Bishop Mykola began the year with a joint prayer with the PLAST members of Victoria

On Monday, January 1, Bishop Mykola took part in the Open Day, which was part of the programme of the annual summer camp of the PLAST Branch in Victoria. Together with the participants of the camp, as well as with the guests who came to “Sokil” in large numbers to take part in the Open Day, Bishop Mykola prayed the Moleben for the beginning of the new year. Father Andriy Mykytyuk, Principle Chaplain for PLAST in Australia, and Father Bohdan Vozniak, administrator of the Orthodox Parish of the Protection of the Mother of God in Melbourne, also joined in the prayer.

In his homily, Bishop Mykola focused the attention of those present on what we feel when starting the new year. “A new year always brings a sense of hope, doesn’t it? The previous year, with all its tragedies, problems, disappointments, failures, and sadness, is now behind us, and a clean slate lies ahead. A new year always brings a sense of dreams, doesn’t it?” said Bishop Mykola.

Continuing his address to the audience, Bishop Mykola noted that each of us has our own dreams, material or spiritual, which we wish to be fulfilled in the New Year. There is also one most important dream common to all Ukrainians: the end of the war and peace in our Motherland Ukraine. “There is only one way that your dreams will come true in this New Year, and that is by faith and hard work day by day. Dreams can be turned into reality this new year when we learn to exercise our faith,” the Bishop emphasised.

Finally, Bishop Mykola called on the PLAST members to always remember and implement the slogan of PLAST, “God and Ukraine.”

See also

October 20 Feast of the Protection of the Mother of God in Brisbane October 8 Parish Feast in Geelong: “A Feast of Maternal Love and Mercy” September 12 Bishop Mykola Bychok in Toronto: “It is in the family that hope is born, faith is formed, and love is nurtured”