St Philip the Apostle

In today’s Gospel, Jesus calls Phillip, who immediately follows him. He then brings his friend Nathaniel to Jesus, “We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth. (John 1:45)” This is the feast to begin our Christmas preparation. Phillip leads us to the one true Messiah, the child born of Mary in Bethlehem. The child “who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. (Phillipians 2:6-8) It was not until he was to be arrested and executed, that Phillip understood the totality of the mystery he discovered. At the Last Supper, Phillip asked Jesus, “Master, show us the Father,” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Phillip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9) Every Christmas journey, we should become a more faithful follower of Jesus, especially in these days.

Meditation by Archpriest David Petras

Ukrainian Women’s League Christmas Bazaar 2017

The Ukrainian Women’s League of New Haven, Branch 108 will be holding their annual Christmas Bazaar on Sunday, December 10, Saturday, December 16 and Sunday, December 17, after each Divine Liturgy, 10 a.m. till 1:00 p.m. Baked goods and kytia will also be available. Donations of Ukrainian or holiday items would be greatly welcome.

For more information, contact  Anna Salemme (203) 934-6520 or Larissa Swartwout (203) 248-9767.

Divine Liturgy for the coming week

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Sunday, 11/12/17 23rd Sunday after Pentecost —The Holy Priest-Martyr Josaphat, Archbishop of Polotsk
10:00 a.m. Lytija and Blessing of Bread with Anointing following the Liturgy
10:30 a.m.  For the people of the parish and for the deceased members of the Ukrainian-American Veterans

Epistle: Ephesians 2:4:10
Gospel: Luke 10:25-37, Tone 6

Monday, 11/13/17 Our Holy Father John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople
9:00 a.m. +Fr. Ivan and Sophia requested by the Walnycky Family

Tuesday, 11/14/17 The Holy and All-Praiseworthy Apostle Philip
8:00 a.m. no special intention for the Divine Liturgy

Wednesday, 11/15/17 The Holy Martyrs and Confessors Gurias, Samonas and Abibus
9:00 a.m. no special intention for the Divine Liturgy

Thursday, 11/16/17 The Holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew
8:00 a.m. no special intention for the Divine Liturgy

Friday, 11/17/17 Our Holy Father Gregory the Wonderworker, Bishop of Neocaesarea
9:00 a.m. no special intention for the Divine Liturgy

Saturday, 11/18/17 The Holy Martyrs Plato and Roman
9:00 a.m. no special intention for the Divine Liturgy

Sunday, 11/19/17 24th Sunday after Pentecost —The Holy Prophet Obadiah, the Holy Martyr Barlaam
9:00 a.m. +Emilia Dubno requested by the Family
10:30 a.m.  For the people of the parish

Epistle: Ephesians  2:14:22
Gospel: Luke 12:16-21, Tone 7

Parish announcements this week

Christ is among us!

1. WELCOME! New parishioners are always welcome in our parish. If someone wishes to join, please contact Father Iura Godenciuc at 203 865-0388 or our Financial Secretary Natalie Chermak at 203 468-0367.

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

3. VIGIL LIGHT: This week vigil light is offered to God’s glory by the Bamber Family for the victims of the hurricane in Puerto Rico.

4. FOOD DRIVE: Judy Ellis leads the mercy project which provides food items to the needy. A container is in our church vestibule for non-perishable food. This collection will be taken every week. Father Iura will distribute the food to those in need. Thanks for your support.

5. Helping At-Risk Pregnant Mothers

We are organizing a drive to collect diapers, seats, strollers and gift cards to be given to the St. Gianna Center of New Haven (www.gianna center .org). The Center says the diapers sizes 3, 4, 5, are in greatest demand. Please put a gift card in an envelop marked ”St. Gianna Center” and give it to directly Fr. Iura. Also, NEW car seats/ strollers are needed (sorry, old car seats/strollers can`t be accepted due to legislation). Your donations are greatly appreciated. Items can be placed in the labeled box at the entrance of the Church beginning on Sunday, November 19th. The St. Gianna Center is a ministry of Catholics in New Haven helping at-risk pregnant women and their children. The Generosity of the Center and its ability to operate relies directly upon the generosity of its benefactors. The mission of the Center relies on your kindness and prayers. Thank you!

6. Pyrohy Project: We will be making Pyrohy on Saturday, November 18th. We need your help on Friday to peel potatoes and Saturday to fill our orders. Please come and help. See Walter Ushchak for more information.

7. St. Michael’s Day: St. Michael’s day will be celebrated TODAY. After the Divine Liturgy, we will have a dinner and short program. All parishioners are cordially invited to this celebration. Tickets will be available through Luba Dubno. Tickets are $20.00 for adults, $10.00 for youth between 14-18. Free for students Ridna Shkola, altar boys and for children under 12. We will be running a raffle. If you would like to donate any items to be raffled, please bring them to our church hall on Sundays before our feast day. Also we ask to donate cakes for a desert.

Pages: 1 2 3

St. Josaphat at 85

On Saturday, 11 November, there was a Divine Liturgy at St. Peter’s Basilica (Rome) over the tomb of St. Josaphat at the Altar of St. Basil the Great, as part of the festivities at St. Josaphat’s Pontifical Ukrainian College commemorating the 85th anniversary of its establishment and the Feast of St. Josaphat the College’s patron.rday, 11 November, there was a Divine Liturgy at St. Peter’s Basilica (Rome) over the tomb of St. Josaphat at the Altar of St. Basil the Great, as part of the festivities at St. Josaphat’s Pontifical Ukrainian College commemorating the 85th anniversary of its establishment and the Feast of St. Josaphat the College’s patron.

The Roman Pontiff, Pope Francis, welcomed the bishops, monks, priests and seminarians from St. Josaphat’s Seminary to celebrate the Seminary’s 85th anniversary. The November 9th was covered by Vatican Radio (with an audio of the event).

May Our Lady of Tenderness continue to bless the work of the Seminary!

Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost

Ephesians 2:4-10; Luke 10:25-37

This gospel must be read very carefully. Jesus tells a story to make a point. It is just a story, it didn’t happen. However, we get the point. The scholar of the law knew the basic message of faith. We must love God and we must love our neighbor as ourselves. Then he asked a question to justify himself. He saw a loophole in Jesus’ teaching. Yes, love your neighbor, but who is your neighbor? That is the problem. Jesus then tells a story in which those you would expect naturally to give help to the beaten man, the priest and the levite (in early Christianity, another name for deacon, one who gives service) pass the poor man without a thought. Who gives help?

It is the “other,” the heretics to the Jews, the hated Samaritan. He, the “other,” shows mercy. Whether this story happened or not is irrelevant. Jesus tells us that our neighbor may be someone we do not expect. Therefore, we cannot “justify ourselves” by prejudice and racism, by hating the other. This gospel preaches itself. When I was a young priest, the “other” in our church were blacks and Jews. Today they are immigrants and Moslems. And we, like the “scholar of the law,” are still racists. Racism is the ugly face of our church today. It blocks us from being “true-believing Christians. The scholar got the point, but he couldn’t say the hated word, “Samaritan,” but only “the one who treated him with mercy.”

Jesus responds “Go and do likewise,” that is, do not hate the other, but always show mercy and care for the other. This is what God does, saves us even if we are still in sin, “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love he had for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ (by grace you have been saved), raised us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:4-6)”. God’s word is clear, but do we have eyes that do not see, and ears that do not hear?

Thanksgiving Drive helping others

The Connecticut Ukrainian American Community Thanksgiving Food, Clothes and Medical Supplies Drive will be held now until Monday, November 20, 2017 with drop off on Sunday mornings after Divine Liturgy.

Questions, please contact the following persons:
Halia Lodynsky 203-494-6278
Myron Melnyk 201-264-9793

True prayer expands the heart

“Prayer is the lifting up of the mind and heart to God. From this it is evident that it is quite impossible for anyone to pray whose mind and heart are attached to anything carnal –for instance, to money or to honors –or who has in his heart passions such as hatred or envy for others, because passions usually contract the heart, in the same way as God expands it and gives it true freedom.”

Saint John of Kronstadt