УКРАЇНСЬКА КАТОЛИЦЬКА ЦЕРКВА
The Mystery of Marriage
Marriage or Crowning is one of the two Holy Mysteries of Service. Christ, through the Church, blesses the union of one man and one woman who come together in love and in fidelity to one another and create a domestic church, a Christian family.
Couples who have committed to a life together in Holy Matrimony should contact the Administrator as soon as possible, to discuss steps necessary to have the Crowning take place within the parish. Typically, we advise reaching out as early as possible. One year in advance is advisable, to ensure all appropriate steps are completed without undue stress. It is highly recommended to contact the parish prior to making financial commitments which cannot be refunded, such as hall deposits, should changes be necessary.
Lessons from the Catechism of the Ukrainian Catholic Church
“God created human beings male and female: “By you, O God, a woman is joined to man as a helpmate and for the continuance of the human race…you blessed them, saying: ‘increase and multiply and rule the earth.’ Through wedlock you made the two of them one body.” In the Church, the marriage union is a Holy Mystery in which the man and woman manifest the new life in Christ. A Christian marriage is not only a natural relationship, a shared life and experience; it is an occasion of sanctification. Marriage is a Holy Mystery (Sacrament) in which by the grace of the Holy Spirit a man and a woman are united into one body and create a domestic church. The family union created by marriage is a community of persons, which, according to God’s plan, is an icon of the relationship of the Persons of the Most Holy Trinity.” (471)
“Marriage is based on the fact that the married couple mutually complements one another. The Church gives witness to this in a prayer of the Rite of Crowning: “Holy God, you created man from the dust and from his side fashioned a woman as a suitable helpmate for him, for such was the good pleasure of your majesty that man should not be alone on earth.” In their gender differentiation, a man and woman complete one another, creating an indissoluble union of one body.” (472)
The Mystery of Holy Orders
Holy Orders is one of the two Holy Mysteries of Service. Through the Mystery of Holy Orders, a man is set apart for a particular and specific ministry within the Church. Holy Orders fall into two categories: the Minor Order and the Major Orders.
Minor Orders include Cantor, Candle Bearer and Sub-Deacon.
Major Orders include Deacon and Presbyter (Priest).
Women may also devote themselves to a life of consecrated service, by joining communities of religious women.
Lessons from the Catechism of the Ukrainian Catholic Church
“In His love for humankind, God the Father “so loved the world that he gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world in order to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him” (Jn 3:16-17). The Son of God, Jesus Christ, calls himself the Good Shepherd: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (Jn 10:11). Christ fulfills in himself God’s promise of the one Shepherd for the People of God: “I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd” (Ez 34:23). Christ passes on his pastorship to his chosen apostles whom he called, and also to their successors. This he does so that through them he would continue to remain in the Church and lead it.” (485)
“A vocation to the priesthood is God’s gift to an ecclesial community and at the same time the fruit of the spiritual life of a community – the family and the parish. That is why the Church prays ceaselessly for good and holy vocations to the priestly ministry. The Church provides appropriate preparation for those called by God. This is so that they can be open to receive the grace of the priesthood – to serve God’s people. During this preparation, the candidate grows in the spirit of prayer, knowledge of the Church’s teaching, and skill in leading others on the path of salvation. Responsibility for the preparedness of the candidate to the priesthood lies with the bishop, who entrusts him with a ministry in the Church. The ecclesial community, for its part, upholds him in his ministry.” (499)
Monasticism
503 Consecration to the monastic life corresponds to the three stages of spiritual growth: a beginning, the consolidation, and perfection—or the novitiate, monastic life, and the schema (that is, perpetual vows). The
rites and prayers of the small schema (gradual introduction into the monastic or consecrated life), as well as those of the great schema, are the source for our understanding of the monastic state and its profound
significance. These are: the calling from God, a renunciation of the world and of all that is in the world, and a lifelong following of Christ for the sake of the heavenly kingdom in the spirit of the monastic or religious
community’s founders. Various signs and symbols convey this meaning.
Among those signs and symbols are the vesting, the tonsure, reception of the Rule; the habit, the veil or skufia, the paraman, the prayer-rope (chotki/rosary), the candle, the cross, etc. All of these visible signs and
symbols indicate the internal readiness of a person to radically devote himself or herself to live at the service of God and Church according to the evangelical counsels and Beatitudes. The consecrated person is
received by the Church and enjoined to attend wholeheartedly to the matters of God within their order or congregation. By their example, they are to be a sign of the heavenly kingdom toward which the People
of God are striving. The rite of initiation into the monastic (consecrated) life is an integral part of the liturgical tradition of the Church. Thus, it is usually joined to the Divine Liturgy.