THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE ARCHEPARCHY OF PITTSBURGH “humankind: be both” Sister Ruth Plante, Provincial, on Pilgrimage 2020 Page 2
Inside
VOL. 65 NO. 9
SEPTEMBER 2020
flea market finds
“god with us” online
Searching for treasures at St. John the Baptist Cathedral Page 7
New courses for fall/winter 2020 Page 15
Feast of the Holy Transfiguration
Growing in faith, page by page pittsburgh Byzantine catholic young adults announce book club By Eric Ash Pittsburgh Byzantine Catholic Young Adults
Very Rev, Andrew Deskevich blesses fruits and vegetables during the Aug. 6 Divine Liturgy celebrating the Feast of the Holy Transfiguration. At right is Marty Bovee. Photo by Nick Havrilla Sr. For more photos, see page 5.
The tradition of Pilgrimage virtual event to be a “pilgrimage of the heart” Press release from the Sisters of St. Basil the Great in Uniontown, Pa.
This year, the Sisters of St. Basil the Great celebrate the 86th Annual Pilgrimage in honor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. It will be a virtual event and a Pilgrimage of the Heart instead of the feet. Since 1934, her Shrine at Mount St. Macrina has been a favored destination for the thousands of pilgrims who come to venerate her icon. Praying before this sacred image, they place all their needs, their hopes, their sorrows and their joys into her hands. Pilgrimage has been an integral part of the lives to those who have attended year after year. However, this year things are different due
to the coronavirus. Attending in person is not possible, but the Pilgrimage will be brought into your homes and hearts via YouTube. We will be offering the most cherished parts of Pilgrimage that you and your family may enjoy together. Due to the expenses associated with this effort, we ask you to kindly support it by sending a donation to: Sisters of St. Basil the Great, 500 W. Main St., Uniontown, Pa. 15401. As always, the Sisters of St. Basil invite everyone to join them in honoring the Mother of God under the title of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. See page 2 for a letter from Sister Ruth Plante, Provincial. n
Celebration of Marriage This year for the annual Celebration of Marriage honoring those of the Archeparchy marking significant anniversary years of their marriages, names of 145 couples were submitted to the Chancery. Normally they would have gathered with Archbishop William and clergy for a Divine Liturgy of Thanksgiving for their intentions with a dinner following. They would have received commemorative certificates and photographs of themselves with the Archbishop. However, because of the pandemic and its restrictions Story continued on page 3
The Young Adults of the Byzantine Archeparchy of Pittsburgh are excited to announce a new Byzantine Book club to be held virtually and we want to hear from you! Our first step is gauging interest and fine-tuning some basics. Our hope is to meet online, probably by Zoom, once per month, probably the last Monday of the month from 7:30-8:30 p.m., for reading and discussion focusing on the intersections of Eastern theology, this modern world we live in, our ancient faith, and being a young adult in the greater Church. This group is sponsored by Pittsburgh Byzantine Catholic Young Adults, which if that describes you, here is a Facebook group to join. https://www.facebook.com/gro ups/669368746784321/ It is also sponsored by the Sisters of St. Basil the Great, Uniontown, Pa. Here is another Facebook page you may wish to follow. https://www.facebook.com/ sistersofstbasil.uniontown The first book we have chosen, at Sister Barbara Jean Milhalchick's fantastic suggestion, is St. Basil the Great's commentary on Social Justice. “On Social Justice: St. Basil the Great” is available from the St. Vladimir Press Bookstore at https://svspress.com/ and on Story continued on page 3
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letter from mount st. macrina
“Humankind”: Be both
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
GLORY TO JESUS CHRIST! Dear Friends, A short time ago while driving I stopped at a red light. The car that was in front of me had a bumper sticker which caught my interest. The first line read HUMANKIND. I thought to myself: “What is the point?” Then I focused a bit more on the small words on the second line. They read: Be Both. Wow! How profound! How appropriate for the challenging time we are currently facing! How many of the issues we are wrestling with could be resolved if all of us were simply HUMAN and simply KIND! This year as we walk on this Pilgrimage of the Heart, we need to journey deep into our being and ask ourselves some serious questions about some serious issues. How accepting am I of ALL others regardless of race, ethnicity, religion? How willing am I to step out to support those who are struggling with being included in all the blessings and peace of our country’s promises? How seriously do I follow the guidelines to keep myself and others safe during this COVID-19 crisis? How carefully am I reflecting upon the values, integrity, and morality of the political candidates who are presenting themselves in the upcoming elections? This interior journey of the heart is far more difficult than the journey of the feet. It leads us to face Jesus as He asks us: “Are you being truly HUMAN; are you being truly KIND?” Finally, the content of all the theology books and all the theological treatises found on countless shelves in countless libraries can be summed up in the words of the Great Commandments – love God, love others! We will miss being able to welcome you to the Mount this Labor Day weekend especially since we had hoped to celebrate our 100 years — our Century of Ministry to the Byzantine Catholic Church with you. You are all a beloved part of our special family and have enabled us to reach this special event through your ongoing prayers and support. Still, we invite you to take some quiet time to reflect upon the thoughts above. Also we are providing a few spiritual services on YouTube which we hope will serve to uplift you. Your participation in these hymns and prayers united with ours will all reach the ears of Jesus in one resounding symphony. In this way, together, we will glorify Our Lord and give honor to his dear Mother of Perpetual Help as we celebrate the 86th Pilgrimage in a very different way. Stay safe...Be HUMAN...Be KIND...Be at peace...God is with us...
formation through changing times; and to celebrate community among Byzantine
With love, prayers, and gratitude,
Catholics in the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh, throughout the Metropolitan Church in
Sister Ruth Plante, OSBM
America, and around the world. the byzantine catholic world
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Basilian Sisters joyfully celebrate Jubilees Press release
Beginning with a Divine Liturgy of Thanksgiving on July 20, three Sisters of St. Basil celebrated their anniversaries of religious life: Diamond Jubilarian, Sister Leocadia Sevachko; and 70th Anniversary Jubilarians, Sister Salome Yanochko and Sister Fabian Krassa. The lives of these Sisters are all about an affirmation of love. At Baptism these Sisters were given the wonderful gift of faith and brought into the family of love. They began a journey, a journey motivated by love of God, a journey by which they were drawn to live in a community of love. Each in her own way translated this love into service to the Church. Archbishop William Skurla congratulated the Sister Jubilarians and thanked them for faithfully living out that love in their lives and in service to the Church. Sister Leocadia entered the Sisters of St. Basil from St. Nicholas parish in Youngstown, Ohio. Her teaching assignments spanned 57 years in elementary education, which included a number of years when she served as both teacher and principal. The first to enter the community, Sister Leocadia has the distinction of being one of three sisters in community; Sister Dorothy, now deceased, and Sister Bernarda.
Celebration of Marriage continued from page 1 and with concern for everyone’s well being and safety, this is not a normal year. Along with all of the other cancellations, this celebration cannot be held as usual. Instead, each couple received a personal letter of congratulations from Archbishop William along with their commemorative certificate. He invited them to watch the Divine Liturgy of Thanksgiving that he will offer for them on Sunday, Sept. 13 at 3 p.m. and which will be live-streamed from St. John Cathedral: w w w . S t J o h n s ByzantineCathedral.com. n
Growing in faith, page by page continued from page 1
Amazon.com. The first essay we will be looking at is available online at http://stjohngoc.org/st-basilthe-greats-sermon-to-the-rich/. Please begin to read this essay to prepare for the first evening, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 31. I'm constantly surprised, and Front row: Sister Salome Yanochko, Sister Leocadia Sevachko and Sister Bernarda amazed how the church fathers Sevachko. Back row: Sister Ruth Plante, Provincial; Archbishop William C. Skurla; and speak so effortlessly through the Rev. Jerome Botsko, Monastery Chaplain. centuries bringing the wisdom so topical and so needed to the After completing her final education, both as a teacher discourse of today. mission in the Youngstown Area and principal. In a departure This deep and thoughtChurches, Sister Leocadia now from this ministry, Sister Fabian provoking book challenges resides at the Motherhouse. desired to serve in Rome, Italy. us to live our faith, even and Sister Salome’s home parish There she worked for seven especially in challenging times. is St. Mary’s in Freeland, Pa. years in the library of the In this time of COVID-19 as From 1953, when she was first Pontifical Oriental Institute. we have all gotten tragically assigned to teach, Sister Salome Precious to her of her time in familiar with online video had been busy shaping the lives Rome were the many times she conferences and feel even of first and second graders was able to be at audiences of more keenly our need for the Sister brought to this ministry Pope St. John Paul II. fellowship of our community the gift of her gentle ways Sister Fabian presently is a of believers, it is my hope that and her enthusiasm for any resident at Mt. Macrina Manor. this community study into St. advances in methodology. She At the festive dinner following Basil's wisdom can help inform, took great delight in learning the Divine Liturgy, Sister Ruth challenge, and strengthen our and using whatever technology thanked each of the Sisters for faith and to grow in wisdom, was available in to help those the special and unique gifts courage and charity as we entrusted to her care. each brought to her ministry. respond to Christ's call to us Now retired from the teaching Although they are often fondly toward theosis. ministry, Sister Salome resides remembered by past students, So if diving into a book at the Motherhouse assisting in the countless lives they touched of Patristic theology with sacristan duties. are known only to God. a community of young Sister Fabian entered the May God grant these Byzantines sounds as appealing community from St. John the Jubilarians many blessed, to you as it does to us — or Baptist Church in Uniontown, happy, and spiritually fruitful you are just happy to find a Pa. years! n Her ministry experience social gathering that is free of charge and are any age at all, was also largely focused on but feel you could be enriched by attending — please email your interest so we can start to gather hard numbers for planning going forward. Likewise if you are interested and have feedback about a good platform, day/time to meet, or have strong opinions if we should keep our working group title of “The Steel City Byzantines Book Club” or change it to “The Church Fathers' are still Speaking,” or any other questions please direct them to Sam Tima, who has graciously volunteered to watch the email account at samst267@gmail.com. As people register we will send out information to connect to the video chat. Hope to see you there! Father Will Rupp and Sister Barbara Jean, OSBM will also participate in the sessions. Send your registration notice or questions to Sam Tima at The Presbyteral Council of the Archeparchy met Aug. 11 to discuss important issues. samst267@gmail.com for the Clockwise from left; Father Jim Spontak, Father Mykhaylo Farynets, Father Kevin opening session. Marks, Archbishop William Skurla, Very Rev. Andrew Deskevich and Father Valerian Come! Invite a friend and Michlik. (Editor’s note: Face masks were worn during the meeting and removed for come! n the photo.)
Meeting time
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reflection from father vasyl
The First Commandment: How do I worship my God? By Father Vasyl Symyon Assumption of the Mother of God, Weirton, W.V.; Saint John the Baptist, Avella, Pa.
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ: Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory Forever! We continue our short meditations on the Ten Commandments of our Lord. But first, let me remind you of what I wrote in my previous articles. I started with the First Commandment: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall not have other gods beside me. You shall not make for yourself an idol or a likeness of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters beneath the earth; you shall not bow down before them or serve them” (Exodus 20, 2-5). The First Commandment consists of three parts: Theological (Who is my God?), Pastoral (How do I believe in my God?) and Liturgical (How do I worship my God?). I already have explained the first two parts. Therefore, I will concentrate — and meditate — on the commandment’s third and final part: Liturgical (How do I worship my God?). The third part reads: You shall not bow down before them or serve them. Here we note some significant nonactions: “not bow down” and “not serve” other gods. To better understand these terms, let us examine their definitions. The first is a phrasal verb “bow down,” which means to show respect to someone, to show that someone is very important, to become prostrate before someone or something. The second verb “serve” means to perform duties or services for someone. Our Lord strictly prohibits us to bow down before or to serve other gods. We cannot serve an “idol or god” and our Creator at any time, in any way. In the Gospel of St. Matthew Jesus relates, “No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” (Mt. 6, 24). Our worship of the Lord and our service to Him expresses our love for Him. The verbs “bow down”
and “serve” have a very deep spiritual meaning. To “bow down” or to “prostrate” oneself is an act of adoration — in this case, adoration of our merciful Lord. To “serve” specifically corresponds to liturgical service and stems from faith. Priestly or diaconal ordination is a wonderful example of these verbs’ spiritual definitions. Every priest remembers an inspiring moment during his ordination, especially the
and devoutly, you must have a strong relationship with Him. You may ask, “How can I worship or imitate or proclaim my Lord if I do not know Him?” The answer: your relationship with God, as in every relationship, begins with dialog. If you want a strong relationship with God, you must talk to Him. And that dialog begins with prayer and reading of the Holy Scriptures. I highly recommend you spend time with God every
moment when he prostrates himself in front of the altar and God. Here he demonstrates his love for God and visibly and physically declares he will serve only God, the basis of the priest’s life and vocation. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this prostration before God illustrates how we should prostrate our hearts, minds and souls in front of the Lord. We must recognize and declare that God is our Heavenly Father who we must serve every day, Let us imitate Him in mercy, love and forgiveness and proclaim His glory in our lives. But how can we do that? How can we begin to worship God in our daily lives? To worship the Lord daily
day. Begin your day with God in thanksgiving for a restful night and granting you another day on this earth. When you have a break at work, pray the rosary to the Blessed Mother for special intentions (family, friends, health, etc.) And in the evening, thank the Lord for the blessings of the day and the strength to have endured it. And as your prayers and readings increase, I am sure you will find other things for which you can pray. Talking to God is not a difficult task. By talking to Him, you will build a personal and strong relationship with your Heavenly Father. You will learn about Him, His commandments, His will
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and His incessant love for you. By ignoring the Lord, however, you will not follow Him and not learn about His commandments and the great love He offers. More so, you will not become familiar with His will but rather bow to your own will, which very often leads to sin. Secondly, I recommend you read the Bible daily. Pope Francis said, “The Bible is not meant to be placed on a shelf, but to be in your hands, to read often –— every day, both on your own and together with others.” During the day we receive heaps of different information. We hear hundreds of voices and hundreds of opinions. And in this stream of information, thoughts and ideas we must learn to recognize and listen to the “Voice of Truth” we can discover in the Bible. By reading the Holy Scriptures, we can discover the truth about our Merciful Lord — and about ourselves! By daily reading the Bible –— and absorbing its lessons –— we permit the Word of God to enter our hearts and live within us. Thus we live and remain in the Truth, and the Truth sets us free! The Living Word of the Bible has the power to transform our lives, our hearts and our families! Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, please read the Holy Scriptures every day. Please let God talk to you and allow the Living Word of God to enter your hearts and transfigure you. Daily prayer and Bible readings are the start of our worship of God, the first steps in our spiritual life. Obviously, worshiping God is polyhedral. Yet daily prayer and Bible readings will form the foundation of your lives. Daily prayer and reading the Holy Scriptures will become your sources for love, mercy and peace in your hearts. In doing so, you will come to appreciate and cherish God and His love for you. You willingly and joyfully will go to church, attend the Divine Services, go to confession and worthily receive the Holy Eucharist with a pure and contrite heart. Thus you will remember the will of God and will be able to love, serve and forgive your neighbor! And because of that love among us, people everywhere will identify us as disciples of our Heavenly Father! n
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text messages
reflection from mount st. macrina
“Pilgrimage of the heart”
Come and be renewed in the Lord
by David Mayernik Jr. Editor
Making a list of all the events and experiences negatively affected by the coronavirus pandemic is an exhausting experience. Everyone’s personal worlds have been thrown for a loop. There are thousands of people and their families around the country and world who are suffering and need our prayers. Over the past six months, I may have lost out on a vacation and going to the movies but most importantly, my family and I are healthy. You may know by now that another unfortunate casualty of the pandemic is this year’s annual Pilgrimage in honor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help at Mount St. Macrina in Uniontown, Pa. Thousands of pilgrims have made the trek to Mount St. Macrina since 1934 to pray before her Shrine. It’s the oldest and largest Byzantine Catholic Pilgrimage in the United States. Thankfully, the Sisters are sponsoring a Sept. 5 to 6 virtual Pilgrimage on YouTube. com, which they’re calling “a Pilgrimage of the Heart instead of the feet.” The weekend will include a welcome from Sister Ruth Plante, Provincial; a Divine Liturgy Panachida for all deceased Pilgrims; and children and teen programs. But I know the Faithful will miss seeing Archeparchy
priests, deacons, sisters and their fellow Pilgrims in person over the Labor Day weekend. I’m certain you have you own special memories of Pilgrimages past. Personally, one of my favorite memories is going with my grandma and grandpap to the House of Prayer when I was a little shaver (in fact, even before I started to shave...) so they could help clean and prepare for Pilgrimages during the 1970s. At that point in my young life, I wasn’t exactly sure what “Pilgrimage” was and why so many people were coming every year. A more recent memory is sharing Pilgrimage with my mom, dad and Uncle Ron in 2018. Uncle Ron was visiting from his home in Montgomery, Ala. where he lived with my Aunt Louise near their four children and their families. The memory is especially cherished since he entered into eternal life June 5. I’m glad he was able to make one final trip to Pilgrimage and take part in a Divine Liturgy on the rolling hills of Mount St. Macrina. I could tell by the look in his eye — and the many happy phone calls home to Alabama — that he was enjoying the experience. It won’t be exactly the same this year but I’m certain everyone will be spiritually fulfilled by this year’s virtual Pilgrimage. Make plans to tune in and attend. Comfortable walking shoes are optional this year — and this year only. n
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 Sept. 27, 2019 reflection. Glory to Jesus Christ! Recently, our chaplain made some comments about words. Any words and the Word of God. And I said to myself: "Sister, you use a lot of words." Of course, I must in a setting like this and especially in the retreats that I do. And I began to say, "What am I always talking about?" And I thought my words in these reflections fall into two categories: things related to prayer and things related to service. The other words I think of are "encounter" and "overflow." The "encounter" I think of, of course, is the encounter with God and we do that through a number of ways. We do it through prayer, we do it in Scripture readings, we do it
Scene from Pilgrimage 2018, when peple were able to go out and experience things.
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in repentance, confession, the Mysteries or Sacraments. We do it in meditation, we do it in celebrations often with the praise songs that we have. So, there are many ways we can enter into the "encounter." And my thought is not just the moments we spend in that, but the sense of immersion because that ties into the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We're refreshed each time we renew this encounter and are immersed in that depth of grace. We hardly can appreciate the importance of that. But what it ought to do — and does do if we let it— is help us to overflow in love. Jesus is forever teaching about love in one way or another. Think of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus starts with the Golden Rule: "As you wish that others would do to you, do so to them." Then He goes on to talk about lending, not just to those who will lend back to you; any sinner can do that. He goes on to say "love your enemies." He's talking very much about the "overflow" that our lives need to be about daily, again and again. My friends, it's all here. Come and be renewed in the Lord again and again, strengthened for life and for love. God bless you. n
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Feast of the Holy Transfiguration st. john the baptist cathedral in munhall, pa.
st, elias in munhall, pa.
Father Andrew Deskevich blessed fruits and vegetables following an Aug. 6 Divine Liturgy in celebration of the Feast of the Holy Transfiguration. n
Father Vitalii Stashkevych blessed fruits following the Aug. 6 Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord at St. Elias in Munhall, Pa. n
st, gregory in upper st. clair, pa. Father Valerian Michllik blessed fruits following an Aug. 6 Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord at St. Gregory in Upper St. Clair, Pa. n
Photos by Nick Havrilla Sr.
st. john in avella, pa. Father Vasyl Symyon blessed fruits fand vegetables following an Aug. 6 Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Transfiguration at St. John in Avella, Pa. n
assumption of the mother of god in weirton, w. va. Father Vasyl Symyon blessed fruits and vegetables following an Aug. 6 Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Transfiguration at St. Mary in Weirton, W. Va. n
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st. john the baptist cathedral in munhall, pa.
Flea market finds St. John the Baptist Cathedral in Munhall, Pa. held its annual summer flea market Aug. 7 to 8. Patrons found many treasures to their surprise and delight! n
Photos by Nick Havrilla Sr.
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Feast of the Dormition st. john the baptist cathedral in munhall, pa.
st. john in avella, pa.
Rev. Andrew Deskevich blessed flowers during the Aug. 15 Divine Liturgy at St. John the Baptist Cathedral in Munhall, Pa. in clelebration of the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos. n
Father Vasyl Symyon blessed flowers during the Aug. 15 Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Transfiguration at St. John in Avella, Pa. n
st. elias in munhall, pa. by Mary Caryl Planiczki St. Elias, Munhall, Pa.
Father Vitalii Stashkevych blessed flowers at St. Elias in Munhall, Pa. for the Feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God. Due to an unexpected power outage, the Liturgy and blessing were held by candlight as it was in the early Church! n
st. gregory in upper st. clair, pa. Father Valerian Michlik celebrated the Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Dormition Aug. 14 at St. Gregory in Upper St. Clair, Pa. n
Photos by Nick Havrilla Sr.
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st. gregory in upper st. clair, pa.
The great outdoors
Congratulations, Garrett!
St. Gregory in Upper St. Clair, Pa. held its first outdoor Divine Liturgy July 26. n
by Father Valerian Michlik St. Gregory, Upper St. Clair, Pa.
At the conclusion of the Aug. 1 Divine Liturgy, special prayers were offered for our St. Gregory’s graduate Garrett Brecosky. Garrett presented to the congregation his essay “The Role of the Byzantine Catholic Church in My Life… Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow” after which he received a gift from our Library Ministry and scholarship award from our Men’s Club. As a parish family we ask Our Lord to bless Garrett and his family for many happy and blessed years! n
Generous donation by Father Valerian Michlik St. Gregory, Upper St. Clair, Pa.
Following the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, August 9th, parishioner Michael Pillar of the GCU — Pittsburgh South Regional Lodge presented a check in the amount of $5,000 to our parish family. This generous donation is part of the 2020 Matching Funds Program. The Parish
Expansion aspect of the GCU Matching Funds Program is intended to assist Byzantine Catholic parishes in fund raising efforts planned to benefit the parish as a physical entity, its parishioners, its purpose, and/ or its affiliated support groups. As a community of faithful we express our sincere thanks to the GCU for their constant support of our parish family. n
Surprise party Dear Parishioners and Friends: Glory to Jesus Christ! What a surprise tonight! From the bottom of my heart I wish to thank you all for the surprise parade and get together afterwards in our church parking lot. I ask that you please continue to pray for me, my family, and our St. Gregory’s parish family. Your love and kindness is overwhelming and I thank you for making this day a memorable one. In Christ, Father Val Editor’s note: Father Valerian Michlik celebrated the 20th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood Aug. 13.
Michael Pillar, Father Valerian Michlik, Mike Kiss
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ss. peter and paul in punxsutawney, pa.
st. michael in campbell, ohio
Marian Celebration
First confession
by Father Kevin Marks St. Michael, Campbell, Ohio
by Deacon Steven White SS. Peter and Paul, Punxsutawney, Pa.
It’s time for a Marian Celebration! On July 29, our parish “Byzkids” participated in a parish youth activity to learn about the Theotokos and her holy Dormition Feast Day. Our “Byzkids” learned about the meaning of the feast day, the meaning of the festal icon
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and played Marian Bingo. The kiddos were given a Dormition Calendar to color and use to count the days of the fast and a flower bouquet/vase craft to complete at home. We now journey together for the next 14 days vicariously to Jerusalem for her holy Dormiton through good works, extra kindnesses, and prayer. n
SS. Peter and Paul in Punxsutawney, Pa. celebrated with joy an event which had not been experienced for many years. During the June 27 evening
liturgy, three of our youngest members — Vasyl Kadar, Kylee Raybuck, and Rowan Meko — entered more fully into the life and mysteries of our beautiful Church when they participated in the sacrament of confession for the first time. Glory to Jesus Christ! n
Father Vasyl Kadar with Vasyl Kadar, Kylee Raybuck, and Rowan Meko.
st. elias in munhall, pa.
Pirohi’s back! Pirohi was back last month at St. Elias in Munhall, Pa. The parish hopes to plan more sales in the future. n
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ss. peter and paul in warren, ohio
A busy summer at SS. Peter and Paul by Sister Barbara Pavlik, OSB SS. Peter and Paul, Warren, Ohio
July and August have been very busy months at SS. Peter and Paul Church in Warren, Ohio. Due to inclement weather, the blessing of cars was postponed to the weekend following the feast of St. Elias. Father Simeon Sibenik blessed the parishioner’s “wheels” — even the bicycle that was brought in the trunk of the family car by one of our youngsters. Yes, Nathan Sandy also got his “wheels” blessed! Another blessing took place at the vigil of the Feast of the Tranfiguration of Our Lord. Many people brought baskets and bowls of grapes and other fruits and herbs to be blessed. They then took that blessing home to share with their families and friends. The blessing of flowers took place on the Feast of the
Blessing of Flowers
Dormition, the transference of the Blessed Mother from earth to heaven! Our Byzantine Church gives us so many beautiful and meaningful ways to celebrate our liturgical life! SS. Peter and Paul Parish picnic also took place this past weekend. It was a very different kind of picnic, but it was still a good experience! Parishioners were given the choice of “dining-in” or “carrying-out” the picnic food that was provided by the parish. Many of the games that were usually part of our picnics, were omitted, due to the Ohio social distancing and mask requirements. But everyone who “dined-in” enjoyed the Bingo games and the prizes of lottery scratch-off’s. We are so grateful for our “creative volunteers” who make our get-togethers possible while still keeping us safe! n
Blessing of Vehicles
“Safe-distancing Bingo”
Photos By Victoria Smolak and Mary Anne Karchut
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infant jesus of prague in boardman, ohio
Celebrating 50 golden years by Father Mykhalo Farynets Infant Jesus of Prague, Boardman, Ohio
Priests from various parishes, parishioners, and guests gathered together July 19 with Archbishop William C. Skurla presiding to celebrate the golden anniversary of Infant Jesus of Prague in Boardman, Ohio The parish was founded in 1917. Prior to that time all the Greek Catholic people of Struthers were members of either St. Mary’s Greek Catholic Church, Steelton, or St. Nicholas Greek Catholic Church, Haselton, then suburbs of Youngstown. A parcel of property was purchased in 1907, on which they planned and got permission to build their Church and parish. A corporation was formed, to be hereafter known as SS. Peter and Paul’s Greek Catholic Congregation. The first regular pastor was Rev. Peter Racz, who served the congregation from 1921 to 1923. It was during his pastorate that the present Rectory was built. The parish was administered between the years of 1923 to 1936 by Reverend Fathers Cornelius Mankovich, Julius Dolinay, Peter Dolinay, and Victor Kovalisky. In 1936 Rev. John Gaspar was appointed pastor. By his tireless efforts, the debt of the church was reduced, and both the exterior and interior were painted. In 1938 Father Gaspar was transferred to Cannonsburg, Pa. The parish was then administered by Rev. John Stim from Warren, Ohio. Rev. Sylvester Hladky was appointed to care for the needs of the Struthers congregation in 1940. During the years of his pastorate the property in general was improved. In 1945, Rev. Demetrius Kovalchik, O.S.B., was appointed to succeed Father Hladky. His administratorship, together with that of his successor, Rev. Michael Dudick, was brief, slightly more than four months. In 1946, Father Emil J. Mihalik was appointed pastor. During his administration, the church was remodeled. Father Mihalik was responsible for
promoting the establishment of Byzantine Catholic Central School, which would serve five parishes of the Youngstown area. The school was built in 1954 on Youngstown-Poland Road. Father Mihalik also was instrumental in employing the talents of the Sister Servants of Mary to staff the school. Rev Nicholas Repko was assigned as pastor following Father Emil J Mihalik and served SS. Peter and Paul until 1958. Father George B. Petro was assigned to SS. Peter and Paul Church in 1958. Because of the structural problems with walls in the old church which were reported by several inspections and the fact that many parishioners were moving to the suburbs, Father Petro recognized the necessity of moving the church to a more favorable location. Under his guidance, a 115-acre farm was purchased on South Avenue in Boardman. The purchase was possible because of the hard work of parishioners who held bingo almost every day. The rest of the money was supplied by a mortgage. A new church was built there in 1969 and dedicated by Archbishop Stephen Kocisko on October 26, 1970. At this time, the name of the church was changed to Infant Jesus of Prague. In 1982 due to a constant problem with a leaking church roof, a new 30-foot high dome was built above the original roof under the guidance of Father Daniel Tisak. This dome was topped by a 20-foot high drum and onion dome. At the same time due to problems with water intrusion through stained glass windows, new storm windows were installed. In 1986 Father John Cuccaro as a new pastor of Infant Jesus, initiated the discovery of an oil and gas well and after it was drilled it supplied gas for the church and created a means of extra income from gas royalties. In 1990, Msgr. Alexis Mihalik was appointed pastor. Under his guidance, the interior of the Story continued on page 13
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church was remodeled to bring conformity with the liturgical prescriptions of the Byzantine Church. A one-tiered icon screen was installed, and a matching tetrapod was purchased. Both the icon screen and tetrapod are constructed of red oak, and all of the carvings were done in Greece. In 2007, Rev. Christopher Burke was appointed pastor of Infant Jesus of Prague. The dome was refurbished in 2010, due to the leakage and general need of repair. The work was done by Mid-American Coating Systems of Massillon and the fiberglass onion-shaped dome on the wooden 20-foothigh cupola is on a sturdier base. Since Byzantine Central School was closed, mosaic with the Blessed Virgin Mary was installed in the side chapel with the help of GCU lodge In 2015, Rev. Father Mykhaylo Farynets was appointed as a pastor. He and his family moved into the rectory and began re-conditioning of the rectory house. With the help of parishioners, the kitchen and floors were fully refurbished. In 2016 a Parish festival was established as Infant Jesus Ethnic Food Fest. In 2018, votes were taken to initiate the return of the original name to the Church, with the majority of the parishioners voting to return it. In 2020 we received the blessing and permission from Metropolitan Archbishop William C. Skurla to change the name of the church back to its original name as SS. Peter and Paul. Thank you to Archbishop William C. Skurla for a beautiful Liturgy and the blessing of a refurbished original cross from the old SS. Peter and Paul Church. Thank you to all who attended our event and may Our Lord provide all of us with many and blessed years. Special thank you to Byzantine Social Center at the Grove for hospitality and a wonderful dinner and the great time spent there. n
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thoughts for our day by Archpriest David M. Petras
the anaphora: the narration of the mystical supper The Anaphora of St. Basil is a full proclamation of the gospel — the Good News — of Jesus our Savior, who became a human being to restore us to the glory of being God’s obedient children, giving us the “salvation of rebirth from the sin of Adam,” teaching us through the Law, the Prophets and through his Word, his only Son, who destroyed the power of sin by his obedience to the Father and his glorious resurrection and ascension. The Anaphora quotes St. Peter that “He purchased us from himself as a chosen people, a royal priesthood and a holy nation” (1 Peter 2:9), by “cleansing us with water and sanctifying us with the Holy Spirit”(Romans 15:16). While St. Basil tells this story in great detail, the Anaphora of St. John Chrysostom says more simply, “You so loved your world that you gave your onlybegotten Son so that everyone who believes in him should not perish but have life everlasting” (John 3:16). “He came and fulfilled the whole divine plan in our behalf.” When we hear these words, we must be moved to love God, who has done everything for our glory and salvation, and merely by praying them in faith, we are transformed individually into deified children of God and as a community into the Body of Christ, as St. Paul taught, “(God the Father) put all things beneath his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the
fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.” At the end of the narration of the Anaphora, we discover that this is not only a story that we tell, but that it is also a present reality that we are living. Jesus revealed at the Mystical Supper, which we also call the “Last Supper,” because it took place
Through eating and drinking the Body and Blood of Christ, we become Christ who is God. on the night he was arrested and led to crucifixion, that the food and drink he was sharing at this meal were truly his precious Body and Blood. The narration of each anaphora then ends with the story of this holy supper, at which, in the words of St. John Chrysostom, “he took bread into his holy and all-pure hands, gave thanks and blessed, sanctified, broke and gave it to his holy disciples and apostles, saying, ‘Take, eat; this is my body, which is broken for you for the remission of sins,’ Likewise, he took the chalice after supper, saying, “Drink of this all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins.” St. Basil adds before the words over the bread, “presenting it to you, God and Father,” and before the words over the cup of wine, “taking the chalice of the fruit
of the vine, he mixed it, gave thanks, blessed, sanctified, and gave it to his holy disciples and apostles.” Not all of the ancient anaphoras contain this story, but it has become an essential part of the story of God’s salvation, so that these words are now found in almost every Anaphora in East and West, and that the faithful participate in them by saying, “Amen,” “that it may be so.” The Anaphora of St. Basil adds after these words, Jesus’ command to his disciples, “do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19). Hearing these words, we see the summit of God’s wisdom. God’s remembrance is not like our feeble memories which only give a mental image of a past event. God is eternal, and what he “remembers” is real for all time, for he is “present and fills all things.” The saving events of the Cross and Resurrection, therefore, were made part of his presence with us in a shared meal. Here the bread is his body, being broken now for us; his blood, poured out now for us. And while the bloody crucifixion happens only once, the identical reality of his love for us in his sacrifice becomes eternal, present every time we offer bread and wine and share them in a common meal. These words spoken in the Liturgy are the resonance of Christ’s words throughout eternity. In the theology of John Chrysostom, these words are like the words of creation: "It is not man that converts the holy gifts into the Body and Blood of Christ, but Christ himself, who gave himself to be crucified. The priest, who utters these words, is only an image of Christ, but the power
and grace are from God. He says: This is my body. These words change the sacrificial elements. Just as the words: Increase and multiply and fill the earth (Genesis 1:28) although spoken once, give our nature the permanent power of procreation, so also these words once pronounced, are effective on all the altars from that time until now and will be to his second coming” (First Homily on the Betrayal of Judas, 6). According to Chrysostom, then, the priest "stands in the place of Christ," when he says these words, for the presbyter obviously does not mean that the bread is “his” (the priest’s) body, but the body of Christ. It is important to note that Chrysostom is not referring to the words of the priest pronounced in the Liturgy, but to the words said by Christ at the mystical supper. The Divine Liturgy, therefore, is more than a mere commemorative meal, it is the presence of God sharing his life, his love and his salvation with us now and forever. Through eating and drinking the Body and Blood of Christ, we become Christ who is God. By our deification, we carry on his work of sanctification. By living in Christ, we give this world its ultimate meaning, which transcends the space and time in which the world is wrapped, so that in all things the glory of God might be made manifest. For this reason, it is obvious that the Liturgy is the center of Christian life, and that the center of the Liturgy is communion, our sharing in the Body and Blood of Christ. n
BYZANTINE DIVINE LITURGY View Liturgical Services (various times) streamed LIVE online at: St. John the Baptist Cathedral, Munhall, Pa. St. John Chrysostom, Pittsburgh, Pa. www.stjohnsbyzantinecathedral.com www.sjcbcc.com Holy Ghost, McKees Rocks, Pa. www.youtube.com then type Holy Ghost Church Live Stream
SS. Peter and Paul, Braddock, Pa. https://www.facebook.com/SSPeterPaulBraddock/
St. Gregory, Upper St. Clair, Pa. www.facebook.com/stgregoryusc St. Michael, Campbell, Ohio www.facebook.com/st.michaelsbyz.campbell
St. Elias, Munhall, Pa. www.facebook.com/StEliasByzantineCatholicChurch/ St. Michael, Hermitage, Pa. https://www.facebook.com/stmichaelbyz.hermitage St. Stephen, North Huntingdon, Pa. www.facebook.com/ststephenbyzantinecatholicchurch
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ABOUT US The Eparchial Directors of Religious Education (ECED) is a catechetical committee of Eastern Catholic directors of religious education appointed by the USCCB Eastern Catholic Association of Bishops (ECA). A bishop representatives, currently Bishop Nicholas Samra, is chosen by ECA to serve as liaison to ECED.
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around the archeparchy EVENTS AT ST. NICHOLAS — Saint Nicholas, 1191 Second St., Nanty Glo, Pa. n 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 4 and Sept. 5, Annual Parish Massive Indoor Yard Sale. n 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sept. 26 and Sunday, Sept. 27, Walk-Through Basket Party. Drawings at 2 pm Sunday. RUMMAGE SALE — 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sept. 12. St. Pius X Church 2336 Brownsville Road Pittsburgh (Carrick). Sale will be conducted in church auditorium located behind the church. This function will be conducted following all CDC as well as all Pennsylvania State guidelines for safety during this COVID-19 situation. Face masks required and a limited number of people will be allowed in the auditorium at one time. This function is tentative according to any mandates that may be in place at the time. Please check website at stpiusbyz.org or call the church at 412-881-8344. EVENTS AT HOLY TRINITY — 217 Fourth St., Conemaugh, Pa. n Sept. 13, Annual Parish Basket Party, Doors open at 11 a.m., drawings at 2 p.m. n 10:30 a.m.-2 pm. Sept. 20, Take-Home Slavic Dinner. Includes pirohi, stuffed cabbage, halushki and home-made gob. Saturday, October 24, 2020 – Cash Bash, 6 pm. Rescheduled from March. TAKE-OUT ONLY CHICKEN BAR-B-QUE — Noon-3 p.m. (or until sold out) Sept. 26, SS. Peter and Paul, 143 Church Drive, Portage, Pa. This will be a drive-through take-out only event. The Chicken-Bar-B-Que menu will include Tony Pyo’s bacon-wrapped chicken; homemade cole slaw; baked beans; and sheet cake. Cost is $9. It is recommended that you call 814736-9780 to reserve and purchase tickets prior to the event. BASKET RAFFLE — 1 p.m. Sept. 27, Holy Spirit Church, 4815 Fifth Ave., Oakland (Pittsburgh), Pa. Prizes for the whole family! Tickets are on sale now following all 9 a.m. Sunday Divine Liturgies and at the Flea Market, to be held 9 a.m.-noon Aug. 22 and 29. Masks and social distancing are required. Other restrictions may be in place at the time, depending on current regulations. Photos are on their Facebook page: Holy Spirit Byzantine Catholic Church.
dates to remember SEPT. 7 Labor Day — National Holiday Chancery closed
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