Entrusting our prayers, aspirations to the Mother of God

This evening we gathered at 7pm to sing the Moleben to the Mother of God. In the time of suffering, violence and injustice (person, economic, social and religious) we approach the Mary, the Mother of God, placing ourselves under her mantle for protection. We especially pray for those killed and those injured in this war.

About 60 members of our parish community –far and wide– sustained each other in prayer led by Fr. Iura our pastor, Fr. Stepan Yanovsky, Fr Al Forlano and Fr. Gregory Lozinskyy (pastor of St John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Church, Trumbull). Laity and clergy alike came to beg the for a peaceful resolution in Ukraine.

Let’s NOT be unmoved by the suffering of both fellow Christians and non-Christian children of God.

We are filled with anguish and anxiety that friends, family, colleagues, the poor and the elderly, children and the like can be threatened by a fellow Slav, a violent and self-centered man. Pope Francis has called us to place ourselves in the framework of the “weakness” of prayer to counter the power of arms.

The Pope’s recent teaching on the events in Ukraine runs along these lines: by our meek ascetism (our humble, disciplined work of prayer) we can counter the strength of cannons. We know from experience that prayer unites us to God the Father and makes us brothers and sisters; fasting takes something away from us in order to share it with others – even if the other is an enemy. The Lord teaches us to pray for our enemies.

Again, we have the experience that prayer is the real revolution that changes the world because it changes hearts. This kind of demon, Jesus says, “never comes out except by prayer and fasting.”

“May the Queen of Peace preserve the world from the madness of war,” Pope Francis said.

We are grateful for the presence of the Mayor of New Haven, Justin Elicker tonight. His solidarity with us is meaningful. Likewise, we are grateful for the news media outlets who covered the service and took the time to meet people.

May Our Lady, the great mother of God hear and answer our prayers.

Call to prayer tonight at the parish

Christ is among us!

We are having a 7pm bi-lingual prayer service TONIGHT for Ukraine.

Join us.

ALSO, at 7pm tonight in other parishes in the Eparchy:

St Michael Ukrainian Catholic Church, 135 Wethersfield Avenue, Hartford CT
St Josaphat Ukrainian Catholic Church, 303 Eddy Glover Blvd, New Britain CT
St Michael Ukrainian Catholic Church, 569 George Street, New Haven CT
St John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church, 39 New London Tpke, Glastonbury CT
St Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church, 178 Linwood Avenue, Colchester CT
Sts Peter and Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church, 105 Clifton Avenue, Ansonia CT
Holy Dormition of BVM Ukrainian Catholic Church, 255 Barnum Avenue, Bridgeport CT
St Vladimir Ukrainian Catholic Church, 24 Wenzel Terrace, Stamford CT
St Michael Ukrainian Catholic Church, 35 Allen Street, Terryville CT

AND the Ukrainian Orthodox Churches

Holy Trinity Parish of Orthodox Church of Ukraine 99 York Street, Bridgeport CT
St Mary Ukrainian Orthodox Church, 10 Oakwood Street, Bridgeport, CT
St Mary Ukrainian Orthodox Church, 24 Winter Street, New Britain CT
St Mary Ukrainian Orthodox Church, 50 Fowler Street, New Haven CT

AND in Massachusetts

Sts Peter and Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church, 45 Newbury Street, Ludlow MA

Day of Prayer for Peace on January 26

Christ is among us!
Two opportunities for prayer for January 26:
1. At the Parish on January 26 at 7pm, we will pray the Moleben to the Holy Mother of God. It is critical that we as a parish community of faith come to the Church to beg for the gift of peace! One’s physical presence is an important witness of Faith. We will try to have the service on Facebook.

 

2. Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly urges brother Knights around the world to join with Pope Francis and the Universal Church in praying for peace in Ukraine, on January 26, at 3 p.m. EST. Learn more: https://bit.ly/35hsxfH

Ukrainian Bishop Paul and Archbishop Blair expect to be in attendance.

Ukrainian Bishops in the USA call to prayer

“For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” (Mt. 189:20)

For the past eight years, since the invasion of parts of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, and the annexation of the Crimean Peninsula by the Russian Federation, Ukraine has lived under constant threat. The hybrid war fomented on Ukraine by Russia continues unabated until this day.

Since that time, the Ukrainian people, in Ukraine and throughout the world, have responded to this unprovoked aggression with undaunted determination.  They have countered the Russian disinformation campaign with objective truth, they have morally and financially supported the Ukrainian military and especially the wounded soldiers and citizens displaced by the conflict, and, most importantly, they have prayed to God for peace and an end to the conflict.

As you are aware, the tensions along Ukraine’s eastern border have recently intensified to the point that a full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia has become a distinct possibility.

Shaken by the threat of actual armed conflict on the European continent, the Holy Father, Pope Francis, addressed the situation in Ukraine in remarks to the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, January 23: “I make a heartfelt appeal to all people of good will to raise prayers to Almighty God that all political actions and initiatives may be at the service of human brotherhood rather than partisan interests.”  The Holy Father then proposed that Wednesday, January 26 be proclaimed a day of prayer for peace in Ukraine in the universal Catholic Church.  We wish to sincerely thank Pope Francis for this gesture of solidarity and his paternal love and care for the people of Ukraine.

Our desire as your bishops is that all our parishes and faithful take up this appeal to prayer of the Holy Father.  In our parish communities, wherever possible, we ask that the parish faithful be gathered on Wednesday, January 26 for prayer vigils, divine liturgies, molebens or akathists.  We also encourage that our families and individual faithful respond to this appeal with their own private devotions, prayer and fasting on that day.  Let an avalanche of prayer from every corner of the world ascend to heaven so that the Lord would make an end to the threat of war, death and destruction in Ukraine and everywhere in the world.

Metropolitan Kallistos Ware on the Jesus Prayer

The Jesus Prayer

Of all the lectures either in person or recorded offered by Metropolitan Kallistos Ware, this interview is gold. Sharing it here with our parish and friends because I believe what Ware says is important for the spiritual life.

Spotlight Quote: “What do we mean by ‘silence’? It can be thought of negatively: just a pause between words, an absence of noise. And in that case, it is something negative and empty. But silence can also be understood in a positive way: not just as ceasing to speak, but beginning to listen.”

The interview begins around 7min.

Kallistos Ware – The Jesus Prayer (N173)

Praying with the Pope

The prayer intention of Pope Francis for the month of July:

We pray that today’s families may be accompanied with love, respect and guidance.

May the Holy Family intercede for us.

Time to Heal –Bishop Paul calls us

On Saturday, June 6, Bishop Paul invites the faithful of the Stamford Eparchy to join Him for a bilingual prayer service “Time to Heal” streamed LIVE from St. Basil Seminary Chapel at 6:00 p.m.
 
The stream will be available at St. Basil Seminary Facebook page:
 
https://www.facebook.com/stbasilcollege/