Welcome, Bishop Milan!

We are very happy to welcome Bishop Milan Lach as the newly appointed administrator of our eparchy! This photo is from his visit to our eparchy in December of 2013. Here is a video that we took of some remarks he gave at the end of a Liturgy during that visit.

Our eparchy published the following information about Bishop Milan:

Pope Francis has appointed Bishop Milan Lach, SJ, auxiliary bishop of Presov, Slovakia, as apostolic administrator of the Eparchy of Parma.

The appointment relieves Archbishop William C. Skurla of Pittsburgh from the pastoral governance of Parma. He had served as apostolic administrator since Bishop Emeritus John Kudrick resigned May 7, 2016.

Bishop Lach was born in Kezmarok, Slovakia, Nov. 18, 1973. He was ordained a priest of the Society of Jesus (commonly known as the Jesuits) July 1, 2001, and was ordained to the episcopacy to serve as auxiliary bishop of Presov June 1, 2013. Bishop Lach is fluent in English, among several languages.

The 43-year-old Byzantine Catholic Jesuit is the first European-born bishop to be appointed to oversee the Eparchy of Parma since its founding in 1969.

Please see www.parma.org over the next few days and weeks for updates and additional information on the appointment.

Pray for our Girls Camp!

We're almost ready for Girls Camp! Please pray for the 30 teenage girls who will arrive on Thursday afternoon and camp out until Sunday on the monastery grounds. Pray for open hearts as the girls pray with us, listen to talks, engage in discussion groups, participate in the Mystery of Holy Repentance (Confession), and more. We will also have plenty of fun!

Half of the girls are new this year, and more than half are from states other than Ohio (Arizona, Michigan, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia). Please also pray for the boys who are participating in Boys Camp across the street at the Shrine of Our Lady of Mariapoch.

Our theme this year, for both of the camps, is "He must increase, I must decrease" (Jn 3:30). Thanks for your prayers!

Happy Father's Day!

We offer our love and prayers today to all of our fathers, biological and spiritual!

Our favorite saints

Happy Sunday of All Saints! In the Byzantine Tradition, we commemorate all the saints on the Sunday after Pentecost. It is the Holy Spirit who makes us into saints. We at Christ the Bridegroom Monastery love the saints so much; they are our constant inspiration for saying “yes” to the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives. Their widely varying stories and gifts show us that we each have a unique path of holiness. They also teach us that holiness is not about doing everything perfectly, but about union with God through the acceptance of His will and His love. They encourage us to respond to God’s love whole-heartedly, holding nothing of ourselves back from Him.

Here are some of our favorite saints, of both the Eastern and Western Traditions. Many of these saints have sought us out and made known their intercession for us. If you see a name you have never heard and that strikes your interest, perhaps you could do a little research on the life of this saint and make a new friend!      

Mother Theodora
Bl. Theodore Romzha
St. John Paul II
St. Peter
St. Mary of Egypt
St. John Chrysostom
St. Gregory of Nyssa

Mother Cecilia
St. Elizabeth of the Trinity
St. Thérèse of Lisieux
St. Julie Billiart
St. Clare of Assisi
Bl. Miriam Teresa Demjanovich
St. Faustina

Mother Gabriella
St. Gabriel
Servant of God Fulton Sheen
St. Teresa of Avila
Servant of God Catherine Doherty
St. Dorotheos of Gaza
St. Catherine of Siena

Sr. Iliana
St. Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa)
St. Thérèse of Lisieux
St. Philip Neri
St. Elizabeth of the Trinity
The Prophet Elijah
St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio)

Sr. Natalia
Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati
St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio)
Bl. Theodore Romzha
The Apostle Nathanel
St. Mary Magdalene
St. Mary of Egypt

Sara Lynn
St. Thomas More
St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross
St. André Bessette
Servant of God Dorothy Day
St. Joseph
St. Julian of Norwich

"Through the Spirit..."

Happy Feast of Pentecost! All this week we celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles, and we can also reflect on the work of the Holy Spirit in our own lives. Here are some beautiful words from St. Basil to help us:

"As clear, transparent substances become very bright when sunlight falls on them and shine with a new radiance, so also souls in whom the Spirit dwells, and who are enlightened by the Spirit, become spiritual themselves and a source of grace for others.

From the Spirit comes foreknowledge of the future, understanding of the mysteries of faith, insight into the hidden meaning of Scripture, and other special gifts. Through the Spirit we become citizens of heaven, we enter into eternal happiness, and abide in God. Through the Spirit we acquire a likeness to God...."

--St. Basil, "On the Holy Spirit"