THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE ARCHEPARCHY OF PITTSBURGH
christmas wrap-up Photos of the season Page 9
Inside
VOL. 62 NO. 1
HOLY SUPPER
Byzantine Serrans gather with Seminarians Page 12
JANUARY 2017
christmas at the cathedral Scenes from the Archeparchioal Choir concert Page 13
New year calls for courage, hope; no more hatred, selfishness, pope says francis speaks on world peace day by Carol Glatz, Catholic News Service
GRAND ENTRANCE St. Nicholas (Dr. Mark Saber) arrives at Holy Ghost in McKees Rocks during Slavjane’ Folk Ensemble’s s annual Christmas party on Dec. 17. For more photos, see page 11.
VATICAN CITY — Whether the new year will be good or not depends on us choosing to do good each day, Pope Francis said. "That is how one builds peace, saying 'no' to hatred and violence — with action -— and 'yes' to fraternity and reconciliation," he said Jan. 1, which the church marks as the feast of Mary, Mother of God and as World Peace Day. Speaking to the some 50,000 pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square for the first noon Angelus of 2017, the pope referred to his peace day message in which he asked people to adopt the "style" of nonviolence for building a politics for peace. Lamenting the brutal act of terrorism that struck during a night of "well-wishes and hope" in Istanbul, the pope offered his prayers for the entire nation of Turkey as well as those hurt and killed. A
Mass for Life to be celebrated in Washington, D.C. event precedes jan. 27 March for Life The Annual Vigil and March for Life provides an excellent opportunity for the faithful to become pilgrims for mercy. The Shrine of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. hosts the Mass for Life and provides all the requisites for a good pilgrimage: Confession, Communion, prayer and witness. The Shrine's Thursday, Jan. 26 Mass for Life is 5:30 p.m. and is televised by EWTN. The overnight Vigil for Life features our Byzantine Night Prayer, celebrated by Bishop of Passaic
Most Reverend Kurt Burnette, and continues until 6 a.m. Adoration in the Crypt Church. Plans are being made for the Divine Liturgy to be celebrated in our Byzantine Chapel at 9:15 a.m. preceding the Rally for Life at noon near the Washington Monument. The Byzantine presence is small but prayerful. Please consider joining us. Cantors and congregational singers are especially requested for the Divine Liturgy at the Chapel. Email Deacon Paul Boboige at bobovich@verizon.net or message at
Facebook page “Eastern Pro Life” for information Parking is available near the Basilica. Another alternative which avoids the Beltway traffic is to park at the Shady Grove Metro station near Gaithersburg and ride the subway. Shower facilities are not provided at the Basilica so pilgrims should come prepared. n Submitted by Father Deacon Paul Boboige, Pro-Life Office Coordinator, Archeparchy of Pittsburgh.
gunman opened fire during a New Year's Eve celebration at a popular nightclub early Jan. 1, killing at least 39 people and wounding at least 70 more. "I ask the Lord to support all people of good will who courageously roll up their sleeves in order to confront the scourge of terrorism and this bloodstain that is enveloping the world with the shadow of fear and confusion," he said Earlier in the day, the pope spoke of how maternal tenderness, hope and self-sacrifice were the "strongest antidote" to the selfishness, indifference and "lack of openness" in the world today. Celebrating Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, which was decorated with bright red anthuriums, evergreen boughs, white flowers and pinecones brushed with gold paint, the pope said that a community without mothers would be cold and heartless with "room only for calculation and speculation." The pope said he learned so much about unconditional love, hope and belonging from seeing mothers who never stop embracing, supporting and fighting for what is best for their children incarcerated in prisons, ill in hospitals, enslaved by drugs or suffering from war. "Where there is a mother, there is unity, there is belonging, belonging as children," he said. Just like all mothers of the world, Mary, Mother of God, "protects us from the corrosive disease of being 'spiritual orphans,'" that is when the soul Story continued on page 2