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October 20, 2022By Jay Nies, Catholic News Service
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (CNS) -- An Eastern-rite Catholic bishop who represents a large contingent of Ukrainian Catholics in the United States asked students at St. Peter School in Jefferson City if they would "promise to say a prayer in the morning for Ukrainian children."
"And if any of them come to visit this year, I hope you will be able to welcome them," Bishop Bohdan J. Danylo told the preschoolers through eighth graders before a final blessing at an all-school Mass.
Bishop Danylo heads the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of St. Josephat in Parma, Ohio. He has about 10,420 Ukrainian Catholics under his episcopal care. The eparchy covers all or part of seven eastern U.S. states.
He was one of four bishops who joined Bishop W. Shawn McKnight of Jefferson City for meetings the first week of October as members of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Subcommittee on the Catholic Home Missions. Bishop McKnight is the subcommittee chairman.
Nearly 40% of Catholic dioceses in the United States and its territories are classified as home missions dioceses, including the Diocese of Jefferson City.
Two of the visiting bishops -- Bishop Danylo and Bishop Michael W. Warfel of Great Falls-Billings, Montana -- and Bishop McKnight offered Mass in St. Peter Church Oct. 6 as their meetings came to a close.
Students outside church held signs welcoming each of the bishops before and after Mass.
"On behalf of all the children, parents and schools in Ukraine -- thank you and God bless you," Bishop Danylo proclaimed from the pulpit.
The students followed attentively as he spoke.
"Prayers for Ukraine? You know what I mean," he stated. "There's a war happening over there right now."
Bishop Danylo asked the children to remember three things.
"First of all, pray for your family and be thankful that you have them with you," he said. "Because there are so many children that have to leave their home. They can no longer even be with Mom and Dad."
Often, a mother and her children flee the danger in Ukraine while the father has to stay behind, said Bishop Danylo.
"Second, pray for this school," he suggested. "There are so many children in Ukraine who have nowhere to study -- either in a basement or the subways."
They cannot go to school because their school has been destroyed.
"So every time you wake up in the morning and sometimes not that happy to go to school, say a prayer for those kids who cannot go to school," said Bishop Danylo.
Finally, he advised them to pray for their parish and community -- "thanking God for being able to spend time together and gather for prayer."
"God bless you!" he said. "And once again, count your blessings, especially family, school and your community."
In his homily, Bishop Warfel talked about saints in heaven and why the church honors them, especially on their feast days.
"When someone does something great, it's common to have a party for them, a banquet in order to celebrate something that they've done," he stated, and the church honors saints "with the banquet of the Lord."
He said it's appropriate to stop and appreciate someone who lived a very holy life and attained the purpose for which God created every single human being, "which is getting to heaven -- being a member of the communion of saints."
"So, we honor the saints for their response to the grace of God in their lives," said Bishop Warfel. "We also seek their intercession."
Everyone in the church is part of the mystical body of Christ, and the saints in heaven are closest to God.
"If you have a particular need, you're going to turn to someone who you know to be a holy person," the bishop said. "You're going to turn to that person and ask them to pray for you."
All the while, it's good to learn about saints and the witness they continue to offer about leading a holy life.
"Every one of us has been created by God to be a saint!" the bishop said and recommended turning to the Lord each day with confidence, seeking his help in becoming the holy saint he created each person to be.