Sunday of the Paralytic

Can you feel it? Can you notice the warmth of the Holy Spirit? We are moving toward the great feast Pentecost. You can feel the dramatic intensity of the praying Church getting ready for a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit. In preparation for receiving the Holy Spirit the Church gives us this weekend the gift of the Sunday of the Paralytic.

Resources from God With Us Online

Don’t miss the April reflection –only one page– by Fr. Vasile Colopelnic, “Developing a Eucharistic Lifestyle.” Fr. Vaisle is a priest the Stamford Eparchy serving in New York State.

There is also the Resurrectional Troparion in Tone 3 to listen to as well as the resources for catechism class.

Prepare for hearing Sunday’s Gospel by listening to the Gospel Reflection.

St. John Chrysostom teaches: “What kind of a cure is this? What mystery does it signify to us?… It was the greatest of gifts, a baptism purging all sins and making people alive instead of dead. These things then are foreshown as in a picture by the pool.… so that those [at the pool] who had learned over and over how it is possible to heal the diseases of the body by water might more easily believe that water can also heal the diseases of the soul.”

St George

“You were true to your name, O warrior George, * for you took the cross of Christ upon your shoulders. * You ploughed well the land made barren by the deceits of the devil; * you rooted out the weeds of idol worship * and planted the vine of the true faith. * Therefore, your healing overflows to the faithful throughout the whole world, * and you have shown yourself to be the righteous gardener of the Trinity. * Pray for peace in the world and salvation for our souls.”

Today is a very special day for Englishmen, Georgians, Ethiopians, Maltese, Aragonese, Catalonians, and the burgesses of Nizhyn, Ukraine!

Blessed name day of our pastor, Father Iura!

Blessed feast of Saint George!

Sunday of Myrrh-bearing Women –resources

Three weeks ago we celebrated Pascha. Now we are at the Second Sunday after Easter (April 18, 2021) — the Sunday of the Myrrh-bearing Women. These women pour the oil of our salvation over the bodies of those who belong to Christ Jesus; the oil announces LIFE. Who are these women? Do you know who we are talking about? Scripture reveals to us the names of the women, each with a personal history and each with a mission (like us). They are Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of Jose, Mary, the mother of James, and Salome. Plus, we have Joseph of Arimathea. Each person here is essential for making the Risen Lord known and loved and followed.

When the women encounter the Risen Lord at the tomb He tells them not to be afraid at the sight of Him and of His announcement: the crucified is now risen. His promise is true; the offer to be united with God is made good, Life is bestowed upon us. The first act of the Risen Lord is to give the women a central mission, a particular service (a diaconia) for the spread of the Gospel: go and tell the disciples and Peter, that crucified Jesus is now risen, He is alive.

The Church understands this biblical narrative of vocation and place in the Way –the Way of the Lord– in generations: the first generation are the Apostles, then the disciples, and the deacons (seen first in the person of Joseph of Arimathea, then the other deacons we read about in the Apostles). No one group can exist without the other because of the particularity of each God-mission given to each person. This mission we speak of, as St John Henry Newman tells us, is the mission given by God is unique, unrepeatable, not transferable, given for a specific purpose. Some are called to be priests, some deacons, some catechists, some nurses, some bakers, some gardeners, some machinists, some writers, some lawyers, etc. The mission the Lord gives us links us to him and those others who have served the Gospel and the Church through 2000 years.

St. Peter Chrysologus speaks of the mission of the Women and the apostles, “The women were first to honor the risen Christ, the apostles first to suffer for him. The women were ready with spices; the apostles prepared for scourges. The women entered the tomb; the apostles would soon enter the dungeon. The women hastened to express their eulogy; the apostles embraced chains for his sake. The women poured oils; the apostles poured out their blood.”

The Resurrectional troparion (in the Ukrainian tone), the catechetical resources for the children AND the Gospel reflection with Melkite Father Hezekias and Sebastian are found here.

Christ is risen!

Parish announcements

Christ is risen!

This week vigil light is offered by Katia & Andrew Bamber in memory of Wasylyna Yukash.

For your own safety and safety of others, please wear a mask in church.

Dear parishioners please close your phones during the Divine Liturgy. Your phones make our stream live difficult. Thank you!

Dear parishioners, if you would like to have Confession or Holy Communion please call the rectory at (203) 865-0388.

We have frozen cabbage with sausage (kapusta and kovbasa) or only cabbage for sale in the church hall.

The traditional Easter parish SVIACHENE will be held on April 18, following the Divine Liturgy. We will celebrate only one Divine Liturgy at 10:30 a.m. We will be running a raffle. If you would like to donate any items to be raffled, please bring them to our church hall on Sundays before our “Sviachene” or on Sunday, April 18. Tickets are $25.00 for adults, $10.00 for youth from 12 to 18. Free for altar boys, and under 12. Also we ask you to donate cakes for desert. We trust that all parishioners will join this parish gathering and through their presence attest to cherishing in our hearts a love for one another which builds our PARISH FAMILY. We will not be selling tickets at the door to parishioners only to guests.

Divine Liturgy for the coming week

Christ is risen!

Sunday, 4/11, Thomas Sunday — Distribution of Artos
9:00 a.m. For the people of the parish
10:30 a.m. +Ivan Godenciuc requested by Maria Antonyshyn

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

Monday, 4/12, Our Venerable Father Basil
9:00 a.m. No intention for the Divine Liturgy

Tuesday, 4/13, Holy Priest Martyr Artemon
9:00 a.m. No intention for the Divine Liturgy

Wednesday, 4/14, Our Holy Father Martin, Pope of Rome
9:00 a.m. No intention for the Divine Liturgy

Thursday, 4/15, Holy Apostles Aristarchus and Pudens
9:00 a.m. No intention for the Divine Liturgy

Friday, 4/16, Holy Martyrs Agapia, Irene, and Chionia
2:00 p.m. God’s blessing and health for Anthony and Irena

Saturday, 4/17, Our Venerable Father Simeon
9:00 a.m. No intention for the Divine Liturgy

Sunday, 4/18, Sunday of theMyrrh-Bearers Women
10:30 a.m. For the people of the parish

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

Light from the East

The Catholic World Report ran this story on Patriarch Sviatoslav the other day.

“Ten years ago last month, the Synod of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church took a striking decision: it elected its youngest member, 40-year old Bishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, as leader of the largest of the eastern Catholic Churches, a choice confirmed by Pope Benedict XVI, writes George Weigel. He has more than ably filled very large shoes.”

The article “Light from the East.”

Metropolitan Kallistos Ware on the Jesus Prayer

The Jesus Prayer

Of all the lectures either in person or recorded offered by Metropolitan Kallistos Ware, this interview is gold. Sharing it here with our parish and friends because I believe what Ware says is important for the spiritual life.

Spotlight Quote: “What do we mean by ‘silence’? It can be thought of negatively: just a pause between words, an absence of noise. And in that case, it is something negative and empty. But silence can also be understood in a positive way: not just as ceasing to speak, but beginning to listen.”

The interview begins around 7min.

Kallistos Ware – The Jesus Prayer (N173)

Divine Liturgy for the coming week

Christ is risen!

Sunday, 4/04, Resurrection of Our Lord
9:00 a.m. Procession and Paschal Matins
10:30 a.m. For the people of our parish —Blessing of Artos and Annoinitng
Blessing of Easter Foods following the Divine Liturgy

Epistle: Acts 1:1-8
Gospel: John 1:1-17, Tone 8

Monday, 4/05, Bright Monday —Holy Martyr Theodulus
10:00 a.m. +Ivan Godenciuc (Pan.) requested by the Chermak Family

Tuesday, 4/06, Bright Tuesday —The Repose of Father Methodius
9:00 a.m. +Anastasia Sobko (1st Anniv. Pan.) requested by Maria Sobko

Wednesday, 4/07, Bright Wednesday —Our Venerable Fr. George
7:00 p.m. +Anna, Volodymyr, Timofij, Eva (Pan.) requested by Vasyl and Nadia Ivantsiv

Thursday, 4/08, Bright Thursday, Holy Apostle Herodion and other apostles
9:00 a.m. God’s blessing and health for Christine Gawron requested by the Sestretsi

Friday, 4/09, Bright Friday —Holy Martyr Eupsichius
9:00 a.m. God’s blessing and health for Volodymyr and Galina Gali

Saturday, 4/10, Bright Saturday —Holy Martyr Terente
9:00 a.m. +Stefan Pospolita (Pan.) requested by Olga Pospolita

Sunday, 4/11, Thomas Sunday
9:00 a.m. For the people of the parish —the Distribution of artos
10:30 a.m.+Ivan Godenciuc requested by Maria Antonyshyn —and the Distribution of artos

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

Parish announcements

Christ is risen!

This week vigil light is offered by Family in memory of Frances Dmyterko.

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

On this glorious and most holy day of Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, I extend sincere wishes to our Bishop Paul Chomnycky, all our brothers and sisters living in Ukraine and others countries. In particular, I greet all of you, my dear parishioners, trustees, choir members, altar boys and all who devoted work for our parish. May God bless you! Fr. Iura Godenciuc and family

On Saturday, April 10th the Ukrainian School of New Haven will partially resume classes. Pani Halia will meet with her class starting at 10 a.m. Religious instruction will follow in preparation for First Holy Communion which will take place in May. Pani Oryssia will NOT meet with her class on April 10th. We will inform you of her start date later in April. For everyone`s safety and minimize our liability we will be following the CDC Covid 19 safety protocol (masks, etc.). Myron Melnyk

The traditional Easter parish SVIACHENE will be held on April 18, following the Divine Liturgy. We will celebrate only one Divine Liturgy at 10:30 a.m. We will be running a raffle. If you would like to donate any items to be raffled, please bring them to our church hall on Sundays before our “Sviachene” or on Sunday, April 18. Tickets are $25.00 for adults, $10.00 for youth from 12 to 18. Free for altar boys, and under 12. Also we ask you to donate cakes for desert. We trust that all parishioners will join this parish gathering and through their presence attest to cherishing in our hearts a love for one another which builds our PARISH FAMILY. We will not be selling tickets at the door to parishioners only to guests.

For your own safety and safety of others, please wear a mask in church.

Dear parishioners please close your phones during the Divine Liturgy. Your phones make our stream live difficult. Thank you!

Dear parishioners, if you would like to have Confession or Holy Communion please call the rectory at (203) 865-0388.

We have frozen cabbage with sausage (kapusta and kovbasa) or only cabbage for sale in the church hall.

Every Sunday you can watch stream live on parish Facebook at 9:00 Divine Liturgy in English language and 10:30 Divine Liturgy in Ukrainian language. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stmichaelnewhaven.

Dear Parishioners: I wish to express a special thanks to all of you. Despite the restrictions placed on your attendance at Divine Liturgy and the various special Liturgical celebrations, your attendance via Facebook, your responses, your thoughts and prayers, your support for parishioners in need as well as the continued financial support that you have mailed in to the Parish is greatly appreciated. Together with the help of God we will survive this National crisis and come out of it stronger than ever spiritually and emotionally. May God bless you all. Fr. Iura Godenciuc