Catholic Mission In Canada

A new ministry has opened up in the Ukrainian Catholic Religious Education Centre in Saskatoon. It is called Spiritual Direction, and it will be run by my co-director, Sister Marijka Konderewicz, S.S.M.I., who has directees who meet with her regularly.

Each day we stand in awe of the grace of God and the faith the people have in our small eparchy. The faith is kept alive by continually searching, learning and trying to understand our mystical Eastern Church.

And from the beginning, Catholic Missions In Canada has helped us in our journey. When the Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate (S.S.M.I.) were travelling around Saskatchewanin a used motor home called Mosesto visit the parishes and mission parishes throughout the eparchy, CMICs donors provided us with the means to preach the Word of God to the people.

From that mission, we have grown into the Ukrainian Catholic Religious Education Centre, a ministry that provides education resources for the people of the Eparchy of Saskatoon. Financial assistance from Catholic Missions In Canada helps us to get speakers for the Eparchial Lay Formation Program who are well trained in Byzantine Theology and Liturgy.

Continued support helps us to go out to the rural areas to visit the parishes that have started catechism classes. It also helps us to visit catechists in remote areas and to encourage them in the Catechist Formation Program. Without Catholic Missions In Canada's financial support, the Ukrainian Catholic Religious Education Centre would not exist and the work we do in the Eparchy of Saskatoon would stop. Our need for continuing funding is vital to the life of our mission.

Sister Bonnie Komarnicki, S.S.M.I., is co-director of the Ukrainian Catholic Religious Education Centre in the Eparchy of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Catholic Missions In Canada Magazine, Winter 2011