Parish

The Purpose of a Church Community (Parish)

A church community is meant to help make God present in the lives of the people of the community itself. If we are living in a true church community, Christ reaches out to us and touches us through the members of that community. Holy Cross Parish is a church community. The more the people of the community are involved in the life of this parish, the more Christ is present in our lives.

At Holy Spirit Parish, Christ becomes present to all who open their hearts to Him through:

  • the sacraments
  • the common worship services
  • the group prayers and through private prayer
  • the loving and caring efforts of many members of the community who reach out
  • the presence and participation of the youth and children
  • the people who lead us in worship

In short, Christ becomes truly present in our lives when we extend our love and caring to others and at the same time are open to receiving the great love available to us from others. It is the active participation of each one of us that makes us all a church community.

 

The Catholic Church of the Eastern Rite

As Ukrainian Catholics (Eastern Rite), we are members of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. We are in union with the Roman Catholic Church as well as with all the other particular Catholic Churches of both western and eastern rites, and we acknowledge His Holiness Francis as the Universal Pontiff. We do, however, have customs and worship practices that are different from those of the Roman Catholic Church. As we try to maintain our customs we fully respect the customs of other rites.

Documents of the Second Vatican Council state, “it is of supreme importance to understand, venerate, preserve, and foster the exceedingly rich liturgical and spiritual heritage of the Eastern Churches”.  His Holiness Pope John Paul II has emphasized that point on several occasions.

May our active worship life in our Eastern Rite Church help to promote the richness and beauty of the whole One, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.