By Father Bruce Riebe
For The Catholic Messenger
IOWA CITY—Byzantine Catholic Bishop Robert Pipta celebrated a Divine Liturgy recently as part of his official visitation to the Iowa Outreach called St Andrew of Crete. The service took place in the Sacred Heart Chapel at St. Patrick Church. Just over thirty congregants were in attendance. Bishop Dennis Walsh and Father Troy Richmond, pastor at St Patrick, joined the group at the meal afterwards.
Bishop Walsh has close friends who are Byzantine Catholic from his days as a priest in the Toledo Diocese, according to Father Bruce Riebe, administrator of the outreach, and concelebrant at the liturgy. Father Riebe said Bishop Dennis has been extremely accommodating in the efforts of having a Byzantine presence in Eastern Iowa. Father Richmond said afterwards that “he is happy to host the Byzantine Liturgy monthly at his church.” The Divine Liturgy (which is how Byzantine Catholics refer to Mass) is offered every third Sunday at 4:30. The liturgy fulfills the obligation of any Catholic. The Divine Liturgy is celebrated on a weekly basis, 11:00 on Sundays, in Des Moines at All Saints Roman Catholic Church. St. Andrew of Crete is part of the Ruthenian Rite Church that covers twelve Midwestern states. Bishop Pipta’s Cathedral is located in Parma, Ohio (just outside of Cleveland.
(For information at either location go to iowabyzantine.org or contact Father Bruce Riebe at 440-227-5037.)
