Divine Liturgy for the coming week

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Sunday, 12/22, Sunday of the Holy Fathers
9:00 a.m. All deceased of Komondy Family requested by Chris Komondy
10:30 a.m. For the people of the parish

Epistle: Hebrews 11:9-10; 17-23; 32-40
Gospel: Matthew1:1-25, Tone 6

Monday, 12/23, Ten Holy Martyrs of Crete
9:00 a.m. +Fr. Anthony DeFranzo requested by Joseph and Jane Kossar

Tuesday, 12/24, Holy Martyr Eugenia
9:00 a.m. +Bohdan Sowa requested byLuba Dubno

Wednesday, 12/25, Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ —Anointing-Myronvann
10:00 a.m. Great Compline —the God with Us service of prayer
10:30 a.m. For the people of the parish

Thursday, 12/26, Synaxis of the Mother of God
10:00 a.m. +Max and Pearl Kossar requested by Joseph and Jane Kossar

Friday, 12/27, Holy Apostle Martyr Stephen
9:00 a.m. God’s blessing and health for Fr. Stepan Yanovski requested by Luba Dubno

Saturday, 12/28, Holy Martyrs of Nicomedia
9:00a.m. +Nicholas and Anna Sopko, Renee and Molly Lacaurciere, Sr. requested by Joseph and Jane Kossar

Sunday, 12/29, Sunday after Nativity
9:00 a.m. +Joanna Oleschuk requested by Luba Dubno
10:30 a.m. For the people of the parish

Epistle: Galatians 1:11-19
Gospel: Matthew 2:13-23, Tone 7

Parish news

Christ is in our midst!

This week vigil light is offered by Katia and Andrew Bamber for God’s blessing and health for Fr. Stepan Yanovski.

WELCOME NEW PARISHIONERS! New parishioners are always welcomed in our parish. If someone wants to register with our parish please contact Father Iura Godenciuc at 203-865-0388 or our financial secretary Natalia Chermak.

PARISH COFFEE HOUR: 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.

Forthcoming Liturgies at Church

January 1, 11:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy
January 5, 10:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy for Holy Theophany –Great Sanctification of Water

Our parish will be preparing a Prosphora, a traditional Ukrainian Christmas meal on Sunday, January 19, 2025 after the Divine Liturgy that will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Tickets are $40.00 for adults, 10:00 for youth from 14 to 18. Free for children Ridna Shkola and altar servers. Luba Dubno, Margaret Maybury and Svitlana Nakonechnyj are selling tickets. We will be running a raffle. No tickets will be sale at the door.

Renovation of the church hall will begin shortly. The parish has put together a plan of action to bring our hall to modern standards. Being able to rent the hall out for weddings, christening and various social events will help the parish financially. A fundraising program for the work has begun with the Christmas Bazaar and Christmas caroling program. The program which was begun last year with air conditioning the hall continue with painting the ceiling grid-work, replacing ceiling tiles, sheet-rocking the entire hall, new effect lighting and painting it. Any donations to this modernization project will be greatly appreciated. The checks should be payable to the church and given to Natalie Chermak of Fr. Iura. Some of the work will commence on Wednesday, December 18th at 9:00 a.m. Any volunteers who would like to help prepare the hall for painting and sheet-rocking are welcome to sign up. Any questions or volunteering, please contact Fr. Iura or Chris Komondy at 860-759-2723.

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Study the Nicene Creed

Studying the Nicene Creed is a great way of knowing and living more deeply our Catholic Faith.

Here is a free course of study on the Nicene Creed with Fr. David Anderson and the Institute of Catholic Culture (ICC). The course is offered at no charge.

More information.

Parish Hall Modernization Project

The Parish, under the guidance of Father Iura, has put together a plan of action to bring our hall to modern standards. Being able to rent the hall out for weddings, christening and various social events will help the Parish financially. A fundraising program for the work has begun with the Christmas caroling program which is separately announced in the Bulletin. The program which was begun last year with air conditioning the hall will continue with painting the ceiling grid-work, replacing ceiling tiles, sheet-rocking the entire hall, new effect lighting and painting it.  Any donations to this modernization project will be greatly appreciated.

The checks should be payable to the Church and given or mailed to Father Iura. Some of the work will commence on Wednesday, December 18th at 9:00 a.m. Any volunteers who would like to help prepare the hall for painting and sheet-rocking are welcome to sign up.  Any questions or volunteering, please feel free to contact Father Iura or Chris Komondy @ 860-759-2723.

Knights of Columbus Council Coats for Kids Program

The Parish’s KofC Council has undertaken the responsibility to obtain winter coats for our children. The first step was to obtain and purchase winter coats for every child in our school. This was completed this past Sunday, December 8th when St. Nicholas gifted a coat to every child. The beautifully organized and choreographed event by the School Director Nataliia Dankevych was well attended and enjoyed by all.

The second step is to respond to a plea from the “Smile for Kids” Program. They have 477 orphan children in Ukraine who have lost one or both of their parents due to this unjust war. They are living in orphanages or with other family members like grandparents. The Council is collecting money to purchase the coats as well as organizing packing and shipping to Ukraine in time for Christmas. Any donations for this effort will be gratefully accepted.

Checks should be made out to: “KofC – Ukrainian Relief Fund”. Please give the checks to Father Iura, Myron Melnyk, Andy Bamber, or Chris Komondy. If you are mailing the checks, please mail them to St. Michael the Archangel Ukrainian Catholic Church, Attn: Chris Komondy, 569 George Street, New Haven Ct. 06511. Any questions please feel free to call the Project Coordinator Chris Komondy @  860-759-2723.

Divine Liturgy for the coming week

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Sunday, 12/15, Sunday of the Forefathers
9:00 a.m. +Joanna Oleschuk requested by Maria Sobko
10:30 a.m. For the people of the parish

Epistle: Colossians 3:4-11
Gospel: Luke 14:16-24, Tone 5

Monday, 12/16, Holy Prophet Haggai
9:00 a.m. +Joanna Oleschuk requested by Donna and Jerry Lodynsky

Tuesday, 12/17, Holy Prophet Daniel and Ananiah
9:00 a.m. No particular intention for the Divine Liturgy

Wednesday, 12/18, Holy Martyr Sebastian and his companions
9:00 a.m. No particular intention for the Divine Liturgy

Thursday, 12/19, Holy Martyr Boniface
9:00 a.m. No particular intention for the Divine Liturgy

Friday, 12/20/24 Holy Priest Martyr Ignatius
9:00 a.m. No particular intention for the Divine Liturgy

Saturday, 12/21, Holy Martyr Juliana
9:00 a.m. No particular intention for the Divine Liturgy

Sunday, 12/22, Sunday of the Holy Fathers
9:00 a.m. All deceased of Komondy family requested by Chris Komondy
10:30 a.m. For the people of the parish

Epistle: Hebrews 11:9-10; 17-23; 32-40
Gospel: Matthew 1:1-25, Tone 6

Parish news

Christ is among us!

This week vigil light is offered by Brandon and Andrue Czabala in memory of Teodor Czabala.

The HOLY CROSS visiting 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 Resurrection.

We will make Pyrohy on Saturday, December 14. We need your help on Friday to peel potatoes and Saturday to make pierogi (varenyky). Please come and help.

CHRISTMAS CAROLING: This Year the Parish Choir will come to every Parishioners home to sing Christmas Carols starting on Friday afternoon December 27 through Sunday December 29. The program will be continued the following week on Friday afternoon January 3 through Sunday January 5th. All Donation proceeds will go 100% to pay for the church hall upgrades and remodel.

PARISH COFFEE HOUR: 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.

WELCOME NEW PARISHIONERS! New parishioners are always welcomed in our parish. If someone wants to register with our parish please contact Father Iura Godenciuc at (203) 865-0388 or our financial secretary Natalia Chermak.

The Liturgical Schedule for the holy days

  • December 25, 10:00 a.m. Great Compline (The “God with Us” Service)
    10:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy
  • January 1, 11:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy
  • January 5, 10:00 a.m. Great Compline
    10:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy for Holy Theophany with the Great                        Sanctification of Water
  • January 19, Prosphora, 10:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy

Venerating the Cross of Jesus Christ

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.

Thoughts on the Immaculate Conception

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.”

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