The weekend of the Second Sunday of Great and Holy Lent (22-24 March, 2019) at St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral was truly a time for spiritual reflection and prayer for individual parishioners, the entire St. Volodymyr cathedral parish family and the greater Chicago Deanery of the Western Eparchy of the UOC of the USA.

In his remarks following the liturgical service, Archbishop Daniel reflected upon the spiritual journey of Great Lent and the social and moral challenges of the our society that threaten the very notion of the sacredness of human life, as it has been recently shown by the decisions of the New York State legislature and the decisions about the termination of life for the unborn children. The Archbishop spoke of the significance to support the Christian and especially Pan-Orthodox Pro-Life organizations that challenge the modern day culture of disregard for human life. Vladyka Daniel reflected upon the ministry of Zoe for Life, pan-Orthodox organization that helps mothers to care for their unborn children and often assist them in saving innocent lives by providing opportunities for adoptions, etc.

Following the service and Lenten dinner (prepared the cathedral’s sisterhood), the clergy of the Deanery held their annual Deanery meeting, discussing the vital issues in the life of the Deanery and the greater Orthodox community, especially the most recent granting of the autocephaly to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

Participating in the meeting were Very Rev. Fr. Bohdan Kalynyuk (pastor of Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox parish in Bensenville, IL), Very Rev. Fr. Ivan Lymar (pastor of St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Chicago, IL), Very Rev. Fr. Vasyl Sendeha (pastor of Sts Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox parish in Palos Park, IL), Rev. Fr. Walter Hvostik (pastor of the Protection of the Birth-Giver of God Ukrainian Orthodox parish in Milwaukee, WI), Protodeacon Andriy Fronchak (St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral, Chicago, IL) and Rev. Fr. Mykola Dilendorf, while Rev. Fr. Silouan Rolando (pastor of Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox parish) and rev. Fr. Gregory Jensen (pastor of St. Cyril and Methodius Ukrainian Orthodox Mission in Madison, WI) – very excused from the meeting for to pastoral and personal reasons.