Second Sunday after Pentecost

On the First Sunday of the Great Fast, we heard the words from Hebrews, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. The whole forty-day journey through the Great Fast, to the Holy Week of our Lord’s Passion, and then through the fifty days of his resurrection and glorification, sending us the Holy Spirit to be with us always, we have kept our eyes fixed on Jesus. With open hearts we will find the perfection of our faith. This Epistle was repeated on All Saints’ Sunday, for those who have given themselves to Christ are the cloud of witnesses that support and strengthen our faith.

The Great Fast and the Holy Pentecostarion take up almost a third of the year of faith. Today we begin a second “third,” the proclamation of the Gospel of St. Matthew, which we read until the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. This period again begins by summoning us to always “keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.” Today we are Simon and Andrew and James and John, hearing the voice of Jesus, “Come, follow me.” Today we hear the Lord calling us calling us to a life like his of caring for others and proclaiming the gospel, if not by words, by our actions and lives.

Meditation by Archpriest David Petras

Bitter Harvest in DVD

On June13, 2017, the film “Bitter Harvest” will be released on DVD in the United States! A love story, set against the backdrop of the 1932-33 Holodomor in Ukraine. Produced by prominent Ukrainian-Canadian Ihor Ihnatowycz, the film brings the tragedy of the famine-genocide to audiences around the world. (More about the film here.)

Link to the movie trailer.

We urge you to purchase this film, and if you buy it through AmazonSmile a part of the purchase price will be donated to the UCCA! Please see below for more information. In the US the DVD can be purchased as of June 13th through the following outlets:

• Amazon (link)
• BestBuy (link)
• Target (link)
• Walmart (link)

If you shop on Amazon, just use AmazonSmile and you can donate to your choice of charity organization, with no additional cost to you! Go to the link and search for Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA), or other Ukrainian organizations, and select as your charity of choice.

Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to selected charity. AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same service.

DVD can be viewed in English or Ukrainian!

Divine Liturgy for the coming week

Glory to Jesus Christ

Sunday, 6/18/17  Second Sunday after Pentecost
9:00 a.m.  For all fathers of the Parish, living and deceased requested by Sestrichi
10:30 a.m. For the People of the Parish

Epistle: Romans 2:10-16
Gospel: Matthew 4:18-23, Tone 1

Monday, 6/19/17 Holy Apostle Jude, Brother of the Lord According to the Flesh
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Tuesday, 6/20/17 Holy Priest-Martyr Methodius, Bishop of Patara
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Wednesday, 6/21/17 Holy Martyr Julian of Tarsus
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Thursday, 6/22/17 Holy Priest-Martyr Eusebius, Bishop of Samosata
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Friday, 6/23/17 Holy Martyr Agrippina
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy
7:00 p.m. Moleben to Jesus Christ

Saturday, 6/24/17 Nativity of the Honorable and Glorious Prophet John, Forerunner and Baptist of Christ
9:00 a.m. Special Intention

Sunday, 6/25/17 Third Sunday after Pentecost
9:00 a.m. +Rosemary Waselik (8th Anniversary) requested by the family
10:30 a.m. For the people of the parish

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

Medical and Clothes Drive to Benefit Kyiv Military Hospital

Representatives of the United Ukrainian American Relief Committee (UUARC) in New Haven and Hartford are conducting a two week Medical and Clothes Drive to Benefit the Main Military Hospital in Kyiv Ukraine.

From June 5 to June 19, 2017, we will be collecting items for a container shipment at the St Michael Ukrainian Catholic Church hall 569 George Street, New Haven, CT  06511 or the Ukrainian National Home of Hartford 961 Wethersfield Avenue, Hartford, CT  06114.

For more information, please contact:

in the New Haven CT area:

Myron Melnyk (mmelnyk@yahoo.com or 203-397-2087)
Halia Jurczak Lodynsky (halial@aol.com or 203-494-6278)

in the Harford CT area:

Myron Kolinsky (myronkolinsky@yahoo.com or 860-563-4072)
Ivan Kebalo (ivank@onet.eu or 860-299-6727)

Clothing:

Tank tops
Underwear
Pajamas
Socks
T-Shirts
Sports sweat pants
Sport shoes

Hygiene Products:

Tooth brushes
Tooth paste
Combs
Hygiene pads for girls (age 11 – 15)
Shampoo for lice

Medical Supplies:

Blood pressure meter
Height measuring device
Thermometers
Elastic bandages
Elastic cuffs for shins & wrist

Any toys would be nice.

Here is a breakdown of kids ages / boys and girls grade 1 – 9.

6 – 7 year old: 4 girls and 6 boys
7 – 8 year old:  5 girls and 11 boys
8 – 9 year old:  3 girls and 9 boys
9 – 10 year old:  7 girls and 8 boys
10 – 11 year old:  5 girls and 8 boys
11 – 12 year old:  6 girls and 7 boys
12 – 13 year old:  6 girls and 6 boys
13 – 14 year old:  4 girls and 9 boys
14 – 15 year old:  3 girls and 7 boys

All Saints Sunday

Over the last fifty-some days, we have celebrated the Paschal mystery – the central mystery of our faith, from our Lord’s crucifixion, resurrection, ascension to his sending the Holy Spirit on his followers. This Sunday, after all that has been proclaimed, we add a great “Amen!” “So be it!” This “Amen” will be great only if we make it more than just words but also actions. The Holy Spirit came upon the disciples that they might be witnesses to the Paschal mystery – our Lord’s death and resurrection, and the Greek word for “witness” is “martyr.” This Sunday was originally called the Sunday of All Martyrs – because those who witnessed to Christ had to be ready to give their lives for him. Many Christians did and still do. This is what it means to be a saint – the readiness to give our lives for the Lord. Therefore the Lord says in today’s Gospel, “Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. (Matthew 10:32)” We should not seek to be killed for the gospel, but our priorities should be: 1) God; 2) God’s people, the “others” in our lives and 3) ourselves. Being human, and living in an individualistic society, we often reverse these priorities: 1) ourselves, no. 1; 2) others and 3) God, and putting God third is a practical atheism.

We often have the misconception that to be a “saint” means only a life of misery and self-denial, but people who put their own pleasure and comfort first usually end up all “messed up.” A saint is really someone who has their life in the right order, and so is full of the joy of the Spirit: “a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, a spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the Lord (Isaiah 11:2).”

Meditation by Archpriest David Petras

Pavel Gintov in New Haven

Pavel Gintov will be in New Haven on June 17th.

Do not miss this amazing Ukrainian concert pianist at Lyric Hall Theater, 827 Whalley Avenue, New Haven.

Pianist Pavel Gintov has been described as “a poet of the keyboard” by Marty Lash of the Illinois Entertainer and as a “musical storyteller” by the Japanese publication Shikoku News.

In this concert, Pavel Gintov will perform a breathtaking program of seldom-heard works by Lyatoshynsky, Kosenko, Drozdoff, Skoryk and Bortkiewicz.

More information here.

Divine Liturgy for the coming week

Glory to Jesus Christ

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

Monday, 6/12/17 Venerable Father Onuphrius the Great
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Tuesday, 6/13/17 Holy Martyr Aquilina
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Wednesday, 6/14/17 Holy Prophet Elisha
9:00 a.m.  + Joseph Levitzky (Pan.) requested by Joseph M. Levitzky

Thursday, 6/15/17 Holy Prophet Amos
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Friday, 6/16/17 Our Father and Wonderworker Tychon of Amathus
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy
7:00 p.m.  Moleben to Jesus Christ

Saturday, 6/17/17 Holy Martyrs Manuel, Sabel, and Ismael
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Sunday, 6/18/17 Second Sunday after Pentecost — Father’s Day
9:00 a.m.  For All the Fathers of the Parish, living and deceased requested by Sestrichi
10:30 a.m. For the People of the Parish

Epistle: Romans 2:10-16
Gospel: Matthew 4:18-23, Tone 1

Parish announcements this week

Christ is in our midst!

WELCOME ALL NEW PARISHIONERS! 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.

1. RECTORY: The rectory office will be closed until June 20, 2017. The Pastor, Fr. Iura Godenciuc is on vacation. In case of emergency please call Fr. Stepan Yanovsky at (203) 468-0367, Fr. Paul Luniw at (860) 583-7588 or Fr. Ivan Mazuryk at (203) 367-5054.

2. The vigil light in the sanctuary is burning this week to the Glory of God and for the intentions, blessings and health for Natalie Cybriwsky requested by the family.

3. MEDICAL COLLECTION: From June 5 to June 19, 2017, we will be collecting items for a container shipment at our parish, or at the Ukrainian National Home of Hartford, 961 Wethersfield Avenue, Hartford CT 06114.

For more information, please contact Myron Melnyk (mmelnyk@yahoo.com ~ 203-397-2087) or Halia Lodynsky (halial@aol.com ~ 203-494-6278) in the New Haven CT area or Myron Kolinsky (myronkolinsky@yahoo.com ~ 860-563-4072) or Ivan Kebalo (ivank@onet.eu  ~ 860-299-6727) in the Hartford CT area.

4. PYROHY SATURDAY: We will be making Pyrohy on Saturday, June 17, 2017 in the church hall and we are always looking for new talent to continue this twenty-five+ year Parish project. We will be performing prep work and peeling potatoes on Friday, June 16.  Please come and join the fun either day. Luncheon is provided on Saturday. Call the project director Walter Ushchak @ (203) 789-9554 for details.

5. 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.

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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.