Byzantine Catholic Metropolitan Archeparchy of Pittsburgh
66 Riverview Avenue * Pittsburgh, PA 15214
OFFICE OF COMMUNICAruOITS
NEWS

Contact: Veronica Varga
472-231-4000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 14,2004

Eastern Catholic Bishops Meet

Sixteen Eastern Catholic Bishops of the United States met on March 29-30,2004, in St. Louis, Missouri. Attending the meeting wcre Archbishops Basil Schott, Pittsburgh, Pa. aurd Stefan Soroka, Philadelphia, Pa.; Bishops Jacob Angadiath, Chicago, Ill.; John Michael Botean, Canton, Ohio; John Elya, Newton, Mass.; Ibrahim Ibrahim, Southfield, Mich.; John Kudrick. Parma, Ohio; Basil Losten, Stamford, Conn.; Gregory Mansour, Brooklyn. N.Y.; Robert Moskal, St. Josaphat in Parma, Ohio; Walter Paska, PhiladelphiuPa.; Richard Seminack, St. Nicholas in Chicago, Ill.; Nicholas Samra, Detroit, Mich.; Robert Shaheen, St. Louis, Mo.; William Skurla Van Nuys, Calif.; and Joseph Younan, Union City, N.J.

Unable to anend were Bishops Manuel Batakian, New York, N.Y.; Stephen Hector Doueihi- Brooklyn. N.Y.; Sarhad Jammo, El Cajon, Calif.; and Andrew Pataki, Passaic, N.J.

The Eastern Catholic Associates is the official organization for the Eastern Catholic Bishops in the United States. The President is Archbishop Basil Schott, Vice-President is Bishop John Kudrick, Secretary is Bishop Richard Seminack and the Treasurer is Bishop Robert Shaheen.

Bishop Shaheen hosted the meeting at the Pastoral Center of the Maronite Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon in St. Louis. It was also the occasion for the bishops to greet Bishop Gregory Mansour, the new bishop of the Maronite Eparchy of St. Maron in Brooklyn, N.Y.

The topics for discussion and deliberation included the Eastern Catholic Associates, relationship to all hierarchs of the United States, Protection of Children and Young People. Catechetical Directors of the Eastern Churches, Clergy, Ecumenism, Education of seminarians, Pastoral problems, Liturgical issues, Monasticism and World Youth Day - 2005 in Germany.

Preparations were reviewed for a proposed Encounter of the Eastern Churches of the United States and Canada to be held in the United States in 2006.