Fr. Martin Halík's mission trip in the USA continues

Orthodox parishes in Washington, Cleveland and Michigan welcomed Fr. Martin Halík openly and supported the ministry among Roma communities.

Fr. Martin Halík's mission trip among Orthodox parishes in the United States continued into its second week as well. As the Orthodox Eparchy of Michalovce and Košice reported on its Facebook profile, the visit is taking place with the blessing of Bishop Juraj and is focused above all on presenting the Church's ministry among Roma communities.

In the Washington (DC) area, the delegation approached local Orthodox parishes and also took concrete steps towards further development of the mission among the Roma. For example, the official website was translated into English, and new information materials were prepared following the recommendations of the Orthodox Christian Mission Center. A significant moment was the presentation of the mission work after the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts in the Cathedral of St. Nicholas of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), where the guests were welcomed by Fr. Alessandro Margheritino, chancellor of the OCA Metropolitan.

The next stop was Cleveland in the state of Ohio, where the delegation was received by Fr. Ján Čižmár. With the blessing of Archbishop Daniel, the mission among the Roma was presented here to local believers in the Church of St. Innocent. It was this parish that gave a special witness of faith, because even after the recent fire at its church it continues to support mission projects generously. The visit also included a meeting at St. Herman House, where they have long served people who have no home.

The end of the week was a visit to Burton in the state of Michigan. The delegation took part in the Saturday evening service here, and on Sunday they co-served the Divine Liturgy in the Church of St. Nicholas together with Fr. Matthew-Peter Butri. After the liturgy came a presentation of the mission among the Roma, and the local parish gave the Sunday collection to support it.

“For all the love and support we received, we are sincerely grateful. We know that the faithful do this above all for God and for the service of His Church,” said the participants of the mission trip. At the same time they ask for prayers, that the ministry among the Roma people may continue to develop and bear good fruit.