Dear Friends,

On Saturday, my school of St Andrew's had its graduation!

We had ten graduates this year and our Bishop Stephen was in attendance - he gave some very beautiful remarks.

Ukrainian TV was out to film much of this too.

Our guest speaker was the Ukrainian Canadian TV star, Luba Goy, who kept us all in stitches with her comments about what it is like to grow up Ukrainian in Canada ("I told my mother I didn't want kobassa sandwiches for lunch any more, that I wanted peanut butter sandwiches like everyone else. And sure enough, the next day when I opened up my lunch-box, there was my peanut butter sandwich - on dark rye, with horse-radish . . .").

The Bishop asked me what kind of religion I was teaching without priests . . . I told them "the Christian religion, Vladyka!"

Later on, he gave me his blessing and said that he prays God's help on our work!

Alex

Congratulations, Alex! It seems that it was quite the occasion.

I didn't realize that you have a school! Do you have a website? Are you the headmaster?

Blessings,

Gordo

Dear Gordo,

I'm next year's principal.

It was all an eye-opener for our new bishop too!

He showed he his Panaghia medallion and said that he sat near Pope John Paul II some time ago when the medallion caught the Pope's eye and he asked the bishop to move closer so he could see it.

The Pope really liked it, the bishop told me, and held it in his hands for a while.

The bishops said that the medallion is now a relic and when the Pope is beatified he will privately enshrine it in his home.

Alex

Congrats Alex i hope you will make a great leader

DEar Friend,

I pray that God will lead us according to His Will!

Alex