Divine Liturgy for the coming week

Glory to Jesus Christ!

The Dormition Fast (Spasivka) runs from August 1 until August 14.

Sunday, 8/02, 9th Sunday after Pentecost
9:00 a.m. For the people of the parish
10:30 a.m. +Ivan Godenciuc (40th Anniv.)

Epistle: 1 Corinthians 3:9-17
Gospel: Matthew 14:22-34, Tone 8

Monday, 8/03, Our Venerable Fathers Isaacius, Dalmatus, Faustus
8:00 a.m. +Marianka Romanytch 12th (Anniv., Pan.) requested by Liuba Schiano

Tuesday, 8/04, The Seven Holy Youths of Ephesus, martyrs
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Wednesday, 8/05, Fore-feast of the Transfiguration; Holy Martyr Eusignius
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Thursday, 8/06, Transfiguration of Our Lord with the feast day Blessing of Fruits
9:00 a.m. God’s blessing and health for Barbara Schwartz

The Post-feast of the Transfiguration until August 12.

Friday, 8/07, Our Venerable Martyr Domitius
8:00 a.m. +Orest Dubno (1st Anniv., Pan) requested by the Family

Saturday, 8/08, Holy Confessor Emilian
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Sunday, 8/09, 10th Sunday after Pentecost; Holy Apostle Matthias
9:00 a.m. Special Intention
10:30 a.m. For the people of the parish

Epistle: 1 Corinthians 4:9-16
Gospel: Matthew 17:13-22, Tone 1

Parish announcements this week

Christ is among us!

This week the vigil light is offered to God’s glory by Luba Kopylec for a Special Intention.

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

Dear Parishioners: if anyone needs help such as going to the store to buy groceries, going to a doctor`s appointment or the pharmacy, or any other type of special assistance, you may contact the rectory at (203) 865-0388 and arrangements will be made to help you.

We are asking for volunteers to come and paint the front and back entrance to our rental building at 573 George St. If anyone would like to volunteer for this project, please contact Fr. Iura Godenciuc, either in person or you may call the rectory at (203) 865-0388. Thank You.

Every Sunday you can watch the Divine Liturgy live streamed on our parish Facebook page and parish website at 9:00 a.m. in English and 10:30 a.m. in Ukrainian.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stmichaelnewhaven
Website: https://stmichaelukrainian.org

Helping the suffering in Ukraine

As most of you are aware, in June , parts of western Ukraine were hit by torrential rains that caused devastating floods over wide areas. The Oblasts of Ivano-Frankivsk and Chernivtsi were the worst affected. As a result of the rains, over 4600 homes were lost or flooded, and 550 km of roads and 90 bridges were washed out. Three people lost their lives and thousands of others were forced to evacuate their homes and leave their possessions. Our suffering brothers and sisters in Ukraine need our help. Our Patriarch, His Beatitude Sviatoslav has written an appeal letter on their behalf, asking us: “to show Christian solidarity and social service, so that those who are suffering might receive assistance as soon as possible. I appeal to all communities of our church in Ukraine and throughout the world, to act in the spirit of the Good Samaritan of the Gospel, to support those who are deprived of their homes and have face-to-face with misfortune”. We will conduct a special collection in our parish to help our brothers and sisters in need. Please make checks payable to the “Eparchy of Stamford” with the notation “Flood in Ukraine”. You can place your donation in the collection basket or send to the rectory office. Your donation, no matter how small or large, will change someone`s life for the better. Thank you for your generosity.

STAMFORD CHARITIES APPEAL

REMINDER: Please don’t forget to donate for Diocesan Charitable Fund. The forms are designed for each family of our parish. Attached to the form is an envelope into which you can place your contribution. The form along with your contribution, we ask you enclose in the envelope and place it in the collection basket during church services. Please make check payable to the BYZANTINE RITE DIOCESE OF STAMFORD. DO NOT MAIL THIS FORM TO THE CHANCERY OFFICE. We sincerely ask all parishioners to make generous contributions.

The Dormition Fast begins today

The Dormition Fast runs from August 1- August 14

Here is a repost of something we posted previously for this liturgical fast:

“Father,” someone once asked their priest, “I have a difficult time observing the Dormition Fast. What should I do?”

“Well,” the priest responded, “just keep the first week, and then keep the second week, that should be enough.”

Is this acting a bit smart?

But there is much truth here. As we know, the Dormition Fast is just a total of two weeks. It’s an intense and necessary two weeks as the Church gathers together at the death bed of Mary, the ever-Virgin Mother of God.

Our Holy Church teaches us, that the gesture of those whom we love is near death: we ought to stop in our tracks and gather at their bedside. Today, we find ourselves at a nursing home, hospice or even the hospital.

The Apostles (except Thomas) and those with them had been scattered across the world spreading the Gospel were miraculously gathered together at the bedside of the Church’s Mother to bid her farewell from this life.

This is good spiritual advice: “We ought to keep this fast as carefully and attentively as possible because we love God’s Mother. She helps us, she loves us, and with the boldness of a mother she intercedes on our behalf to her Son and our God. It is not that Christ does not know our needs, but, because that is what a loving mother does!”

Are you convinced to keep the Dormition Fast? Here are a few tips:

Go to Church. Run to Church. We will be open for business. The feast of our Lord’s Transfiguration always falls in the midst of the fast.

Pray. Yes, pray. That you come to Church you will surely be praying, but, consider intensifying your daily devotions. Look in your prayer books for special prayers that you can add to God’s Mother during this season. Maybe even keep it up after the 14 days!

Fast. We got the whole way to #3 without even mentioning food. Do your best to abstain from meat and dairy as you are able. The Church provides strict directives as they always do, but, work together as a family to come up with a plan. At the least, do more than you have done in the past.

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Sheptytsky at 155

Today, is the 155th anniversary of the birthday of the Servant of God Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky!

Our parish Knights of Columbus Council is named in honor of Sheptytsky.

Let us pray for the beatification of Metropolitan Sheptytsky.

Divine Liturgy for the coming week

Glory to Jesus Christ

Sunday, 7/26, 8th Sunday after Pentecost
9:00 a.m. +Francis Dmyterko (14th Anniv.) requested by the Family
10:30 a.m. For the parishioners

Epistle: 1 Corinthians 1:10-18
Gospel: Matthew 14:14-22, Tone 7

Monday, 7/27, the Holy Great Martyr Panteleimon
8:00 a.m. God’s blessing and health for Olga Pospolita requested by Luba Dubno

Tuesday, 7/28, the Holy Apostles Prochorus and Nicanor
7:00 p.m. +Bohdana Tretiakova (4th Anniv., Pan.) requested by Liubomyr Chermak

Wednesday, 7/29, the Holy Martyr Calinicus
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Thursday, 7/30, the Holy Apostles Silas and Silvanus
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Friday, 7/31, Our Venerable Father Eudocimus
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Saturday, 8/01, The Seven Maccabean Martyrs
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Sunday, 8/02, 9th Sunday after Pentecost
9:00 a.m. For the parishioners
10:30 a.m. +Ivan Godenciuc (40th Anniv.)

Epistle: 1 Corinthians 3:9-17
Gospel: Matthew 14:22-34, Tone 8

Parish announcements this week

Christ is among us!

This week the vigil light is offered to God’s glory by Luba Kopylec for a Special Intention.

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

Dear Parishioners: if anyone needs help such as going to the store to buy groceries, going to a doctor`s appointment or the pharmacy, or any other type of special assistance, you may contact the rectory at (203) 865-0388 and arrangements will be made to help you.

We are asking for volunteers to come and paint the front and back entrance to our rental building at 573 George St. If anyone would like to volunteer for this project, please contact Fr. Iura Godenciuc, either in person or you may call the rectory at (203) 865-0388. Thank You.

Every Sunday you can watch the Divine Liturgy live streamed on our parish Facebook page and parish website at 9:00 a.m. in English and 10:30 a.m. in Ukrainian.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stmichaelnewhaven
Website: https://stmichaelukrainian.org

Helping the suffering in Ukraine
As most of you are aware, in June , parts of western Ukraine were hit by torrential rains that caused devastating floods over wide areas. The Oblasts of Ivano-Frankivsk and Chernivtsi were the worst affected. As a result of the rains, over 4600 homes were lost or flooded, and 550 km of roads and 90 bridges were washed out. Three people lost their lives and thousands of others were forced to evacuate their homes and leave their possessions. Our suffering brothers and sisters in Ukraine need our help. Our Patriarch, His Beatitude Sviatoslav has written an appeal letter on their behalf, asking us: “to show Christian solidarity and social service, so that those who are suffering might receive assistance as soon as possible. I appeal to all communities of our church in Ukraine and throughout the world, to act in the spirit of the Good Samaritan of the Gospel, to support those who are deprived of their homes and have face-to-face with misfortune”. We will conduct a special collection in our parish to help our brothers and sisters in need. Please make checks payable to the “Eparchy of Stamford” with the notation “Flood in Ukraine”. You can place your donation in the collection basket or send to the rectory office. Your donation, no matter how small or large, will change someone`s life for the better. Thank you for your generosity.

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Saints Boris and Gleb

Our Church liturgically commemorates the holy protomartyrs of Rus’, Boris and Gleb, in baptism named Roman and David.

Righteous passion-bearers and true fulfillers of the Gospel of Christ, Chaste Boris and guileless Gleb, You did not resist the attacks of your brother, the enemy, When he killed your bodies but could not touch your souls. Therefore, let the evil lover of power mourn. While you rejoice with the angels standing before the Holy Trinity. Pray that those who honor your memory may be pleasing to God, And that all Orthodox Christians may be saved. (Troparion)

When the first Christian prince in the Rus’ lands, St Vladimir, died in 1015, his eldest son, Svyatopolk, attempted to consolidate his own position by eliminating his two half-brothers, Boris and Gleb. When Boris heard of his brother’s plans, he refused to defend himself and faced his death without fear or hatred. His younger brother also accepted his assassination without opposition.

Such murders were typical of the extremes of political struggle for power in a pagan society. Boris and Gleb sincerely believed that the good news of Christ, so recently preached in their own land, must change all of this. Thus, by their voluntary sacrifice to their brother’s lust for power, they bore witness to the command of Christ to love one another. The impact of their witness deeply affected the character of what has become the Kievan Rus’ spirituality. (NS)

Boris and Gleb are the first saints of the Rus’ Church.

May ask Ste. Boris and Gleb to ask the Lord for the grace to forgive and love our enemies, even those who are close to us.

Blessed Basil Hopko

The Byzantine Church recalls the memory of a 20th century martyr for the faith, Basil Hopko (April 24, 1904—July 23, 1976) was a priest and bishop of the Slovak Greek Catholic Church. Hopko was beatified by Pope John Paul II for his martyrdom under Communist occupation.

Having contemporary models of holiness is important to us because it reminds us that it is possible to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

A brief biography can be read here.

Here is a hymn for our holy father and confessor Basil (Hopko), Bishop of Medila composed by James Michael Thompson.

The Church of God with angel ranks
Combines to sing the praise
Of Basil, shepherd of the flock
Who served Christ all his days!
With no regard for life or wealth
He preached the Word most true;
As he so bravely lived and died,
May we thus also do!

A scholar from his early youth,
He heard Your priestly call,
And from his ordination day,
He gave to You his all.
By pastoring and teaching, too,
His patient, faithful life
Became a shining model for
His Church in times of strife.

When vicious persecution came,
Upon him, hands were laid,
And he was made a bishop then,
A leader firm and staid.
Though seized, imprisoned, sick and worn,
He never turned away,
And through his good example, helped
All those who thought to stray.

O Father, lover of us all,
O Christ, our Master true,
O Spirit, holy Paraclete:
All praise we sing to You!
O Triune God, O One-in-Three,
We give you thanks today:
As blessed Basil followed You,
Help us to walk his way!

(Tune: Pod tvoj pokrov/We Hasten to Your Patronage)
(c) 2005, J. Michael Thompson

St Mary Magdalene

The Church recalls the memory of the holy myrrhbearer and equal of the apostles, Mary Magdalene.

There are several Marys mentioned in the New Testament. The surname Magdalene distinguishes this Mary as the one from the town of Magdala. Luke’s gospel mentions that Jesus relieved her of seven devils, which could have simply been some kind of physical or mental illness. Scripture gives evidence of her life as a devoted follower of Christ whose loyalty remained firm when even the faith of the other twelve apostles wavered.

It is most likely that the unnamed woman who washed Christ’s feet with her tears, dried them with her hair, and then anointed them was Mary Magdalene, as depicted in many icons of her.

The Church gives Mary Magdalene special honor as the most faithful companion of Jesus as she was at the foot of the cross when he was crucified, and was the first to witness his resurrection. Her encounter with Christ on her way to perform the funeral anointing, as recorded by John, earned her an apostles’ task, for it was she who was commissioned to tell the other apostles that Christ had risen. Thus it becomes clear that not only was she “equal to the apostles” but as scripture shows, she was “apostle to the apostles.” (NS)

“O Mary Magdalene, you were the first to witness the divine Resurrection of the First Cause of all good things, who has compassionately deified our nature; and you were the first to be the herald of the good news to the Apostles, crying out to them: Lay aside your sadness! Receive great hope instead! Come and see the risen Christ who grants the world great mercy! (Doxasticheron, Tone 6, at Psalm 140)