Labor Day weekend 2013, the Slovak Community in the Chicago area hosted a visit with Bishop Jozef Halko, Auxiliary Bishop of Bratislava, Slovakia. Bishop Halko brought with him the relics of Saints Cyril and Methodius, which were on loan from the Slovak Papal Institute of Saints Cyril and Methodius, Rome, to commemorate the 1,150th evangelization of the Slovak people by these saints.
On Saturday, August 31st, Bishop Halko celebrated mass followed by devotion of these relics at the Benedictine Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows in Oak Forest, IL. On Sunday, September 1st, Bishop Halko celebrated mass at St. Simon Slovak Church in Chicago with concelebrants Fr. Kristián Libant, CM, (St. Simon, Chicago and native of Nitra, Slovakia) and Fr. Dušan Hladik (Czech Catholic Mission, Brookfield, IL) again with devotions to the relics of Saints Cyril and Methodius immediately following the mass. After mass, the Slovak Community held a reception for the Bishop, with representatives and supporters from the various Chicago Slovak communities and organizations in attendance. Chicago District President, Mary Therese Tylus represented the First Catholic Slovak Ladies Association along with a handful of Chicago District members in welcoming the Bishop to Chicago. Monday, September 2nd found Bishop Halko with the St. Simon Slovak community along with Chicago District President, Mary Therese Tylus and S258 Secretary/Treasurer, Rosemary Mlnarich, in St. John, IN, celebrating mass at St. John the Evangelist Parish followed by a visit to the Shrine of Christ’s Passion. The group walked the individual Stations of the Cross at the Shrine followed by prayers in Slovak. Each of these stations has a prerecorded narration by Bill Kurtis.
To see additional photos from this event, visit the Chicago District photo gallery.
