergy heard about the more than a century of Redemptorist history in Western Australia including Fr Mykola Kopiakivskyi, Fr Volodymyr Krajewski, and Fr John Bowden, who learned the Ukrainian language and rite to serve in Australia.
The clergy then arrived at St Mary’s Roman Catholic Cathedral in Perth, where they were greeted by Cathedral Dean, Fr Sean Fernandez and clergy of the Archdiocese of Perth.
Archdiocesan Archivist Odhran O’Brien also gave a tour of the Cathedral and the surrounding area, telling the clergy about what was the “longest building project”—the construction of the cathedral of more than 100 years.
At the end of the day, the clergy of our Eparchy visited the Redemptoris Mater Seminary, where they joined the common evening prayer and meal.
During these visits, Bishop Mykola repeatedly expressed his gratitude to the Catholic Church of Western Australia for their prayers and support for the Ukrainian people, emphasising the solidarity and unity of our Churches. In each of the places visited, a common prayer for Ukraine was offered.
In addition to working during the sessions of the Conference, every day the bishop, priests, and deacons of our Eparchy prayed the Divine Liturgy and the prayers of the daily cycle of prayer for the intentions of our entire Eparchy in Australia, New Zealand, and Oceania, as well as for victory and peace in Ukraine.
