MEETING WITH SLOVAK COMMUNITY
OF THE BYZANTINE RITE
UNIONVILLE, ONTARIO
SEPTEMBER 15, 1984
Dear
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
In the joy of the Risen Saviour, I greet the
Slovak community of the Byzantine
Rite of the Eparchy of Saints Cyril and Methodius of Toronto. I offer fraternal greetings, too, to the ecclesiastical and civil
authorities who honour us by their presence
here this evening. I am very pleased to be with you to bless the cornerstone of the Cathedral of the
Transfiguration and to join you in offering praise and thanks to God for
the wonders which he has accomplished in your midst.
The marvellous providence of God has indeed
been with you in this land, protecting you and directing your lives
since you first came here as immigrants.
Among the many signs of his providential care, we remember how, twenty years ago, in 1964, you were
given your own Bishop of the Byzantine
Rite. Later, in 1980, the Eparchy of Saints Cyril and Methodius was
established. And with the blessing of this new Cathedral, we witness another sign of the hand of God directing
your destiny and watching over you each
day. The same providence that has sustained your people in the great suffering and sad deprivations which
the Church has undergone in Slovakia has brought you to
this day.
It is my hope and prayer that the Eparchy of
Saints Cyril and Methodius will likewise continue to
develop and grow, and thus become in Christ an evermore effective instrument of evangelization and example
of authentic Christian life. May the Lord also hasten a time of peace and
total freedom for the Church in the land of your
origin, so that "your joy may be
complete" (cf. Jn 15:11).
Two historic events of 1980 are of special
importance to the Byzantine Slovaks of Canada, and both
of these render particular homage to the memory of Saints Cyril and Methodius. On October 13 of that year, I
erected the Eparchy of Toronto which
bears their names, and on December 31, I declared these two holy brothers to be
Patrons of all Europe, together with Saint Benedict.
Saints Cyril and Methodius are rightly known
as the Apostles of the Slavs. Motivated by
missionary zeal they left their own homeland to begin to proclaim, in 863, the
Gospel of Christ in Moravia and Slovakia. In order to teach the faith to the people, they translated
the Gospels and the liturgical
books into the Slavonic language. In doing this, they made possible a most successful evangelizing
effort. In addition, they laid the
foundations for the literary development of the religious and social culture of the Slavs.
These great missionary saints are also
remembered for their commitment to the unity of the Church. They were fervent priests of the Byzantine Rite who carried out their pastoral work in
union with the Church in Constantinople,
which had sent them forth, and with the Church in Rome, which confirmed their mission.
Eleven centuries later we still remember,
with great admiration and a deep sense of gratitude to God, the valiant
achievements of Cyril and Methodius.
The Old Slavonic language of the Sacred Liturgy of the Byzantine Rite stands as a living reminder of
their immense influence in the
Church. Generations yet to come will not cease to remember their zeal for the Word of God, their dedication to the Slavic culture, their
love for the Sacred Liturgy and their
commitment to the great cause of unity. For these reasons and others,
the Apostles of the Slavs inspire us today, while they support us by their
prayers.
It is a joy for me to bless the cornerstone
of the new Cathedral of the Transfiguration. As the principal church of the Eparchy, this Cathedral
is a symbol of the light of
the Gospel, transmitted through the teaching of the Bishop. It is likewise a symbol of the religious
heritage of the Slovak people. Here, the Byzantine liturgy will be
celebrated in all its solemn
beauty; and here, in a special way, your bishop will proclaim the Gospel and
hand on to you, and to your children and your children's children, the
authentic teaching of the Church.
The name of the new Cathedral directs our
attention to our Saviour Jesus Christ and to that moment in human history
when he gave Peter, James and John
a glimpse of the glory which he shares with the Father. This revelation of Jesus as the beloved Son of God
confirmed the Apostles in their
faith. And later on it would sustain them during the darkness of Jesus' Passion and during the times when
they, too, would share in the Cross of
Christ. The Transfiguration, then, and this Cathedral bearing its title, stir up our hope of sharing in this
mystery, of being ourselves transfigured by the grace of the Lord, so as to
share in his glory.
On this occasion, our thoughts go back to
Paul VI, who died on August 6, the day on which the mystery of the
Transfiguration is celebrated in both the Byzantine and the Roman Rites. It was he who gave Bishop Rusnak
to you in 1964. And this new Cathedral of the Transfiguration is in some part due to the pastoral solicitude of this
great Pope for you and for all Slavs. As I bless the cornerstone today, the
Church of Rome renews her love and pastoral concern for your people.
I would like, now, to extend a particular word
of commendation to Bishop
Borecky and the entire Ukrainian Eparchy of Toronto for the fraternal support and encouragement
which they have been offering to Byzantine Slovaks for a number of years. Their
respect for different religious and cultural traditions and their readiness to assist have
been a great help in
the establishment of the new Eparchy of Saints Cyril and Methodius. Their collaboration has been a
model of harmony and fraternal assistance
for other communities.
Before concluding, I wish to tell you how
pleased I am by your devotion to Mary the Mother of God. This is evident in your liturgy and is shown by the publication entitled "Maria".
This publication, which is a comfort to people far from their homeland, is also a means of fostering true Marian devotion. May you continue in this worthy
endeavour, and may Mary assist you on
your way.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ: walk
always in the light and power of
the Risen Lord; be strong in hope and in the love of God and neighbour; persevere in your worthy Slovak
traditions and your heritage of faith. "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all" (2 Th 3:17).
Conférence
des évêques catholiques du Canada