P R E S S R E L E A S E: for immediate publication

ECDD Meeting in Pittsburgh
RE: God with Us Publications

Members of the Eastern Catholic Diocesan Directors of religious education (ECDD) met for their semi-annual meeting at Martina Spiritual Renewal Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The two-day session addressed immediate and proximate inter-jurisdictional concerns and the work of God With Us Publications.

This committee, which serves to advise the Eastern Catholic bishops of the United States, has met regularly for thirty-two years, providing religious education material for all age groups from pre-school through adult education programs.

Present were representatives of the Maronite Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon, the Melkite Eparchy of Newton, the Romanian Eparchy of Canton, the Ruthenian eparchies of Parma, Passaic and Pittsburgh and the Ukrainian eparchies of Chicago, St Josaphat, Philadelphia and Stamford. The meeting was chaired by Mitred Archpriest John Kachuba (Parma), ECDD chairperson.

Among the many topics under discussion was the need to expand beyond the predominantly Byzantine emphasis of the published material to include other traditions now experiencing growth in America. The Syriac Churches are expanding, and other communities, representing the Alexandrian and Armenian Churches, are growing as well.

Also on the agenda were: approval of Catechetical Sunday material for September; possible interaction with the Eastern Catholic Churches of Canada and Mexico, making the group representative of North America; proofreading revisions to three publications (the revised God With Us Series fifth grade student text and teachers' manual and the facilitator's guide for a new adult education course, "The Holy Gospel: a Byzantine Perspective"; proposals for new projects; attendance at and participation in conferences for educators; and inclusion and membership in similar associations.

ECDD makes regular reports to the bishops, and as a way of facilitating these reports, the meeting was attended by the bishops' representative, His Grace, Bishop Nicholas Samra of the Melkite Eparchy of Newton, Massachusetts. As well, His Eminence, Metropolitan Basil (Schott, OFM) of the Ruthenian Archeparchy of Pittsburgh met with officers of the committee.

A financial report was delivered and explained by Mr Gregory Popivchak, as a means of judging the reasonableness of pursuing publication of further works.

As a matter of course, the days' work was begun and concluded with common prayer, each according to a differing particular Tradition within the Church.

The next meeting was scheduled for November 9-11 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

PHOTO CAPTION:

ECDD 001: The assembled participants are: (Left to right)--Dr Frances Colie, (Newton); Maryana German, (Stamford); Sr Susan Harvey, OSBM, (Parma); Sr Charlotte Pipping, SSMI, (Philadelphia); Mr Nazar Sloboda (Chicago); Sr Olga Faryna, OSBM, (St Josaphat); Fr Fred Saato, (God With Us Publications); Fr John Lucas, (Chicago); Mitred Archpriest John S Kachuba, (Parma); Fr Jonathan Morse, PhD, (Stamford); His Grace, Bishop Nicholas Samra, (Newton); Fr Emmanuel Samoya, (Canton); His Eminence, Metropolitan Basil Schott, OFM, (Pittsburgh); Sr Marion Dobos, OSB (Pittsburgh); Very Rev Gregory Noga, (Passaic); Fr Anthony Salim, (Our Lady of Lebanon).