Letter of Pope Francis occasion of Cardinal Lubomyr Husar’s death

The following is the Letter sent by the Holy Father to His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, major archbishop of Kyiv-Halyč, Ukraine, on the occasion of the funeral of Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, major-archbishop emeritus of Kyiv-Halyč, who died on 31 May.

To His Beatitude, Sviatoslav Shevchuk
Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Halyč

Beatitude,

On the day of the Christian celebration of the dear earthly presence of the major archbishop emeritus of Kyiv-Halyč, Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, I wish once again to be among those who pray to the heavenly Father, entrusting to Him the elected soul of our Brother.

I am urged to do so by the extraordinary influx of people who in these days have come to pay homage to the mortal remains of the Cardinal and of whom I have come to know. This presence is an eloquent sign of what he was: one of the highest and most respected moral authorities of recent decades for the Ukrainian people.

I address you, Beatitude, with whom I have a long-standing relationship of knowledge and esteem, to comfort you in the loss of one who was for you a father and spiritual guide.

He was thus for the entire Greek Catholic Church, which he gathered from the “catacombs” where she was forced to flee persecution, and to whom he restored not only the ecclesiastical structures, but above all the joy of her history, founded on faith through and beyond any suffering.

After the laborious and intense period of his ministry as “father and head” of the Greek Catholic Church, and with the arrival of old age and illness, his presence among the people changed in style, but, if possible, became even richer and more intense. He regularly intervened in the life of your country as a wise teacher; his way of speaking was simple, understandable to all, but very profound. His was the wisdom of the Gospel, it was the bread of the Word of God broken for the simple, the suffering, for all those who sought dignity. His exhortations were gentle, but also very demanding for all. He prayed tirelessly for all, aware that this was his new duty. And many felt they were represented, addressed and comforted by him, believers and non-believers, even overcoming confessional differences. Everyone felt that a Christian was speaking, a Ukrainian impassioned by his identity, always full of hope, open to the future of God. He had a word for everyone, he was able to “feel” people with the warmth of his great humanity and his exquisite gentleness. He loved, most of all, to engage in dialogue with the young, with whom he had an exceptional capacity for communication, and who came to him in great numbers.

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The Holy Spirit’s appearance

Saint Gregory of Nazianzus says of the Holy Spirit’s appearance as a dove at Christ’s baptism:

And the Spirit comes as a dove, for he honours the body being seen “corpreally”, since He is also God by divinization. And since long ago the dove has been accustomed to announcing the good news of the flood’s end.
– Oration on the Holy Lights, 381 A.D.

Mission Days –Ascension to Pentecost 10

Day 10 – Pentecost Sunday

Read: Gospel of John 7:37–52; 8:12

Prayer. Blessed are Your, O Christ our God who revealed the shermen as most wise by sending them the Holy Spirit; through them You caught the entire world. Loving Master, glory to You. (Troparion for Pentecost)

Missionary tasks.

1. Personal/Family. As we close these Mission Days let us look at the list of gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit. Let us ask ourselves: what gifts do I see in my family, what fruits have I brought over the past year.

2. Parish. Let us open our eyes to the gifts of the Holy Spirit in our parish community. In planning our parish life let us focus on the fruits of the Holy Spirit we would like to bring forth.

3. Beyond the parish. Let us teach ourselves to see our personal behav- ior and our entire life in the Christian community through the lens of mission: as an opportunity to bear witness to God’s love and goodness before others.

Holy Communion Sunday

Holy Communion Sunday
June 4, 2017, 10:30 a.m.

The following children, will receive Holy Communion in a formal way in our church on Sunday June 4, 2017 at the 10:30 am Mass:

Anna Mariya Gali
Bohdan Gildea
Diana Melnyk
Zarek Stacy
Aart C. Van Wilgen V

Today our prayers are with and for the Communicants who will approach the altar, and solemnly to receive the Mystery of the Eucharist.

This is a memorable day in the life of a child and they will recall it often as the years pass!

Children, will often receive into their hearts Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. Remember His promise that He will be with us to comfort and guide us in our daily lives. He is your best friend and will never let you down.

God bless and protect our Communicants their parents, grandparents, and godparents who raised them up in the love of Christ. Blessings, too, upon their teacher Halya Lodynsky.

Parents, keep bringing them to the Divine Liturgy every Sunday. It is the sacred duty of parents to provide not just the material well-being of their children but also for the spiritual well-being, upon which depends their eternal life.

Divine Liturgy for the coming week

Christ is Risen – Indeed He is Risen!
Christos Anesti! – Alithos Anesti!
Christos voskrese – Voistinu voskres!
Al Maseeh Qam! – Haqqan Qam!
Christus resurrexit! – Vere resurrexit!

Sunday, 6/04/17 Holy and Glorious Pentecost
10:30 a.m. For the people of the parish

Epistle: Acts 2:1-11
Gospel: John 7:37-52; 8:12, Tone 7

Monday, 6/05/17 Monday of the Holy Spirit
9:00 a.m. Special Intention

Tuesday, 6/06/17 Venerable Father Bessarion the Wonderworker
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Wednesday, 6/07/17 Holy Hieromartyr Theodotus
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Thursday, 6/08/17 Transfer of the Holy Relics of the Holy Great Martyr Theodore
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Friday, 6/09/17 Holy Apostles Bartholomew and Barnabas
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy
7:00 p.m. Moleben to Jesus Christ

Saturday, 6/10/17 Holy Priest-Martyr Timothy, Bishop of Prussa
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Sunday, 6/11/17 First Sunday after Pentecost —Sunday of All Saints
9:00 a.m. Special Intention
10:30 a.m. For the people of the parish

Epistle: Hebrews 11:33-12:2
Gospel: Matthew 10:32-33, 37-38; 19:27-30, Tone 8

Parish announcements this week

Christ is in our midst!

Welcome to Dear parishioners and guests! To register with our parish please contact Father Iura Godenciuc at 865-0388 or our financial secretary Natalie Chermak at 468-0367.

1. Dear parishioners and guests, after each Divine Liturgy, coffee and hard rolls are available in the church hall.

2. From May 20 to June 20 the rectory office will be closed. Father Iura Godenciuc will be on vacation. In case of emergency please call Father Stepan Yanovsky at (203) 468-0367, or Father Ivan Mazuryk at (203) 367-5054.

3. 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. Thank you for your generosity.

4. ROOF REPAIR FUND: Please make a generous contribution to allow us to repair the leaking roof of the Church Hall and other roof structures adjoining the Church and the Hall. These roofs must be repaid to prevent serious water damage to our property and we cannot pay for them from regular weekly collection. Roof Repair Fund envelope are available in the vestibule of our church for your special sacrificial gift. Thank you for helping to keep our physical structures in good condition for our use today and for the next generation tomorrow.

5. The Knights of Columbus Blessed Andrey Sheptytsky will hold its next regular meeting TOMORROW, Monday, June 5, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. in the church hall. All men of parish are invited to attend to see what the Knights are all about and what can do for our parish.

6. The NEXT Pyrohy Saturday is June 17th. We need your help also on Friday June 16th, to peel potatoes. Please come and help. See Walter Ushchak as to how you can help.

7. A Kielbasa Dinner for sale by the Knights of Columbus parish council will be making fresh ¾ kielbasa (kovbasa) baked and fried, with 1+ pound of fresh cooked cabbage with a vegetable mix. A good meal for two people for only $10.00. These meals will be available when you pick up your pyrohy’s on June 17. Please preorder to ensure that we make enough for everyone. Please call (203) 789-9554 only and leave a message with your order.

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Mission Days –Ascension to Pentecost 9

Day 9 – Saturday

Read: Gospel of John 21:15–25

Prayer. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup over ows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (Psalm 22(23))

Missionary tasks.

1. Personal/Family. This evening let us especially pray for our pastor or parish administrator and all our clergy, thank God for their ministry.

2. Parish. Let us give special attention to those in our Church who work in missionary territory or are engaged in various chaplaincies. Pastors, try to follow the work of the Pastoral-missionary department of the UGCC and inform our faithful about the life of our Church in those areas where we have no formal ecclesial structure.

3. Beyond the parish. Today-tomorrow let us make a donation to sup- port the missionary activity of our Church and our eparchy.

Mission Days –Ascension to Pentecost 8

Day 8 – Friday

Read: Gospel of John 17:18–24

Prayer. For You, Lord, are the help of the helpless, the hope of those without hope, the Savior of the storm-tossed, the haven of those at sea, the physician of the sick. Be all things to all people, O You Who know each one and their request, each household and its needs. Deliver, O Lord, this city (this village, this monastery), and every city, town and village, from famine, plague, earthquake, flood, fire, sword, foreign invasion and civil war. (Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great)

Missionary tasks.

1. Personal/Family. Over the past year how have I done good to a neighbor in need? As a family let us resolve to engage in some form of charitable works once a month for the benefit of someone who lives close and is in need.

2. Parish. Let us frequently inform our parishioners about di erent social ministry initiatives in our parish. Let us keep the community informed about parish members who are in need (especially the elderly who live alone). Let us encourage our parish youth to organize and implement some initiative for the bene t of the needy on the territory of our parish.

3. Beyond the parish. Let us look if among my neighbors there isn’t some individual or family that is in dire need. Let us try to help this person, these persons, with a kind word, with some concrete assistance.

Mission Days –Ascension to Pentecost 7

Day 7 – Thursday

Read: Gospel of John 16:23–33

Prayer. Remember, O Lord, the people here present and those who are absent for just causes, and have mercy on them and on us according to the multitude of Your mercy. Fill their store-houses with every good thing; preserve their marriages in peace and concord; nourish the infants, guide the young, strengthen the aged; com- fort the fainthearted; gather the scattered; bring back the wayward, and join them to Your holy, catholic and apostolic Church. (Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great)

Missionary tasks.

1. Personal/Family. Let us make an exam- ination of conscience regarding our personal prayer and our common prayer as a family. Today-tomorrow I will pray for the health and salvation of each family member, neighbor, friend, co-worker.

2. Parish. Let us nd some new way to advertise our parish services (bill-boards, social media, pamphlets…). Let is help parish prayer groups and additional members.

3. Beyond the parish. If we know someone who does not go regularly to church, let us invite them to join us. If they decline, let us ask them if we can pray for any special intention on their behalf.