St. Nicholas Byzantine Catholic Church, Lorain

06/14/2026

A new Byzantine Catholic outreach has taken root in Bradford, Illinois, thanks to a providential partnership between the Eparchy of Parma, the Diocese of Peoria, and two supporting parishes. As interest in a Byzantine presence resurfaced, St. John the Baptist Church—a historic Latin Rite parish preparing to close—welcomed our clergy to celebrate a Divine Liturgy, attended by more than 180 people.

Seeing an opportunity to keep the church active, the Diocese of Peoria offered our community a temporary lease with the option to purchase the parish complex. The Latin Rite parishioners, though grieving their closure, were deeply committed to preserving a Catholic presence in Bradford and responded with remarkable generosity, even offering financial support to help the new outreach begin.

After entering a rental agreement, an inaugural Divine Liturgy was celebrated on Pentecost Sunday. The new community is under the care of St. Anthony the Great Parish in St. Louis, with ongoing support from Annunciation Parish in Homer Glen, and will be served by Fr. Joseph Weber, Fr. Thomas Loya, and Fr. Tyler Strand on a rotating basis.

06/13/2026

06/12/2026

Matthew 10:32-36 & 11:1
New International Version

32 “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.

34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn

“‘a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’

11 After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee.

06/11/2026

Matthew 10:16-22
New International Version

16 “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17 Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

06/10/2026

Matthew 10:9-15
New International Version

9 “Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts— 10 no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep. 11 Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. 12 As you enter the home, give it your greeting. 13 If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for S***m and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.

06/09/2026

Matthew 9:36-10:8
New International Version

36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve

10 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.

2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,[a] drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

06/06/2026

06/06/2026

Gospel-Fishers of Men

06/06/2026

Vigil Divine Liturgy, Second Sunday after Pentecost