# A JOYFUL FORGIVENESS SUNDAY AT VANCOUVER PARISH

- Link: https://nweparchy.ca/2026/02/a-joyful-forgiveness-sunday-at-vancouver-parish/
- Published: 2026-02-15T22:33:02-08:00
- Author: Website

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**Cheese-fare Sunday** is also known as “Forgiveness Sunday” is the last Sunday (
and the last day for that matter) before the Great Fast (a.k.a. Lent) begins on 
Monday (but really on that Sunday evening with “forgiveness vespers”). **Cheese-
fare Sunday** is so called as it traditionally would be the last day to polish off
any, well, cheeses and other dairy products in the pantry before the 40-day fast
begins the following day. The previous Sunday, known as “**Meat-fare Sunday**” would
have been the last day to empty the house of any meat products in anticipation of
the approaching Lent. [Perhaps to help with the meat consumption, the Church grants
a dispensation from the meat-fasting rule on the second week prior to Meat-fare –
i.e. the week between the Sundays of the Publican and the Pharisee and the Prodigal
Son. A bit confused? Ask your parish priest.]

The Sunday is also known as “**Forgiveness Sunday**”, because it is an opportunity
when communities can come together on the eve of the Great Fast and become reconciled
by asking the Lord and by asking each other for forgiveness. This is practiced in
monastic and other communities of consecrated life, but in recent years, most parishes
hold some similar event together with “[**forgiveness vespers**](https://thebyzantinelife.com/forgivness-vespers/)”
on Sunday evening.  This act of the entire community asking for forgiveness of each
other and granting it is truly a powerful action by which to enter into the spirit
of Lent.

Bishop **Michael** visited [**St. Mary’s Ukrainian Catholic parish**](https://www.stmarysbc.com/)
in Vancouver on Cheese-fare Sunday morning for the Ukrainian-language Liturgy. Archpriest
Fr. [**Joe Ostopowich**](https://www.stmarysbc.com/fr-joe-ostopovich-greetings-from-greece-2025/)
and Deacon [**Howard Burton**](https://www.facebook.com/UkrainiancatholicBritishColumbia/posts/deacon-howard-honored-for-his-25-years-of-service-at-our-parish-christmas-lunche/1805126556291460/)
concelebrated, while pastor Fr. **Joseph Pidskalny**, OSBM preached the homily. 
A highlight of the service was when Bishop Michael welcomed a couple, **Lawrence**
and** Sarah**, who had just recently officially joined the Ukrainian Catholic Church
and were canonically enrolled into the Church and parish. This small, but special
event, brought a lot of joy to the parish. “Like a wedding” as one said. [Please
keep the couple in your prayer, as they are soon expecting twins…]

Following the Divine Liturgy, everyone was invited to the parish centre for a pancake
breakfast hosted by the parish branch of the [**Ukrainian Catholic Women’s League of Canada**](https://ucwlc.ca/).
The breakfast actually went well beyond pancakes with a lavish spread of great food
that included vast platters of fresh fruits. In the course of the breakfast, the
Ladies held a “door prize”. Everyone received a ticket when purchasing their admission
and they thus had a chance to win one of many donated prizes. Fr. Joseph also brought
attention to parishioner **Frank **who on that very day was also celebrating his
95^(th) birthday. He is one of those rare souls blessed with good health at that
age and lives fully independently with his wife who was also present.

**May our good Lord bless St. Mary’s Parish and all the parishes of our New Westminster
Eparchy with a powerful and life-changing Great Fast!**

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