How does the Eastern liturgy influence the lifestyle of Greek Catholics in Slovakia and the United States?
What are the greatest threats and opportunities for Eastern Christian spirituality in today’s secular Western society?
In what ways can Greek Catholics enrich the Roman Catholic Church?
What does it mean to be a Greek-Catholic today? To be proud of one’s ancient liturgy, liturgical language, chants, traditions, and ancestors... but how can all of this be integrated into a holistic life in a techno-digital Western society — one that was shaped by Latin Christianity but is now severing itself from its roots? How can one live as a Greek-Catholic authentically — both in America and in Slovakia — not merely in a liturgical or "museum-like" way? How can we practically bring the experience of the Desert Fathers and the monastic tradition into everyday life? In what ways is the Greek-Catholic Church unique within contemporary Catholicism?
Cyril Vasiľ is a Slovak Greek Catholic archbishop. He is currently the eparchial bishop of the Košice Eparchy and the papal delegate for the Syro-Malabar Church in India. He studied theology at the Cyril and Methodius Faculty of Theology in Bratislava and was ordained a priest in 1987, when he also emigrated to Italy. In his new position, he supplemented his theological education with a licentiate and later a doctorate in canon law, and in 1990 he entered the Society of Jesus in Genoa. In the following years, he held several important positions, including Dean of the Faculty of Eastern Canon Law and Rector of the Pontifical Oriental Institute. He was ordained bishop in Rome in 2009 and was also appointed secretary of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches. After 33 years in Italy, he returned to Slovakia in 2020.
Kyle Washut is a newly ordained Greek Catholic deacon, professor, and president of Wyoming Catholic College (WCC). He grew up in Casper, Wyoming, where as a teenager he worked in underground nuclear facilities and coal mines. He graduated in 2003 with degrees in political science and Spanish, and in 2007 completed a liberal arts education (known in Slovakia as classical education) at Thomas Aquinas College. He returned to Wyoming as the first dean of student life at WCC. In fall 2009, he continued his studies at the International Theological Institute (ITI) in Austria, earning a degree in sacred theology. Today, Washut teaches a wide range of courses at WCC, including theology, philosophy, grammar, rhetoric, logic, and the humanities. After several years as academic dean, he was appointed president in August 2023.
Timotej Križka is a filmmaker and photographer whose main focus is exploring human identity in connection with inner freedom. He has created numerous films and visual essays, with his most significant work being the project Peaceful in Turmoil, which portrays the stories of political prisoners to show how one can truly be free and independent of external circumstances. He is married, has three children, and lives in Bratislava.
