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Last Updated: 10 December 2017

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Last Updated: 24 November 2017

UNIONTOWN, PA. - Early in the morning of Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, Sister Rita (Florence) Keshock fell asleep in the Lord at Mt. Macrina Manor. While the community was praying Matins on Sunday, commemorating the Resurrection, she surely met her Risen Lord with joy and gladness.

Sister Rita, the daughter of the late Michael and Sophia (Backus) Keshock, was born in Campbell. She entered the Sisters of St. Basil the Great from St. Nicholas Byzantine Catholic Church in Youngstown on June 12, 1947, and made her final profession of vows on Aug. 28, 1953.

Sister Rita spent half of her religious life in the ministry of education, for which she was well prepared, having earned both a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Education. The remainder of her years in ministry were spent in the world of art as a painter, a calligrapher, a crafter and an etcher. She became known for her ornate eggs etched with icons which were exhibited throughout the country.

Sister Rita was preceded in death by her parents; her sisters, Mary Louise and Alice (Kuzmack); and her brother, Edward.

She is survived by her brothers, John (Katherine), Robert (Kathryn) and Charles (Joann); her sister-in-law, Mary Jo; and several nieces and nephews.

Relatives and friends will be received at the Monastery Chapel in Uniontown on Friday, Nov. 24, from 3:30 to the time of the Parastas Service which will be sung at 7:00 p.m. The Funeral Divine Liturgy will be celebrated on Saturday, Nov. 25, at 10:30 a.m. in the Monastery Chapel by Archbishop William C. Skurla.

Interment will follow in the Dormition Section of Mount Macrina Cemetery.

Eternal Memory!

Link: http://www.vindy.com/news/tributes/2017/nov/23/sister-rita-florence-keshock-osb/

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Last Updated: 18 November 2017

risu.org.ua - On November 10, 2017 in Lithuania, began solemnities on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of establishing the Basilian order of St. Josaphat, in which participates His Beatitude Sviatoslav, the Primate of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.

In the frames of the event, His Beatitude Sviatoslav met with the first vice speaker of the Seimas of the Lithuanian Republic Rima Bashkienie. In the meeting took part, in particular, vice-speaker of the Seimas of the LR Arvidas Nekroshius, the head of the Committee on social protection and employment Algirdas Sisas, the head of the Committee on security and defense Vitautas Bakas, the deputy head of the Committee on international affairs Egidiyus Varejkis, a member of the Committee on international affairs, the head of the subcommittee on transatlantic relations and democratic development Zhygimantas Pavilionis. In the meeting also took part the Ambassador of Ukraine to the LR Volodymyr Yatsenkivsky, lithuania.mfa.gov.ua informs.

During the meeting the sides noted the high level of the mutual relations in various spheres, their important historical basis. His Beatitude Sviatoslav expressed gratitude to the Lithuanian side for supporting Ukraine, he informed about goals of development of the UGCC in Ukraine and the whole world. The Lithuanian side, in particular, expressed readiness to further support our state.

On that day, on the occasion of the Jubilee year of the 400th anniversary of the Basilian order, in the Lithuanian state historical archive took place the solemn opening of the exhibition of the historic documents from the history of the Order, which co-organizer was the Embassy of Ukraine to the LR. This event drew the attention of the public; it was attended by the representatives of the UGCC delegation, headed by His Beatitude Sviatoslav, the Minister of culture of the LR Liana Ruokitie-Yonson, Ambassador of Ukraine to the LR with his wife, representatives of the Embassy of Ukraine to the LR, Ukrainian community of Lithuania, diplomats, accredited in Lithuania, researchers, leading local media.

On that day in the Embassy of Ukraine to the LR took place a friendly meeting of the UGCC delegation, representatives of the Ukrainian Embassy, accredited in Lithuania, Ukrainian community of Lithuania with the representatives of the Lithuanian society.

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Last Updated: 18 November 2017

risu.org.ua - In accordance with the law passed by the Ukrainian parliament, the days of January 7 and December 25 were announced non-working days in Ukraine.

Ukrainian MPs have thus amended the Labor Code. December 25, when the world celebrates Christmas according to Gregorian calendar, is traditionally a common working day in counties that celebrate their Christmas on January 7. However, according to new regulations, Ukraine will now officially have two non-working Christmas days - both on December 25 and January 7.

The explanatory note to the new Ukrainian law says that about a third of all Christian communities of Ukraine consider December 25 a holiday.

The law will come into force the day after its official publication. 

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Last Updated: 18 November 2017

risu.org.ua - On a Tuesday afternoon, November 7, 2017 several dozens of Ukrainian-Americans gathered in the nation’s capitol for the Memorial service (Panakhyda) at the National HOLODOMOR Memorial in Washington, DC, Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA informs.

His Eminence Archbishop Daniel of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA and Bishop John Bura of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, assisted by the Orthodox and Catholic clergy led the Requiem service. As seminarians of both Catholic and Orthodox seminaries chanted the prayerful MEMORY ETERNAL, Archbishop Daniel censed the Monument-Memorial erected in memory of 10 million Ukrainians that starved to death during the cruel regime of Stalin’s Soviet Union in 1932-1933.

Opening the short Memorial program, Mr. Michael Sawkiv of the Ukrainian Informational Bureau (Ukrainian Congress Committee of America) welcomed numerous dignitaries and diplomatic representatives that on a rainy day still joined the group of Ukrainian-Americans at their monument to honor the memory of the lost. Ambassador of Ukraine Valeriy Chaly spoke in English and Ukrainian languages calling to memory the lives of millions of innocent people. Former President of Lithuania Vytautas Landsbergis also joined the Ukrainian community in their commemorative events with offering sincere and strong message not only to the Ukrainian-American community about the need to remember the tragic events of 1930s but also to the modern political powers that often forget about the dignity of human lifeIn the early evening hours of November 17th, US Congress opened its doors to the community of Ukrainians of American background to participate in the formal Ukrainian Genocide briefing.

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Last Updated: 18 November 2017

For the Chaldean Church, it is crucial to revamp the foundational charter of the state on the basis of the principles of equality and human rights. Some sharia-based rules are unacceptable in a modern and civilian state. The conflict between Arabs and Kurds, and between Erbil and Baghdad, is likely to trigger a new Christian exodus.

Baghdad (AsiaNews) - For Iraq’s rebirth, it is necessary to reform the constitution, “which is the basis of the country’s unity,” and enshrine the principles of equality and human rights, this according to Mgr Shlemon Audish Warduni, auxiliary bishop of Baghdad.

Speaking to AsiaNews, the right-hand man of the Chaldean patriarch Louis Sako, reiterated the commitment of Christians "to peace, security and civil coexistence". Iraq is a rich land, he noted, but it "lacks the will" to achieve this.

Such a goal requires a renewed commitment of the various components of the nation, on the basis of the principle of equality. All citizens must be equal before the constitution. In fact, no nation in the world can "exist without a Charter", Mgr Warduni said.

At the same time, reconstruction after years of war and sectarian violence must be based on the pillars of "justice and freedom." However, the prelate wonders how can we talk about "freedom of conscience" when the basis of governance is "sharia, Islamic law," which guarantees a dominant position to Muslims over other ethno-religious groups.

In the past, the leaders of the Iraqi Church expressed their opposition to Iraq’s controversial constitution, in particular Article 37-2, which does not protect religious freedom and the rights of minorities.

In September 2015, Chaldean Patriarch Louis Raphael Sako sent a letter to Parliament asking for an amendment to the paragraph that says that a minor must be registered as a Muslim if one of the two parents converts to Islam.

Recently, the Chaldean Patriarch, on a visit to France, called for changes to Iraq’s constitution to ensure the "equality of all citizens", and that religion would be a matter of "personal choice". Religion, the prelate explained, should not influence the normal conduct of state affairs.

Full story: http://www.asianews.it/index.php?art=42339&l=en