Patriarch approves feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help

The Head of the UGCC issued a decree on proclamation of the Feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help

The Head of the UGCC, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, approved the decision about introducing the Feast of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, which was concluded by the Patriarchal Liturgical Commission and handed over to the Primate for familiarization and proclamation.

The decree of the proclamation of the Feast is issued in Kyiv, at the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ on Wednesday, June 20.

“We, by our authority, with our decree – BA 17/454 of December 11, 2017 of God – made it known to the people of God, having also decided on its celebration on the first Sunday of July. The Patriarchal Liturgical Commission was instructed to work on the liturgical texts of this holiday,” says in the document.

“In accordance with the provisions of the section” Liturgical Texts,” of the Instructions for the submission of liturgical texts, their reprints and translations (e.g., the Messenger of the Supreme Archbishop of the Kyiv-Halych UGCC 2013, p. 114), we approve and declare ad experimentum the Feast of Our Mother of Perpetual Help for the term of three years,” says in the Decree, which takes effect on June 21, 2018.

It is worth noting that the official proclamation of the holiday and celebrations on this occasion will be attended by the Metropolitans and Bishops of the UGCC, representatives of the fraternities of Our Mother of Perpetual Help of Ukraine and numerous faithful.

It should be added that on Sunday, July 1, the Head of the UGCC, His Beatitude Sviatoslav will visit Ternopil on the occasion of the pastoral visit, and solemnly proclaim the Feast of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, which the believers will celebrate each year on the first Sunday of July. The Head of the UGCC will lead the Hierarchical Holy Liturgy in the temple of Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Danylо Halytsky boulevard, 1B). The Liturgy begins at 11:00.

Department of Information of the UGCC

Asleep in the Lord of Mrs. Yaroslava Gudziak

Sad news of the falling asleep in the Lord of Mrs. Yaroslava Gudziak, mother of Bishop Borys Gudziak of France and countries of Benelux.

Mrs. Yaroslava Gudziak on died on Tuesday, June 12, late evening.

Parastas services was held on Thursday, June 14, Camillus, NY; the Funeral Divine Liturgy was at 4PM at St. John the Baptist Church in Syracuse. Internment took place on Saturday, June 16, at St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Cemetery in South Bound Brook, NJ.

A memorial in Ukrainian can be read here.

St Michael the Archangel Church extends their most heartfelt sympathies to the family especially Bishop Borys and prayers for the blessed repose of Mrs. Yaroslava Gudziak. May she rest in peace! Vichnaya Pamiat’!

Divine Liturgy for the coming week

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Sunday, 6/17/18 4th Sunday after Pentecost —All Saints of Rus`- Ukraine AND Father’s Day
8:30 a.m. Moleben to Jesus Christ (for all fathers of the parish) requested by Sestretsi
9:00 a.m. For the people of the parish

10:30 a.m. +Dario Aponte requested by Brandon and Andre Aponte
Moleben to Jesus Christ

Epistle: Romans 5:18-23
Gospel: Matthew 8:5-13, Tone 3

Monday, 6/18/18 The Holy Martyr Leontius

Tuesday, 6/19/18 The Holy Apostle Jude, Brother of the Lord According to the Flesh

Wednesday, 6/20/18 The Holy Priest-Martyr Methodius, Bishop of Patara

Thursday, 6/21/18 The Holy Martyr Julian of Tarsus
9:00 a.m. +Emilia Dubno (Pan.) requested by the Family

Friday, 6/22/18 The Holy Priest-Martyr Eusebius, Bishop of Samosata

Saturday, 6/23/18 The Holy Martyr Agrippina

Sunday, 6/24/18 5th Sunday after Pentecost —The Nativity of the Honorable and Glorious Prophet John, Forerunner and Baptist of Christ
9:00 a.m. For the people of the parish
Moleben to Jesus Christ

10:30 a.m. God’s blessing and health for Irene Hladkyj requested by the Family
Moleben to Jesus Christ

Epistle: Romans 10:1:10
Gospel: Matthew 8:28-9:1, Tone 4

Parish announcements this week

Christ is in our midst!

WELCOME NEW PARISHIONERS! New parishioners are always welcomed in our parish. If someone wants to register with our parish please contact Father Iura Godenciuc at 203-865-0388 or our financial secretary Natalia Chermak .

VIGIL LIGHT: This week vigil light is offered to the glory of God by Margaret and Stuart Maybury in memory of +Michael Kurylo.

AFTER DIVINE LITURGY: Dear parishioners and guests, after each Divine Liturgy, coffee and hard rolls are available in the church hall.

SPECIAL SHARE IN THE EUCHARIST: You are invited to offer a donation for a week, month, or year the bread and wine that will become the Body and Blood of our Lord. The requested donation for one week is $20.00. Donors/Intentions will be listed.

Mary’s lamp also available for offering. $10.00 a week.

STAMFORD CHARITIES APPEAL

In the church vestibule are arranged the forms for the Diocesan Charitable Fund. The forms are designed for each family of our parish. Attached to the form is an envelope into which you can place your contribution. The form along with your contribution, we ask you enclose in the envelope and place it in the collection basket during church services. Please make check payable to the Diocese of Stamford. Please DO NOT MAIL this form to the Chancery Office. We sincerely ask all parishioners to make generous contributions. Thank you for your generosity and may God reward you!

SISTERS SERVANTS OF MARY IMMACULATE invites you to the 64th Holy Dormition Pilgrimage on August 11-12. Theme “MARY, OUR MODEL OF PRAYER: Do Whatever He Tells You,” with His Beatitude Patriarch SVIATOSLAV (Shevchuk) and bishops of the Ukrainian and Byzantine (Ruthenian) Catholic Churches in the United States. Our special guests will be: His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York and Sister Sofija Lebedowicz, SSMI, Superior General.

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS: The Knights of Columbus Blessed Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Ukrainian Council will hold its next regular meeting on Monday, July 2, at 7:00 p.m. in the church hall. All men of the parish are invited to attend.

Pages: 1 2

Fourth Saturday after Pentecost

Read Romans 6:11-17; Matthew 8:14-23

“When it was evening, they brought [Jesus] many who were possessed by demons, and he drove out the spirits by a word and cured all the sick” (Matthew 8:16).

Our Lord came into this world to confront sin and evil directly, and to release us from slavery to sin that we might live in the freedom of faith. This is the promise of Jesus, “ ‘If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’” (John 8:31-32). We have a misconception of freedom, we think it means the ability to do whatever you want, but it actually the power to become a child of God and to live in his love. There is a cost, it means commitment to Jesus, it means setting aside what we think are our needs, as the Lord challenges someone not yet willing to make that complete commitment, “Another of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, let me go first and bury my father.’But Jesus answered him, ‘Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead’” (Matthew 8:21-22). 

St. Paul explains that this is a choice we must freely make, “Do you not know that if you present yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? (Romans 6:16)” The reality, however, is that it is the choice of life or death, “Consequently, you too must think of yourselves as being dead to sin and living for God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11). Christ is life, and life is freedom.

Meditation by Archpriest David Petras

Parish announcements for this week

Christ is in our midst!

WELCOME NEW PARISHIONERS! New parishioners are always welcomed in our parish. If someone wants to register with our parish please contact Father Iura Godenciuc at 203-865-0388 or our financial secretary Natalia Chermak.

AFTER DIVINE LITURGY: Dear parishioners and guests, after each Divine Liturgy, coffee and hard rolls are available in the church hall.

VIGIL LIGHT: This week vigil light is offered to the glory of God by Margaret and Stuart Maybury in memory of +Eugenia Bronner.

STAMFORD CHARITIES APPEAL

In the church vestibule are arranged the forms for the Diocesan Charitable Fund. The forms are designed for each family of our parish. Attached to the form is an envelope into which you can place your contribution. The form along with your contribution, we ask you enclose in the envelope and place it in the collection basket during church services. Please make check payable to the Diocese of Stamford. Please DO NOT MAIL THIS FORM TO THE CHANCERY OFFICE. We sincerely ask all parishioners to make generous contributions. Thank you for your generosity and may God reward you!

SISTERS SERVANTS OF MARY IMMACULATE invites you to the 64th Holy Dormition Pilgrimage on August 11-12. Theme “MARY, OUR MODEL OF PRAYER: Do Whatever He Tells You,” with His Beatitude Patriarch SVIATOSLAV (Shevchuk) and bishops of the Ukrainian and Byzantine (Ruthenian) Catholic Churches in the United States. Our special guests will be: His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York and Sister Sofija Lebedowicz, SSMI , Superior General.

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS: The knights of Columbus Blessed Metropolitan Andrey Sheptysky Ukrainian Council will hold its next regular meeting on Monday, June 11, at 7:00 p.m. in the Holy Name Room (church hall). All men of the parish are invited to attend.

Our next Pyrohy Project Saturday will be June 16. Please place an order, and come and help. We have great fun. Let others know about our delicious Pyrohy. Call your order in by Tuesday: Larissa Swartwout 203-248-9767; Anna Smigelski 860-302-2176; Anya Rohmer-Hanson 475-655-2141. You may also email your Pyrohy (pierogi) order: orderpyrohynh@gmail.com Please include your name, phone number and quantity of Pyrohy.

Pages: 1 2 3

Divine Liturgy for the coming week

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Sunday, 6/10/18  3rd Sunday after Pentecost —The Holy Priest-Martyr Timothy, Bishop of Prussa
9:00 a.m. For the people of the parish
and the Moleben to Jesus Christ

10:30 a.m. Special Intention
and the Moleben to Jesus Christ

Epistle: Romans 5:1:10
Gospel: Matthew 6:22-33, Tone 2

Monday, 6/11/18 The Holy Apostles Bartholomew and Barnabas

Tuesday, 6/12/18 Our Venerable Father Onuphrius the Great

Wednesday, 6/13/18 The Holy Martyr Aquilina

Thursday, 6/14/18 The Holy Prophet Elisha
9:00 a.m. +Joseph J.. Levitzky (Pan.) requested by Joseph M. Levitzky

Friday, 6/15/18 The Holy Prophet Amos

Saturday, 6/16/18 Our Father and Wonderworker Tychon of Amathus
9:00 a.m. +Emil Wysowskyj (29th Anniv., Pan.) requested by Maria Wysowkyj

Sunday, 6/17/18 4th Sunday after Pentecost —Father’s Day — All Saints of Rus’ – Ukraine
8:30 a.m. Moleben to Jesus Christ requested by Sestretsi
9:00 a.m. For the people of the parish

10:30 a.m +Dario Aponte requested by Brandon and Andrue Aponte
and the Moleben to Jesus Christ

Epistle: Romans 5: 18-23
Gospel: Matthew 8: 5-13, Tone 3

Will you go to the desert?

In the spiritual life, the desert is the place where we are stripped of all that normally nourishes, boosts and supports us. Our body, mind, and soul are exposed. We become vulnerable to being overwhelmed by chaos and temptations of every kind. But precisely, because we are so stripped of what we normally rely on, this is a privileged time for God’s visitation. Why? Because all the defense mechanisms, support systems and distractions that we normally surround ourselves with, keep much of God’s grace at bay. Why are we so resistant to desert time?

The desert embraces us and makes us open. It is a time apart from noise, fragmentation, useless talk and worry. It provides a space of silence, meditation, prayerful reading of Scripture, where there are no unnecessary computers, phones or iPods to check on the latest news, the latest Facebook, latest Tweet. All this is more entertaining than going inward for surely we will be confronted at some point with our baggage and shadow stuff lurking just beneath our ordinary consciousness. (Cf. NS)

Third Sunday after Pentecost: The Meaning of Mercy

Read: Romans 5:1-10. What does mercy really mean. God reveals himself as mercy. When Moses asks to see God, God responds: “The Lord came down in a cloud and stood with him there and proclaimed the name, “Lord.” So the Lord passed before him and proclaimed: The Lord, the Lord, a God gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in love and fidelity.”

Read Exodus 34:5-6. Of course, one might point out (in verse 7) that he also punishes the wicked. Yet the overwhelming image of God is that found in Psalm 102: “The Lord is compassion and love, slow to anger and rich in mercy. His wrath will come to an end; he will not be angry forever. He does not treat us according to our sins nor repay us according to our faults.” Yet people sometimes don’t want free grace. Mercy, they say, is okay, but only to those who show repentance. And so atonement becomes a condition for mercy. This, however, doesn’t seem to be the way St. Paul describes it in this Sunday’s Epistle. He says, “But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). If we are to be imitators of God (Matthew 5:47), mercy and repentance must be for us two different realities. Our vocation is simply to show mercy, as Jesus said, “‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ I did not come to call the righteous but sinners” (Matthew 9:13).  Mercy is without conditions. Mercy, compassion, love and forgiveness are how Christians live. 

The need for repentance is on the part of the ones who are shown mercy. They can either accept it or refuse it, and mercy cannot achieve its fulfillment unless the one receiving it is willing to accept it. This is not for us to decide, but we are in the number of those who receive God’s mercy, and we receive it only when we do not harden our hearts, but love the other as God has loved us.

Meditation by Archpriest David Petras

All Saints of America

The feast of All Saints of Russia was first celebrated in the sixteenth century, but it soon fell into disuse, except by the Old Believers. It was revived at the Council of 1917-1918. Perhaps we would feel that this is a feast of “nationalistic pride,” for indeed, we celebrated the Feast of All Saints last Sunday, and all Christians, in all times and places, are called to holiness, to live in the grace of the Spirit, to work to bring all into union with God. However, perhaps it is also good to remind ourselves that people can be holy in all eras and cultures, and that there are so many saints walking among us in our own nation and times. In recent decades, many feast of the saints of a particular place or culture have been established – All Saints of Mt. Athos, All Saints of England, All Saints of Greece, All Saints of Carpatho-Russia, and so forth.

These feasts have all been established in the Orthodox Church and they commemorate only saints of the Orthodox Communion. However, it has been proposed that one step towards unity would be for us to recognize each other’s saints, to recognize that the Holy Spirit is at work in both our Churches, that the light of Christ in his holy ones shines upon us all, and that we can find God in all places and times.

Today, let us remember all Orthodox and Catholic Saints, and, indeed, any human person who has found God and in whom his saving grace resides.

Orthodox:

Alexander Hotovitzky, hieromartyr, Missionary of America
Alexis of Wilkes-Barre, Missionary (left the Catholic Church to return to Orthodoxy)
Herman of Alaska, first missionary to Alaska
Innocent of Alaska, missionary bishop to Alaska
Jacob Netsvetov, native of the Aleutian Islands who became a priest
John Kochurov, first hieromartyr in 1917
John Maximovitch, ROCOR bishop of Shanghai and San Francisco, wonderworker
Juvenaly of Alaska, Protomartyr of America
Nikolaj Velimirović, influential theological writer and a highly gifted orator, rector of St. Tikhon’s Seminary
Peter the Aleut, protomartyr of America
Raphael of Brooklyn, founder of the Antiochian Orthodox Mission in America
Tikhon of Moscow, was bishop of the Aleutians and Alaska, missionary, then Patriarch of Moscow
Varnava Nastić, the New Confessor, born in Gary, Indiana
Mardarije Uskoković, Serbian bishop of North America; founder of St. Sava’s Monastery in Libertyville, Illinois
Sebastian Dabović, first American-born Orthodox priest

Pages: 1 2