Parish announcements
Christ is among us!
This week the vigil light is offered to God by Catherine Kolesnik for a Special Intention.
Dear Parishioners: If you would like to have Confession or Holy Communion please call the rectory at 203-865-0388.
SOROKOUSTY will be celebrated on All Souls’ Saturdays on February 27th , March 6th, March 13th, and May 22nd . Please take your book found in the entrance of the church, fill it out, place it in envelope, and drop it in the collection basket. If you need a new book, ask Father Iura.
Dear Parishioners please close your phones during the Divine Liturgy. Your phones make our live-streaming difficult. Thank you!
We have frozen cabbage with sausage (kapusta & kovbasa) or only cabbage for sale in the church hall.
Every Sunday you can watch the Divine Liturgy streamed live on parish Facebook page at the 9:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy in English and again at the 10:30 a.m. 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
Divine Liturgy for the coming week
Glory to Jesus Christ!
Sunday, 2/07, Sunday of the Meat Fare
9:00 a.m. Special Intention
10:30 a.m. For the people of the parish
Epistle: 1 Corinthians 8:8-9:2
Gospel: Matthew 25:31-46, Tone 3
Monday, 2/08, Holy Great Martyr Theodore
9:00 a.m. No intention for the Divine Liturgy
Tuesday, 2/09, Holy Martyr Nicephor
9:00 a.m. No intention for the Divine Liturgy
Wednesday, 2/10, Holy Martyr Charalampus
9:00 a.m. No intention for the Divine Liturgy
Thursday, 2/11, Holy Martyr Bishop Blaise
9:00 a.m. No intention for the Divine Liturgy
Friday, 2/12, Holy Archbishop Meletius
9:00 a.m. No intention for the Divine Liturgy
Saturday, 2/13, Our Venerable Father Martinian
9:00 a.m. No intention for the Divine Liturgy
Sunday, 2/14, Sunday of the Cheese Fare
9:00 a.m. +Anna Lipcan (12th Anniv.) requested Barbara and Patrick Bagley
10:30 a.m. For the people of the parish
Epistle: Romans 13:11:14-4
Gospel: Matthew 6:14-21, Tone 4
World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly
Earlier today at the Sunday Angelus in Rome, Pope Francis announced World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly to be held on 4th Sunday of July, the Sunday closest to July 26th feast of Sts. Joachim and Anne, parents of Blessed Virgin Mary, grandparents of Jesus.
The first world day will be July 25, 2021. Ukrainian Byzantine Catholics liturgically recall St Anne’s memory on July 25th.
Online Bible Study: Gospel of Mark
Father Hryhoriy (Gregory) Lozinskyy, SSD, pastor of St John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Church, Trumbull, is offering a Lenten Bible Study on the Gospel of Mark.
Tuesdays at 7 p.m.: March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 and April 6
Prior to each session Father Hryhoriy will send a youtube link to follow the class. This online study has both pastoral and academic goals since it is opened to the wider public. The goal is to present the beauty of the Scripture.
Details and registration: www.stjohntrumbull.org
Email to register and questions: stjohntrumbull@gmail.com OR call 203-377-5967
Divine Liturgy for the coming week
Glory to Jesus Christ
Sunday, 1/31, Sunday of the Prodigal Son — Blessing of candles
9:00 a.m. Special Intention
10:30 a.m. For the people of the parish
Epistle: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20
Gospel: Luke 15:11-32, Tone 2
Monday, 2/01 /21 Holy Martyr Tryphon
9:00 a.m. No intention for the Divine Liturgy
Tuesday, 2/02, PRESENTATION OF OUR LORD —Blessing of candles
9:00 a.m. Special Intention
Wednesday, 2/03, Synaxis of the Holy Simeon and Anna
9:00 a.m. No intention for the Divine Liturgy
Thursday, 2/04, Our Venerable Isidore
9:00 a.m. No intention for the Divine Liturgy
Friday, 2/05, Holy Martyr Agatha
9:00 a.m. No intention for the Divine Liturgy
Saturday, 2/06, Holy Father Bucolus
9:00 a.m. All deceased of parish —Sorokousty
Sunday, 2/07, Sunday of the Meat Fare
9:00 a.m. Special Intention
10:30 a.m. For the people of the parish
Epistle: 1 Corinthians 8:8-9:2
Gospel: Matthew 25:31-46, Tone 3
Divine Liturgy for the coming week
CHRIST IS BORN!
Sunday, 1/24, Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee
9:00 a.m. God’s blessing and health for my children and grandchildren requested by Ihor Walnycky
10:30 a.m. For the parishioners
Epistle: 2 Timothy 3:10-14
Gospel: Luke 18:10-14, Tone 1
Monday, 1/25, Holy Gregory the Theologian
9:00 a.m. +Danylo Begej (Pan.) requested by Irene Morgan
Tuesday, 1/26, Our Venerables Xenophon and Mary
9:00 a.m. No intention for the Divine Liturgy
Wednesday, 1/27, Transfer of the relics of John Chrysostom
9:00 a.m. No intention for the Divine Liturgy
Thursday, 1/28, Our Venerable Ephrem the Syrian
9:00 a.m. No intention for the Divine Liturgy
Friday, 1/29, Transfer of the relics of the Martyr Ignatius
9:00 a.m. No intention for the Divine Liturgy
Saturday, 1/30, Three Holy Hierarchs
9:00 a.m. God’s blessing and health for Sophie DeCarlo requested by the Sestretsi
Sunday, 1/31, Sunday of the Prodigal Son — Blessing of candles
9:00 a.m. Special Intention
10:30 a.m. For the parishioners
Epistle: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20
Gospel: Luke 15:11-32, Tone 2
Parish announcements
This week vigil light is offered to God by Margaret and Stuart Maybury in memory of Stuart and Adeline Maybury.
Dear Parishioners: If you would like to have Confession or Holy Communion please call the rectory at 203-865-0388.
SOROKOUSTY will be celebrated on All Souls’ Saturdays, February 6th, February 27th , March 6th, March 13th, and May 22nd . Please take your book found in the entrance of the church, fill it out, place it in envelope, and drop it in the collection basket. If you need a new book, ask Father Iura.
Dear Parishioners please close your phones during the Divine Liturgy. Your phones make our live-streaming difficult. Thank you!
We have frozen cabbage with sausage (kapusta & kovbasa) or only cabbage for sale in the church hall.
Every Sunday you can watch the Divine Liturgy streamed live on parish Facebook page at the 9:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy in English and again at the 10:30 a.m. 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
The Jesus Prayer
The Sunday of the Pharisee and Publican is a fitting day for us to familiarize us with the Jesus Prayer. Father Iura spoke of the Jesus Prayer in today’s homily.
The Jesus Prayer
Alice Herro
Prayer, essential to Christian life, is one way we may communicate with God. It is the means by which we experience Jesus. Liturgical prayers conclude with the phrase, “through Jesus Christ, our Lord.” he name, Jesus, is at the heart of faith and prayer. It is through Jesus that heaven’s gates are open. It is in Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, that we ultimately return to the Father.
To early Christians, Jesus was not only a belief, but an experienced reality. Early Christians understood the healing, comforting power of the name, Jesus. From this understanding arose one of the earliest Christian prayers, the Jesus Prayer. It is simple, concise and direct, but rooted in the name of our Lord. It is an insistent prayer that can be said anywhere and anytime.
Jesus emptied Himself as His gift to us. Likewise, we return the gifts and empty ourselves as our gift to Him. How do we empty ourselves? How do we achieve this exchange of gifts?
Repeating the Jesus Prayer continuously is one way. With the Jesus Prayer, heart addresses Heart. Thus, the Jesus Prayer establishes communion between your heart and the Heart of Jesus. With practice, the Jesus Prayer will lead you into the Presence of Christ.
How does one pray continuously? A simple breathing technique will help sustain continuous repetition of the prayer:
~Inhale
~Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, (invocation)
~Exhale
~be merciful to me, a sinner. (petition)
Many people recite the Our Father on the crucifix, the Jesus Prayer on all the beads, and the Glory Be on the crucifix. Although the Jesus Prayer is traditionally recited, you may say any prayer, word or group of words. Whatever leads you into the Presence of Christ is correct. Examples beside the Jesus Prayer: + Glory be to the Father, etc.; + Jesus; + My Lord and my God; + Lover of mankind; + Blessed be God (or any of the Divine Praises).
Resources for the Sunday of the Pharisee and Publican
Sunday, January 24, 2021 is the Sunday of the Pharisee and Publican. Here are the resources for sacred Scripture, Church teaching and reflection, and for the Divine Liturgy.
The reflections on the offering of the gifts (Proskomedia) is quite good as well as the video presentation on the Gospel. Be sure to listen the Resurrectional Troparion.
These resources are offered to you for your formation in the Catholic faith by deepening your appreciation of sacred Scripture and the Liturgy. Let us together pray for the renewal of our parish and Eparchy of Stamford.