To the Faithful of the Eparchy of New Westminster

January 19, 2012

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Dearly Beloved in Christ!

I have, over the past few years, had an opportunity to speak with many of you with the intent of soliciting your feedback on how best to utilize the Episcopal Residence in New Westminster.

To that end, I am very pleased to announce that the Episcopal Residence will be renamed the Bishop Jerome Chimy Eparchial Centre, and renovated to fully meet it’s newly expanded role in the life of the Eparchy.

The Bishop Jerome Centre was originally built by our Beloved Bishop in 1976 and became the official residence of the Eparch.  During the time of Bishop Jerome, the Episcopal Residence housed not only the Bishop, but up to 3 Sisters Servants, 2 priests and any out of town guests on official visits to the Eparchy.  The Episcopal Residence during the time of Bishop Severian housed the Bishop, one or two priests, a hospodar and also allowed Bishop Severian to provide a welcome place for visitors to the Eparchy.  As the Eparchy has grown and evolved, other arrangements have been provided for housing the sisters and priests of the Eparchy in the lower mainland and now the Episcopal Residence is no longer needed as simple housing.  The interior of the building is showing its age after 36 years of chancery and residential use with minimal renovations.

Acting on your suggestions, and with the support of the Eparchial College of Consultors and Finance Council, various Parish Council Chairs, the Eparchial UCWLC and other interested parties, we have secured rezoning from the City of New Westminster to allow us to legally operate our administrative offices in this location.  We have also undertaken to reallocate over 4,300 square feet of space in the new Bishop Jerome Centre from living quarters to become an Eparchial Library, Archives, Chancery, Administrative and Pastoral Centre, Religious Education office and meeting places.  The remaining area will be separately accessed and will serve as the official residence of the Bishop and any visitors to the Eparchy.

To ensure the Bishop Jerome Centre is safe for all occupants, we are following the advice and instructions of our structural architect and thus are upgrading the structure to meet all modern code requirements.  Other changes to make the Centre more welcoming for all of our faithful and guests include upgrades to provide handicapped accessibility.

In March of 1976, just a few short months after the December 28^th, 1975 ground-breaking ceremony was celebrated and the construction of the Episcopal Residence began, Bishop Jerome wrote the following to the faithful of the Eparchy of New Westminster:

“As it now stands, construction of the Bishop’s Residence is well under way.  Completion is expected sometime in May and the official opening and blessing is anticipated for June 13, 1976

“The Diocesan Expansion Fund campaign has been launched for the construction of the Bishop’s Residence.  However, we should look beyond the physical structure of the residence.  We should look at it as a symbol – a symbol of unity of our Eparchy, a symbol of our achievements in this province, a symbol of our awareness of our identity.  No one can doubt the importance of this purpose.

“Your generous contribution towards the Diocesan Expansion Fund is a great investment, it is a contribution to our Church and to our national heritage.  Therefore let’s all join hands, young and old, rich and poor, strong and weak, to achieve this goal.”

I would like to echo the words of our Founding Bishop of blessed memory and also announce that the renovations to the interior of the building have begun and are expected to continue until the early summer of 2012.  The total cost of the renovation is estimated at around $250,000.  We have already raised funds of over $150,000 including a grant of $50,000 from Catholic Missions in Canada who were very excited when they saw the plans for this Centre.  We are seeking benefactors to help support this enhancement to the future life of the Eparchy and would ask you to consider a contribution to the Bishop Jerome Chimy Eparchial Centre in your annual gifting or perhaps in your will.

Bishop Jerome demonstrated the foresight and courage to construct the Episcopal Residence during the infancy of our Eparchy.  All who have seen the vision for this space believe that the Bishop Jerome Chimy Eparchial Centre is a fitting tribute and legacy to our Founding Bishop.  The Centre will continue to be a vibrant hub of Eparchial life that reflects the energy of this Spiritual Father and the love he had for all the faithful of the Eparchy.  This rededicated facility will continue his work of Evangelization and will be focal point from which we can follow Jesus’ command to spread the Gospel and share the Good News of Christ’s love and mercy with the people of British Columbia and Yukon.

With prayerful best wishes and assurance of my Episcopal Blessings,

I remain sincerely yours in Christ,

+Ken

Eparch of New Westminster