“I want to let Roman Catholics know that they are more than welcome and that they can receive sacraments in the Byzantine Catholic Church,” said Joe Bound, diocesan director of education, who has arranged for the liturgy. Bound, a Ruthenian rite Byzantine Catholic, hopes to have a Byzantine liturgy offered on a regular basis in the Appleton area.
The June 13 Divine Liturgy will be celebrated by Fr. Dennis Hrubiak, chancellor for the Ruthenian Catholic Eparchy of Parma, Ohio. The eparchy, or province, covers the Midwest from Ohio to the Dakotas and Missouri. Its leader is Bishop John Kudrick, with whom Bound has been in contact.
“Bishop Kudrick is very interested in getting something established here in Wisconsin,” Bound said. “The closest Ruthenian parish is (Annunciation of the Mother of God) in Homer Glen, Ill., a southwestern suburb of Chicago.”
Bishop Kudrick is gathering liturgical items that will be used exclusively in the Appleton area. Latin rite Catholics are free to receive sacraments in the Byzantine rite, which is in union Rome. The June 13 liturgy will fulfill the Sunday obligation of Mass and Bishop David Ricken has approved the celebration.
According to Bound, two local priests have indicated they would like to celebrate Byzantine rite liturgies on a regular basis. Franciscan Fr. Finian Zaucha of Manitowoc is already a bi-ritual priest. Fr. Brian Belongia, pastor of St. Margaret Mary in Waupaca, has also expressed interest in learning the Byzantine rite. He concelebrated at a Byzantine liturgy at Xavier High School in 2005. That celebration was also arranged by Bound.
In a Byzantine liturgy, most of the celebration is in English, but Greek and Arabic verses are also sung. Communion is received on the tongue, from a spoon, because the consecrated bread is cut (by the priest) from a leavened loaf and dipped in the sacred wine.
The priest will often pray facing the altar, which is behind the iconostasis, a wall of icons depicting Christ and Mary the Theotokos, as well as various saints.
For more information about the June 13 liturgy, contact Bound at [email protected].