THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE ARCHEPARCHY OF PITTSBURGH
Inside
VOL. 65
liturgies online
opening their house
List of parish liturgies available for livestreaming on the internet Page 3
Sisters of St. Basil the Great welcome visitors to Mount St. Macrina Page 4
NO. 4
APRIL 2020
lenten retreat day Serrans morning retreat at the House of Prayer in Uniontown, Pa. Page 12
christ is risen! indeed he is risen!
PASCHA 2020 Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!
celebrate again.
Christ is risen from the dead! By death he trampled Death and to those in the tombs He granted life
This Easter Sunday hopefully will be the only time in our lifetime that we will celebrate Holy and Great Week from home watching live stream or listening to the radio. We never realize how blessed we have been, free and able to gather to prayerfully celebrate our traditional services remembering the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ each year. We can also appreciate the years that the people of Eastern Europe and other countries, because of oppressive governments, were not able to celebrate and which they faithfully waited to
As I am writing today, the Corona virus is spreading through the United States. The pattern throughout the world is that it starts with a few cases, it spreads through the community, the hospitals fill, and then most people recover. We pray for those who will be called back to the Lord. We pray for our families, our churches, and that our world will return to normal soon. The celebration of Great and Holy Week helps us to overcome our fears. Without faith in the Resurrection, people can be overwhelmed with fear. You can become obsessed with what could happen because of that which the media broadcasts twenty-four hours a day. There is justifiable fear of illness and death. Also, the fear of financial difficulties or even collapse can be more frightening than death. Without faith, fear and hopelessness can take over. With the support of our families, church, and community, we can overcome the medical problems and restore the financial system. As the crisis continues, please help and support those in need in whatever way that you can. Also, continue to support your priests, religious, and your church during the crisis. If we work together, we will rise up again. With the eyes of faith, we can even overcome the fear of death. The icon of the Resurrection shows us the path. In the icon, Jesus is encircled by the light of the Resurrection which enlightens the living. The apostles hold up quotes from the Easter Matins service. And, Jesus also reaches into the darkness of the tombs and lifts the fallen into the light of the Resurrection and into eternal life. The evil one, his virus minions, and death itself is overcome. It is sad that we are not able to gather to celebrate together this year for Easter, but we will appreciate it more next year. Please pray each day that our leaders be guided to act wisely to end the epidemic and restore the health of their people. I pray the light of our Lord's Resurrection enlightens your mind and protects you. Sincerely yours in Christ,
Most Reverend William C. Skurla, D.D. Metropolitan Archbishop of Pittsburgh
christos voskrese! voistinnu voskrese!
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APRIL 2020
A Message from GCU President/CEO George Juba
UPS 081500 ISSN 07442289 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 Deacon Robert J. Shalhoub Business Manager Annual Subscription Rates US $14 Canadian $17 International $20 Periodicals Postage PAID at Pittsburgh, PA
Postmaster: send address changes to: The Byzantine Catholic World 66 Riverview Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15214 Please allow 2 to 3 weeks for address changes to take effect. Submissions deadline: 23rd 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 formation through changing times; and to celebrate community among Byzantine Catholics in the Archeparchy
March 20, 2020 Members of the GCU, The current threat of COVID-19 virus (Corona virus) is unprecedented affecting all aspects of our personal and business daily lives. The United States leads the world in medical practices, research and advancements. Many viruses have surfaced over the last ten years such as Ebola, the Swine Flu, Birds Flu, Secure Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), the Zika virus and many others as each were addressed resulting in a successful treatment and outcome in creating a vaccine that limited the effects and spreading of such diseases amongst the world’s population. We should be most confident that a treatment and vaccine will also be developed in combating this latest virus in the very near future. We must be patient, heed the warnings and advice given by the Center for Disease Control and government officials and take all necessary steps in attempting not to be exposed to this virus. The GCU has had in place a Business Continuity Plan and Disaster Relief Plan that would be enacted due to a natural disaster or a specific instance affecting our ability to conduct our operations out of our home office such as weather related incidents, nuclear evacuations, fire and other incidents that may occur such as our current COVID-19 pandemic. We have successfully transitioned to our Business Continuity Plan as several staff members are working remotely in continuing to service our members’ and agents’ needs. The GCU will continue to process all annuity deposits, insurance premiums, annuity withdrawal requests, insurance claims, and new insurance and annuity applications. Our Call Center will continue to operate under normal business hours to service your needs. We are cognizant of the fact that this situation may have created financial hardships for many of our members affecting their ability to pay life insurance premiums. Please be informed that your policy will not lapse if you should become unemployed or laid off. We ask you to contact our Call Center at 855-306-0607 so that we may so note your account and continue to work with you in assuring your life policy remains in force. This pandemic has affected the investment markets as the three most-followed stock market indices, the Dow Industrial Average (DOW), the S & P and the NASDAQ all have suffered substantial declines over the last few weeks. GCU has not been affected by this decline as the GCU has less than one percent of its total investment portfolio in common stock. The current investing environment is presenting unique challenges on several fronts. Investors must navigate significant uncertainty surrounding the length and severity of this global COVID-19 outbreak, the decline in commodity prices resulting from the RussiaSaudi Arabia oil price skirmish, while also assessing the implications of November’s upcoming U.S. national elections. While the environment is challenging, GCU is wellpositioned to continue pursuing a durable, long-term investment approach based on the principles of diversification and risk management. GCU, as guided by our Investment Policy Statement, operates under a disciplined framework for asset allocation. We partner with skilled external asset management firms which are carefully vetted and subject to strict investment guidelines. In general, we seek to capitalize on the income and capital preservation available via high quality fixed income investments, complemented with smaller allocations to diversifying asset classes. We believe this commitment to a risk controlled, long-term investing perspective puts GCU in a better position to navigate through the conditions we face now and in the future. We assure you that the life and annuity business you have placed with the GCU is safe. The current crisis has not diminished the statement value of your annuity(ies) or cash value of your life insurance policy(ies). Your Board of Directors, Executive Officers and General Counsel assures you that sound fiscal decisions will continue to be made to first and foremost protect our members’ business placed with the GCU. We thank you for your trust, confidence and loyalty as we navigate through this current crisis. Sincerely,
of Pittsburgh, throughout the Metropolitan Church in America, and around the world.
George N. Juba President/CEO the byzantine catholic world
APRIL 2020
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Parishes broadcast Liturgies via internet Here is the most current list of parishes broadcasting Sunday Liturgies and other services to Faithful via their websites and social media sites such as Facebook. For an updated list, check the front page of the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh’s website at archpitt.org:
exciting plans remain for annual lecture and online learning for seniors Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, all non-academic formational activities at the Byzantine Catholic Seminary in Pittsburgh have ended for the year. This means that the seminarians are returning to their homes and will complete their academic curriculum and other academic requirements for this semester through distance learning.
Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Munhall, Pa. www.stjohnsbyzantinecathedral. com
LETTER FROM THE SEMINARY
St. Gregory in Upper St. Clair, Pa.
Unfortunately, Seminary St. Michael St. John Chrysostom, graduates will not be able to Campbell, Ohio Pittsburgh, Pa. enjoy a graduation ceremony, www.facebookcom/ www.sjcbcc.com and the annual lecture is to st.michaelbyz.campbell n 10:30 a.m. Sunday be given through livestream. n 6 p.m. Saturday B.C.S. does hope that many n 11a.m. Sunday St. Gregory will remain interested in the Upper St. Clair, Pa. annual lecture by Father John St. Elias www.facebook.com/ Behr, which is to be liveMunhall, Pa. stgregoryusc streamed on Thursday, May 7 www.facebook.com/ n 9:30 a.m. Sunday at 7 p.m. Details will be found StEliasByzantine n 7 p.m. Wednesday, at the Seminary website www. CatholicChurch/ Presanctified bcs.edu. n 9 a.m. Sunday n 7 p.m. Wednesday At least for the next three Note: check parish websites for schedule of Divine Services Presanctified months the Seminary will be unable to receive guests for both day visits and overnight — this includes the chapel and Holy Week and Pascha services library. may be viewed online at www.
n 9 a.m. Sunday n 7 p.m. Wednesday, Friday; Presanctified Holy Ghost, McKees Rocks, Pa. www.holyghostbyzantinecatholic.org WEDO Radio 810 AM n 9 a.m. Sunday n 7 p.m. Wednesday, Friday; Presanctified n
Holy week and pascha schedule
stjohnsbyzantinecathedral.com.
Archbishop William has suspended all public Liturgical celebrations until further notice.
Online courses will continue as scheduled. Even more, the Seminary is pleased to share some exciting new opportunities for seniors in online learning as B.C.S. continues to celebrate reaccreditation and its 70th Anniversary.
St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Cathedral 210 Greentree Road Munhall, Pa. 15120 www.stjohnsbyzantinecathedral.com
412-461-0944
The Seminary is saddened to have to take such drastic action for its community, but our Metropolitan and administrative staff are of one mind that this is the best decision for the peace, safety, health, and well-being of those who live, work, are formed, and study at B.C.S.
Holy wednesday 7 p.m. APRIL 8
Presanctified Liturgy followed by prayers for the sick
n
Holy thursday
holy saturday
7 p.m. APRIL 9
7 p.m. APRIL 11
n
Great Vespers with Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great
n
good friday 9 a.m. APRIL 10 n
Entombment Vespers for Good Friday and Procession with the Holy Shroud.
n
Resurrection Matins
the radiant resurrection 9 a.m. april 12 n
Divine Liturgy
Royal Hours
7 p.m. APRIL 10
The modality (online or oncampus) for the School of Diaconate Studies in late June remains to be determined.
Let us pray to the Master that we be delivered from all affliction, sorrow, and distress in these unprecedented times. May the Lord guard us by the power of his precious and lifecreating Cross.
bright monday 9 a.m. april 13 n
Divine Liturgy
continued on page 16 the byzantine catholic world
Very Rev. Robert M. Pipta Rector, Byzantine Catholic Seminary of SS. Cyril & Methodius
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APRIL 2020
sisters of the order of st. basil the great
Welcome to Mount St. Macrina The Sisters of St. Basil of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Province welcomed visitors March 8 during an open house as part of a year-long celebration celebrating a Century of Ministry in the Byzantine Catholic Church in America. The Province was founded on Jan. 19, 1921 following Very Rev. Gabriel Martyak, Apostolic Administrator, inviting Mother Macrina Melnychuk, who was Superior in Philadelphia at that time, to form a second branch of the Order to serve the people of Ruthenian descent. Mother Macrina and two other Sisters accepted this invitation to begin a new foundation for this purpose. The initial help for the new foundation came from Father Joseph Hanulya, pastor of Holy Ghost Church in Cleveland, Ohio. Father provided a 10room house which became the first formal novitiate. Initially, the small community began caring for orphan children; later including teaching and catechesis. The acquisition of the Mount St. Macrina property was made possible by the contributions of the people from what little they themselves had. The year 1934 saw the beginning of a Phenomenon of God’s Grace, the Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Gathering people from all over the country and beyond, this event has held the Byzantine Catholic Church together, uniting her bishops, clergy, monastics and laity to a vision beyond parish or eparchy. The Vatican Council instructed the Church to renew, and they participated in programs of Renewal and Revitalization. As the people moved westward and the Metropolitan Church was created, the Sisters have served in all four eparchies. Their ministerial significance in the life of our Church could go on and on and on. Other planned events during the year-long Century of Ministry celebration include Community Week in July and this year’s annual Pilgrimage over Labor Day weekend. n
scheduled events for the year
Thanks to everyone who attended our Open House today. It was wonderful to celebrate #NationalCatholicSistersWeek with all of you! —Posted March 8 on the Sisters of St. Basil the Great’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ sistersofstbasil.uniontown/.
• May 25 Panachida on Memorial Day remembering Mother Macrina and all deceased Sisters
• October 18 Divine Liturgy and Dinner at St. John the Baptist Cathedral in Munhall, Pa.
• July 20 to 24 Community Week: sharing stories of Community Life and invite Associates for social
• January 19, 2021 Founder’s Day celebration for Sisters as we begin a new Century of Ministry
• Pilgrimage Sisters present Enrichment Sessions telling our History
Events are subject to change
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a spiritual reflection
Approach with fear of God and with faith By Father Vasyl Symyon Assumption of the Mother of God, Weirton, W.V.; Saint John the Baptist, Avella, Pa.
My name is Father Vasyl Symyon, originally from the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Mukachevo, Ukraine, and currently a Byzantine Catholic priest within the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh. I have served as pastor of two wonderful parishes in the Archeparchy for nearly five years. And during my time here, I have been asked by many of my parishioners about the need to confess their sins. Questions such as: "What must I say when I come to confession?,” “What do I have to confess?,” “Of what I believe I do wrong, are some of them really sins?,” “What is the definition of a grave sin?,” “What is a venial sin?,” and “When and how often do I have to go to confession?” With those questions in mind, this article is the first in a series through which I will provide important answers to important questions in the field of moral theology and bioethics based on the teaching of the Catholic Church. Therefore, I hope to enlighten all readers to grow their spiritual lives, enhance their holiness and help them reach the Kingdom of God. As significant material for this article, I referenced a very important document of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops of the United States. On Nov. 14, 1996, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops approved a document, “Guidelines on the Reception of Communion,” which teaches us: “As Catholics, we fully participate in the celebration of the Eucharist when we receive Holy Communion. We are encouraged to receive Communion devoutly and frequently. In order to be properly disposed to receive Communion, participants should not be conscious of grave sin and normally should have fasted for one hour. A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to receive the Body and Blood of the Lord without
prior sacramental confession except for a grave reason where there is no opportunity for confession. In this case, the person is to be mindful of the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition, including the intention of confessing as soon as possible (canon 916). A frequent reception of the Sacrament of Penance is encouraged for all.” First, let me emphasize that all U.S. Catholic bishops prepared this document – this lesson – for all Catholics throughout the nation who were baptized and chrismated/confirmed within the Catholic Church. Now ask yourself, “Was I baptized and chrismated/ confirmed in Catholic Church?” If so, then this message is for you! And for that reason, we will take a closer look at this teaching. Our bishops encourage us to receive Holy Communion frequently and devoutly. “Devoutly” is defined as “In a manner that shows deep religious feeling or commitment.” In other words, we receive the Holy Eucharist as the most Holy Body and most Holy Blood of Jesus Christ for the salvation of our souls. The Holy Eucharist is "the source and summit of the Christian life." The Eucharist is Holy Communion because by this sacrament we unite ourselves to Christ, who makes us sharers in His Body and Blood to form a single body. We also call it, “holy things,” the first meaning of the phrase "communion of saints" in the Apostles' Creed – the bread of angels, bread from heaven, medicine of immortality. The bishops underscore that to receive the Holy Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, we must be prepared and fast at least one hour before communion time. If you want to receive the Holy Eucharist, therefore, you must fast from all food and drink including coffee, pop, chewing gum, candy, etc., (except water and medicine) for one hour before communion. Furthermore, if you want to receive Holy Communion, your soul must not be in a state of grave or mortal sin. In that case, you cannot approach and receive the Holy Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. If you have committed a grave or mortal sin, you first must go to
confession, be absolved of that sin, then proceed to approach and receive the Holy Eucharist with peace in your heart and with the clear conscience. During one of his talks to the general audience on March 14, 2018, our Holy Father, Francis, Pope of Rome, indicated, “We know that one who has committed a serious sin should not approach Holy Communion without having first obtained absolution in the sacrament of reconciliation … Lent is an opportunity to approach the latter, to confess well and to encounter Christ in Holy Communion.” At this point, I am sure you want to know the definitions of “sin” and “grave sin.” All sin is an offense against God’s love toward us. Sin is a disordered act of the person who does it. This action does not correspond to the ultimate purpose of a person. When a person sins, he/she takes a direction which does not lead him/her to real happiness and holiness. Sin is any attachment, thought, statement, action, or inaction contrary to God's love and law and against anyone’s neighbor. Sin is an act with an influence on the reality of the person and on his/ her immediate surroundings (which could have an effect on other people). All sins have some influence on the people who are in close relationship to the one who sins. The church teaches us there are two types of sin: grave (mortal) and venial. We call a sin of a grave and serious matter a mortal or grave sin. Every mortal sin severs our relationship with God. A mortal sin must meet three conditions: n Grave matter. It breaks one of the 10 commandments; this act is by itself immoral. We know some sins are more severe than others. We know the difference between saying a bad word to someone and killing someone. Therefore, for a sin to be mortal, it must result from a grave act. n Full knowledge. A person who commits a mortal sin knows it is evil and immoral. n Deliberate consent of the sinner. A person totally and freely gives an agreement for a mortal sin and commits it. Here’s one example. Your favorite football team plays on Sunday but you also have
the byzantine catholic world
an obligation as a Catholic to attend the Divine Liturgy. You have a choice, either to attend the game and miss the liturgy or go to church and miss the game. You decide to attend the game all the while knowing God’s commandment to Remember to keep Holy the Lord's Day (grave matter). You know your obligation to attend church on Sundays (full knowledge). And you freely and on purpose choose the game (deliberate consent) and ignore the liturgy. Here, you have met all three conditions to commit a mortal sin. So by missing a Sunday Divine Liturgy (and a Holy Day of Obligation) freely and on purpose is a grave or mortal sin. By committing that sin, you cannot receive Holy Communion without going to confession the next time you attend a Divine Liturgy. Other grave or mortal sins include idolatry, murder, abortion, euthanasia, suicide, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, adultery, fornication, pornography, selfabuse, theft, cheating, false witness, envy and buying/ selling stolen goods. I also want to remind you about the Precepts of the Catholic Church: You shall attend mass on Sundays and on holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor; You shall confess your sins at least once a year; You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season; You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the church; and You shall help to provide for the needs of the church. These precepts, which describe the minimum religious actions required of all Catholics, involve grave matter. Therefore, breaking or neglecting one of these precepts can lead to grave or mortal sin. The second type of sin is venial sin, one of a less serious matter usually committed out of ignorance meaning a person who commits a venial sin did not know or understand his/ her behavior is sinful. Venial sins are sins that have one or two of the three conditions needed for a mortal sin, but do not fulfill all three at the same time. Some examples are vulgar language, failure to pray daily, making fun of people, failure to Story continued on page 6
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reflection from mount st. macrina
Father Vasyl continued from page 5
help people, listening to loutish music, anger, rudeness, gossip, unkind talk about people. Venial sins weaken a person but will not destroy the Grace of God in the soul. Let’s also consider this situation. A person attending a Divine Liturgy has committed a mortal sin and would like to receive the Holy Eucharist. Yet this person has had no opportunity to go to confession. What should he/she do in this case? According to the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, “In this case, the person is to be mindful of the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition, including the intention of confessing as soon as possible.” Our church teaches us that “Among the penitent's acts, contrition occupies first place. Contrition is "sorrow of the soul and detestation for the sin committed, together with the resolution not to sin again.” Therefore, if you have committed a mortal sin with no opportunity to go to confession before the Divine Liturgy, you must renew your relationship with God by making a solemn act of contrition and asking God to forgive your sin. Then with an honest promise to God, you must go to confession as soon as possible (even immediately after the liturgy if given the opportunity). At all our parishes, we offer numerous times for confession and a sanctifying approach to this holy mystery of God’s love and mercy. Dear readers, as a priest of the Catholic Church, I highly recommend you not receive the Holy Eucharist in a state of the grave/mortal sin. When our church teaches us we cannot receive Holy Communion in a state of grave sin, it does not mean the church wants to categorize, humiliate or punish somebody. By this teaching the church, as Mother to all of us, wants to help us grow in holiness and protect us from mortal sin. In his first letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul writes, “Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord. A person should examine himself, and so eat the bread and drink the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself” (1Cor 27-29).
When you receive the Holy Body and Holy Blood of Jesus Christ in a state of mortal sin, you commit another mortal sin – the sin of sacrilege. The Catholic Church teaches us that “Sacrilege consists in profaning or treating unworthily the sacraments and other liturgical actions, as well as persons, things, or places consecrated to God. Sacrilege is a grave sin especially when committed against the Eucharist, for in this sacrament the true Body of Christ is made substantially present for us.” Bishop Milan Lach, SJ, Bishop of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma (Ohio), offers us wonderful advice, “When we feel that we are not in the grace of receiving Holy Communion because we did not forgive someone, or we are holding grudges, or living adulterously, or because of some other serious sin, then it is better not to receive Holy Communion, to stay in the pew, and then ask the priest to hear our confession.” Every sin wounds the soul as well as a person’s well being. So any kind of penance is medicine – not punishment – to heal the soul of its imperfection. When you prepare for confession, remind yourself that the penance you receive will enrich your soul, increase your goodness and enhance your salvation. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, I refer you to the Parable of the Prodigal Son in the Gospel of St. Luke. Jesus talks to us about the repentance of the younger of two sons. The younger son came to himself and said, “I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you …” These words are the decision of a man who wants to change himself, to change his life. The Great Lent is a time of fasting, prayer and repentance. A time to close the doors to darkness, sin and passion. A time for you to renew your relationship with our Heavenly Father. A time to gaze upon Jesus Christ our Savior and pray for His help to change yourself and your life for the better. A time to ask the Holy Spirit for His wisdom and counsel to help increase your holiness. And a time for you to confess your sins on your journey to Gethsemane, Calvary and the Empty Tomb. Our Merciful Father is waiting for you! n
“A person of faith is always concious of God” by Sister Barbara Jean Mihalchick, OSBM Sisters of St. Basil the Great Mount St. Macrina, Uniontown, Pa.
Sister Barbara Jean Mihalchick posts videos of her reflections each week at the Facebook of the Sisters of St. Basil the Great. View them at: https://www. facebook.com/sistersofstbasil. uniontown/. This is a transcript of her Aug. 9, 2019 reflection and is Part 7 of her “Fruits of the Holy Spirit” series. Glory to Jesus Christ! As we continue this series on the fruits of the Holy Spirit, we look today at "faith." Last weekend, I had the joy of being with a convocation of young adults in the Eparchy of Passaic in New York City, We were challenged on Saturday afternoon to go forth into the city and to take our faith and make it known. Well, a security guard, at one point, said to me, "Sister, say a prayer for me." So I went over and met him and his co-worker. Then a few minutes later, I thought, "How can I turn this into a faith moment for us all?" I came back to Nelson and I said, "So, what's going to be your side of this?" And he jumped and began to think. We talked about it for a few moments. So what is faith? It's knowing we are of God and for God. That our life is about doing what God would have us to do. I picked up recently again the book of Father Walter Ciszek, who spent 23 years in Soviet
prisons and then several more years serving the people in the underground church in Russia. He faced the deep questions of faith and suffered as a result of living that faith as a member of the Very Mystical Body of Christ. I want to read a profound paragraph of his, about faith: A person of faith is always conscious of God. Not only in his own life but in the lives of others. This is the basis of true charity; of that great Commandment by which we are instructed to love God with all our whole mind and our whole heart and our whole soul and our neighbor as ourselves. Faith, then, is the basis for love. It is in the insight of faith that we understand the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of all people, the Mystical Body, too. Love, Saint John writes repeatedly, is the one thing that fulfills all the Commandments and the Law. But prior to love and bolstering it at the core is faith. We must have faith before we can love. Or we will surely end up loving the wrong thing: loving ourselves more than God or loving creatures for themselves. This is the meaning of sin. To increase our love to love properly, we must strive always to increase our faith. We do this by means of prayer and the Sacraments. Profound thought. I encourage us to think about how we can increase our faith in these days: prayer, Sacraments and, also, reading the Holy Gospel. God bless you. n
Faitrh was in abundance when the Sisters of St. Basil of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Province welcomed vistors March 8 to an open house as part of a year-long celebration celebrating a Century of Ministry in the Byzantine Catholic Church in America. At left is Sister Barbara Jean Mihalchick, OSBM, with the Wisniewski family of St. John in Scottdale, Pa.
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parish news APRIL 2020
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Sunday of Orthodoxy st. michael in campbell, ohio by Father Kevin Marks St. Michael, Campbell, Ohio
On March 1, the First Sunday of The Great Fast, a procession was held carrying icons. This is symbolic of the fact that it was on the First Sunday
st. gregory in upper st. clair, pa.
of Lent in the year 843 that icons were restored in churches after the heresy of iconoclasm was defeated. We call this the Triumph of True Worship! n
st. basil the great in irving, texas St. Basil the Great in Irving, Texas celebrated the Sunday of Orthodoxy with a procession of icons March 1. Father Christopher Andrews, OSB, is pastor. n
by Father Valerian Michlik St. Gregory, Upper St. Clair, Pa.
At the conclusion of the March 1 Divine Liturgy for the First Sunday of the Great Fast, Sunday of Orthodoxy, the blessing of Icons took place in our parish family. Following that, our ECF students led us in the procession commemorating the victory of the true faith. Celebrating the “Restoration
of Holy Images,” we are reminded that during this Lenten journey, we are called to recover/restore within us the image of what it means to be an authentic human being, a genuine person created in the image and likeness of God. This season of the Great Fast is the opportunity of repentance, recreation, and restoration of that image. n
st. elias in munhall, pa. Father Vitalii Stashkevych blessing the icon of Our Lady of Mukachevo for a parishioner’s home on the first Sunday of the Great Fast which is the Sunday of the Holy Icons. Our Lady of Mukachevo is considered a patroness of Carpatho-Rusyns. n
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parish news
continued
assumption of the mother of god in weirton, w. va.
st. elias in munhall, pa.
Welcoming students
Catch of the day
by Father Vasyl Symyon Assumption of the Mother of God, Weirton, W. Va.
Assumption of the Mother of God in Weirton, W. Va. welcomed seventh and eighth grade students from St. Paul’s Catholic School in Weirton. At the beginning of the Divine Liturgy, Father Vasyl Symyon
gave a brief talk to the students, explaining to them the different parts of the Divine Liturgy. Afterward, students enjoyed donuts and juice in the parish hall. Thank you for coming and we hope to have you back again soon! n
APRIL 2020
St. Elias in Munhall, Pa. held its first fish fry of the Great Fast March 6. Father Vitalii Stashkevych is pastor. n
Csoroge makers hard at work making these delicious pastries.
St. Elias Youth Organization making homemade candy.
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parish news
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PAGE 9
st. michael in canonsburg, pa.
Lenten luncheon
In the kitchen by Barb Kushner St. Michael, Canonsburg, Pa.
It’s fund raising time in Canonsburg, Pa.! Every Monday morning from September to May, church and community volunteers put on their aprons and gather in St. Michael’s church hall in Canonsburg, Pa to make incredible nutrolls for sale. Chairpersons Judy Shuba and Mary Ruozzi mix up the dough — three to five batches each Monday — and then turn it over to the rollers,
nut spreaders, wrappers and dishwashers. Very Rev. Joseph Raptosh stops in each week to monitor progress and praise workers. Additionally, we were blessed to have Father’s dad join us each week until his recent passing; and what a fascinating fun spirit whose memory will surely be eternal! Now if you happen to be in the neighborhood, stop in or call 724-745-7117 and treat your family to a delicious nutroll for a worthy cause: St. Michael’s. n
by Barb Kushner St. Michael, Canonsburg, Pa.
St. Michael’s in Canonsburg, Pa. church members assembled Feb. 23 in the church hall after liturgy for a Pre-Lenten luncheon. Cathy and John Weakland provided the Mardi Gras decorations and their son, Deacon Lance Weakland cooked the clam and marinara sauces for the spaghetti main course entrée Very Rev. Joseph Raptosh
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blessed a table full of side dishes and desserts donated by the church members. A special congratulations to the parents and grandparents of Veronica Phillips and Andrew Giancey, the two most-recently baptized babies and members of St. Michael who all joined in the festivities. Everyone enjoyed “breaking bread” with friends and family as we spiritually prepare for the Lenten Season. n
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parish news
st. michael in campbell, ohio
The "Road To The Gold" continued Feb. 23 as we come to the start of the Holy 40 days Great Fast, our spiritual Olympics. Inside the special Easter Olympic Gym Bag this Sunday was a "Turn Only" Sign. When we take a positive step, expect temptation. To beat temptation, we must "Turn Only" to God. Adam and Eve turned to themselves and sin
by Father Kevin Marks St. Michael, Campbell, Ohio
Inside the special Easter Olympic Gym Bag on March 1, the First Sunday of the Great Fast, was a weight. The weight reminds us to reflect on two important questions during Lent: (1) Have we allowed ourselves to be weighted down by sin, anxieties, troubles, guilt, or pain? (2) Have we placed unnecessary weight
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st. michael in hermitage, pa.
“Road to the Gold� continues by Father Kevin Marks St. Michael, Campbell, Ohio
continued
entered the world. During the days of the Great Fast we can be athletes in prayer, fasting, and almsgiving by turning to God and not to other things or distractions. Turn to God by coming to the Presanctified Liturgies; Turn to God by fasting from things unbecoming of a Christian; Turn to God by being extra generous to someone. If we want to have a great Lent, "Turn Only" to God. n
Iconography class St. Michael in Hermitage, Pa. hosted an icon workshop facilitated by Marylyn Barone of Holy Trinity Parish in Wall, Pa. Fifteen people attended the workshop with eleven having a choice between writing the Nativity of Jesus or Christ the Teacher. Four of those returning did icons of their choice.
on others by our unkind and un-Christian words, thoughts, or actions? Through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving we can allow the Lord to lift the weight off that is heavy in our hearts and instead of devouring others through hurtful words and actions, others may see in us the image of Christ who is all love and compassion. n
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The participants wrote the icon on a gesso covered board. Using a pre-prepared prototype, they learned techniques for faces, garments, gilding and tooling. The theology of iconography and specifically, the Theotokos and Christ was also presented. n
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parish news
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st. gregory in upper st. clAir, pa.
Veneration of the Holy Cross by Father Valerian Michlik St. Gregory, Upper St. Clair, Pa.
The Third Sunday of the Great Fast in our Holy Church is dedicated to the veneration of the Holy Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, as we mark the halfway point of Lent. Especially as the world faces a global epidemic, the Cross stands before us as a symbol and source of power and inspiration. At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, a group of parishioners participated in the Cross Procession that took place in our Brookside Farms neighborhood. As part of the procession we prayed portions of the Akathist Hymn to the Passion of Christ. At this time let us encourage and strengthen each other and may the Life-giving Cross enable us to bear the struggle that is set before us. n
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report from the
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Byzantine Catholic Serra Club
Lenten Saturday morning at the Mount by Kathe Kress Byzantine Catholic Serra Club liaison
The Byzantine Catholic Serra Club chose to join with other registrants March 7 at Mount St. Macrina House of Prayer in Uniontown, Pa. for their annual Lenten Retreat Day. The Lenten Saturday Morning was led by our chaplain, Father Valerian Michlik, who had been invited by the Sisters of St. Basil the Great to present the conference. Serrans comprised 21 of the 30 registrants. Father Valerian chose the theme from the familiar Lenten Psalm 141: “O Lord, I Cry Out to You, Hear Me!” He began his presentation with the familiar retreat taken by Our Lord Himself prior to beginning his ministry, the 40 days in the desert cited in Matthew 4:1-11. It prefigures our 40 days of the Great Fast. Our Lord sets an example for us. He fasted during those 40 days. In Mark 6:31, when the disciples returned after laying the beheaded John the Baptist to rest, he called to them, “Come with me, by yourselves, to some remote place and rest a little.” As another example, Father Valerian recalled the story of Saul’s encounter with the Lord on the road to Damascus. Saul was blinded upon his fall from the horse, and had to be led to Damascus, where after three days of rest, Saul’s sight was restored through prayers of Ananias. So, in retreat, we follow the Lord’s call to come away and rest. To cry “Hear Me” always comes from a place of suffering. And what better example of this do we have than in Job, the Long-Suffering? He cried to the Lord from his place of pain, but he had faith that God is the Lord of both good and evil – whether or not Job was relieved from his pain. This brings us to the value of prayer. In prayer we find intimacy with God. In 1 Samuel, we find the story of Samuel’s mother Hannah, who for years, remained childless while her husband’s other wife bore him many children. Year after year she worshiped the Lord and persisted passionately in prayer and vowed dedication of her yet-tobe-conceived son to the Lord.
h 8 on the Sisters of St. Basil the Grea
Father Valerian Michlik
As we pray, God honors our promises and produces a change in us, if not in our situation. He is a comfort in our loneliness. You would think in this interconnected day and age that loneliness would not be possible. Instead, loneliness and isolation are prevalent where face-to-face communication is lost. While we may struggle and wrestle with the Lord in prayer,
he is ever-patient with us. This strife can push us into sin, lack of communication and/or rejection of God. That is why we need a time to set aside to rest in Him. We need to focus on Jesus Christ, be honest with God and not hit the panic button. In any stressful situation, we need to pray, assess the situation, act accordingly, make ourselves friendly and develop an action plan.
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Following Father Valerian’s conference, there was time for quiet reflection and the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We then gathered in the chapel for a penitential moleben (prayer service). Serran Deacon Thomas Klacik assisted Father Valerian. The sisters prepared and served a light lunch and opened the Religious Gift Shop for the afternoon. n
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Pizza party serra club hosts pizza party at byzantine catholic seminary to open spring semester by Kathe Kress Byzantine Catholic Serra Club liaison
The Byzantine Serra Club benefitted from Feb. 7’s fastfree Friday of the Publican and the Pharisee week. We held our annual Pizza Party at the Byzantine Catholc Seminary of SS. Cyril and Methodius in Pittsburgh, Pa. for seminarians and Serrans. Eleven pizzas graced the serving board — all with meat! Serrans brought salads and desserts to complete the preLenten Feast. Of course, the party didn’t start until after Vespers in the Seminary Chapel. Melkite Vespers created a particularly sacred introduction to our evening. n
Kyprian Wojciechowski and Patty Bovee
FYI The Byzantine Catholic Serra Club welcomes new members. For information, contact: President Diane Pochron at 412-303-6534 or pochrond@icloud.com. n
Riley Winstead, John Welsh, Kyprian Wojciechowski, Deacon Paul West, Sub-deacon Tim Fariss, David Mayernik
Nicholas and Addie West
Luke Iyengar, Mary Lou Phillips, Christopher Davel, Sub-deacon Tim Fariss
Nathaniel Tapsak, President Diane Pochron and Deacon Tom Klacik
Dorothy Mayernik, Sub-deacon Michal Kunitz, John Walsh
Liz and Rob Jones, Kathe and Bill Kress, David Vonderohe, and Mikhael Naddaf
Father Wil Rupp, Deacon Paul West
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thoughts for our day by Archpriest David M. Petras
the anaphora of st. basil: our catechesis The Anaphora of St. Basil is read in the Divine Liturgies of the Great Fast and also on the Great Feasts of Christmas, Theophany and Pascha. The reason for this is that it is the most sublime statement of faith in our Liturgy. In it the whole story of our salvation in Christ is told, and, hearing it, we learn the basic message of the gospel. I’ve entitled these articles “our catechesis,” but they are more properly what is called “mystagogy,” the proclamation of faith by baptized, committed Christians. In the most holy times of our liturgical year, we tell how God has brought us salvation. It is more than instruction, it is our worship and confession of life in Christ. In the next few articles, I want to show how this story is told. After we sing the Hymn of Victory (“Holy, holy, holy ...”), the celebrant prays in our name, “Taking clay from the earth, you formed man and honored him with your own image, O God. You placed him in a delightful paradise and promised him immortal life and the enjoyment of eternal blessings through the observance of your commandments. But man disobeyed you, the true God who created him; he was led astray by the deceit of the Serpent, and by his own transgressions was subjected to death. In your righteous judgment, O God, you banished him from paradise into this world and returned him to the earth from which he had been taken, but provided for him the salvation of rebirth
in your Christ.” The story of Adam and Eve in Eden as told in the Book of Genesis is often called the “proto-gospel,” that is, it is the story of how it all began. This is not history in the ordinary sense of the word, but it is a
Every time we sin, we make the decision to decide for ourselves what is good for us, and to ignore God’s warnings. parable illustrating a profound truth: that God made us in his image and likeness, but that we erred and rejected his plan for life, “led astray by the deceit of the serpent.” Genesis tells us that there were two trees in Eden: “Out of the ground the Lord God made grow every tree that was delightful to look at and good for food, with the tree of life in the middle of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (Genesis 2:9). The tree that Eve ate from in disobedience to God’s commandment was not an apple tree or a fig tree but the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” This might puzzle us, is it wrong to know good and evil ? Most of the time, when I asked parents why they want their children to learn catechism, they say,” I want my child to know the difference between good and evil.” But that is not what the Hebrew means: the tree is symbolic, and “to know good and evil,” meant that Adam and Eve
wanted to decide for themselves what is good and what is evil, and not listen to God, who in his loving-kindness tells us what is good for our lives and what is dangerous to our souls. That is why the serpent tempts Eve with the biggest lie ever told, “your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods, who know good and evil. (Genesis 3:5)” We see here how evil lies can be. The two trees were bound together, and so eating in disobedience to God of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they were deprived also of the tree of life, and death entered the world, God telling Adam those terrible words, “For you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19). We are no longer innocent. Every time we sin, we make the decision to decide for ourselves what is good for us, and to ignore God’s warnings. Sometimes we identify sin with impurity, but there are other sins: anger, envy, injustice to others, lying, cheating, stealing, and St. Basil even notes, “When someone steals another's clothes, we call them a thief. Should we not give the same name to one who could clothe the naked and does not? The bread in your cupboard belongs to the hungry; the coat unused in your closet belongs to the one who needs it; the shoes rotting in your closet belong to the one who has no shoes; the money which you hoard up belongs to the poor.” All of these sins bring death, all these are “eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” The Anaphora, however, continues, “provided for him (Adam, the human being) the salvation of rebirth in your
Christ.” We see this liturgically in the Great Fast. The exile of Adam and Eve from the tree of life because of their sin is now reversed. Jesus did not do this by bringing us back to paradise, but by bringing paradise to us. The Kontakion of the Sunday of the Holy Cross speaks of the tree of life: “No longer does the flaming sword guard the gates of Eden, for the tree of the cross has come to quench it wondrously. The sting of death (which St. Paul calls “sin,” in 1 Corinthians 15:56) and the victory of Hades have been driven out. For you, O my Savior, stood and called out to those in Hades: Enter again into paradise.” Adam and Eve were turned away from the Tree of Life, but Christ has opened up the Tree of Life for us again. The tree of life is the wood of the cross. This is reaffirmed frequently in the Liturgy of the Cross, especially in the Divine Praises. On Friday in Tone 2, we sing, “On the tree of the Cross, you become the second Adam, you have come to find your flock that was lost and to give life to the world.” On Friday in Tone 3, we sing,”On the pine, the cypress and the cedar, you are lifted up, O Lamb of God to save those who in faith venerate your voluntary crucifixion.” This is from the tradition that our Lord’s cross was made up of wood from three different trees. Finally, on Friday in Tone 8, we sing: “In the middle of Eden, a tree brought forth death, in the middle of the earth (referring here to Jerusalem) a tree brought forth life. By tasting the former, we fell into corruption, from the latter, we received the joy of immortality." n
BYZANTINE DIVINE LITURGY View Liturgical Services (various times) streamed LIVE online at:
St. John the Baptist Cathedral, Munhall, Pa. www.stjohnsbyzantinecathedral.com
St. John Chrysostom, Pittsburgh, Pa. www.sjcbcc.com
Holy Ghost, McKees Rocks, Pa. www.youtube.com then type Holy Ghost Church Live Stream
St. Gregory, Upper St. Clair, Pa. www.facebook.com/stgregoryusc
SS. Peter and Paul, Braddock, Pa. https://www.facebook.com/SSPeterPaulBraddock/
St. Michael, Campbell, Ohio www.facebook.com/st.michaelsbyz.campbell
St. Elias, Munhall, Pa. facebook.com/StEliasByzantineCatholicChurch/
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Catholic News Service Newswire Pope makes mini-pilgrimage outside Vatican to pray for end of pandemic “mary is a mother, and a mother worries above all about the health of her children” by Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service
ROME — With Italy on lockdown and Rome streets almost deserted, Pope Francis left the Vatican March 15 in a mini-pilgrimage to an icon and to a crucifix associated with miraculous interventions to save the city and its people. The icon is "Salus Populi Romani" (health of the Roman people) in the Basilica of St. Mary Major and the crucifix, which Romans call the "Miraculous Crucifix," is housed in the Church of St. Marcellus on Via del Corso, a usually crowded street of shops leading to the central Piazza Venezia. Shortly after 4 p.m., the Vatican said, Pope Francis was driven, with a small police escort, to the Basilica of St. Mary Major. Joined by Polish Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko, archpriest of the basilica, he entered the Pauline Chapel where the "Salus Populi Romani" icon looks down from high above the altar. The pope laid a bouquet of yellow and white flowers on the altar and sat in prayer in front of the chapel's famous icon of Mary and the child Jesus. Pope Francis prays before the icon often, including before and after every trip he makes abroad. In the late 1500s,
St. Francis Borgia, the third superior general of the Jesuit order, started giving a copy of the icon to every Jesuit going out on mission. According to Cardinal Rylko, Jesuit Father Matteo Ricci carried his to China and gave it to the emperor. But, long before that, the image was connected to the faith of the Roman people in times of dire health emergencies. According to legend, late in the 6th century Pope Gregory I had the icon carried through the streets of Rome in prayer that the Black Plague would end, and in 1837, Pope Gregory XVI prayed before the image for an end to a devastating cholera outbreak. Leading the recitation of the rosary in 2013 at St. Mary Major, Pope Francis said, "Mary is a mother, and a mother worries above all about the health of her children; she knows how to care for them always with great and tender love. Our Lady guards our health." The crucifix at the church of St. Marcellus is a 15th-century wooden crucifix that survived a fire in 1519 that burned to the ground the original church on the site. The morning after the fire, while the ruins were still smoldering, people found the crucifix intact. Some Catholics began gathering
Pope Francis prays in front of a crucifix at the Church of St. Marcellus in Rome March 15, 2020. The crucifix was carried through Rome in 1522 during the "Great Plague." The pope prayed as coronavirus deaths in Italy peaked at 368 in a 24-hour period, bringing the total number of deaths to 1,809 out of 24,747 cases. Catholic News Service photo/Vatican Media.
every Friday evening to pray together, eventually forming the Confraternity of the Most Holy Crucifix. In 1522, in the midst of the great plague in Rome, the faithful carried the crucifix in procession throughout the city for 16 days. According to an article on the website of TV2000, the Italian bishops' television station, devotion to the crucifix led the city's people to defy "the authorities, who for fear that the contagion would spread further, had banned all gatherings of people." The situation was similar when the pope, stopping his car on the Via del Corso, made a point of walking to the church
"as in pilgrimage," said Matteo Bruni, director of the Vatican press office. "With his prayer, the Holy Father invoked the end of the pandemic striking Italy and the world, imploring healing for the many people who are sick, remembering the many victims and asking that their family and friends find consolation and comfort," Bruni said. The pope, he added, also prayed as he did that morning at Mass, for health care workers, doctors, nurses and all those who are still working in Italy so that necessary services are guaranteed even amid the lockdown. n
Pope chooses “synodality” as theme for 2022 synod “‘synodality,’ which literally means ‘walking together,’ has become a key topic of pope francis’ pontificate” by Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis has decided the next world Synod of Bishops at the Vatican, which will take place in October 2022, will have the theme: "For a synodal church: Communion, participation and mission." The Vatican announced the choice of "synodality" as the theme in a brief communique March 7. "Synodality," which literally means "walking together," has become a key topic of Pope Francis' pontificate, but one which has raised questions and even confusion. The basic idea in the pope's teaching is that the grace of baptism makes one part of the body of the church and, therefore, responsible
for its life and mission. In a hierarchical church, that shared responsibility calls for regular, serious and structural forums for listening to all members of the church. At the same time, as the pope has said, it does not mean putting decisions to a vote as if a synod were a parliament. In 2018, the International Theological Commission, which advises the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, published a document on the topic, "Synodality In the Life and Mission of the Church." Synodality, which has been present in Christianity since its very beginning, the document said, is not simply about involving people in decision making, but involving all the baptized in discerning God's will and listening to the Holy Spirit. The goal, it said, always
is to find the best ways for every baptized person to fulfill the church's mission of proclaiming God's love and salvation in Jesus Christ to the world. Regarding questions that continue to be raised about the similarities and differences between synodality and a democratic form of church governance, the commission wrote: "A synodal church is a church of participation and co-responsibility. In exercising synodality she is called to give expression to the participation of all, according to each one's calling, with the authority conferred by Christ on the College of Bishops headed by the pope. Participation is based on the fact that all the faithful are qualified and called to serve each other through the gifts they have all received from the
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Bishops walk in procession from St. Peter's Basilica at the start of the Synod of Bishops for the Amazon at the Vatican in this Oct. 7, 2019, file photo. Pope Francis has chosen the theme of "synodality" for the next synod in 2022. (Catholic News Service photo/Paul Haring.
Holy Spirit." At the same time, it said, "the authority of pastors is a specific gift of the Spirit of Christ the head for the upbuilding of the entire body, not a delegated and representative function of the people." n
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Called to serve
bishop giorgio gallaro apppointed secretary of the congregation for eastern catholic churches Press release
It was announced from the Vatican on Feb. 25 that Pope Francis appointed Bishop George D. Gallaro, JCOL, JCOD, STL Secretary of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches with the personal title of Archbishop. Prior to this, he was the bishop of the Eparchy of Piana degli Albenisi in Sicily. Archbishop George was born in Pozzallo, Sicily on January 16, 1948. He holds both American and Italian citizenship. A priest of the Melkite Eparchy of Newton, Massachusetts, his seminary studies where completed in both Italy and America, and he was ordained a priest on May 27, 1972. After serving several Melkite
and Ukrainian parishes, he was accepted for ministry in the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh on December 7, 2004. Here he was the Syncellus for Canonical Services, Judicial Vicar, Member of the Presbyteral Council and of the Intereparchial Canonical Commission, and Personal Formation Advisor and member of the faculty of SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary. A prolific writer, he has published numerous articles and authored several books. Additionally his other responsibilities included consultor for the Congregation for the Eastern Churches, member and past president of the Society for the Law of the Eastern Churches, and member of the Canon Law Society of
around the archeparchy POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE: ANNUAL SPAGHETTI DINNER — 1-5 p.m. April 26. SS. Peter and Paul, 701 Foster Ave., Duquesne, Pa. Cost: $9 for adults, $5 for age 10 years and under. No cost for age 5 and under. There will also be raffles and auctions. Sponsored by the SS. Peter and Paul Parish Club.
America. He also served as administrator of St. Andrew Church, Gibsonia, Pa. While he was with his own Eparchy of Newton, Father George was Chancellor, Judicial Vicar, Rector of St. Gregory Seminary, Director of the Diaconate Program and Coordinator of Continuing Education for Clergy. Among other past duties, he was also the instructor of Catechetics and Defender of the Bond in the Marriage Tribunal of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, and a Lecturer of Canon Law at Boston Theological Institute. On March 31, 2015, then Father George was appointed the bishop of the the Byzantine (Italo-Albenisi) Eparchy of Piana degli Albenisi in Sicily. He was ordained to the episcopacy on June 28, 2015 in the Cathedral of St. Demetrius in Piana degli Albenisi. Metropolitan William Skurla attended his ordination and enthronement. May God grant to His servant Archbishop George peace, health and happiness for many blessed years! n
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Sundays at 9:00 a.m. WEDO Radio 810 AM McKeesport, Pa. Broadcast live from Holy Ghost Church McKees Rocks, Pa.
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Archbishop William Skurla presents Bishop George D. Gallaro with his crown at his enthronement in 2015.
dates to remember APRIL 5 Palm Sunday — Entrance of our Lord into Jersusalem APRIL 6 to 11 Holy Week CHANCERY CLOSED April 9 to 10 APRIL 10 Great and Holy Friday APRIL 12 Pascha —The Glorious Feast of the Resurrection of Our Lord APRIL 13 Bright Monday CHANCERY CLOSED APRIL 18 Eighth anniversary of Archbishop William’s Enthronement
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