Today, Oct. 30, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America voted in his first U.S. election, following his naturalization ceremony on Nov. 10, 2025.

> Previously: Archbishop Elpidophoros becomes a naturalized U.S. citizen

Archbishop Elpidophoros shared the following message via social media:

To vote freely and without fear is a precious right that is still denied to many people around the world.
Here in the United States, this right was secured and expanded through generations of struggle, sacrifice, and courage. We must honor the many Americans who fought to extend the ballot to those who had long been denied it. What they fought to secure, we must now strive to preserve.

Today, I cast my first vote as a citizen of this blessed land. I am deeply moved. My heart is full of gratitude to God and to the nation that welcomed me and now calls me its own.

Whether you vote early, as I did, or on Election Day, I ask you to take part. And once the votes are counted, let us go forward together with our fellow citizens, respecting one another when we disagree and living in harmony.

In 1801, following a bitterly contested election, Thomas Jefferson reminded the young Republic that “every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle.” Long before him, the Psalmist sang: “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psalm 132/133:1). May God bless our nation and guide us as we continue our journey together as one people.

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On Wednesday, October 28, the School of Byzantine Music, a national ministry of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, celebrated its first diploma program graduates with a concert entitled “Grace and Praise” in the chapel of Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, MA. The evening honored the next generation of Byzantine cantors and their commitment to the sacred musical tradition of the Church.

The concert followed the School’s Psaltikon pilgrimage to Thessaloniki and Mount Athos in July 2026, an educational and spiritual initiative organized in collaboration with the Holy Metropolis of Thessaloniki. The pilgrimage and this diploma honor event were generously funded by Leadership 100. In Greece, participants took part in workshops in the Psaltic Art, liturgical services, and conservatory sessions, including examinations, immersing themselves in the living tradition of Byzantine chant.

> Previously: HCHC, School of Byzantine Music participate in pilgrimage to Thessaloniki and Mt. Athos

Before the concert, Protopresbyter Romanos Karanos, Ph.D., Adjunct Assistant Professor of Byzantine Liturgical Music and Director of the Byzantine Music Program at Holy Cross, welcomed participants and guests to campus and shared his personal experiences from the July pilgrimage. He spoke of the growing interest among students in Byzantine music and the increasing number of budding cantors in America, thanks to initiatives such as these. He concluded by congratulating the graduates on their achievement.

The Director of the School of Byzantine Music, Archon Georgios Theodoridis, also congratulated the graduates. He credited the success of the Psaltikon pilgrimage to His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros and to the continuing support of Leadership 100.

Special appreciation was extended to His Eminence Metropolitan Philotheos of Thessaloniki and the Holy Metropolis of Thessaloniki for their support and hospitality. All gratefully acknowledged the Educational and Cultural Institute of the Metropolis of Thessaloniki and its director, the Very Reverend Archimandrite Cheruveim Tsinoglou.

The concert was both a celebration of academic achievement and a testament to the enduring importance of Byzantine chant as the living musical tradition of Orthodox worship. A highlight of the evening was the participation of both the Doxologia Choir, led by Fr. Cheruveim, and the School of Byzantine Music Choir, who performed hymns from the service of Great Vespers. Each graduate also had the opportunity to share their individual musical gifts through solo performances, demonstrating the fruits of years of study, dedication, and service to the Psaltic Art.

After the concert, Fr. Cheruveim offered closing remarks. He thanked His Eminence Metropolitan Philotheos of Thessaloniki and His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros for their blessings and fatherly love, and he thanked School of Byzantine Music Director Georgios Theodoridis for a great collaboration.

As a national ministry of the Archdiocese, the School of Byzantine Music equips music ministry leaders and workers for building up the body of Christ. Through its educational programs, partnerships, and international collaborations, the School continues to fulfill that mission by equipping and educating Byzantine cantors for the Church in America and preparing them to serve their parishes with knowledge, humility, and ecclesiastical devotion.

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BROOKLINE, MA–Under the spiritual direction of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, the Board of Trustees of Hellenic College Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology met October 27-28 on the school’s campus. Two days of focused, productive discussions and honest dialogue about advancing the school’s mission were facilitated by Board Vice Chairman and Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Throne Fr. Mark Leondis (Hellenic, BA ‘92, Holy Cross, MDiv ‘95).

“Hellenic College Holy Cross is not just another institution of higher learning, but a sacred institution of our sacred archdiocese,” said Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, Board of Trustees Chairman. “Our strength is a collective responsibility. We must be united in one purpose to ensure that the school endures and flourishes for years to come. We must approach our work with faith, trust and a shared love for the school and our Church.”

Announcements and Highlights

The Trustees concluded their forthright discussions with clarity of purpose and a continued commitment to advancing the mission of HCHC. In 2027, Holy Cross is celebrating its 90th anniversary and Hellenic College approaches the 60th year since its founding. Positioning itself for another hundred years of equipping students with the spiritual, intellectual, and professional tools needed to serve the Church in an ever- changing society at large.

Among the highlights of the meeting:

• The Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees has been elected to serve a two-year term; the following officers were nominated and approved to serve as officers alongside the Chairman and Archbishop: Fr. Mark Leondis, Vice Chair; Paul Kalamaras, Treasurer; and Fr. Nicholas Anctil, Secretary.
• The Presidential Search Committee reported that its work continues on the 9- to 12-month timeline set forth earlier this year. Prior to the meetings, Search Committee members held question-and-answer sessions open to all students, faculty and staff in its pursuit of the person who will lead the institution and help shape future clergy and lay leaders.
• Koinonoia, a collaboration between the HCHC and Greek Orthodox parishes to establish and support a full-time, one semester parish internship for MDiv seminarians, announced its organizational structure with support from the Lilly Endowment Pathways for Tomorrow grant. Alexander Popovici is the Director; Stavroula Gurguliatos, Assistant Director; and Dr. Philip Mamalakis, the Faculty Coordinator.
• In 2027, plans are underway to celebrate the 90th Anniversary of our beloved School. A committee was formed to work with His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago, who was appointed by the Holy Eparchial Synod, to help plan and coordinate the events.
• Robust discussion took place on various Committee reports, including: Academic Affairs, Enrollment and Student Life, Endowment, Institutional Advancement, Board Governance and Finance.

HCHC Interim President Rev. Protopresbyter Michael Lambakis (Holy Cross, MDiv ‘06) concluded, “By strengthening how we work together and by making the most of our resources, we can meet the challenges before us while continuing to advance the unique mission of HCHC. We are in an exciting period of growth and opportunity. To build on this momentum and sustain the excitement surrounding our institution, we must operate in ways that are efficient, pragmatic and strategic. With clear priorities.”

About Hellenic College Holy Cross

Hellenic College Holy Cross is the intellectual, educational, and spiritual center of the Greek Orthodox Church in America. As an institution of higher learning, it is dedicated to the formation of Orthodox Christian leaders—clergy and laity—equipped to serve the Church and society with faith, integrity, and excellence.

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Today, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America marked OXI Day with a message issued via social media:

Long live the 28th of October!

Ας κρατήσουμε από τη σημερινή επέτειο δύο πολύτιμες παρακαταθήκες: Από τους ήρωες του 1940, την ελευθερία ως ευθύνη και θυσία. Και από τον Χριστό μας, την ελευθερία ως αλήθεια, αγάπη και κοινωνία. Ας είναι αιωνία η μνήμη όλων εκείνων που αγωνίστηκαν και θυσιάστηκαν για την ελευθερία της πατρίδας μας. Και είθε να αξιωθούμε να παραδώσουμε στις επερχόμενες γενεές όχι μόνον άσβεστη τη μνήμη των ηρώων του 1940, αλλά και αλώβητη την πολύτιμη κληρονομιά των ιδανικών τους, τις αρχές και τις αξίες εκείνες που ενέπνευσαν τον αγώνα τους, ενίσχυσαν το φρόνημά τους και επισφραγίστηκαν με την υπέρτατη θυσία τους στον βωμό της ελευθερίας.

Ο Θεός να ευλογεί την Ελλάδα, την Κύπρο, την Ομογένειά μας και τις Ηνωμένες Πολιτείες της Αμερικής.

Ζήτω η 28η Οκτωβρίου!

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Every convert to Orthodoxy has a story. Some discover the Church through marriage; others through the Fathers, a university course, or more recently, on social media or an internet browser. Their journeys differ, but each requires the courage to step beyond the familiar into something deeper. 

As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, we should remember another story of courage: before people could discover Orthodoxy in America, Orthodox immigrants first had to bring it here. 

In my family, these are not merely stories from a history book. Borrowing funds, my uncle left Cyprus at fourteen.  He quickly learned how to cut hair on his voyage ($.25/cut) to pay back that loan. My father left the same village with a $20 bill in his pocket and the hope of building a better life. Our forefathers and foremothers arrived with little money, limited English, and few guarantees. There are countless stories of our immigrant ancestors coming to America. Among everything they carried, the greatest treasure was the one they refused to leave behind: the Orthodox Christian faith. 

Assimilation would have been easier. There was tremendous pressure to change their names, learn the language, adjust to new foods and customs, and adapt to an unfamiliar religious landscape. They could have walked into Catholic or Episcopalian Churches to find worship. Yet instead of surrendering everything that made them different, they lived into their faith and celebrated their culture with joy no matter the circumstance. 

They gathered in homes, storefronts, and rented halls. From hard-earned wages, they gave what they could barely afford. They built churches to baptize their children, to celebrate the Divine Liturgy and Pascha. They taught the next generation to make the sign of the Cross. They sacrificed because the Church was not an accessory to their new life in America; it was essential to it. 

We must also remember the clergy who crossed the ocean to encounter the unknown and to serve scattered communities. Wherever an altar could be raised, they celebrated the Liturgy, crowned marriages, buried the dead, taught the Faith, and became spiritual fathers. Together clergy and laity planted Orthodoxy in America. They may have dreamed of the parishes, cathedrals, seminaries, monasteries, and ministries their devotion would one day build. But did they imagine that someone with no ancestral connection to an Orthodox homeland would walk through those same doors and ask, “How can I become Orthodox?” 

This is one of the beautiful paradoxes of Orthodoxy in America: our ancestors preserved the Church because they did not want their children to lose it. By doing so, they made it possible for countless others to find it. 

Today, an inquirer may first encounter the Faith online, but Orthodoxy cannot be lived through a screen. The seeker must physically enter a parish to appreciate its worship, community, prayer, fasting, and Eucharistic life. Conversion is not merely accepting new ideas; it is allowing Christ to redirect one’s life. Our calling is not simply to provide information, but to accompany people patiently in transformation. 

This is where the stories of our ancestors and today’s converts meet. Both resist the easiest path. Our ancestors declared, “We can become fully American without ceasing to be Orthodox.” Today’s converts reveal the other side of that truth: one need not be any particular ethnicity to become fully Orthodox. 

America, ultimately, welcomed Orthodox Christians. Now Orthodoxy welcomes Americans. As descendants of those who established the faith in this land, it is our responsibility to receive anyone seeking Christ. The question of this great responsibility is not merely whether we will preserve what we inherited, but whether we possess enough of our ancestors’ courage to share it.  

When we proclaim, “This is the faith of the Apostles. This is the faith of the Fathers. This is the faith of the Orthodox,” we rightly remember the saints who defended and preserved the faith. In America, we may also remember our own fathers and mothers, grandfathers and grandmothers, who crossed an ocean of uncertainty without abandoning their greatest treasure. They carried it here. They planted it here. They sacrificed for it here. 

The faith planted by our ancestors is now entrusted to us. We are called to preserve it by offering it courageously to all who come after us. Some may bear Greek surnames; others will have no ancestral connection to an Orthodox homeland. Each will bring a story of how they found the Church, and each will find a place within it. Perhaps the greatest fruit of our ancestors’ courage is to witness people of varying backgrounds and ethnicities gather in the churches they established to share in the love of Christ they never could abandon. 

This article is published as part of the America at 250: Orthodoxy in a New Homeland media initiative co-organized by the Orthodox Observer and the Department of Inter-Orthodox, Ecumenical, and Interfaith Relations of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America to honor the contributions and experience of Orthodox Christianity in America and celebrate 250th anniversary of America’s founding.

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I am reluctant to admit that I begin each morning by snoozing my alarm a few too many times and mindlessly scrolling on TikTok. And once awake, school, work, socializing, and a workout always seem to fall into place effortlessly. So why doesn’t prayer?

While I make my σταυρό before every meal, and mumble Πάτερ ἡμῶν everynight before going to sleep, I didn’t establish a set prayer time each day until a month ago. The forty-five minutes I might dedicate to a pilates class had become more feasible, and I convinced myself that it is more worthwhile. I lived under the pretext that being busy was an excuse from establishing a set time with God. The Orthodox Church teaches the importance of a traditional worship: venerating icons, the seven sacraments and routine prayer. These rituals come naturally to me, yet I mostly practice them during services. I have never doubted my relationship with God, yet I have always struggled to pray. And while it may sound obvious, learning ‘how to pray’ is important and it is a conversation that is often shelved.

Recently, I’ve been observing the way in which my grandmother worships God in her daily life outside of Church. Her morning routine swaps scrolling for reading scripture, her afternoon walks do not require blaring music or a phone call to catch up with a friend, and her evenings end with silent prayer and reflection each night. Meals are introduced with a proper prayer and thanks to God, not a half-hearted and hastily done cross. She incorporates God into her routine, arguably gossiping to Him just as I would with friends. And while she is 83 and has more downtime, these habits are ones that anyone could emulate.

For much of my life I was truly uncomfortable in personal prayer; shifting in the silence, asking God for wants like some sort of genie, and eventually resorting to repeating familiar prayers because I was impatient. Our time spent together felt forced, ingenuine and painfully redundant. My screen time was an abjection and this summer, I admitted to myself that the restlessness in silence with God needed to change. Observing my grandmother required me to face my fears and accept the reality that nourishing an intimate relationship with God will require self reflection and this dreaded, uncomfortable silence. Yet acceptance was the easiest part; it has been putting it into practice for me that has proven to be most difficult, while dually the most fruitful.

Under the advice of my older brother, I reached out to my priest to speak about these feelings. During our conversation, he urged me to test out the ‘closet method’ wherein you set a timer and sit somewhere kept away from distraction -hence the closet- and dedicate a period of time to God. While this may seem a bit dramatic, it has changed the way I pray and I’ve grown increasingly comfortable in the silence that was formerly so daunting to me. Much like meditation, it reminded me that I need to relax my breath, set my mind and my intentions onto my goal: building my relationship with God. This approach to prayer has allowed me to focus my entire attention on God, weakened distraction and has translated into other moments of my day. The reward of knowing God intimately requires struggle and in just the few weeks I’ve put this advice into practice, I have begun to look forward to our conversations. I look for Him in my solitude and no longer feel the need to drown Him out with music, idle scrolling or former unfulfilling distractions. I shifted my perspective of God from not just my creator, but to my friend. And just like any strong friendship, it requires effort, listening and patience with both parties. Further, allocating time for God in the same way you would a workout, a healthy meal, or a good catch up with a friend is nourishing; it is a free and effective wellness supplement!

Mary Markis is a part-time writer for the Orthodox Observer. A Greek American and lifelong Orthodox Christian, she is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Art in Art History and Social Anthropology at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland.

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The Loukoumi Make A Difference Foundation in New York closed its 19th annual International Make A Difference with Loukoumi Day on Saturday, Oct. 24, with a visit to the construction site of the new St. Michael’s Home (SMH) in Uniondale, where the foundation pledged to raise $50,000 to create a Loukoumi Lounge.

The foundation arrived on its Loukoumi Good Deed Bus and made a pledge at the site, where construction is underway. The group toured the building, including the space where the lounge will be built, and made a $3,000 deposit toward the pledge.

The lounge is intended as a gathering place where residents can socialize and spend time with visiting volunteers and family, according to the foundation. The new facility, which is moving from its current campus in Yonkers, is expected to be complete at the end of next year.

International Make A Difference with Loukoumi Day is held on the last Saturday of October, when children and young adults take part in service projects and acts of kindness. Over the years, the initiative has reached more than 150,000 participants in 35 countries. This year, Loukoumi Good Deed Buses also departed from Athens, Greece; Cologne, Germany; Deerfield, Illinoid; and Gander, Newfoundland.

“This is a meaningful pledge from the Loukoumi Foundation for two reasons. One, from SMH perspective, this pledge is the first pledge to the project from a youth organization. It reflects SMH’s belief that compassion has no age limit,” St. Michael’s Home Office of Development spokesperson Paul Politis said. “It shows that young people care about the well-being of older adults, that they are cherished, appreciated, and not forgotten, and they are willing to take action to make a positive difference in their lives.”

The foundation was established by Nick Katsoris, its president, founder and executive director, and author of the Loukoumi children’s books. A foundation study published by Fordham University surveyed more than 1,000 children and young adults in 20 countries; more than 90 percent said doing good made them happier.

Katsoris himself volunteered at St. Michael’s Home with the foundation when he was a senior in high school. As a Loukoumi volunteer, Katsoris would help the residents of the Yonkers facility to their medical appointments.

“It’s really very rewarding,” Katsoris said. “What we’re doing is creating this space where people can go and spend time because some of these people are very lonely.”

Earlier in the day, participants boarded the Loukoumi Good Deed Bus at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in New Rochelle, N.Y., and traveled to Fordham University, where panelists spoke about the meaning of charity.

Here, New York State Assemblywoman Amy Paulin called in: “I spent many years volunteering and in public service,” Paulin said. “Sometimes those deeds affect many, many people and sometimes just one. But no matter, it is all important.”

Paulin also spoke about her efforts to secure state funding for the Loukoumi Service Learning Curriculum in the Eastchester school district. The curriculum requires that students in schools that adopt the learning plan to participate in acts of volunteerism.

New York State Senator Shelley Mayer also joined the panel, and spoke at length about the “acts of goodness” Loukoumi stands for.

“I love hearing from students all over the world,” Shelley said. “What a credit to Loukoumi for this worldwide initiative.”

From there, the Good Deed Bus left for POTS (Part of the Solution), a Bronx organization that serves individuals and families in need. Participants donated diapers, infant formula, wipes and nonperishable food.

Students from Loukoumi Good Deed Councils at Greek Orthodox parishes and schools are raising money for the project. Participants include Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in New Rochelle, N.Y.; St. Demetrios School in Astoria, N.Y.; Archangel Michael Greek Orthodox Church in Port Washington, N.Y.; Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Bridgeport, Conn.; and the William Spyropoulos School at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Flushing, N.Y.

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The Huffington Ecumenical Institute (HEI) at Hellenic College Holy Cross has been selected as a grantee in the third cohort of the Climate Science in Theological Education (CSTE) initiative, a project of the Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion (DoSER) program at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

Through the grant, HEI will work with DoSER to engage current climate science in its curriculum and programming. HEI is one of 11 theological institutions in this cohort, which includes schools in the United States, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Ukraine.

“This grant will enable us to prepare a graduate course for our school focused on practical steps for greening our parishes,” said Fr. John Chryssavgis, HEI’s Executive Director. “It follows the groundbreaking course offered by HEI two years ago and works with the new program of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America for developing a Green Church Initiative across the country.”

Read the full announcement here.

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His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America welcomed His Eminence Metropolitan Demetrios of Kefalonia to the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America on Monday, October 26, 2026, the Feast Day and Name Day of the beloved saint of Kefalonia, St. Gerasimos.

Metropolitan Demetrios is visiting the United States to participate in the centennial celebration of Saint Gerasimos Greek Orthodox Church in New York City, one of the oldest Greek Orthodox communities dedicated to the island’s patron saint. Also present at the meeting were Ioannis Trepeklis, Governor of the Ionian Islands Region; Vasilios Kokkosis, Chairman of St. Gerasimos Church in NYC’s Centennial Celebration; and Gerasimos Athanasatos, St. Gerasimos Church in NYC’s Parish Council President.

The Metropolitan’s visit comes at after a joyful weekend marking the parish’s 100th anniversary. On Sunday, Archbishop Elpidophoros and Metropolitan Demetrios celebrated the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at Saint Gerasimos Church, joined by His Grace Bishop Nektarios of Diokleia, National Chancellor of the Archdiocese, Rev. Archimandrite Bartholomew Mercado, and Rev. Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Throne Panagiotis Papazafiropoulos.

Previously: St. Gerasimos Greek Orthodox Church celebrates Centennial Weekend

On Saturday evening, clergy, parishioners, benefactors, and friends of the community gathered for a Centennial Gala celebrating a century of faith, service, and witness. The evening honored the generations who have sustained Saint Gerasimos Church throughout its first one hundred years and laid the foundation for future generations to continue its sacred mission.

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NEW YORK, NY – St. Gerasimos Greek Orthodox Church marked its Centennial with a historic weekend of worship, celebration and thanksgiving, bringing together hierarchs, clergy, parishioners and friends to honor 100 years of faith and service and to look toward the parish’s second century.

The celebration paid tribute to the generations who built and sustained St. Gerasimos while affirming the community’s commitment to preserving its Orthodox faith and Hellenic heritage for generations to come.

A Centennial Celebration

The Centennial Gala brought together the faithful to honor the clergy, parish leaders, families and benefactors whose sacrifice and devotion have sustained St. Gerasimos throughout its first century.

His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America joined the community for the historic occasion, together with His Eminence Metropolitan Demetrios of Kefalonia and His Grace Bishop Nektarios of Diokleia.

A significant moment of the evening was the announcement of a $1 million donation from the Kefalonian Society “Ainos” to the St. Gerasimos Endowment Fund. Together with commitments from the Parish Council and the Ladies Philoptochos Society, the gift represents a lasting investment in the parish and its ministries as St. Gerasimos enters its second century.

The evening celebrated not only the parish’s history, but also the stewardship and commitment that will help carry its mission forward.

Divine Liturgy Marks the Spiritual Culmination

The Centennial continued Sunday, Oct. 25, with the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at St. Gerasimos Church, providing a fitting spiritual culmination to the weekend.

Archbishop Elpidophoros presided, joined by Metropolitan Demetrios of Kefalonia, Bishop Nektarios of Diokleia, the Rev. Archimandrite Bartholomew Mercado and the Rev. Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Throne Panagiotis Papazafiropoulos.

Seminarians from Hellenic College Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology also participated, offering a meaningful connection between the parish’s century-long legacy and a new generation preparing for service to the Church.

At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, Fr. Papazafiropoulos, proistamenos of St. Gerasimos, expressed the parish’s gratitude to Archbishop Elpidophoros for his presence and pastoral leadership and thanked Metropolitan Demetrios and Bishop Nektarios for sharing in the historic celebration.

As part of the Centennial observance, Vasilios Kokkosis and Fokion Avgerinos, two devoted members of the St. Gerasimos community, were presented with the Medal of St. Paul in recognition of their longstanding service and dedication to the parish and the Church.

A third Medal of St. Paul was presented to Nikie Calles, Archivist of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, honoring her exceptional and tireless service to the Archdiocese. Through her years of dedicated work in the Office of the Archbishop and her important role as Archivist, Calles has helped preserve the historical record and institutional memory of the Church. Her recognition was especially appropriate during a Centennial devoted to honoring and preserving a century of faith, service and history.

A Second Century Begins

Founded in 1926, St. Gerasimos Greek Orthodox Church has served generations of Orthodox Christians while maintaining deep ties to the Kefalonian community and its patron saint, St. Gerasimos.

For a century, generations of faithful have worshiped within the parish, raised their children in the Orthodox faith and worked together to ensure that the Church entrusted to them would remain strong for those who followed.

The Centennial weekend honored that inheritance while looking confidently toward the future. As St. Gerasimos begins its second century, the parish does so with gratitude for those who came before and with renewed commitment to carrying their legacy of faith, service and love for the Church into the generations to come.

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