Several episcopal changes

Today, Pope Francis accepted the resignation of pastoral governance of the Eparchy of Saints Peter and Paul of Melbourne of the Ukrainians (Australia) presented by Bishop Peter Stasiuk, C.Ss.R. At the same time the Pope nominated a new bishop of the eparchy Father Mykola Bychok, C.Ss.R., until now the parochial vicar of the parish of St. John the Baptist in Newark, NJ.

Father Bychok was born on 13 February 1980 in Ternopil, Ukraine. He entered the Redemptorist order in July 1997 and received his formation in Ukraine and Poland and earned a Masters in Pastoral Theology. Bychok professed his perpetual vows on 17 August 2003 and ordained priest in Lviv on 3 May 2005.

After ordination he served as a missionary in Russia, a local Redemptorist superior, pastor of a parish in Ukraine, Treasurer of the Redemptorist Province in Lviv and since 2015 in St. John the Baptist Parish in Newark, NJ.

Prayers for Father Mykola Bychok as he begins a mission for God and the Church.

Additionally, Pope Francis nominated as bishop of the Eparchy Holy Family of London of the Ukrainians in Great Britain Bishop Kenneth Anthony Adam Nowakowski, transferring him from the Eparchy of New Westminster of the Ukrainians in Canada.

Bishop Kenneth Anthony Adam Nowakowski was born on 16 May 1958 in North Battleford in Saskatchewan (Canada).

The Bishop’s initiation formation for priesthood was with the Redemptorist order in Toronto and in Rome at the Angelicum. He was ordained a priest on 19 August 1989 for the Eparchy of Saskatoon. Later he studied Canon Law at the Pontifical Oriental Institute (Rome) and directed the Ukrainian Catholic Refugee Office in Italy.

After several points of service for the Church as vice chancellor in Ukraine, rector of the Ottawa Seminary, Caritas Ucraina, he was elected bishop of New Westminster on June 1, 2007.

St Nina – equal to the apostles

Today we celebrate St Nina, equal to the apostles.

One night the Virgin Mary appeared to Nina and said “Go to Iberia and tell there the Good Tidings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and you will find favor before the Lord; and I will be for you a shield against all visible and invisible enemies. By the strength of this cross, you will erect in that land the saving banner of faith in My beloved Son and Lord.” When St. Nina awoke and saw in her hands the miraculous cross, she kissed it with tears of joy. Then, tying it in her hair, she went to see her uncle the patriarch. When the blessed patriarch heard that the Mother of God had appeared to St. Nina and had commanded her to go to Iberia to preach the Gospel of eternal salvation, he saw in this a clear expression of the will of God and did not hesitate to give the girl his blessing. When the time arrived for her departure, the patriarch led Nina into the church and up to the holy altar, and placing his hand on her head, he prayed in the following words:

“Lord God, our Savior! As I let this young girl depart to preach Your Divinity, I commit her into Your hands: Condescend, O Christ God, to be her Companion and Teacher everywhere that she proclaims Your Good Tidings, and give her words such force and wisdom that no one will be able to oppose or refute them. And You, most Holy Virgin Mother of God, Helper and Intercessor for all Christians, clothe with Your strength against all enemies, visible and invisible, this girl whom You have chosen to preach the Gospel of Your Son and our God among the pagan nations. Be always for her a shield and an invincible protection, and do not deprive her of Your favor until she has fulfilled Your holy will!”

Holy Apostle Nina pray for us!

(biography: In Communion)

Divine Liturgy for the coming week

Christ is born!

Note: No fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays until the Leave-taking of Holy Theophany (January 14, 2020).

Sunday, 1/12, Sunday after Theophany —Post-feast of Theophany; the Holy Martyr Tatiana
9:00 a.m. +Nicholas Muryn requested by Mary and Michael
10:30 a.m. For our parishioners

Epistle: Ephesians 4:7-13
Gospel: Matthew 4:12-17, Tone 6

Monday, 1/13, Post-feast of Theophany; the Holy Martyrs Hermylus and Stratonicus
9:00 a.m. +Nicholas and Margaret Barraco requested by Jaroslaw Paluha

Tuesday, 1/14, Leave-taking of the Feast of the Holy Theophany; Our Venerable Fathers Massacred in Sinai and Raithu; the Repose of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Nina, Enlightener of Georgia.
9:00 Special Intention requested by Jaroslaw Paluha

Wednesday, 1/15, Our Venerable Fathers Paul of Thebes
9:00 a.m. +Myron Brochinsky (Pan.) requested by Dionizia Brochinsky

Thursday, 1/16, The Veneration of the Precious Chains of the Holy and Illustrious Apostle Peter
9:00 a.m. No intention for the Divine Liturgy

Friday, 1/17, Our Venerable and God-bearing Father Anthony the Great
9:00 a.m. No intention for the Divine Liturgy

Saturday, 1/18, Our Holy Fathers and Archbishops of Alexandria Athanasius and Cyril
9:00 a.m. +Mychajlo Zvarych (Pan.) requested by Stefania Zvarych

Sunday, 1/19, 32nd Sunday after Pentecost —Our Venerable Father Macarius of Egypt
10:30 a.m. For our parishioners

Epistle: 1 Timothy 1:15-17
Gospel: Luke 18:35-43, Tone 7

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Parish announcements this week

Christ is among us!

This week’s vigil light is offered to God’s glory by Katia and Andrew Bamber in memory of Zenon Luciw.

Bernadette Aitro (Gawron) fell asleep in the Lord. Please remember her in your prayers. ETERNAL MEMORY!

Thank you! Dear Parishioners, as you can see, the Roof Repair Fund now totals $37,975.00. Thanks to your generosity, we are steadily nearing our goal of $40,000.00. Please continue with your generous donations to this restricted fund. A complete report will be issued shortly.

HOUSE BLESSINGS: Began on January 8th. If anyone would like to have their homes blessed, please fill out the form already provided and either drop it in the collection basket or return it to Fr. Iura. Thank you.

The Ukrainian National Women’s League of America Branch 108 New Haven and St. Michael Parish will be preparing a Prosphora, a traditional Ukrainian Christmas meal, on Sunday, January 19, after the only one (1) Divine Liturgy at 10:30 a.m. Tickets are $20.00 for adults, free for students Ridna Shkola and altar boys. We will be running a raffle. Please donate items for raffle and cakes for desert. You can buy tickets after each Divine Liturgy in the church hall or contact Anna Salemme 203-934-6520, or purchase tickets at SUMA credit Union.

Sorokousty —All Souls Saturdays will be celebrated on February 15th, March 7th, March 14th, March 21st, and May 30th. Please take a book found in the entrance of the church, fill it out, place it in envelope, and drop it in the collection basket.

Adult Faith Formation

“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)

Blessing of the Water and the Sanctification of Homes

Your manifestation in the world is made today, and Your light is seen shining upon us. We fully realize who You are and therefore we sing to You: “You are the Inaccessible Light, and You have made Yourself known to us.” (Kondak, Feast of the Theophany of Our Lord)

Among the various petitions mentioned in the ceremony during the blessing of the water is the sanctification of homes. With this the Church imposes a duty and obligation upon the priests to bless the homes of the faithful entrusted to their pastoral care at the beginning of the New Year. Theologically speaking, the blessing of homes constitutes an invocative blessing, meaning that by his prayer and by the sprinkling of Holy Water, the priest invokes God’s protection upon the home and those living in it. As our souls, so also our homes become tainted by the sins of those living in them and, consequently, lose God’s protective power. Every year, then, at the Feast of Theophany, they should be blessed again to secure for them God’s blessings and protection. Just as the faithful cleanse their soul of sin at least ONCE A YEAR, and the church is blessed with the newly blessed water every year, so should the homes of the faithful be yearly blessed to invoke God’s blessings and protection on it and its inhabitants. As we renew the insurance on our home every year, so we should renew our insurance of God’s protection and his blessings, which is of greater importance and more effective. As we welcome our priest during the holy season of Theophany to bless our homes, let us be mindful that he is bringing to us the “blessing of Jordan,” and that unless God protects and blesses our home, we “labor in vain.” (Ps. 127:1)

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The Sacraments of the East

In this episode the EWTN Theology Roundtable crew answer questions about the Holy Mysteries of the Eastern Churches, as the Sacraments are called in Eastern Catholicism. Colin Donovan and Robert Klesko do a terrific job.

Schedule for Liturgies on Theophany Jan. 6

Christ is baptized!

The Kontakion verse for Theophany we pray: “Today, you have appeared to the world and your light, O Lord, has been signed on us, who with knowledge sing your praises. You have come, You have appeared, O unapproachable light.”

His Beatitude, Patriarch Sviatoslav wrote to the Church saying, “In our tradition the feast to commemorate Christ’s Baptism is called Theophany, because it is the first time that God revealed Himself as Trinity: the Father, who allows his voice to be heard, the Beloved Son, who in the Jordan waters receives his mission, the Holy Spirit, who in the form of a dove let’s know that He accompanies the Son in all things. And because we believe in a God who is community, we Christians are also called to live in community and be community.”

The Divine Liturgy for Holy Theophany, Monday, January 6 — a Holy day of Obligation

9:15 a.m. Great Compline
10:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy and the Great Sanctification of Water followed by Myrovann—in Ukrainian

7:00 p.m. Divine Liturgy followed by an Anointing —in English

Since the second century, the Church has celebrated the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan River for our sanctification. Join us in prayer on this important day.

Divine Liturgy for the coming week

Christ is born!

Note: No fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays until the Leave-taking of Holy Theophany (January 14, 2020).

Sunday, 1/05, Sunday before Theophany —The Holy Martyr Theopemptus and Theonas
9:00 a.m. +Orest Dubno requested by Paul Paluha
10:30 a.m. For our parishioners

Epistle: 2 Timothy 4:5-8
Gospel: Mark 1:1-8, Tone 5

Monday, 1/06, Theophany of the Our Lord — (Holy day of Obligation)
9:15 a.m. Great Compline
10:00 a.m. For our parishioners  —in Ukrainian
Great Sanctification of Water and Myrovann

7:00 p.m. +Theodore and Maria Kuchnij requested by Jaroslaw Paluha —in English
Anointing

Tuesday, 1/07, Nativity of Our Lord (Julian calendar)
9:45 a.m. God with us service
10:30 a.m. For our parishioners
Myrovann

Wednesday, 1/08, Post-feast of Theophany; Our Venerable Father George the Chosebite and Emilian the Confessor
9:00 a.m. +Irena Mokriwska (Pan.) requested by Nadia Trojan

Thursday, 01/09, Post-feast of Theophany; the Holy Martyr Polyeuctus
9:00 a.m. +Theodore and Ellen Paluha requested by Jaroslaw Paluha

Friday, 01/10, Post-feast of Theophany; Our Holy Father Gregory, bishop of Nyssa
9:00 a.m. +Kyle Paluha requested by Jaroslaw Paluha

Saturday, 01/11, Our Venerable Father Theodosius, Founder of the Cenoebitic Monastic Life
9:00 a.m. +Mychajlo Kuchnij requested by Jaroslaw Paluha

Sunday, 01/12, Sunday after Theophany —the Holy Martyr Tatiana
9:00 a.m. +Nicholas Muryn requested by Mary and Michael Muryn
10:30 a.m. For our parishioners

Epistle: Ephesians 4:7-13
Gospel: Mathew 4:12-17, Tone 6

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Parish announcements this week

Christ is born!

This week’s vigil light is offered to God by Pyrohy Workers in memory of Anya Rohmer-Hanson.

The next Financial Committee meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 8, at 6:00 p.m. in the Veteran’s Meeting Room. All Financial Committee members and interested parishioners are invited.

Congratulations to all KofC members who participated in the “Exemplification of Charity, Unity and Fraternity” on January 1. The next meeting of Knights of Columbus Blessed Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Ukrainian Council will be held on Wednesday, January 8, at 7:00 p.m. in the Holy Name Room. All men of the parish are invited to attend.

The Ukrainian National Women’s League of America Branch 108 New Haven and St. Michael Parish will be preparing a Prosphora, a traditional Ukrainian Christmas meal, on Sunday, January 19, after the only one (1) Divine Liturgy at 10:30 a.m. Tickets are $20.00 for adults, free for students Ridna Shkola and altar boys. We will be running a raffle. Please donate items for raffle and cakes for desert. You can buy tickets after each Divine Liturgy in the church hall or contact Anna Salemme 203-934-6520, or purchase tickets at SUMA credit Union.

Sorokousty —All Souls Saturdays will be celebrated on February 15th, March 7th, March 14th, March 21st, and May 30th. Please take a book found in the entrance of the church, fill it out, place it in envelope, and drop it in the collection basket.

Adult Faith Formation

Baptism of Our Lord in the Jordan River

At Your baptism in the Jordan River, O Lord, the worship of the Trinity was proclaimed: the voice of the Father bore witness to You by calling You “My beloved Son.” The Spirit, in the form of a dove confirmed the truth of this declaration. (From the Tropar of the Feast)

At the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan, the public ministry of the Saviour begins. John the Baptist points to Christ in the Jordan and identifies Him as the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” During the baptism of Jesus, the Most Holy Trinity is made known: “Worship of the Trinity was revealed; the voice of the Father bore witness to You, naming you the beloved Son, and the Spirit in the form of a dove confirmed the word’s certainty.” “The voice of the Father” is the voice of the Heavenly Father, and the “Spirit in the form of a dove” is the Holy Spirit, who descends upon Christ, revealing him to be the Son of God. For this reason, Church tradition refers to the Baptism of Jesus Christ as the Theophany (from the Greek, meaning divine appearance).

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The Holy Prophet Malachi

The holy prophet, Malachi. Second day of the prefestive period.

Malachi lived and wrote after the return from Babylonian exile. He denounced the cooling zeal after the restoration of worship in the temple. He underlines respect for the priesthood and its responsibilities, and reminds the people that purity and sincerity are essential for true religion.

Malachi’s name comes from the Hebrew for “my messenger,” probably from his mention of the coming of a messenger to prepare the way for the Covenant. This passage is quoted in the Gospels to refer to the role of John in the coming feast.

Malachi also affirms the universal fatherhood of God and emphasizes how the Gentiles also worship him. His book is the last in the Old Testament canon. (NS)

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