The Annual Meeting of the Ukrainian National Association Branch 414 will be held on Sunday, February 25, 2018, at 12:00 noon in St. Michael the Archangel Ukrainian Catholic Church Hall.

All members are invited to attend in order to elect a delegate to attend the convention in May of 2018.

Christ is among us!

This week vigil light is offered to God’s glory by Barbara and Patrick Bagley in memory of +Anna Lipcan.

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

The Rectory Office will be closed from Monday, February 12, 2018 until Friday, February 16, 2018. Father Iura will be in New York State for Clergy Days.

Sorokousty (All Souls’ Remembrance) will be celebrated on Sunday after All Souls Saturdays: February 25, March 4 and 11, and May 19. 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. Let us remember all our loved ones who have gone to their heavenly reward. Eternal Memory!

Great Lent

By the threefold discipline of fasting, prayer and almsgiving the Church keeps the Great Fast/Lent from Monday, February 12, after the Cheesefare Sunday (February 11) to the day before Easter, Holy Saturday, March 31. The following regulations apply, in general to all Ukrainian Catholics of the Stamford Eparchy between ages 21 to 60: Abstinence from meat and dairy products on the first day of the Great Fast, February 12, and Good Friday, March 30. The following regulations apply, in general, to all Ukrainians Catholics of the Stamford Eparchy between ages 14 to 60: Abstinence from meat is to be observed on all Fridays of the Great Fast. Abstinence from meat is suggested and encouraged on all Wednesdays of the Great Fast. The following are exempt from abstinence: 1. The poor who live on alms; 2. The sick and the frail; 3. Convalescents who are returning to their strength; 4. Pregnant women, and women who are nursing their children; and 5. Persons who perform hard labor. Meat is to be understood as including not only the flesh, but also those parts of warm-blooded animals that cannot be rendered, i. e., melted down, e.g., the liver, lungs, blood, etc. meat gravy or soup made from meat is included in this prohibition. Dairy products are to be understood as comprising products derived from mammals and birds, but not regarded as meat, e. g., cheese, lard, butter, milk, eggs, etc.  Eucharistic Fast: A fast of one hour from food (prior to service begging time) should be kept by those receiving the Eucharist at the evening celebration of the Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, as well as, the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom and St. Basil the Great.

The United Ukrainian American Relief Committee (UUARC) Connecticut will conduct a Medical Equipment and Medical Supplies Drive beginning Monday, February 12, 2018 through Monday, March 25, 2018 with drop off:

• St Michael Ukrainian Catholic Church Hall, 569 George Street, New Haven, CT
• Ukrainian National Home of Hartford 961, Wethersfield Avenue, Hartford, CT

Items may include medical durables (for example:  beds, recliners, wheelchairs, canes or walkers) and medical supplies (for example:  adult or children diapers).

If you would like to make a financial donation, please make checks payable to UUARC 1206 Cottman Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19111.

Thank you.

If you have any questions, please contact the following persons:

Myron Kolinsky-860-563-4072
Ihor and Natalia Rudko-860-537-4051
Ivan Kebalo-860-299-6727
Halia Lodynsky-203-494-6278
Myron Melnyk-201-264-9793

In Christian charity, your prayers are requested for Nicholas Losten who fell asleep in the Lord.

Nicholas E. Losten, 95, a brother of Most Rev. Basil H. Losten, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, December 20, 2017.

Mr. Losten was born on June 16, 1922 in Chesapeake City, MD, the son of the late John and Julia Losten. He worked on the family dairy farm, “Losten Dairy”, and was a milkman for the wholesale-retail milk business until its sale in 1968.  He then went to work for Pennsupreme Dairy until he started a second career in construction, working for Weaver Pole Line Construction and Danella Construction Company.

After his retirement from construction, he enjoyed working and maintaining the family farm.  He was an avid goose and deer hunter.  He was a leader of Future Farmers of America;  was a life member of the Chesapeake City Fire Department and a member of St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church.  May his memory be eternal!

At the conclusion of today’s 9:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy, we heard of the beautiful awards that two of our dear friends and fellow parishioners received recently. The following was heard:

This past week in Washington D.C., Mr. Carl Harvey and Mr. Myron Melnyk were awarded with medals from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense in recognition of the work they have done in support of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. This is for the work our Ukrainian American Veterans have done to help bring wounded Ukrainian soldiers here to the United States where they will be receiving medical treatment which is unavailable in Ukraine. Not only is this a high honor for Carl and Myron, it is also a recognition of the support and donations the we, as a parish, have given to our Ukrainian American Veterans Post here in New Haven. Congratulations, Carl and Myron!

Christ is among us!

PARISH COUNCIL MEETING: Will be held in the church hall on Sunday, January 28, 2018 at 12:00 after the Divine Liturgy.

1. VIGIL LIGHT: This week vigil light is offered to God’s glory by Halia Lodynsky for His blessing and health upon Stefan Yurchak.

2. AFTER DIVINE LITURGY: Dear parishioners and guests, after each Divine Liturgy, coffee and hard rolls are available in the church hall.

3. Praying for All Souls

“Let us pray for our brethren that are at rest in Christ, that God, the lover of mankind, who has received his soul, may forgive him every sin, voluntary and involuntary, and may be merciful and gracious to him, and give him his lot in the land of the pious that are sent into the bosom of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, with all those that have pleased Him and done His will from the beginning of the world, whence all sorrow, grief and lamentation are banished.

The church sets aside certain days as “Saturday of the Souls”. In the Slav tradition we remember the Souls of our beloved dead beginning on the Saturday of Meatfare, and then on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Saturdays of the Great Fast, and finally on the Saturday before Pentecost.

This year, in order to allow a great number of people pray to attend the Memorial Service for the Dead, we will offer our prayers at the conclusion of the Sunday Divine Liturgies.

If You wish to join in this prayer, please provide a list of names before the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, February3. The other dates for Sorokousty are February 24, March 3 and 10 and May 19. Please take your book of names found at the entrance of the church (or ask Fr. Iura for a new book), fill it out, place it in envelop and drop it in the collection basket. The Holy Fathers were convinced that the commemoration of the departed by alms and sacrifices (Divine Liturgies)  brings great comfort and benefit to them. Eternal Memory!

4. CATECHISM: Know your Catholic Faith: Christ Our Pascha, the Catechism of the Ukrainian Catholic Church is now available online in English,www.royaldoors.net. We are working to get the print edition when it is available.

Christ is among us!

Note: There is no fasting in the week following the Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee.

1. VIGIL LIGHT: This week vigil light is offered by Luba Romaniw for Special Intention.

2. AFTER DIVINE LITURGY: Dear parishioners and guests, after each Divine Liturgy, coffee and hard rolls are available in the church hall.

3. PRAYING FOR ALL SOULS: Let us pray for our brethren that are at rest in Christ, that God, the lover of mankind, who has received his soul, may forgive him every sin, voluntary and involuntary, and may be merciful and gracious to him, and give him his lot in the land of the pious that are sent into the bosom of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, with all those that have pleased Him and done His will from the beginning of the world, whence all sorrow, grief and lamentation are banished.

The church sets aside certain days as “Saturday of the Souls”. In the Slav tradition we remember the Souls of our beloved dead beginning on the Saturday of Meat fare, and then on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Saturdays of the Great Fast, and finally on the Saturday before Pentecost.

This year, in order to allow a great number of people pray to attend the Memorial Service for the Dead, we will offer our prayers at the conclusion of the Sunday Divine Liturgies.

If You wish to join in this prayer, please provide a list of names before the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, February 3. The other dates for Sorokousty are February 24, March 3 and 10 and May 19. Please take your book of names found at the entrance of the church (or ask Fr. Iura for a new book), fill it out, place it in envelope and drop it in the collection basket. The Holy Fathers were convinced that the commemoration of the departed by alms and sacrifices (Divine Liturgies)  brings great comfort and benefit to them. Eternal Memory.

4. BLESSINGS OF HOMES: If you would like to bless your house please fill the form that are in the vestibule or call the rectory office.

5. KOLIADA: Dear parishioners, in the vestibule you will find special Koliada envelopes. If you would like to make a donation to the Koliada (Ukrainian Christmas Carols), please enclose your donation, write your name on the envelope and drop the envelope into the collection basket during the Divine Liturgies. Thank You!

Christ is among us!

1. AFTER DIVINE LITURGY: Dear parishioners and guests, after each Divine Liturgy, coffee and hard rolls are available in the church hall.

2. VIGIL LIGHT: This week vigil light is offered to God’s glory by Dionizia Brochinsky in memory of +Daria Fedoriw.

3. Asleep in the Lord: +Robert Hickerson. Please remember him in your prayers. ETERNAL MEMORY!

4. St. Michael’s Parish and UNWLA Branch 108 will hold its annual PROSFORA, traditional Christmas luncheon on Sunday, January 21, 2018. On that day we will celebrate only one Divine Liturgy at 10:30 a.m. Tickets are $20.00 for adults, free for children Ridna Shkola and altar servers. We will be running a raffle. Please donate items for raffle and sweet for coffee.

5. SOROKOUSTY: The Memorial Service for All Souls will be observed on February 3 and 17, March 3 and 10,  and May 19. Please take your book of names found at the entrance of the church (or ask Father Iura for a new book), fill it out, place it in envelope and drop it in the collection basket. Let us remember all our loved ones who have gone to their heavenly reward. Eternal Memory!

6. KOLIADA: Dear parishioners, in this week’s bulletin you will find special Koliada envelops. If you would like to make a donation to the Koliada (Ukrainian Christmas Carols), please enclose your donation, write your name on the envelope and drop the envelope into the collection basket during the Divine Liturgies. Thank You!

7. Dear Parishioners: As you may know, Mr. and Mrs. Yuriy Faryna have recently suffered a tragic loss when their house burned to the ground. They have lost their home and most of their possessions. As they struggle to get back on their feet, I would humbly ask that you all consider making a gift donation to help them. There are gift envelops in the vestibule of the church. If you would like to assist this family, please place your gift in these envelops and place them in the collection baskets. Checks should be made out to “Yuriy Faryna” or you may give cash. All gift donations will be forwarded directly to the family. Thank You! Fr. Iura Godenciuc.