BCW - VOL. 64 NO. 2 FEBRUARY 2019

THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE ARCHEPARCHY OF PITTSBURGH

“work to lift up the spirits”

Inside

Archbishop William Skurla addresses January Serra Club meeting Page 3

VOL. 64 NO. 2

FEBRUARY 2019

holy supper feeds body, soul

holy land pilgrimage

Church of the Resurrection in Monroeville, Pa. gathers together Page 11

Information on 10-day pilgrimage to Nazareth, Jerusalem Page 15

Welcome to our House

Seminary names Human Formation director Press release

“A light Sunday snow proivded a festive backdrop,” according to their Facebook page, for the Sisters of St. Basil the Great’s Jan. 13 Open House at the House of Prayer at Mount St. Macrina in Uniontown, Pa.

Reaching out byzantine catholic faithful collect $15,654 for tree of life synagogue

by Sister Elaine Kisinko, OSBM Secretary to the Archbishop

People throughout the entire country were shocked and emotionally assaulted on Oct. 27, 2018 when a gunman went through the Tree of Life Synagogue in the Squirrel Hill section of Pittsburgh, Pa. spreading death and injury. As the congregants gathered for the Saturday services that day, 11 people were killed and seven more were injured.

Immediately, Pittsburghers of all faiths united in many ways to show their support, concern

and compassion for the people of the Jewish Community and the unbearable pain which was theirs to endure.

Along with the prayer events, commemorations, vigils and concerts that were held, many churches and religious organizations offered gifts of money to those affected by what is officially deemed a crime of hate.

Archbishop William Skurla requested that a collection be taken in the churches of the Archeparchy. As in the past, when such a plea was made to the Byzantine Catholic pa-

rishioners in times of other disasters, they most generously arose to the occasion. The faithful from 45 of our parishes gave a total of $15,654 for the people and programs of the Tree of Life Synagogue and the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh.

Accompanying this gift go the prayers for everyone touched by this tragic event and for every community and house of worship to be ever preserved from a hateful attack such as this. n

Archbishop William Skurla has appointed Father Joel Barstad, of the Holy Protection of Mary Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Phoenix, as the new director of Human Formation of the Byzantine Catholic Seminary of SS. Cyril and Methodius in Pittsburgh, Pa. The appointment is effective July 1.

Having been appointed to the Seminary faculty in Dec. 2016, Father Joel now makes use of his extensive formational background to serve as the head of the Seminary’s human formation pillar and as the prefect of seminarians.

Father Joel, M.A. Catholic University of America, Ph.D. University of Notre Dame, was raised in the Scandinavian Lutheran tradition where he developed a love for sung liturgy and the richness of a liturgical calendar.

As a result of his encounter with the writings of the Greek Fathers during college, he and his wife Leslie were led into the Catholic Church in 1985. The fascination with the Christian East drew them further in until they decided in 1994 to make the Byzantine Catholic Church their canonical home.

As a boy in the Lutheran church, Father Joel heard the call to serve the Lord Jesus and his Church in pastoral ministry, but as a Catholic the path to the priesthood was not cleared until 2014 when Pope Francis lifted the remaining restrictions on the ordination of married men in the Eastern jurisdictions.

Nonetheless, Father Joel was Story continued on page 2

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FEBRUARY 2019

UPS 081500 ISSN 07442289

Letters to the editor

Official publication of the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh Serving parish communities in central and western Pennsylvania, Louisiana, eastern Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia Published monthly (12 issues) plus two seasonal special issues Byzantine Catholic Press Associates 66 Riverview Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15214 Tel: 412.231.4000 Fax: 412.231.1697 E-mail: bcw@archpitt.org Web site: www.archpitt.org Archbishop William C. Skurla President David Mayernik Jr. Editor Sister Elaine Kisinko, OSBM Copy Editor

Editor’s note: In the Christmas 2018 issue, The BCW asked for readers’ memories of their Christmas Eve dinners.

Here’s a remembrance from Pat Schultz of St. Gregory in Upper St. Clair, Pa.: Christmas Eve dinners at my grandparents’ house truly broughr the true meaning of the Nativity to the family.

My mother’s parents were Ukrainian but lived in Galacia in southern Poland, then part of the Hungarian empire. I remember Gramma Fedorchuk always talking about Franc Joseph. This made more sense as I grew older and learned the history of Europe.

Donna Obsincs Subscription/Circulation Manager

Tell readers of The Byzantine Catholic World the good news about your parish!

Gregory S. Popivchak Business Manager Annual Subscription Rates US $14 Canadian $17 International $20

Write and send photos wto: bcw@archpitt.org or The Byzantine Catholic World 66 Riverview Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15214

Periodicals Postage PAID at Pittsburgh, PA

Postmaster: send address changes to: The Byzantine Catholic World ATTN: Donna 66 Riverview Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15214 Please allow 2 to 3 weeks for address changes to take effect.

Submissions deadline: 15th of the month prior to the month of publication.

The Byzantine Catholic World is a member of the Catholic Press Association.

mission The mission of The Byzantine

Catholic World is to spread the Gospel message in the rich tradition of the Byzantine Catholic Church; to encourage faithful to reflect the image of Christ in everyday activities of life; to offer spiritual

Christmas Eve dinner was special. They lived on a farm and had a big dining room.

Before Dinner of the Twelve Foods for the Twelve Apsotles, they would put a pile of hay under the table where they would hide huts for the six kids. Then an animal would be brought inside from the barn. Since they ran a dairy farm, I can’t imagine a horse or cow but maybe a goat since they didn’t raise sheep.

This was before my time but my mother’s stories were enchanting. Dinner was at the stroke of midnight. Does this not make you feel the true meaning of faith? n

Father Joel Barstad

Human Formation director continued from page 1 offered ways to put his gifts as a teacher at the service of the Church and its ministry. Since 2002, he has been a full-time faculty member at Saint John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver, Colo. In 2015, he was appointed Academic Dean at Saint John Vianney. With his recent ordination to the priesthood in Oct. 2018 and his appointment as Director of Human Formation at the Byzantine Catholic Seminary, he is excited to add a more pastoral dimension to his work, and especially to serve men preparing for the priesthood in the Byzantine tradition. Father Joel and Pani Leslie have raised seven children and take delight in their grandchildren, whose number is steadily growing. n

Retirement Fund for Religious

by Sister Elaine Kisinko, OSBM Secretary to the Archbishop

Today in the United States of America, there are approximately 32,000 elderly sisters, brothers and priests who belong to Religious Congregations. Most are retired after serving faithfully for many years in ministry to God’s people and His Church. Many of their congregations no longer have the funds to adequately care for their needs.

In 1988, the United Conference of Catholic Bishops established The National Religious Retirement Office to help alleviate this serious problem. This

office raises and distributes funds for nursing care, medications and other day-to-day necessities. It also underwrites programming and education that promote long term retirement planning.

Since its inception 30 years ago, this office has raised $803 million for financial assistance to the retired religious and their congregations.

The contribution of the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh this past year was $2,560. Since the fund was established, annual contributions from the Archeparchy have totaled $86,010. n

BYZANTINE DIVINE LITURGY

Sundays at 9:00 a.m.

WEDO Radio 810 AM McKeesport, Pa. Broadcast live from Holy Ghost Church McKees Rocks, Pa.

OR via Internet: click “Listen Live” link at www.holyghostbyzantinecatholic.org

formation through changing times; and to celebrate community among Byzantine Catholics in the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh, throughout the Metropolitan Church in America, and around the world.

Bethany Ministry Handbook available St. Gregory in Upper St. Clair, Pa. would like to share their updated Bethany Ministry Handbook with parishes interested in starting a ministry of caring. The handbook offers useful information about ways to reach out in Christian love and friendship to support fellow parishioners who are sick; homebound or residing in a nursing home; going through a difficult time in life; or grieving the loss of a loved one. The Bethany Ministry Handbook is available for $15.00 from The Byzantine Seminary Press • 412-322-8307 • www.byzantineseminarypress.com

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FEBRUARY 2019

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report from the

Byzantine Catholic Serra Club

“Work to lift up the spirits” archbishop william skurla speaks at january meeting

by Kathe Kress Serra Club communications liaison

Archbishop William Skurla’s talk at the Jan. 16 dinner meeting was a good way to start the New Year for the Byzantine Catholic Serra Club.

Traditionally, Serrans invite the Archbishop to speak at the February meeting, but this year it was moved to January due to schedule conflicts.

The Archbishop opened his remarks by thanking Serrans for their prayerful support and “work to lift up the spirits of our seminarians, priests, deacons, and religious.”

He especially recalled his own seminary days, saying “that it helped me through the tough times to know someone was praying for me and cared enough to let me know.”

While we value the Serrans’ prayer support, we tend to overlook the value of pizza parties and holiday parties that help boost the morale of the seminary community, including the families.

Having lunch at the SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary in Pittsburgh, Pa. earlier that day, the Archbishop’s traditional seminary report was fresh.

He acknowledged 14 current seminarians from our Byzantine Ruthenian Churches, the Melkite Church and Ukrainian Church.

He also reported that there are more students off-campus than on-campus. This reflects the Master of Theology program and online programs.

“The seminary now provides classes for students around the world and continues to grow each year,” Archbishop William said.

This growth counters a pattern of decline in North American and Mexican seminaries since 2012.

“On the positive side,” Archbishop William added, “the Catholic Church worldwide continues to grow with 1.4 million baptized Catholics in 2018, one in six persons is Catholic” (quoting the Vatican’s official statistical record, the Annuarium Statisticum Ecclesiae).

The Archbishop alerted the Serrans: “From Feb. 21 to 23, I will be returning to Rome for the 2019 Bishop’s Synod addressing the issues concerning the protection of minors. The

Synod will include the leadership from all Catholic Bishop’s Conferences and all of the leaders of the Eastern Catholic Churches of the world. In 2016, the number of bishops was 5,237 worldwide. The Byzantine Ruthenian Church is fortunate to be represented at the meeting of about 300 leaders within the Catholic Church.”

Archbishop William continued: “With the other churches, the Byzantine Ruthenian Metropolitan Church has submitted our reports concerning the work that we have done and the things that need to be done to resolve the current problems in the Church. The meetings are long, but we pray that, guided by the Holy Spirit, the Church will overcome the problems that we hear about in the news every day.”

He asked the Serrans for suggestions.

“Please let me know if there is anything you would like me to tell the Pope and the other bishops, and as always, remember me in your prayers.”

Archbishop William concluded, “We continue to work to provide a Safe Environment for our young people, and live up to the expectations of our Church members and the world that we follow the Gospel and our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The Archbishop then invited questions from the Serrans, which brought the question of further importation of priests from Eastern Europe.

Archbishop William responded that “we are working with the Mukachevo Eparchy on bringing three more priests to serve here.”

He also implied that cultural and language barriers are not as great as they once were, especially with English as a Second Language courses offered at LaRoche.

Archbishop William encouraged Serrans with the news that 2018’s Seminary “Come and See” weekend was the largest ever. He credited The BCW’s web site advertisement for the increased attendance.

Finally, he reminded Serrans of their “job”: to talk to the young, and even the older, asking if they had heard even a small voice telling them that they may have a vocation. n

Archbishop William Skurla addresses the Byzantine Catholic Serra Club Jan. 16.

Archbishiop William Skurla, Serra Club President Bill Kress.

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FEBRUARY 2019

text messages

A lesson from the 4077th

by David Mayernik Jr. Editor

I love watching old television sitcoms.

Everything from “Leave it to Beaver,” “The Mary Tyler Moore Show, “Everybody Loves Raymond” and countless others.

And I won’t budge from my assertion “The Bob Newhart Show” (1972-79) is the funniest live-action sitcom ever.

Last month, I was watching an episode of “M*A*S*H” in which Maj. Charles Winchester III (David Ogden Stiers) receives seven copies of The Boston Globe in the mail from his sister.

The snobby Maj. Winchester refuses to share his prized possessions with the rest of the 4077th until he’s read each issue himself, so animosity with his colleagues — who are desperate for news from the outside world — soon develops.

“Just a hunch: Will Rogers never met you, did he?” asks Col. Sherman Potter (Harry Morgan) of Winchester.

When Winchester believes his May 5 issue has been stolen, a “war” within the Korean War erupts and he plays loud music at 3 a.m. as a public display of revenge.

After the situation is sorted out and peace restored, Col. Potter reads a “Li’l Abner” comic strip over the public addtress system to a delighted group of doctors in the mess hall.

Of course, the moral of the episode is to share your treasures.

The episode also got me thinking about the importance of The Byzantine Catholic World as an evangelization tool.

So, here is my challenge to you, dear reader: Share The BCW. Perhaps leave an old copy somewhere where someone might pick it up: in your office break room, on a bus, or any

Col. Sherman Potter (Harry Morgan) teaches Major Charles Winchester III (David Ogden Stiers) an important lesson about sharing during an episode of “M*A*S*H.”

public place.

Chances are it will probably end up in a garbage can but maybe — just maybe — it will be read and curiosity about the Byzantine Catholic faith will blossom.

Who knows what can happen from there?

If you happen to do this,

please write to me at bcw@ archpitt.org and let me know what happened.

Come to think of it, send it to a family member or someone serving in the military who will share it with others.

Even if your last name is “Winchester.” n

making a difference

Reflections on Pope Francis’ 2019 World Day of Peace message

by Tony Magliano

As the saying goes, “Politics and religion don’t mix.”

Although this cliché is espoused by many, you will not hear it from Pope Francis.

On the contrary, the leader of the Catholic Church firmly teaches that our Gospel-based faith has a wealth of wisdom to offer the often corrupt world of politics. And that it is our duty to strive to infuse that wisdom into the body politic.

As exhibit “A,” consider the Holy Father’s Jan. 1 World Day of Peace message — appropriately titled “Good politics is at the service of peace.”

Peace “is like a delicate flower struggling to blossom on the stony ground of violence,” the pope writes. “Politics is an essential means of building human community and institutions, but when political life is not seen as a form of service to society as a whole, it can become a means of oppression, marginalization and even de-

struction.”

This is so true. As one of many sad examples, consider how often political officials allow and even authorize the oppression of minority groups like the Rohingya in Myanmar, and now in Bangladesh (see: https://bbc.in/2KPgZ7Q, https://bit.ly/2RPcE4a).

And consider that many political leaders in governments throughout the world, including democracies, largely ignore the marginalized poor — in effect exiling them to the fringes of society, and even leaving millions of them to die every year (see: https://borgenproject.org/15-world-hunger-statistics/).

Among the “political vices” the pope cites are “xenophobia, racism, lack of concern for the natural environment, the plundering of natural resources for the sake of quick profit and contempt for those forced into exile.” All of which bring to mind recent dire environmental warnings from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (see: https:// on.natgeo.com/2C4uv2j), the National Climate Assessment (see: https://bit.ly/2DFvfvO),

and the often cold-hearted political response to suffering migrants (see: https://bbc.in /2yZnCMD).

Here the pontiff’s words are equally strong, “Political addresses that tend to blame every evil on migrants and to deprive the poor of hope are unacceptable. Rather, there is a need to reaffirm that peace is based on respect for each person, whatever his or her background.”

Pope Francis then challenges the immoral tragedy of war and fear. He says, “Peace can never be reduced solely to a balance between power and fear.” And adds that the proliferation of arms is “contrary to morality and the search for true peace” (see: https://bit.ly/2BqRelc).

And he condemns “forms of nationalism that call into question the fraternity of which our globalized world has such great need.”

In the world — political and otherwise — where self-centered egos often dominate, Pope Francis calls our attention to the humble corrective teaching of Jesus: “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”

Francis then challengingly

the byzantine catholic world

calls us to be creative peacemakers: “Today more than ever, our societies need ‘artisans of peace’ who can be messengers and authentic witnesses of God the Father, who wills the good and happiness of the human family.”

And to that Pope Francis encouragingly adds, “Everyone can contribute his or her stone to help build the common home.” With open hearts and minds to God, let each of us ask ourself: What is my stone?

And how can I best use it to build our common home?

And then consider a New Year’s resolution worth keeping: Read “Good politics is at the service of peace” and prayerfully strive to put it into practice (see: https://bit.ly/2CmIobS). n Tony Magliano is an internationally syndicated social justice and peace columnist. He is available to speak at parish gatherings about Catholic social teaching. He can be reached at tmag@zoominternet.net.

FEBRUARY 2019

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Mark Your Calendar dates to remember The following events will take place at Mount St. Macrina House of Prayer, 510 W. Main St, Uniontown, Pa. To register for programs or more information, call 724-438-7149.

Bread Baking Retreat n A Bread Baking Retreat, presented by Sister Carol Petrasovich, OSBM, will be held 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Feb. 16 (register

by Feb. 11) and March 16 (register by March 11).

Offering of $20 includes lunch. Limited to eight participants.

Enjoy making a loaf of Lenten bread in a creative, relaxing and prayerful atmosphere.

Spring Spiritual Reading Series n Sister Barbara Jean Mihalchick, OSBM, will present “Sacred Threshold: Crossing The Inner Barrier To A Deeper Love” (By Paula D’Arcy) 1011:30 a.m. March 18, 25 and April 1, 8.

Free-will offering. Register by March 11.

Lenten Prayer Morning n Father Don Bolls presents “The Passion As Told By John the Beloved” 9:15 a.m.-1 p.m.

March 23.

Offering of $35 includes lunch. Register by March 19.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation will be offered along with a conference and prayer service.

Weekend Retreat n Father Bill Kiel presents “Jesus’ Passion: Source of Healing and Forgiveness” 7 p.m. March 29 to 11 a.m. March 31.

Offering of $150. Register by March 25.

Join Father Bill for the weekend with conferences, quiet prayer, free time, The Sacrament of Reconciliation, Healing Mass and blessings.

Candlelight Dinner for Married Couples A Candlelight Dinner for Married Couples will be held 6:30-9 p.m. May 3.

Offering of $70 per couple.

Register by April 26.

Experience a lovely evening of music, dining, a Chinese auction and a heartwarming presentation in the atmosphere of a former 1903 Coal Baron’s home. n

House Tours n Tour the former mansion of J. V. Thompson by period costumed guides and learn the history of one of the leading and wealthiest coal barons of his day 1-3 p.m. May 19.

Offering: $12, adults; $6, children.

Provided by Laurel Highlands High School History Students.

Young Adult Retreat n Sister Barbara Jean Mihalchick and Young Adult Team present a Young Adult Retreat 7 p.m. June 21 to 11 a.m. June 23.

Offering of $110. Register by June 14.

Gather with other young adults seeking God’s way along life’s journey.

Open to Christian men and women ages 18 to 35. n

Saint Vincent College Summer Program for Youth Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa. will host its ninth annual Faith and Reason Summer Program, an intensive, oneweek introduction to the Catholic, liberal arts tradition June 9 to 14.

The program is directed by Dr. Michael P. Krom, professor and chair of Saint Vincent’s philosophy department.

Dr. Krom is a Byzantine Catholic and incorporates aspects of Byzantine spirituality into the program.

It is designed for advanced high school and first-year college students who are seeking an opportunity to come to a deeper understanding of the Catholic faith and its integration in college education. Students age 15 and older are invited to apply for admission to the program.

All staff are Benedictine and lay professors on the faculty of Saint Vincent. Participants will have an opportunity to explore the relationship between faith and reason, examine the perennial questions of humanity, develop their communication skills, learn how to analyze difficult arguments, prepare for college studies and integrate their moral, intellectual and spiritual development.

Dr. Michael P. Krom

Each day is structured around the Saint Vincent monastic schedule of prayer and Mass. with a mid-week trip to a local Byzantine parish for Divine Liturgy.

During the class sessions, students analyze and discuss selected reading passages in a seminar setting. There is also leisure time for recreational activities, movies and excursions to attractions in the Laurel Highlands and Pittsburgh areas. Housing in a college residence hall and three daily meals in the college dining hall are included in the $495 cost. Saint Vincent College students serve as residence hall directors.

Limited scholarship funding is available for Byzantine youth.

Further information is available by contacting Dr. Krom at 724805-2844 or michael.krom@ stvincent.edu. Students can register online at www.stvincent. edu/faithandreason. n

Pre-Lenten Morning of Reflection The Byzantine Catholic Serra Club of Pittsburgh invites the faithful to a Pre-Lenten Morning of Reflection 9 a.m. to noon March 2. The prayerful gathering will be held in the beautiful and historic Saint Anthony Chapel, 1704 Harpster St., in the Troy Hill section of Pittsburgh. Pa. Saint Anthony Chapel, dedicated in 1883, was built and financed by Father Suitbert G. Mollinger, the first pastor of the adjoining church of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, Most Holy Name of Jesus. Born into a wealthy Belgian family, Father Mollinger used his inheritance to acquire over 5,000 relics of the saints, the largest collection in the world outside of the Vatican.

Attendees of the Pre-Lenten Morning Reflection will gather at Saint Anthony Chapel by 8:45 am. Free parking is available in the church parking lot.

The retreat will begin with a 9 a.m. prayer service led by

Saint Anthony Chapel in Troy Hill, Pa.

Father Valerian Michlik, Serra Club Chaplain and pastor of St. Gregory in Upper St. Clair, Pa. Following the prayer service, the tour director will give an in-depth history, tour of the chapel, and description of the relics. Time will be allotted for personal prayer and to visit the nearby Father Mollinger Museum.

An offering of $10 per person

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is requested. At 12:30 p.m., fellowship will continue with lunch (on your own) at Huszar Hungarian Restaurant, North Side.

To register for this event, contact Bill Kress 412-761-1499 or kb.kress@gmail.com.

Read more about Saint Anthony Chapel at www.saintanthonychapel.org. n

parish news PAGE 6

FEBRUARY 2019

st. michael in canonsburg, pa.

Celebrating the season

by Barb Kushner St. Michael, Canonsburg, Pa.

Every Monday morning from September to May, volunteers will gather at St. Michael’s church hall in Canonsburg, Pa. for their annual Nutroll Fundraiser.

The volunteers are parishioners and non-parishioners who love to roll out the dough, spread the nut mixture, bake the rolls and finally wrap with tender-loving care for sale.

This special year started off with the retirement of Betty and John Sopiak who mixed three to five batches of dough and nuts for more than 10 years. May God grant them good health and happiness for many years for their dedicated service! We definitely miss their smiling faces.

Judy Shuba and Very Rev. Joseph Raptosh, pastor, coordinate the ordering and finances and Mary Ruozzi and Judy Shuba have stepped up to take on the the most important dough making responsibilities.

Father Joseph always checks in and praises the team who work so diligently for nine months for the benefit of St. Michael.

Additionally, a special thank you must go to Joseph Raptosh, Sr. who dons his apron each Monday morning and helps out in the kitchen. If you happen to be in the neighborhood

stop by or call 724-745-7117 and treat your family to one of the most delicious nutrolls in Washington County.

On Dec. 16, St. Michael celebrated an early Christmas Eve black-fast dinner in the church hall following Liturgy. Father Raptosh greeted everyone with bowls of garlic and honey and passed out loaves of unleavened bread. Everyone participated by bringing fruit, salads, mushroom soup, bean soup and much more for parishioners to enjoy.

Following this delicious meal, we read Bible passages and sang carols unfolding the real story of Christmas and deeper meaning of Christ’s birth. By singing all the verses of each familiar carol we experience the angels announcing Christ’s birth; we join the Three Kings as they bear their gifts to the newborn King; and rejoice to Israel to whom shall come Emmanuel!

Then the children were surprised with the appearance of St. Nicholas who presented gifts to each child. Some think St. Nicholas bears a resemblance to parishioner Mike Sosak.

We as parishioners look forward to this gathering each year as a preparation for Christ’s birth on Dec. 25. Christ is born! Glorify Him! n Betty and John Sopiak

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FEBRUARY 2019

parish news

continued

PAGE 7

Celebrating anniversaries in Munhall, Pa. st. elias in munhall, pa.

st. john the baptist cathedral in munhall, pa.

Metropolitan William joined the faithful of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Munhall, Pa. Dec. 23 to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the building of the present church.

Following the Divine Liturgy, a brunch was served in the Cathedral Center where St. Nicholas visited and presented the children present with a treat bag. n

Father Vitalii Stashkevych’s one-year anniversary of his Priesthood ordination was celebrated with Archbishop Wil-

liam Skurla at St. Elias in Munhall, Pa. on Jan. 13.

May God grant Him many more! n

st. mary assumption in new salem, pa.

Pre-Christmas dinner draws a crowd

by Bernie Karoffa St. Mary Assumption, New Salem, Pa.

A pre-Christmas dinner was held at St. Mary Assumption in New Salem, Pa. on Dec. 16 in the church hall following the Divine Liturgy.

This was the most-attended dinner in recent years with about 80 participants, with guests coming from Ohio, Virginia, other parts of Pennsylvania, plus local area churches.

This catered dinner included stuffed cabbage, rigatoni, chicken, potatoes, and salad.

A large selection of baked desserts and drinks was provided by the parishioners. Table setting gifts and door prizes were also given to everyone.

Elaine Milan organized the dinner with helpers Ann Skovran, Karen Gaydos, and door prize distributor, Kyler

Theodori.

Father Christopher Burke is the pastor.

Future parish dinners will be after Easter and for the patronal feast day in August.

Thank you to all who came or helped in any way to make this dinner so enjoyable! n

Father Christopher Burke

Ann Skovran, Elaine Milan and Karen Gaydos

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parish news

continued

FEBRUARY 2019

ss. gregory in upper st. clair, pa.

“The Christmas Alphabet”

by Father Valerian Michlik St. Gregory, Upepr St. Clair, Pa.

On Jan. 6, the Great Feast of Theophany, St. Gregory’s ECF children presented this year’s Christmas Recital, titled “The Christmas Alphabet.”

With the letters of the alphabet, the children presented the Announcement of Christmas, the Birth of Jesus, and the Christmas Cheer that we find in the Bethlehem manger.

The faithful really enjoyed this program that included music, recitations, carols, and readings. n

Photos by Jennifer Kehm

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FEBRUARY 2019

parish news

continued

PAGE 9

st. gregory in upper st. clair, pa.

Blessing of St. Basil’s bread

by Father Valerian Michlik St. Gregory, Upper St. Clair, Pa.

In anticipation of the New Year 2019, the Blessing of St. Basil’s Bread, Vasilopita, took place in our parish family on Dec. 30. The bread was then distributed in our Church hall to our parishioners.

Parishioners Josh and Kathy received the bread piece which contained the coin of Saint Basil.

The tradition of Saint Basil’s Coin dates back to the Fourth Century when St. Basil the Great, the father of philanthropy, wanted to distribute money to the poor in his eparchy/diocese. He commissioned some

women to bake sweetened bread, in which he placed gold coins. Thus the poor families, in cutting the bread to nourish themselves, were pleasantly surprised to find the coins.

This custom is kept to this day amongst Eastern Christians, who on Saint Basil’s Day, Jan. 1, place gold coins inside a loaf of sweetened bread in honor of the Saint’s care for the poor. The one who finds the coin in his or her piece is considered commissioned by St. Basil to carry on his work for the poor, and in exchange, he will ask the Lord for whatever is necessary for the New Year. n

Sunday after Theophany

by Father Valerian Michlik St. Gregory, Upper St. Clair, Pa.

Jan. 13 was special for our parish family as we welcomed back our seminarians who are assigned to St. Gregory’s for parish ministry. It was a delight to have at the Holy Table newly ordained Father Deacon Nathan Adams. Deacon

Nathan is in his final year of studies and was ordained to the holy diaconate on Dec. 27, 2018. At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, representatives of our Men’s Club presented Theophany gifts to Deacon Nathan and Seminarians Michael Kunitz and Miron Kerul’-Kmec to assist in their studies. n

Father Deacon Nathan Adams

Jumping for joy

by Father Valerian Michlik St. Gregory, Upper St. Clair, Pa.

St. Gregory's ECF kids enjoyed this year's Christmas outing to Sky Zone Trampoline Park in nearby Canonsburg, Pa. on Dec. 27.

This trampoline park provid-

ed much fun for our children as they enjoyed the massive wall to wall trampolines, challenged each other on the rock climbing wall, and even played a trampoline-based version of dodge ball. n

Photos by Jennifer Kehm

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parish news

st. john the baptist in scottdale, pa

Christmas in Scottdale

continued

st. mary in monessen, pa.

ECF students present “The Little Lost Lamb”

by Ruth Hanchin St. Mary, Monessen, Pa.

ECF students at St. Mary in Monessen, Pa. presented their annual Christmas Play following the Dec. 16 Divine Liturgy.

The play was entitled “The Little Lost Lamb” by Natalie Ashanin and centered around a little lamb who was having problems making friends and being liked. No one seemed to like the lamb. In fact, the other sheep in the field avoided him.

A lion came on the scene. He thought he might like having him for supper but he changed his mind.

As the play goes on, the sheep and lion see a bright star in the distance, which seems to change their way of thinking about the lamb. They decide to make friends with the lamb and follow the star, which leads them to the cave where Jesus was born. The story did have

The trees all decorated in anticipation of Christmas.

FEBRUARY 2019

a happy ending. The older students acted out the parts in the play and the younger students portrayed the Nativity Scene.

Following the play, St. Nicholas (Mike Desko Jr.) presented treats to the students.

Christmas carols were led by Deacon John Hanchin and David Donohoe.

Father Stephen Wahal, administrator, gave the Invocation and the parents and grandparents of the ECF students enjoyed a light lunch in the Church hall. Parishioner Joyce Seman baked and donated a sheetcake which was served for dessert.

Once again the ECF teachers and students sponsored a Winter Wear Drive for the children in need at Monessen Elementary Center. Mittens, scarves, winter hats, socks and a few winter jackets were taken up to the school on Dec. 6, the Feast of St. Nicholas. n

Food is ready for the Christmas Eve gathering.

Front row: Isabel Corica, Miley Krolik, Kya Krolik, Lucas Jones and Gina Green.

Back row: Colton Manown, Mitchell Pohlot, Evan Pohlot, Father Stephen Wahal, St. Nicholas (Mike Desko Jr.), Deacon John Hanchin, Mya Feher, Riley Jones and Ruth Hanchin.

Church members socialize before the meal.

st. michael in campbell, ohio

Theophany Divine Liturgy From St. Michael in Campbell Ohio’s Facebook page at www. facebook.com/st.michaelsbyz. campbell/. Father Kevin Marks is pastor. Posted on Jan. 7:

The Great Sanctification Of Water took place at the Sunday Theophany Divine Liturgy. The newly sanctified Jordan water is now available to drink and to take to our homes! n

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JFEBRUARY 2019

parish news

continued

church of the resurrection in monroeville, pa.

Holy Supper feeds body, soul

by Diane Zelenak

On Dec. 23, 2018, following the 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy, Church of the Resurrection in Monroeville, Pa. celebrated their annual parish “Holy Supper.”

Festive tables in the church hall were decorated with candles and straw was strewn about to remind the attendees of the manger. Michael Kovalchick, a cantor, started the event by leading the parish in Christmas carols.

Father Don Bolls, pastor, opened the celebration with a greeting. Small dishes of whole garlic cloves, honey and a loaf of bread were placed on the tables, as Father Don explained the garlic symbolized the bitterness in life, honey symbolized the sweetness, and the

bread reminded us of Jesus, the “Bread of Life.”

The group then lined up at the buffet table to enjoy a meal of “no meat nor dairy” in preparation for Christmas.

There were fish, rolls, soup and a variety of salads to enjoy.

After the supper St. Ncholas made an appearance and read a delightful story to the children of the parish.

The event was well-attended and all left ready to celebrate the great feast of the Nativity of Our Lord! n Diane Zelenak is Roman Catholic and has enjoyed learning about the Eastern Rite since first visiting Mount St. Macrina in Uniontown, Pa. in 2007.

“The Byzantine Catholics are a treasure!” she says.

Father Don Bolls (left)

Mike Kovalchick led the singing of Christmas carols

St. Nicholas (George Walter) makes an appearance.

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PAGE 12

parish news

ss. peter and paul in tarentum, pa.

continued

Guest of honor, St. Nicholas St. Nicholas visited SS. Peter and Paul in Tarentum, Pa. Dec. 9.

Father Wesley Mash is pastor n

st. mary in windber, pa.

St. Nicholas Celebration St. Mary in Windber, Pa. celebrated the Feast of St. Nicholas on Dec. 8 following the Divine Liturgy. Father Ivan Rusyn is pastor. n

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PAGE 13

News from the Vatican Resource not risk: Pope reflects on using social media for good people’s “social web identity is too often based on opposition to the other”

by Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY — Social media are anti-social, anti-human and anti-Christian when they are used to increase differences, fuel suspicion, spread lies and vent prejudice, Pope Francis said in his message for World Communications Day. The Catholic Church and all people of goodwill see great potential in social media when the "net" and "networks" bring people together, help them share useful information and educate one another, he said.

But, the pope wrote, people's "social web identity is too often based on opposition to the other, the person outside the group: We define ourselves starting with what divides us rather than with what unites us, giving rise to suspicion and to the venting of every kind of prejudice — ethnic, sexual, religious and other."

Pope Francis' message for World Communications Day, which most dioceses will celebrate June 2, cites a passage from Ephesians, "We are members one of another," and focuses on moving "from social network communities to the human community."

Although the pope was in Panama for World Youth Day, the Vatican kept its tradition of releasing the pope's message Jan. 24, the feast of St. Francis de Sales, patron saint of journalists.

Using social networks to form and promote "community," the pope said, implies encouraging interaction, support and solidarity.

Pope Francis' latest foray into social media aims to promote that. During his Angelus address Jan. 20, he launched a new mobile app and online platform where he shares his prayer intentions, and people around the world share theirs.

Then everyone can "click to pray" with one another.

Jesuit Father Federic Fornos, international director of the Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network, said that in the first three days, 167,000 people downloaded the Click to Pray app, and the "click to pray" button on individual prayer intentions was clicked more than 1 million times Jan. 20-22.

The online and on-phones prayer community joins the much larger papal social media accounts on Twitter and Instagram.

Begun under Pope Benedict XVI, the @Pontifex Twitter account operates in English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, French, Polish, Latin, German and Arabic. As of Jan. 23, the accounts had a combined total of almost 48 million followers.

The Instagram account, Franciscus, opened in March 2016 and has more than 5.8 million followers.

On both platforms, the pope has a higher than average "engagement rate," which goes beyond how many people see the posts to how many take the time to comment, "like," "retweet" or share.

According to Twipu, a site that tracks Twitter statistics, each of Pope Francis' tweets generates an average of 935 replies, 7,998 retweets and 36,750 likes.

In an early December article, the Twiplomacy website listed Pope Francis as No. 4 on the list of the "most followed world leaders on Instagram."

He came behind Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Indonesian President Joko Widodo and U.S. President Donald Trump.

More importantly from the point of view of his Commu-

Pope Francis is pictured next to Jesuit Father Frederic Fornos, head of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, during the Angelus led from the window of his apartrment overlooking St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Jan. 20. The pope used a tablet held by Father Fornos to launch “Click and Pray,” a new mobile app and online platform. Photo by Vatican Media/ Catholic News Service.

nications Day focus on community, Pope Francis is also in fourth place on world leaders' Instagram interactions. Each photo or video posted by the Vatican, the site said, garners an average of 198,432 interactions.

On Twitter, Twiplomacy said, @Pontifex is the second most-followed world leader after Trump and comes in third -behind Modi and Trump -- on the list of "most influential," which is an interaction rate based on the sum of comments, retweets and likes divided by the number of tweets and the average number of followers. n

Pope says it’s “grave sin” to deny God has blessed other Christians “we have forgotten the wisodom of the mosaic law: if wealth is not shared, society is divided”

by Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

ROME — Just as divisions in society grow when wealth is not shared, divisions within Christianity grow when the richness of gifts God has given to one Christian church or community are not recognized and shared, Pope Francis said.

"It is easy to forget the fundamental equality existing among us: that once we were all slaves to sin, that the Lord saved us in baptism and called us his children," the pope said Jan. 18 during an ecumenical evening prayer service at Rome's Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls.

At the beginning of the service, Pope Francis, Orthodox Metropolitan Gennadios of Italy and Malta and the Rev. Tim Macquiban, minister of Rome's Ponte Sant'Angelo Methodist Church, paused for a moment of prayer before the presumed tomb of St. Paul.

The prayer service marked

the beginning of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The theme for 2019 -- "Justice, Only Justice, Shall You Pursue" -- was chosen by a group of Christians in Indonesia.

Members of the group, Pope Francis said, chose the passage from Deuteronomy because "they are deeply concerned that the economic growth of their country, driven by the mentality of competition, is leaving many in poverty and allowing a small few to become immensely wealthy."

And, he said, "that is not simply the case in Indonesia; it is a situation we see worldwide. When society is no longer based on the principle of solidarity and the common good, we witness the scandal of people living in utter destitution amid skyscrapers, grand hotels and luxurious shopping centers, symbols of incredible wealth."

"We have forgotten the wisdom of the Mosaic law: If

wealth is not shared, society is divided," the pope said.

In an analogous way, he said, Christians also tend to forget that they are brothers and sisters, equally saved through baptism.

"It is easy to think that the spiritual grace granted us is our property, something to which we are due, our property," the pope said. Or one group of Christians can be so focused on the gifts they have received from God that they are blind to the gifts God has given others.

"It is a grave sin," he said, "to belittle or despise the gifts that the Lord has given our brothers and sisters, and to think that God somehow holds them in less esteem."

God's grace, the pope said, must never "become a source of pride, injustice and division."

The path to Christian unity, the oneness that Jesus prayed his disciples would have, begins with recognizing "the blessings

the byzantine catholic world

Pope Francis processes alongside Orthodox Metropolitan Gennadios of Italy, at right in black, as he arrives to preside over an ecumenical prayer service Jan. 18 at Rome’s Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. The service marked the beginning of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Photo by Paul Haring/Catholic News Service.

we have received are not ours by right, but have come to us as a gift; they were given to be shared with others.”

Connected with that, he said, is an acknowledgment of "the value of the grace granted to other Christian communities."

"A Christian people renewed and enriched by this exchange of gifts will be a people capable of journeying firmly and confidently on the path that leads to unity," the pope said. n

PAGE 14

FEBRUARY 2019

thoughts for our day

by Archpriest David M. Petras

the prayer of offering: we address god The Anaphora is our prayer of offering to God, it is our sacrifice of praise.

It is the most important prayer of the Divine Liturgy.

We do not pray the Anaphora by ourselves, but we pray as a member of the Church, which is the Body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23). This means that Christ is praying with us, and is truly offering Himself eternally to God through the sacrifice of praise, which we can call the Divine Liturgy, because God is acting together with us in our service. As Christians, this is what we must do. It is the commandment of Christ, who told us at the Last Supper: “Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me’” (Luke 22:19). As we begin our prayer, therefore, we proclaim that this is what is right to do: “It is proper and just.” We first describe what “is proper and just.” The priest prays in our name, “it is proper and just to sing to you, to bless you, to praise you, to thank you, to worship you in every place of your dominion.” “In every place of your dominion,” means everywhere, for God “is present everywhere and fills all things.” The Anaphora of St. Basil adds, “to glorify you.”

Hebrew prayers begain with the word “berekah,” which means all of these actions. “To bless” someone is to speak well of them and this is especially true of God, for he is good and the giver of every good and perfect gift” (James 1:17).

The reality is that we, as finite creatures, cannot adequately return thanks to God for all he has done for us, for everything that we are and that we have comes from his creative love.

We sing hymns, therefore, and we utter thanks and praise and glory and especially worship, which St. Basil says “befits the magnificence of your holiness.”

Worship may be described as the attitude that a creature should have to the infinite love of God. Some have complained

We do not pray the Anaphora by ourselves, but we pray as a member of the Church, which is the Body of Christ. that we cannot “glorify” God, in the sense of “adding to his glory,” but we can be a part of God’s glory by acknowledging his loving kindness in faith and by being the person he created us to be. As rational creatures, we alone can acknowledge and proclaim the glory of God, for he has “granted us the knowledge of your truth.”

We first address God, then, by recounting who he is. The Anaphora of St. Basil addresses God as “eternal being, Master, Lord, God, Father almighty and adorable.” This beginning is unique, because it solemnly addresses God in Greek as ho On, which means the "existing one." This is certainly a Greek attempt to translate the Hebrew tetragammon, YHWH,

"Yahweh," "He who is.” This was the name God revealed to Moses in the burning bush (Exodus 3:14), where God says “I am who I am.” The Jewish people considered this name to be most holy. They would never say it, but wherever it appeared in Scripture they would substitute it with adonai, or “Lord.” Of course, to translate it literally into English loses the force of the original, e.g.

"O He who is, Master, God the Father almighty," turning the title - for the hearer — into a sentence rather than a name.

The only solution seems to be to use a rather free equivalent, as "O eternal being."

The Anaphora of St. John Chrysostom says that God is “ineffable, inconceivable, invisible, incomprehensible , ever existing, yet ever the same.”

We confess that God is unable to be grasped by human intelligence. In Greek this is a series of negative words expressing the holiness or untouchability of the Father. As John the Evangelist taught, "No one has ever seen God. The only Son, God, who is at the Father's side, has revealed him” (John 1:18).

Father Robert Taft has shown that John Chrysostom himself had a part in revising the Syrian Anaphora of the Twelve Apostles and was probably responsible for its introduction into the liturgy of the city of Constantinople. In these five epithets for God, we find the direct hand of John Chrysostom, for no Greek father uses all four of these epithets together, except Chrysostom, and they are, in fact, an integral part of his homily entitled On the Incomprehensibility of God, where they are not only used together in the text, but also

form the heading of the chapters of this work. This work was composed to defend orthodoxy against the Anomeans, an Arian heresy which was widespread in Antioch from about 355.

A later Syrian theologian who wrote under the name of Dionysius taught that God, as Creator, simply cannot be grasped by the finite minds of created beings. The infinite and eternal remains always beyond the understanding of the limited and those bound by time, as we are in this world. However, we can know God only because God reveals himself to us. St. John in his Gospel tells us, “No one has ever seen God. The only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side, has revealed him” (John 1:18). In this Gospel read at the Liturgy of Paschal Sunday, we hear: “All things came to be through [Christ, the Word and Revealer of God], and without him nothing came to be. What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:3-5). Because of this revelation, we give glory and thanksgiving to God, and the Divine Liturgy itself becomes the instrument of our consciousness of God acting in our lives. We conclude our address to God by proclaiming him eternal, outside of the limitations of time, in which we must now exist. Everything that God has ever done for us happens now, and everything he will do for us happens now and we pray, “[You] left nothing undone, until you brought us to heaven and bestowed upon us your future kingdom.” n

BYZANTINE DIVINE LITURGY View Liturgical Services (various times) streamed LIVE online at:

St. John the Baptist Cathedral, Munhall, Pa. www.stjohnsbyzantinecathedral.com Holy Ghost Church, McKees Rocks, Pa. www.holyghost-byzantinecatholic.org St. John Chrysostom Church, Pittsburgh, Pa. www.sjcbcc.com the byzantine catholic world

FEBRUARY 2019

PAGE 15

overnight. (Possibility for a few people to spend a quiet night inside the Holy Sepulcher when the church is closed to the public.)

Day 9 • Jerusalem Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning, visit to St. Anne’s Church, the Pool of Bethesda, the Chapel of the Flagellation and Via Crucis along the Via Dolorosa, entry to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, containing the tomb where Jesus was buried and rose from the dead. Free time for the rest of the afternoon. Dinner and overnight.

Day 10 • Jerusalem After breakfast, departure to Tel Aviv airport, flight back home. If option flights via Boston are confirmed in March, the flight from Tel Aviv will take off after midnight Sept.24 and we will not spend the night in the hotel.

A Journey of the Spirit This pilgrimage to the Holy Land has the intention to slow down our inner and outer pace. We will visit selected sites during the day, insuring more time for personal reflection, prayers and group interactions. Our main focus will be the quality of time.

Sitting quietly on the Mount of the Beatitudes, watching the Sea of Galilee, perceiving there the voice of our Lord preaching; entering the Holy Sepulcher with an open heart to contemplate the mystery of Salvation. Simple moments like these will make our journey different.

Wherever you come from and whatever has been your experience in the Holy Land, come embark on a real journey of the spirit in the footsteps of Jesus, intentionally set at a different pace to perceive our true nature as creatures of God and to enter, by the help of Grace, Kairos, the time of God.

We will be visiting: Nazareth: The city of Mary connected to the years before the public life of Jesus. These are the places where the Holy Family lived together. In Nazareth we need to connect and seriously ponder the meaning of the marriage and the reality of the family.

Capharneum: During His public life Jesus spent a long time near Galilee Lake. This is the place where He called the first Apostles.

Here is the place where we can reconnect to our vocation of being Christian or where youth can pray for discernment.

Judah Desert: This is the site where we can reconnect with the penitential liturgy: the 40 years spent by the Israelis in the desert and the 40 days spent by Jesus after His baptism. The desert is the place of prayer and meeting with the Father.

Qasr el Yahoud: The place where Jesus was baptized invites us to reflect on this Sacrament and how it is connected to faith.

Jerusalem: Jerusalem offers a great richness of holy places: the Last Supper and the Sacrament of the Eucharist. There is no sacrament of Eucharist without the Church

and vice versa. The connection is essential. In order to enter into the mystery of passion, death and resurrection of Christ, Jerusalem helps us to retrace these moments by experiencing the Via Crucis and the entrance to the Holy Sepulcher.

Bethlehem: place of birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, and final destination of the pilgrimages of the Three Magi, who came from the Far East to homage the Savior of the world: this connection is significant for remembering and deepening the meaning of the universality of the church as catholic.

Full Itinerary: Day 1 • Departure Departure to Tel Aviv with EL AL from Toronto or Boston. Connection from Pittsburgh may be via bus to Toronto or via flight to Boston, to be confirmed in March.

Day 2 • Nazareth Arrival at Tel Aviv Ben Gurion airport in the afternoon. Travel to Galilee, the most beautiful and fertile region of the Holy Land.

Arrival at Nazareth in the evening, dinner and overnight at hotel.

Day 3 • Nazareth Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning, visit the Church of the Transfiguration at Mt. Tabor, stop at Cana, site of the wedding feast. In the afternoon, visit to the Shrine of the Annunciation and to the Church of St. Joseph, built where the Holy Family lived. Time to visit the Greek Catholic “Synagogue” Church and the Greek Catholic Parish Church. Dinner and overnight in Nazareth.

Day 4 • Nazareth After breakfast, departure to the region of Lake Tiberias: we will take a beautiful boat ride, during which we will stop and connect with the Gospel readings regarding Jesus crossing the lake. Visit Capernaum (synagogue and Peter’s home where Jesus stayed) and to the two shrines at Tabgha (site of the Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes and site of the Primacy of Peter), ascent to the Mount of Beatitudes. Quality time here. Stop in Magdala before heading back to Nazareth, the village of Mary of Magdala where a 1st century synagogue has been recently found.

Dinner and overnight in Nazareth.

Day 5 • Nazareth Breakfast at the hotel. Descend through the Valley of the River Jordan, renewal of the Baptismal Promises in Qasr El Yahud. We then proceed towards the Dead Sea to experience the healing waters of the lowest geological point of the world. After that stop in Jericho.

View of the Mount of Temptation and view of an old sycamore tree that reminds us of Zaccheus’ encounter with Jesus. Lunch in Jericho. Stop in the Judean desert for a quiet, prayerful experience before arriving in Jerusalem. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Day 6 • Jerusalem After breakfast, visit of Jerusalem, the “City of God.” Stop at the Western Wall, and view the magnificent ruins of the Temple of Herod where there is now the Muslim Mosque called “Dome of the Rock”. Walk through the Jewish neighborhood and discover the ruins of the ancient Roman street “Cardo Maximus.” Visit Mount Zion: the room of the Last Supper and the Cenotaph of King David, the Church of the Dormition, and the Church of St. Peter Gallicantu where St. Peter denied Jesus. Free time to walk in the Old City. Today we will visit the Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarchate. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.

Day 7 • Jerusalem Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning, departure to Bethlehem to visit the Church of the Nativity and the Grotto of St. Jerome, the Roum Catholic Melkite Church, the Shepherd’s Field. In the afternoon, visit the village of Ein Kerem, birthplace of St. John the Baptist and place of the visit of Mary to St. Elisabeth. Possible free time in Jerusalem. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Day 8 • Jerusalem Breakfast at the hotel. Full day dedicated to the visit of the city sacred to the three monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The visit includes Mount of Olives: the Ascension chapel, the Church of the Pater Noster, the church where Jesus wept (Dominus Flevit), the Garden of Gethsemane with the Basilica of the Agony, the Virgin’s Tomb. In the afternoon time for our first visit to the Holy Sepulcher. Dinner and

the byzantine catholic world

September 15 to 24, 2019 US$ 3,350 per person in double Single supplement: US$ 590 Based on a minimum of 40 participants. In case of a smaller number of participants price will be subject to change.

The price includes • Airfare round trip ( (bus+flight from Toronto to Tel Aviv and back or via flight only from Pittsburgh to Boston and Boston-Tel Aviv and back. Full flight combination Pittsburgh-Boston-Tel Aviv-Boston-Pittsburgh to be confirmed in March with possible small price adjustment).

• Airport assistance at arrival • Accommodation in double room, 3/4 star hotels (such as Hotel Rimonim in Nazareth and Hotel Christmas in Jerusalem or similar) • Half board (breakfast and dinner) • Entrance fees and tips • Private coach as per itinerary • Qualified ORP Holy Land Catholic guide The price does not include • Any insurance. However we are happy to provide a medical group insurance once the group is determined • Individual travel and medical insurance available upon request.

• Beverages & Extras • Anything not in Price Includes section Deposit & Refund Policy Deposit deadline: $500 by February 15: NOT REFUNDABLE Second deposit: US$ 1,500 by April 15, 2019: 50% refundable until July 1, 2019 Balance: due July 1, 2019, NO REFUND OF ANY KIND AFTER THIS POINT

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FEBRUARY 2019

liturgical schedule at the Seminary “Come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord”

around the archeparchy HALUSKI SALE— 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Feb. 15, St. Michael Hall, 405 Robinson Road, Campbell, Ohio. Haluski served with homemade dumplings. Cost: $8 per quart. Call 330-770-9213 to pre-order or 330755-5688 day of the sale. Proceeds benefit Youth Group of St. Michael, Campbell, Ohio.

LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED GIFTS — Noon Wednesdays during the Great Fast starting March 6, St. Pius X, 2336 Brownsville Road, Carrick, Pa. Monsignor Russell A. Duker is administrator.

Accessible by bus on the 51 Carrick and the 51L Carrick Limited. All are welcome to come and pray this Great Fast service with us!

Join the Byzantine Catholic Seminary community for liturgical services at 3605 Perrysville Ave, Pittsburgh, Pa. Enter through the chapel door that faces Perrysville Avenue. It’s recommended visitors call 412-321-8383 in advance so that we may be awaiting your arrival. For more information about the Seminary: go to www.bcs.edu.

Schedule of Services for February: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

7 a.m. Divine Liturgy (M), 4 p.m. All-Night Vigil (R) 9 a.m. Divine Liturgy (R), 5 p.m. Great Vespers (M) 7 a.m. Festal Matins (R), 9 p.m. Small Compline (R) 8 a.m. Divine Liturgy (R) 7 a.m. Moleben for the Sick (R) 7 a.m. Divine Liturgy (R), 9 p.m. Small Compline (R) 7 a.m. First Hour (R), 4 p.m. Ninth Hour (R), 9 p.m. Small Compline (R) 7 a.m. First Hour with Divine Liturgy (M), 4 p.m. Vespers with 13th Kathisma (M) 9 a.m. Divine Liturgy (R), 5 p.m. Great Vespers (R) 7 a.m. Festal Matins (R), 9 p.m. Small Compline (R) 8 a.m. Divine Liturgy (R) 7 a.m. Third Hour (R) 7 a.m. Divine Liturgy (R), 9 p.m. Small Compline (R) 7 a.m. Divine Liturgy (R), 4 p.m. Ninth Hour (R), 9 p.m. Small Compline (R) 7 a.m. Third Hour with Divine Liturgy (M), 5 p.m. Vespers (R) 9 a.m. Divine Liturgy (R), 5 p.m. Great Vespers (M) 7 a.m. Festal Orthros with Divine Liturgy (M), 9 p.m. Small Compline (R) 8 a.m. Divine Liturgy (R) 7 a.m. Akathist to Our Lord Jesus Christ (R) 7 a.m. Divine Liturgy (R), 9 p.m. Small Compline (R) 7 a.m. Orthros (M), 4 p.m. Ninth Hour (R), 9 p.m. Small Compline (R) 7 a.m. Sixth Hour with Divine Liturgy (M) 9 a.m. Divine Liturgy with Panachida (R), 5 p.m. All-Night Vigil (R) 9 p.m. Small Compline (R) 8 a.m. Divine Liturgy (R) 7 a.m. Sixth Hour (R) 7 a.m. First Hour (R), 8:30 p.m. Great Compline (R) 7 a.m. Matins (R), 4 p.m. Ninth Hour (R), 9 p.m. Small Compline (R)

(M) Melkite

17th ANNUAL WOMEN’S DAY OF RELECTION — 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m., May 11, 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. This year’s theme is “God Speaks: Do We Listen?” Presenters include: Lillian Leonardi (“My Spiritual Homecoming”), Jennifer Miele (“God Speaks to All Generations”) and Joni Sturgill (“Healthy Body: Peaceful Soul”). Contact Sister Marion Dobos at 412-322-8773 or mdobos1@gmail.com for more information. Cost of $25 includes lunch. No refunds. Pre-registration is required. Deadline is April 26. Sponsored by the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchial Office of Religious Education.

“IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF BYZANTINE SAINTS” — Sept. 30 to Oct. 12. Orthodox Christian tour-pilgrimage to Turkey. Cost of the land portion of the tour, based on participants, is $2,800. The 14-day tour will retrace journeys of Apostle Paul; inclusive of the Churches of the Revelation and the island of Patmos; visits to the painted cave churches and underground cities of Cappadocia, 1,000-year-old capital of Byzantium Constantinople; and many other sites. Deadline to sign up is June 30. For information, contact Father Elias Rafaj, St. John Chrysostom in Houston, Texas, at 713-256-8953 or Houstonelias@ gmail.com. In collaboration with the Orthodox Tours: www.orthodoxtours.com.

METROPOLITAN CANTOR INSTITUTE ONLINE CLASSES — Online classes in liturgy and plain chant for dedicated students with basic singing ability to learn to lead the singing at any of our church services in two years. Each class takes four to eight weeks to complete and all work is self-paced. Most course work can be done on a computer with internet connection. Three classes are free and offered year-round: Introduction to Liturgy, Introduction to Church Singing, and Introduction to the Typikon. Later classes focus on particular services, such as the Divine Liturgy, and are offered on a regular schedule. Registration is usually $75 for an eight-week class, with discounts available, and can be waived in cases of true financial need. If parish has no current cantor, the pastor or administrator may nominate up to two students to take MCI Online classes at no charge. For more information: https://mci.archpitt.org/classes.

(R) Ruthenian

dates to remember FEB. 14 Valentine’s Day FEB. 24 Sunday of Meatfare MARCH 3 Sunday of Cheesefare

Official publication of the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh

Byzantine Catholic Press Associates 66 Riverview Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15214 Tel: 412.231.4000 Fax: 412.231.1697 E-mail: bcw@archpitt.org Web site: www.archpitt.org

MARCH 4 First day of the Great Fast

next issue:

MARCH 10 First Sunday of the Great Fast

submissions DEADLINE:

MARCH 2019

FEBRUARY 22 See more upcoming events at www.archpitt.org

the byzantine catholic world