
Meet Your Sisters

Lynne Wardach
Myrrhbearing Lay Sisters Coordinator
From: Clarks Summit, PA
Church: St. Mary's Ruthenian Catholic, Taylor, PA (Passaic Eparchy), I am a cradle Byzantine Catholic.
Obedience: Education in the Faith
-
Wife, mom & grandmother
-
Associated with Holy Annunciation Monastery since 2004.
-
Content creator at ByziMom.com, where I share reflections on being a Byzantine Catholic mother and free resources for educating young Eastern Christians in the faith.
-
Creator and executive editor of ByziKids Magazine Author of The Jesse Tree, The Zacchaeus Tree, and The ByziMom's Guide to Great Fast Meals.
Other things about me:
-
Former clinical laboratory scientist.
-
Certified in plant-based nutrition, I live a whole-foods, plant-based lifestyle, and offer encouragement to those attempting the Eastern Catholic fasting regimen.
Patron: St. Veronika

Lisa Yan
Family from Hazim Slovakia
Born Slatington PA.
Cradle Byzantine Catholic
Church: St Peter and Paul Byzantine Church Palmerton PA
Married with 4 daughters and 3 grandchildren
Live in La Romana Dominican Republic
Obediences: Sacristan and learning to write icons
I love to pray and study.
Patron: St. Mary of Egypt

Loretta Fernandez
From: La Porte, TX
Church: St. Anne's Byzantine Catholic Community in The Villages, FL (Passaic Eparchy)
Obediences: Motherhood and Church Cantor
Married since 2014, blessed with 4 girls
Raised in the Latin church since birth, then our family changed our sui iuris church to the Byzantine church in 2023.
Working full time as a clinical pharmacist since 2012.
Patron: St. Martha
https://www.facebook.com/loretta.rios25?mibextid=ZbWKwL
Sr.Martha#0022

Mary (Podhayny) Weil
From: Omaha, Nebraska
Church:
-
Omaha/Lincoln Byzantine Outreach (Eparchy of Parma)
-
St. Barnabas Anglican Ordinariate, Omaha, NE
Obediences:
-
Grandmother (Busya) to 7 grandchildren (and counting)
-
Spiritual and emotional support to children – Lisa, Nick and Jon, and husband, Bob
-
Keeper of Eastern Traditions for the above
-
Parent Ambassador ITI Catholic University, Trumau, Austria
-
Student in Mentorship Program for Lay Leaders, Archdiocese, Omaha
-
Volunteer at Methodist Hospital, Omaha
Other things about me:
-
Retired Registered Nurse, St. Joseph Kidney Transplant Center, Orange, California.
-
Formerly founding family at Annunciation Byzantine Catholic Church, Anaheim, California from
-
1968 – 2021. Coordinator of ECF, Advisory Board Member, Member of Choir, Member of Baking Guild
-
Learning to appreciate the changes seasons and gardening
-
Owned by 2 “empty nest” chihuahuas - Lola and Chetna
Patrons:
Holy Theotokos, St. Anne and St. Monica
1914 S. 197th St. Omaha, NE 68130
Cell: 949-422-7876

Loretta L. Winn
From: Phoenix, AZ
Church: St. Stephens Byzantine Catholic Cathedral, Phoenix, AZ (Holy Protection of Mary Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Phoenix)
Obedience: The true meaning of Faith: Pray-er
Admin @ ByziMoms for ByziPriests Prayer Apostolate
https://www.facebook.com/groups/byzimomspray4byzipriests/
Married, 50 years 2023, and Nana, 3 Children and raised in the Roman Catholic Church/ 43 years.
Moved to St. Stephen Byzantine Catholic Cathedral 2018. Retired in 2019.
Patron: St. Gemma #2203
Lwinn1@cox.net/lorettawinn6@gmail.com
On Facebook Loretta Winn

Katherine Florich
Currently Lives: East Peoria, Illinois
Churches: St. Louis Byzantine Catholic Church and St. Philomena Roman Catholic Church.
Obedience: Wife, Mother, and Homemaker
Other Things About Me:
-Former Mining Engineer
-Three Daughters - Irene, Josephine and Marina
-My husband and I are both cradle Catholics, but switched to the Ruthenian Rite on our wedding day.
-I enjoy growing and learning in faith, especially through reading.
Patron: Still discerning. My confirmation Saint is St. Dymphna.
Discord name - Katherine.Florich

Annette Fisanick
From: Nicktown, PA
Church: Grew up Roman Catholic. Byzantine Catholic for 31 years. Still feel like a baby Byzi and eager to learn!
My church is Immaculate Conception of the BVM (AKA Saint Mary's Ukrainian Catholic Church)
Obediences: Wife to Christian Fisanick. Met in 1989 on a Knights of Columbus Christmas party!
Mom to Alec Fisanick, 29 years and
Sara Fisanick, 26 years.
Mom to two fur babies:
Cat named Juniper and Dog named Binx
Head Cantor at Saint Mary's.
Choir Director
Regent for Catholic Daughters of the Americas
Member of our church's women's group
Sacristan
Other: Retired Registered Nurse. Worked on a Cardiac Critical Care floor with Transplants for 6 years
31 years as an LPN Instructor, recently retired
1998-2007 ECF Teacher
1999-2007 ECF Coordinator
Patrons: Saint Mary Magdeline, Saint Anne, and Mama Mary!
Address: PO Box 69 Nicktown, PA
Cell #: 814-934-0381

Maria Shysh
From: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Church: Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Greek Catholic, Calgary.
Lifelong Byzantine Catholic, but late in learning about it.
Obediences: Marriage, Jesus Prayer and chotki mission,
parish flowers and plants person,
semi-sacristan
Turned 62 in February, Wife of 34 years,
mom to a daughter and son,
fur-mom to a Schnoodle dog, a green cheeked conure, and a house bunny,
volunteer with Ukrainian evacuees since March 2022
Active volunteer in the Ukrainian community in Alberta since age 16.
Fluent in Ukrainian.
Current chair of a Ukrainian Women’s League.
Other things about me:
Former Registered Nurse, love trying new crafts when time allows, love camping and the outdoors, love my quiet time alone at the church doing my duties
Patron:
Most Holy Theotokos
Contact:
Address: 423 Silver Valley Road NW
Calgary, AB, Canada T3B 4B8
Cell: 403-660-0754
E-mail: shyshkababa@shaw.ca
FB: https://www.facebook.com/maria.shysh/

Angela Wynn
From: Azle, Texas
Church: St. Basil the Great Catholic Church Irving, Texas, my family switched rites on the Feast of the Dormition 2020
Obedience: Wife, Mother, Homeschooler, Byzikid Co-Op Coordinator for our Parish, Little Flower group leader for young girls
Other things about me: I am a retired professional photographer and enjoy film photography as a hobby now. My husband has been accepted to deacon seminary and will start the four year program June 2023. We live on some land and have a mule, two donkeys, 8 chickens, an ever changing number of rabbits, one cat, and one goose.
Married for 12 years with four children Annelise, Josephine, Eloise, Leo.
Patrons: St Therese of Lisieux, Our Lady of Czestochowa
817-937-2839
AngelaMLW

Pam Pettit
Ancestors from Hungary/Poland/Ukraine and Slovakia immigrated to Pennsylvania and Ohio.
Born Albuquerque, NM - still here
Cradle Catholic, Parents helped establish Our Lady of the Assumption RCC. I was baptized on the parish
feast day shortly after the church was consecrated. Attended 8 yrs at the parish Catholic school.
Churches: Our Lady of the Assumption and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Byzantine Catholic Church
Obedience: Still discerning a specific myrrh while remaining attentive to the Holy Spirit. I respond to
requests for help. Also maintain two small flowerbeds at the entrance to the church and a small Marian
shrine my son built as an Eagle Scout; my effort is dedicated to Our Lady.
About me:
Divorced when our youngest of three was 18 months old. Majority of parenting fell to me (and
God), all three graduated college (two with Master’s).
Son and wife are self-proclaimed atheists and raising their two children without faith.
Oldest daughter is married to Fr. Adam (St Thomas the Apostle, Gilbert AZ), working as a full-time music/fine arts teacher, and raising three daughters.
Youngest daughter is a professional musician, serving in the military and living in NYC.
I’m still working from home most of the time, as a contractor for the Department of Energy.
Worked in many various positions over the years. BA in psychology with a minor in vocational
rehabilitation.
Patron: Born on the feast of St Panteleimon. Prayerfully considering St Svetlana as my lay sister patron
.
padamsko@hotmail.com
Discord: pam#4991
https://www.facebook.com/pamela.adamsko/

Rose McGroarty Farry
From: Brucoli, Sicilia
Church: St. Elias Maronite Church, Roanoke, VA
Obedience:
Wife to Jason Farry
Mother
Homemaker
Graduate Student
Educator
Religious Poet
Other things about me:
I am a cradle Latin Catholic and transferred to the Maronite Church in 2022
I married Jason Farry in 2021 (he entered the Church as a Maronite in 2022)
We have one child and hope to have a large family
I am a PhD student at Virginia Tech (Geophysics)
My Master's thesis was about the evolution of the Martian crust (Geochemistry) - also at Virginia Tech
I love creative writing
I am a dancer and choreographer
I breed Australian Terriers and am an AKC Breeder of Merit
Patron: St. Joanna the Myrrhbearer
Discord: dandelioncrown#5140
Phone: 5404190814
Email: farrytalefamily@gmail.com

Your Name
This is your Team Member description. Use this space to write a brief description of this person’s role and responsibilities, or add a short bio.

Your Name
This is your Team Member description. Use this space to write a brief description of this person’s role and responsibilities, or add a short bio.

Your Name
This is your Team Member description. Use this space to write a brief description of this person’s role and responsibilities, or add a short bio.

Your Name
This is your Team Member description. Use this space to write a brief description of this person’s role and responsibilities, or add a short bio.

Your Name
This is your Team Member description. Use this space to write a brief description of this person’s role and responsibilities, or add a short bio.

Your Name
This is your Team Member description. Use this space to write a brief description of this person’s role and responsibilities, or add a short bio.