Left to right: Kenneth Malley, Archpriest Dennis Hrubiak, Deacon Diodoro Mendoza, Bishop John, Fr. David M. Petras, Musil Shihadeh, Steven Galuschik

Wednesday, March 9th, marked a couple of firsts for us at the Byzantine Catholic Seminary. It was not only our first Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts for this Lenten season, but it was our first-ever Hierarchical Presanctified Divine Liturgy, for the celebrant was His Grace Bishop John Kudrick from the Eparchy of Parma. Not only is this the first service of this kind celebrated at our Seminary, but as our in-house liturgist, Fr. David M. Petras, mentioned, it was the first time that he has seen such a Liturgy in his entire life!

There was a palpable energy in the air that day demonstrated by all due to the visit of Bishop John and Archpriest Dennis Hrubiak. When we began singing the opening hymns of the service, everyone sang with one voice and an uplifted spirit. Though Bishop John would never admit it, his presence that day touched a number of hearts. This included his simple lunchtime conversation, his clever homily about “nothing” and everything in between.

And, who could possibly forget Archpriest Dennis Hrubiak, Vocation Director for the Parma Eparchy, who emits joy in his spoken word with an ease akin to the sun brightening up a summer’s day. Though much can be said about the visit of our Ohio-based guests, this grateful seminarian can truly say that he was sad when they had to go.

- Kenneth Malley
Theology I, Eparchy of Parma