THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE ARCHEPARCHY OF PITTSBURGH
washing of the feet
Inside
Archbishop William Skurla washed the feet of seminarians and altar servers March 29 Page 2
VOL. 63 NO. 6
pascha 2018
Churches in the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh celebrate the Paschal season Pages 6 to 14
Farewell, Father Andrew
MAY 2018
easter on the mount
Sisters of St. Basil the Great celebrate at Mount St. Macrina Page 19
Prayerful preparation couples participate in pre-cana classses by Sister Marion Dobos Director, Office of Religious Education
Very Rev. Andrew Deskevich celebrated his final Divine Liturgy as pastor of St. Elias in Munhall, Pa. on April 8. Archbishop William Skurla appointed him rector of St. John the Baptist Cathedral in Munhall. See page 8 for more photos. Photo by Nick Havrilla Sr.
Women’s Day of Reflection set for May 5 springtime event aims to help women grow in their spirituality The 15th annual Women’s Day of Reflection will be held 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 5 at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, 210 Greentree Road, Munhall, Pa. A dedicated committee meets throughout the year to plan and coordinate the day, working with a theme of interest to women to help them grow in their spirituality. The springtime event features a schedule of three speakers who focus on the chosen theme of the day; luncheon; vendors and a bountiful basket auction with proceeds donated to local women’s shelters. Contact Sister Marion Dobos at 412-3228773 or mdobos1@gmail.com for further information. Cost is $25, which includes lunch. No refunds. Pre-regis-
tration is required. The event is sponsored by the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchial Office of Religious Education.
Bridges of Compassion Samantha Scholl is a 26-yearold who currently works as a unit secretary and patient care technician in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at UPMC Mercy Hospital. A member of TRIO (Transplant Recipients International organization), she has received two heart transplants and a kidney transplant.
Bridges for Service Three local Penn State University women were part of
an eight-member team of engineering students from the Penn State University Chapter of Bridges to Prosperity (B2P) who constructed a 200-foot suspended bridge in the Muhanga District in Rwanda, Africa. The bridge allows 8,500 people to have safe and easy access to healthcare, education and fulfilling journeys in Rwanda.
Bridges that Support Us Sister Elise Mora, OSF is an experienced bilingual educator, pastoral associate, crisis intervention professional and immigration counselor with more than 40 years of experience in traditional and non-traditional settings. n
The 2018 Pre-Cana marriage preparation program was held March 10 and 17 at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Munhall, Pa. Father Tom Dansak addressed the topics of “Communication, Forgiveness and Intimacy.” He emphasized that marriage is a lifelong process and forgiveness is one of the most essential spiritual elements of a marital commitment. Without it, resentments mount, inhibiting growth and intimacy. Using various video clips, Father Tom emphasized that a healthy relationship requires humor, sacrifice, open communication, trust, a positive outlook and intimacy. A presentation on “Marriage and Sexuality” was given by Dr. Matthew Kenneth Minerd, a professor at SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary. Dr. Minerd explained the Church’s teaching on human sexuality and contraception. “Finances and Budgeting” is an important component to the program because many divorces occur over money and its proper management. Sandee and Mark Collins shared personal experiences and challenges they had to deal with in their life together regarding finances. Their message to the couples accentuated a common commitment to the basic principle that what you have is given to you by God, not to serve yourselves but to serve others as well. This principle helps to maintain marital unity. Chris and Amanda Singel guided the couples through a Story continued on page 17