Today, we are venerating the Holy Cross. This particular cross, blessed by Pope Francis, and St John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI, is going around the world for public veneration.
On December 8th and on December 15th the Holy Cross will be at our parish for veneration by parishioners.
The pilgrim cross will be making its way around until 2033, the anniversary of the Lord’s death and resurrection.
Some THOUGHTS ON THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION (Sunday, December 8 ) by Sister Doctor Vassa Larin
“…And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, ‘Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.’” (Lk 2: 33-35)
Today December 8 my Roman Catholic friends usually celebrate the “Immaculate Conception of Mary.” This feast is based on a teaching officially recognized by the Catholic Church in 1854, when Pope Pius IX declared: “The most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instant of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin.”
While the “immaculate conception” is not a thing in Orthodox Christian tradition (the whole point is moot, because we have no clear teaching on “original sin”), tomorrow, on December 9 (a day following the Roman Catholic feast), the Orthodox celebrate a feast called, perplexingly, “The Conception *by the Holy Righteous Anna* of the Most Holy Theotokos.” In the Slavonic liturgical books, it is also called simply, “The Conception of the Holy Righteous Anna.” It’s a perplexing title, I think, because the Orthodox Church certainly does not teach that *only* Anna conceived the Theotokos, without Joachim. But there is an accentuation of St. Anna’s role in this picture, which we also see in the iconographic tradition, which more often depicts St. Anna holding the Theotokos (in the same position we see on icons of the Theotokos holding the Christ-child) than both Joachim and Anna with the Theotokos. I’ll also note this is different from the way the Conception of St. John the Baptist is traditioned, – it’s never called “The Conception of (or by) the Holy Righteous Elisabeth.”
Glory to Jesus Christ
Sunday, 12/1, 28th Sunday after Pentecost
9:00 a.m. +Sophie Waselik requested by Marion Piggott
10:30 a.m. For the people of the parish
Epistle: Colossians 1:12-18
Gospel: Luke 18:18-27, Tone 3
Monday, 12/2, Holy Prophet Nahum
10:00 a.m. Funeral Divine Liturgy for Joanna Oleschuk
Tuesday, 12/3, Holy Prophet Zephaniah
9:00 a.m. No particular intention for the Divine Liturgy
Wednesday, 12/4, Holy Martyrs Barbara and John Damascene
9:00 a.m. God’s blessing and health for Fr. Stepan Yanovski requested by Anna and Gary Salemme
Thursday, 12/5, Our Venerable Sabbas the Consecrated
9:00 a.m. +Joanna Oleschuk requested by Anna and Gary Salemme
Friday, 12/6, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker
9:00 a.m. God’s blessing and health for Fr. Stepan Yanovski requested by the Czabala Family
Saturday, 12/7, Holy Bishop Ambrose
9:00 a.m. +Michael Stadnicky (Pan.) requested by Stadnicky and Altrui families
Sunday, 12/8, 29th Sunday after Pentecost —Anointing*Myrovann
9:30 a.m. Lytija and Blessing of Bread
10:00 a.m. Akathist to the Mother of God
10:30 a.m. For the people of the parish
Epistle: Col. 3:12-16; Gal. 4:22-31
Gospel: Luke 17:12-19, Tone 4
Christ is among us!
This week vigil light is offered by Brandon and Andrue Czabala in memory of Dario Aponte.
The HOLY CROSS comes to the parish on December 8th and on December 15th the Holy Cross will be at our parish for veneration by parishioners. The Cross was blessed by St. John Paul II, Pope Benedict and Pope Francis and is traveling around the world to 2033 to celebrate 2000 years from Jesus Christ’s Resurrection.
Schedule for the Divine Liturgy for December and January:
Dear parishioners and guests, after each Divine Liturgy, a social hour with coffee and hard rolls and assorted snacks are available in the church hall. Please feel free to join us.
For sale: Cabbage with cutlet $10.00; Pierogis $18 for 2 dozen.
We will make Pyrohy on Saturday, December 14. We need your help on Friday to peel potatoes and Saturday to make pierogis (varenyky). Please come and help.
KOLIBRI Ukrainian School of Dance Registration for the 2024-2025 School Year
Register your child or grandchild for Ukrainian dance classes for age 3 and up. Classes are at St. Michael’s Ukrainian Catholic Church at 569 George St., New Haven, CT in the church hall on Friday evenings. Please contact Stephanie Tomaszewsky, Founder and Artistic Director at (860) 418-9230 by text or phone, or email at stomaszewsky@gmail.com. Information may also be found at SUMA federal credit union on premises. Link to registration here: https://www.congnitoforms.com/KolibriukrainianschoolOfDance/KolibriDanceSchoolStudentRegistration
STAMFORD CHARITIES APPEAL: Please don’t forget to make a donation to the Annual Eparchy Charities Appeal. Please make check payable to the Byzantine Rite, Eparchy of Stamford. DO NOT MAIL THIS FORM TO THE CHANCERY OFFICE. Please include your offerings in the Basket at Divine Liturgy or drop off at the Rectory. We sincerely ask all parishioners to make as generous a contribution that is possible.
As the First-Called, Andrew was the first of the Apostles to follow Christ, and he later brought his own brother, the holy Apostle Peter, to Christ (John 1:35-42).
“St. Andrew the Apostle was martyred by crucifixion on an X-shaped cross in Patras, near Corinth. The X-shaped cross caused excruciating pain, far greater than the traditional cross. Due to the fact that the condemned man was crucified with his legs spread, he could not support his body on them, and practically all the weight of his body hung on the nailed hands, thus enduring terrible torments.”
Today, the Cross of St. Andrew is kept next to the head of St. Andrew in the Cathedral of St. Andrew the Apostle in the Greek city of Patras.
We sing with the Church:
Andrew, first-called of the Apostles and brother of the foremost disciple, entreat the Master of all to grant peace to the world and to our souls great mercy. (Troparion, tone 4)
With sadness we announce the falling asleep in the Lord of Joannna Oleschuk on November 21, 2024.
The funeral rites:
The Wake will be held Sunday, December 1, from 4-7pm with a 6pm Panikhida Service at 6pm at Celentano Funeral Home, 424 Elm Street, New Haven.
The Funeral Liturgy will be Monday, December 2, at 10:00 a.m. St. Michael the Archangel Ukrainian Catholic Church, 569 George Street, New Haven. Burial at Beaverdale Cemetery.
Joanna’s obituary may be read here.
May Joanna’s memory be eternal and may the great Mother of God and angels and saints assist her and comfort her grieving family and friends.
“And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body. And BE THANKFUL. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs WITH GRATITUDE in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, GIVING THANKS to God the Father through him.” [Col. 3:15-17]
Happy Thanksgiving!
New Haven CT Ukrainian American Humanitarian Aid Fund, Inc.
Our Collection Center is now CLOSED.
Our final shipment was sent off to Ukraine on November 9, 2024. We will no longer be collecting medical supplies, medical equipment and personal humanitarian aid items to be shipped over to Ukraine.
We are, however, continuing to accept monetary donations. Rather than spending thousands of dollars on shipping costs, we will be transferring the money that is collected from our account to Father Roman Manulyak’s Heart of the Samaritan account in Ukraine. Father Roman will be providing us with a prioritized list of things that he intends to purchase in Ukraine or Poland that will be distributed to the medical facilities and community centers that have requested the specified items on his list. We will be able to send him the money that we would have to pay for shipping which amounts to THOUSANDS of dollars. That way, he will be able to buy MUCH MORE of what is actually needed.
Please pick up one or more of our Information sheets to find out how you can contribute to our Fund. Copies of this information sheet can be found in the Credit Union, St. Michael the Archangel Ukrainian Catholic Church, and the church hall.
ALL of the donated money will now go directly to Father Roman for the reasons stated previously.
With today’s liturgical commemoration of St Philip according to the Byzantine Catholic Church, the Nativity fast begins, thus preparing us for the feast of the Incarnation.
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
