Thomas Sunday

Today is the eighth day of the celebration of the eighth day. Pascha! The Resurrection of our Lord! The Feast of Feasts!

It is a time of absence and presence.

Absence – when the risen Messiah comes to his apostles through locked doors, by divine providence, Thomas is not with them. May he come through the locked doors of our hearts!

Presence – when the risen Messiah comes to Thomas a week later, the doubting apostle gives the proclamation of faith that resounds through the ages: “My Lord and my God!

Absence – when the women come to the tomb, the body of Jesus is not there. “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” the angels ask.

Absence – the disciples on the road to Emmaus do not recognize the Lord.

Presence – they do recognize him in the breaking of the bread, “were our hearts not burning when he explained the Scriptures to us?”

Absence – we do not stand in the presence of the Lord in the same way as the apostles did.

Presence – the Lord is with us in Holy Communion, as he comes to us more intimately than we could imagine.

Absence – “But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. (John 16:7)”

Presence – “Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age. (Matthew 28:18-20)”

Today the Gospel tells us – “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed (John 20:29)”

Are not our two Christian greetings exactly the same:

Christ is risen! Indeed, he is risen!
Christ is among us! He is and he will be!

Meditation by Archpriest David Petras

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, 4/23/17  – Thomas Sunday  —Holy and Glorious Great Martyr, Victory-bearer and Wonderworker George

9:00 a.m. Special Intention

Distribution of Artos (Blessed leavened bread)

10:30 a.m. Pro Populo

Epistle: Acts 5:12-20
Gospel: John 20:19-31, Tone 1

Monday, 4/24/17 – Holy Martyr Sabbas Stratelates
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Liturgy

Tuesday, 4/25/17 – Holy Apostle and Evangelist Mark
9:00 a.m. +Ella Sowa requested by Ihor & Maria Kihiczak

Wednesday, 4/26/17 – Holy Priest-Martyr Basil, Bishop of Amasia
9:00 a.m. +Ella Sowa (40 days, Pan.) requested by Bohdan Sowa

Thursday, 4/27/17 – Holy Priest-Martyr Simeon, Relative of Lord
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Liturgy

Friday, 4/28/17 – Holy Apostles Jason and Sosipater
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Liturgy

Saturday, 4/29/17 – Nine Holy Martyrs of Cyzicus
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Liturgy

Sunday, 4/30/17 – Third Sunday of Pascha of the Myrrh-Bearing Women —Holy Apostle James, Brother of Saint John the Theologian

10:30 Pro Populo

Epistle: Acts 6:1-7
Gospel: Mark 15:43-16-8, Tone 2

Parish announcements this week

Dear parishioners and welcomed guests — after each Divine Liturgy, coffee and hard rolls will be available in the church hall. Please join us for conversation!

1. ROOF REPAIR FUND: We need to repair several roofs on parish buildings. 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 repaired 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. Thank you for your generosity and stewardship.

2. The next meeting of the Ukrainian –American Veteran Bishop John Stock Post 33 of New Haven will be held on TODAY, April 23, 2017. We will begin the meeting immediately following the second Divine Liturgy. The meeting will be held in Classroom 2. For more information, contact the Post Commander Carl Harvey at 203-389-6076 or crharv384@optimum.net.

3. The Traditional Easter parish “SVIACHENE” will be held on Sunday, April 30, 2017 in the church hall after the Divine Liturgy at 10:30. We will be running raffle. If you would like to donate any items to be raffled please bring them to our church hall on Sundays before “Sviachene” or on Sunday, April 30. Also we ask to donate cakes for desert. Tickets are available through Luba Dubno. Tickets are $20.00 for adults, $10.00 for youth between 12 and 16. Free for children under 12, students Ridna Shkola and altar boys. We trust that all Parishioners will join in this parish gathering and through their presence attest to cherishing in our hearts a love for one another which builds our PARISH FAMILY.

4. The Knights of Columbus Blessed Andrey Sheptysky will hold its next regular meeting on Monday, May 1, 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.

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Venedykt Aleksiychuk new bishop of Chicago eparchy

Today, Pope Francis has appointed as bishop of the eparchy of Saint Nicholas of Chicago of the Ukrainians His Excellency, Bishop Venedykt (Valery) Aleksiychuk, M.S.U., transferring him from the titular see of Germaniciana and the office of auxiliary of the archieparchy of Lviv of the Ukrainians.

In English, the bishop’s name is Benedict.

The 2015 published  statistics indicate that in the Eparchy of St Nicholas there are 11,000 faithful in 47 parishes with 48 diocesan priests and 11 permanent deacons.

Bishop-designate will be the 5th Bishop of St. Nicholas Eparchy, succeeding the Most Rev. Richard Seminack, who died August 16, 2016.

Benedict (Valery) Aleksiychuk was born on 1 January 1968 in the village of Borshchivka, in the region of Rivne, Ukraine. He attended the major seminary of Drohobych and ordained priest on 29 March 1992.

In 1993, Father Benedict Aleksiychuk entered the monastic life in the Monastery of the Holy Dormition (a Lavra of the Studite order) professing first vows on 21 December 1995. Aleksiychuk earned a doctorate in spiritual theology from the Catholic University of Lublin, Poland.

Father Benedict served several parishes in Bystrytsia; Belarus, Polock, Vitebsk; and in Canada (1996-1999). He has served as Abbot of the Lavra of Holy Dormition (2000 and re-elected in 2005); member of the commission of the Major Archbishop for Monasticism (2004); and administrator of the parish of St. Nicola Peremyshlany (2004). Since 2007, Father Benedict was head of the secretariat of the Council of Monks of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church; president of the liturgical council and president of the major superiors of male religious institutes of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.

On 3 August 2010 Father Benedict Aleksiychuk was elected as auxiliary bishop of Lviv of the Ukrainians and consecrated on 5 September 2010.

May God give many years to Bishop Benedict in the Eparchy of Chicago.

Pentecostals come to full communion

In Arizona, a group of Pentecostal Christians entered the Catholic Church –the Eastern Catholic Church. Here is their story… AND we in New England, in particular, in New Haven, Connecticut, ought to pay close attention….

This is Easter news indeed. Let us pray for our new brothers and sisters in the Faith and for the grace so that we might witness to the beauty of Eastern Catholic Faith.

http://m.ncregister.com/daily-news/pentecostals-come-home-to-rome-eastern-rome-that-is#.WPJa9xiZOt9

Serhiy Zhadan in New Haven

 

On Thursday, April 20th at 4 pm, New Haven will have a visit by the Ukrainian poet and novelist Serhiy Zhadan.

There will be a poetry reading in Ukrainian and English, then a conversation (most likely in English and Russian), followed by a reception.

Location: seminar room of Horchow Hall, 55 Hillhouse Avenue, New Haven.

Here are some English-language links about Zhadan:

http://www.brama.com/yara/zhadan.html

http://www.asymptotejournal.com/…/mayhill-fowler-on-serhiy…/

http://www.newyorker.com/…/the-bard-of-eastern-ukraine-wher…

https://lareviewofbooks.org/ar…/under-the-tyranny-of-memory/

https://www.lrb.co.uk/…/peter-pomeran…/ukraines-mesopotamia/

Thanks to Marci Shore!!!

PAX

Christ is risen: enter into the joy of our Lord!

You may be familiar with this sermon of St. John Chrysostom, which is read aloud during the Easter Vigil in Byzantine Churches. Just in case you have not discovered it yet, here it is, an Easter present to all:
 
“If any be pious and a lover of God, let him delight in this fair and radiant festival. If any be an honest servant, let him come in and rejoice in the joy of his Lord. If any have wearied himself with fasting, let him now enjoy the recompense. If any have worked from the first hour, let him receive today his just reward. If any have come after the third, let him feast with thankfulness. If any arrived after the sixth, in no wise let him be in doubt; in no way shall he suffer loss. If any be later than the ninth, let him draw nigh, let him not waver. If any arrive only at the eleventh, let him not be fearful for his slowness, for the Master is munificent and receiveth the last even as the first; He giveth rest to him of the eleventh even as to him who hath wrought from the first hour. He is merciful to that last and provideth for the first; and to this one He giveth, and to that one He showeth kindness. He receiveth their labours and acknowledgeth the purpose, and he honoureth the deed and praiseth the intention.
 
Wherefore, enter ye all into the joy of our Lord, and let the first and the second take part in the reward. Ye rich and ye poor, join hands together. Ye sober and ye heedless, do honour to this day. Ye who fast and ye who fast not, be glad today. The table is full: do ye all fare sumptuously. The calf is ample: let no one go forth hungry. Let all enjoy the banquet of Faith. Let all enjoy the wealth of righteousness. Let no one lament his poverty, for the Kingdom is made manifest to all. Let no one bewail his transgressions, for forgiveness dawned forth from the tomb. Let no one be fearful of Death, for the death of the Saviour hath set us free. He hath quenched Death by being subdued by Death. He Who came down into Hades, despoiled Hades; and Hades was embittered when he tasted of Christ’s Flesh.
 
Isaiah, anticipating this cried out and said: Hades was embittered when below he met Thee face to face. He was embittered, for he was set at nought. He was embittered, for he was mocked. He was embittered, for he was slain. He was embittered, for he was cast down. He was embittered, for he was fettered. He received a body, and encountered God. He received earth, and met Heaven face to face. He received what he saw, and fell whither he saw not.
 
O Death, where is thy sting? O Hades, where is thy victory? Christ is risen, and thou art overthrown. Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen. Christ is risen, and the Angels rejoice. Christ is risen, and life doth reign. Christ is risen, and there is none dead in the tomb. For Christ is raised from the dead, and is become the first-fruits of them that slept. To Him be glory and dominion unto the ages of ages. Amen.”

Parish announcements this week

Dear parishioners and welcomed guests — after each Divine Liturgy, coffee and hard rolls will be available in the church hall. Please join us for conversation!

1. ROOF REPAIR FUND: We need to repair several roofs on parish buildings. 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 repaired 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. Thank you for your generosity and stewardship.

2. Panachyda at the Gravesites: The Panachyda Service at the Gravesites will take place on Saturday, April 22nd at 11:00 a.m. at All Saints Cemetery and Sunday, April 23rd at 1:00 p.m. at St. Lawrence Cemetery.

THEN, on Saturday, April 22nd at 8:30 a.m. we will celebrate a Divine Liturgy and Sorokousty.

3. The next meeting of the Ukrainian –American Veteran Bishop John Stock Post 33 of New Haven will be held on Sunday, April 23, 2017. We will begin the meeting immediately following the second Divine Liturgy. The meeting will be held in Classroom 2. For more information, contact the Post Commander Carl Harvey at 203-389-6076 or crharv384@optimum.net.

4. The district committee of UNA Branches of Connecticut will hold the Annual District Committee Meeting on Saturday, April 22nd in our church hall at 3:30 p.m. Prior to the meeting at 2:00 p.m. Dr. Petrusia Kotlar will do a presentation on “Wellness and Nutrition as a means to Healthy Longevity”. Admission is free and there will be Healthy snack tasting. This is opened to the public, please come and support this event.

5. The Traditional Easter parish “SVIACHENE” will be held on Sunday, April 30, 2017 in the church hall after the Divine Liturgy at 10:30. We will be running raffle. If you would like to donate any items to be raffled please bring them to our church hall on Sundays before “Sviachene” or on Sunday, April 30. Also we ask to donate cakes for desert. Tickets are available through Luba Dubno. Tickets are $20.00 for adults, $10.00 for youth between 12 and 16. Free for children under 12, students Ridna Shkola and altar boys. We trust that all Parishioners will join in this parish gathering and through their presence attest to cherishing in our hearts a love for one another which builds our PARISH FAMILY.

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