Entrusting our prayers, aspirations to the Mother of God

This evening we gathered at 7pm to sing the Moleben to the Mother of God. In the time of suffering, violence and injustice (person, economic, social and religious) we approach the Mary, the Mother of God, placing ourselves under her mantle for protection. We especially pray for those killed and those injured in this war.

About 60 members of our parish community –far and wide– sustained each other in prayer led by Fr. Iura our pastor, Fr. Stepan Yanovsky, Fr Al Forlano and Fr. Gregory Lozinskyy (pastor of St John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Church, Trumbull). Laity and clergy alike came to beg the for a peaceful resolution in Ukraine.

Let’s NOT be unmoved by the suffering of both fellow Christians and non-Christian children of God.

We are filled with anguish and anxiety that friends, family, colleagues, the poor and the elderly, children and the like can be threatened by a fellow Slav, a violent and self-centered man. Pope Francis has called us to place ourselves in the framework of the “weakness” of prayer to counter the power of arms.

The Pope’s recent teaching on the events in Ukraine runs along these lines: by our meek ascetism (our humble, disciplined work of prayer) we can counter the strength of cannons. We know from experience that prayer unites us to God the Father and makes us brothers and sisters; fasting takes something away from us in order to share it with others – even if the other is an enemy. The Lord teaches us to pray for our enemies.

Again, we have the experience that prayer is the real revolution that changes the world because it changes hearts. This kind of demon, Jesus says, “never comes out except by prayer and fasting.”

“May the Queen of Peace preserve the world from the madness of war,” Pope Francis said.

We are grateful for the presence of the Mayor of New Haven, Justin Elicker tonight. His solidarity with us is meaningful. Likewise, we are grateful for the news media outlets who covered the service and took the time to meet people.

May Our Lady, the great mother of God hear and answer our prayers.

Call to prayer tonight at the parish

Christ is among us!

We are having a 7pm bi-lingual prayer service TONIGHT for Ukraine.

Join us.

ALSO, at 7pm tonight in other parishes in the Eparchy:

St Michael Ukrainian Catholic Church, 135 Wethersfield Avenue, Hartford CT
St Josaphat Ukrainian Catholic Church, 303 Eddy Glover Blvd, New Britain CT
St Michael Ukrainian Catholic Church, 569 George Street, New Haven CT
St John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church, 39 New London Tpke, Glastonbury CT
St Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church, 178 Linwood Avenue, Colchester CT
Sts Peter and Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church, 105 Clifton Avenue, Ansonia CT
Holy Dormition of BVM Ukrainian Catholic Church, 255 Barnum Avenue, Bridgeport CT
St Vladimir Ukrainian Catholic Church, 24 Wenzel Terrace, Stamford CT
St Michael Ukrainian Catholic Church, 35 Allen Street, Terryville CT

AND the Ukrainian Orthodox Churches

Holy Trinity Parish of Orthodox Church of Ukraine 99 York Street, Bridgeport CT
St Mary Ukrainian Orthodox Church, 10 Oakwood Street, Bridgeport, CT
St Mary Ukrainian Orthodox Church, 24 Winter Street, New Britain CT
St Mary Ukrainian Orthodox Church, 50 Fowler Street, New Haven CT

AND in Massachusetts

Sts Peter and Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church, 45 Newbury Street, Ludlow MA

Appeal of His Beatitude Sviatoslav

Appeal of His Beatitude Sviatoslav to the Sons and Daughters of the Ukrainian People in Ukraine and Abroad, and to all People of Good Will

Tuesday, February 22, 2022

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The recognition by the president of the Russian Federation of the “independence and sovereignty” of the self-proclaimed LNR and DNR creates serious challenges and threats for the entire international community and for international law, on the basis of which today people and their nations exist and cooperate. Irreparable damage has been done to the very logic of international relations, which are called to safeguard peace and the just order of societies, the supremacy of law, the accountability of state powers, the defence of the human being, human life and natural rights. Today all of humanity has been placed in danger—that the powerful have a right to impose themselves on whomever they wish, with no regard for the rule of law.

In its decision the government of the Russian Federation unilaterally withdrew from a lengthy peace process, tasked with ensuring the restoration of dignified conditions for life on the territories controlled by Russia in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine, for those impacted by Russian military aggression. The war, initiated against our people in 2014, has inflicted deep wounds on many of our fellow citizens: thousands killed, wounded, left in solitude. Yesterday’s step taken by the president of the Russian Federation destroyed foundational principles for a long-term process of restoring peace in Ukraine, created the path for a new wave of military aggression against our state, opened the doors for a full scale military operation against the Ukrainian people.

We consider the defense of our native land, our historical memory and our hope, our God-given right to exist to be the personal responsibility and sacred duty of the citizens of Ukraine. The defence of our Fatherland is our natural right and civic duty. We are strong when we are together. Now has come the time to unite our efforts in order to defend the independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Ukrainian state. The duty and responsibility of all of humanity—to actively work to avert war and protect a just peace.

We are convinced that the world cannot develop and find answers for the challenges of today by resorting to might and violence, by showing disdain for shared human values and the truth of the Gospel. I call upon all people of good will to not ignore the suffering of the Ukrainian people, brought on by Russian military aggression. We are a people who love peace. And precisely for that reason we are ready to defend it and fight for it.

Today we call out in prayer to the Almighty Creator, with a special appeal for wisdom for those entrusted with making important decisions for society, in whose hands lies the fate of humanity. We ask the Heavenly Father for assistance in restoring a just peace on Ukrainian land.

We pray especially for those who defend Ukraine, who in these days are for us an example of loving sacrifice and dedicated service to their people. May the merciful Lord protect them from every danger and crown their efforts with the victory of truth and good.

We call for the gracious blessing of a loving God and Creator upon Ukraine and its people!

The blessing of the Lord be upon you.

+Sviatoslav

Moving toward the Great Fast: Meat-fare Sunday

As the daylight increases we move closer to Holy Pascha. There is a cosmic connection here. But before we meet the Risen Lord in the Mysteries of Pascha we have a period of more intense prayer, fasting and almsgiving. The three go together otherwise it the Christian practice is bizarre. As one person said, fasting without prayer is a diet.

What is meat-fare Sunday? It is the day we say “good bye to meat” for Lent. The Church teaches us that “In the fasting practice common to all Byzantine Churches Meatfare Sunday is the last day on which meat would be eaten until Pascha. This is the first step towards the fuller discipline of the Great Fast when dairy products would not be eaten as well. This is why next Sunday is called Cheese-fare Sunday (good-bye to dairy products).” We do this fast together; we help each other do what we can to refrain from meat not because of some vapid moralism but to open our body, mind and soul to God’s grace. Fasting, and therefore meat-fare Sunday is fitting because it “warns us against a false subjectivism or individualism in the coming Fast.”

The great bishop of Constantinople, St John Chrysostom tells us:

The value of fasting consists not only of avoiding certain foods, but in giving up sinful practices. The one who limits his fast only to abstaining meat mocks it! … For a true fast, you cannot fast only with your mouth. You must fast with your eyes, your ears, your feet, your hands, and all parts of your body… For what good is it if you don’t eat meat or poultry, and yet you bite and devour the flesh of your neighbor?

The gospel reflection and the Resurrectional troparion for this Sunday of Meat-fare is here

All Souls’ Saturdays

Saturday, February 19 is the first of the five All Souls’ Saturdays. We will serve the Divine Liturgy TODAY at 9am.

Prayer for the departed is one of the best acts of charity we can perform. It is also an expression of our faith in the resurrection of the dead.

The Byzantine Church remembers the faithful departed differently than the Latin Church. For example, All Soul’s Saturdays at St Michael’s New Haven are: February 19, March 12, 19, 26 and June 4.

Join us, live and in person only.

Sunday of the Prodigal Son

The parable read today is usually called “the parable of the Prodigal Son,” who is at the center of the story. It might also be called “the parable of the Merciful Father,” who welcomes back his son, embracing him, restoring him to his position, declaring a joyous celebration without even seeming to hear or listen to his son’s confession or protestation. It might also be called “the parable of the Petulant Son,” who is grumpy and peeved at the father’s merciful loving kindness because he thinks that he himself is so much better than his brother. As we prepare for the Great Fast, do we see a pattern developing? The pharisee thought he was much better than the tax-collector, the older son thought he was so much better than his prodigal brother, but God overflows in love for all his creatures. Perhaps the real main purpose of the Great Fast is to turn from pride to humility, to begin to see others through the eyes of God, to overflow in love for others. Truly, what does it mean to be a Christian?

The return of the prodigal Son was marked by a great banquet given by the Merciful Father. We are all invited to that banquet, celebrated at every Divine Liturgy, where the food is not the “fattened calf” but the body and blood of our Lord, the only-begotten Son of the Father. How do we approach this banquet, in the humility of the son who acknowledges his unworthiness or in the pride of the older son, who objects to the presence of his weaker brother? The answer is what it means to be a Christian.

***
“Receive me now, Lord, as you once received the Prodigal. Open to me your fatherly arms, and in thanksgiving I will sing of your glory and goodness” (Sunday of the Prodigal Son Canon, Ode 1, troparion 3)

The parable of the Prodigal Son is also commemorated on the Second Sunday of the Great Fast, in the Canon of Matins, because the origin of the Triodion is from Palestine, where this Gospel was read on the Second Sunday.

Meditation by Archpriest David Petras