JMJ
July 01, 2011
Dominion Day in Canada
“ He shall have dominion from sea to sea, from the great river to the ends of the earth. “ Psalms 72:8.
When the late Bishop James Mahoney spoke at Bishop Pocock’s funeral he said while the Roman Catholics had their faith shaken to the roots by Vatican II the Ukrainian Catholics stood firm in their traditions.
A few people are not pleased with the Ukranian Catholics for holding firm and not going along with all the invented changes in invented documents from the invented “ spirit- of- vatican-2.”
Ukrainian priests are studying “lay formation” with some RC’s so the Ukraninan ladies will stand holding God’s Blood at the altar just like their confused RC sisters who have imbibed on inpowerment and not service.
Bishop Bayda is out to get Old Country priests like Father Federov whose faith journey included a generational stint in Siberia, practicing an underground faith, hiding stoles,Vatican II radio receivers and clandestine prayer meetings with the curtains pulled and the doors locked. Rather than honour and revere people whose Faith has been tried by Communist persecution Bishop Bayda wants no reminder of the persecuted Church and the Christians who walked out in joy and confidence to serve in Canada.
Father Federov in collar and black, was reprimanded for standing and praying before he and fellow priests partook of a Tim Horton lunch. He was told to sit down. “ This is Canada.” In Canada people including priests have a right to say their grace before eating in Tim Horton’s and any where else. People who risked their lives for their Faith in a Communist state expect to have things easier in “ The True North strong and free.”.
The Seminaries in the Ukraine are so full that one- third of the candidates are turned away. Meanwhile Bishop Bayda has cut back services in parishes, closed some and amalgamated others. Father Federov has been given charge of 8 parishes some 30 or 50 miles away from others. The more approved priests get one urban parish. Bishop Bayda says he will not get priests from the Ukraine but from Serbia. It is one thing to encourage people to leave past ethnic feuds behind .It is another thing to deliberately import strife on former victims. The better to empty the churches my dear. Apparently it’s okey to be Old Country as long as you’re not Ukrainian Old Country.
The Catholicity or universality of the Church is not just geographical, that is the same Truth and sacraments everywhere but it is universal in time. There is no significant Old and New Catholicism. There isn’t even new heresies, just renamed ones.
People learn English in the Ukraine at an early age. But like the many, many peoples who have escaped totalitarianism and fled to Canada one learns the language, English and/or French in due course. The Ukrainian Catholic rite is a community united to Rome and the Pontiff. There is no restrictions for a RC to go to a UC Mass and there is no restriction or reason why a Ukrainian trained priest couldn’t serve in RC parishes with some adaptation. They would be excellent for the North: Recognises communism when they see it, is used to cold and snow for most of the year especially if they were exiled to Siberia, and can say
“ sorry we never had the freedom to run a residential school anywhere. Now let’s talk about your need for repentance.”
We all need that Old Time Religion and that includes that Old Country Religion.
Gay
