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Message of Pope Francis the church “If one member suffers, all suffer together” (1 Cor 12:26) The love of God breaks through that fatal withdrawal into ourselves which is indifference. The Church offers us this love of God by her teaching and especially by her witness. But we can only bear witness to what we ourselves have experienced. Christians are those who let God clothe them with goodness and mercy, with Christ, so as to become, like Christ, servants of God and others. This is clearly seen in the liturgy of Holy Thursday, with its rite of the washing of feet. Peter did not want Jesus to wash his feet, but he came to realize that Jesus does not wish to be just an example of how we should wash one another’s feet. Only those who have first allowed Jesus to wash their own feet can then offer this service to others. Only they have “a part” with him (Jn 13:8) and thus can serve others. Lent is a favourable time for letting Christ serve us so that we in turn may become more like him. This happens whenever we hear the word of God and receive the sacraments, especially the Eucharist. There we become what we receive: the Body of Christ. In this body there is no room for the indifference which so often seems to possess our hearts. For whoever is of Christ, belongs to one body, and in him we cannot be indifferent to one another. “If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with
Message continued on page 3
Byzantine Catholic faithful join annual March for Life Page 4
vol. 60 no. 2
pirohy everywhere
Homemade pillows of deliciousness for sale throughout the Archeparchy Page 7
sunday, february 8, 2015
great fasting
Calendar to aid kids and the youngat-heart on their Lenten journey Page 9
2015 Journey toward Pascha:
The Great Lenten Fast “Considering all this, therefore, dearly beloved, and placing great store on our salvation, let us despise intemperance as mindless and harmful, let us embrace fasting, and right attitudes along with it; let us display a renewed lifestyle, and address ourselves daily to performance of good deeds. In this way, having spent all the holy season of Lent dealing in spiritual goods and amassing great wealth of virtue, we would thus merit to arrive at the day of the Lord and approach with confidence that awesome spiritual banquet, and with conscience pure share in those ineffable and immortal goods. Being filled therefore with grace and with the prayers and intercessions of those well-pleasing to Christ, our loving God, to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit we give glory, power, and honor, now and forever, for ages of ages.” — Saint John Chrysostom - Homily for the Beginning of Great Lenten Fast
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever! Slava Isusu Christu! Slava na v’iki! Dear Faithful of the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh, As we begin the season of the Great Lenten Fast, we turn inward and look for spiritual healing. When our bodies are not feeling well, we go to a doctor or a drug store for medicine to feel better. Likewise, Saint John Chrysostom’s Homily at the Beginning of Lent described the Church as the pharmacy. During the season of Lent, we go to Church for spiritual medicine to make us better. The strongest spiritual medicine is fasting. Saint John served as Bishop of Antioch and Archbishop of Constantinople. Both cities were capitals of the Roman Empire. He asked the faithful to turn away from desire for luxury and amusement of the games. The great cities were a magnet for those who did not follow the true faith or believed in other gods. Saint John proclaimed the truth and suffered, was exiled, and died for the true faith. We pray that our faith be as strong. Saint John called his people and clergy to turn back to fasting and prayer as the medicine that only the true faith could provide. Today, we are also called to listen to the words of Chrysostom to pray, fast, and to remember the poor and oppressed. Our world offers even more diversions and alternative religions than in Roman times, but the way to eternal life remains the same. We are called to follow the guidelines for fasting from foods, to attend the Lenten services, to read and meditate upon the divine words of scripture and the fathers of the Church each day during the season of Great Lenten Fast. We are called to give to the poor and live simply. And we are called to forgive those who have hurt us and do works of kindness and mercy for those who are in need. We have been asked by Bishop Frank Kalabat of the Chaldean Church of Detroit to pray in a special way for the Churches in Iraq and the Middle East which are suffering from direct suppression and martyrdom. We ask the Lord to change the hearts of the oppressors from acts of violence against Christians. We also pray, encourage and support Christians throughout the world who are suffering for believing and trying to preserve their ancient faith in Jesus Christ. The prayer and fasting of one believer can make a difference. The prayers of an entire church makes the even the evil one cringe. As Atlantic cod flee to deeper waters and Idaho potatoes are smashed into fasting food, so evil spirits will flee or be turned to the Lord during this Season of the Great Fast. Strengthened by the medicine of fasting and prayer, we and those lifted up in prayer can be healed. Ahead of all passing things, our faith in the eternal truth can become the most important treasure in our lives. With renewed hearts, we can celebrate this paschal feast with greater faith and joy. Sincerely yours in Christ,
Most Reverend William C. Skurla, DD Metropolitan Archbishop Pittsburgh
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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2015
UPS 081500 ISSN 07442289 Official publication of the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh
Byzantine Catholic Seminary FEBRUARY 2015 Schedule of Services
•The law of simple abstinence forbids the use of meat, but permits the use of eggs and dairy products. •All faithful of the Archeparchy who receive the Eucharist are obliged to observe simple abstinence when prescribed. Abstinence is obligatory on all Wednesdays and Fridays of the Great Fast.
Published every third Sunday (17 issues) by: 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
strict abstinence •The law of strict abstinence (fast) forbids the use and consumption of all meat, eggs and dairy products. •All faithful of the Archeparchy who receive the Eucharist are obliged to observe strict abstinence when prescribed.
Archbishop William C. Skurla President
•Strict abstinence (fast) is to be observed in 2015 on Pure Monday, February 16 (the first day of the Great Fast), and on Great and Holy Friday, April 3.
Sister Elaine Kisinko, OSBM Copy Editor
dispensations
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•Pastors and administrators, with just cause and taking into account acceptable reasons due to personal circumstances, may grant to the individual faithful as well as to individual families, dispensations, transferals, or commutations of abstinence and strict fast into other pious practices. Superiors of religious houses or clerical institutions enjoy these same faculties relative to their constituents.
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REGULATIONS FOR THE SEASON OF THE GREAT FAST - 2015
Great Fast begins Monday Feb. 16
•The Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts takes precedence over all other Lenten Devotions. •The Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts only is to be celebrated on Wednesdays and/or Friday evenings of the Great Fast and also on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of Holy Week. •Other services are encouraged during the season of the Great Fast, but only those in keeping with the traditions of the Byzantine Catholic Church, namely: Lenten Vespers, Lenten Hours, Akathist to the Passion, and Lenten Devotions. •On Wednesday of Holy Week, the Office of the Holy Anointing may be incorporated into the Presanctified Divine Liturgy.
Pittsburgh Protopresbytery Great Fast Vespers schedule of services 4:00 p.m.*
Sunday, February 22 SS. Peter & Paul Church - Tarentum, Pa. Father Wesley Mash, homilist | Deacon Paul Simko Sunday, March 1 Cathedral of St. John the Baptist - Munhall, Pa. Father Frank Firko, homilist | Deacon Timothy Corbett Sunday, March 8 Holy Spirit Church - Pittsburgh, Pa. Father Dennia Bogda, homilist | Deacon Donald Bolls Sunday, March 15 Holy Ghost Church - McKees Rocks, Pa. Monsignor Russell Duker, homilist | Deacon Michael Meaders Sunday, March 22 St. Gregory Church - Upper St. Clair, Pa. Father Leonard Cornelius, homilist | Deacon Sean Petrisko * Mystery of Reconciliation (Confession) available at 3:30 p.m. Lenten soup and bread will be served after Vespers in the social hall of each parish.
Catholics in the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh, throughout the Metropolitan Church in America, and around the world. the byzantine catholic world
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2015
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Pro-Life NEWS from the USCCB washington, d.c. www.usccb.org
Cardinal O’Malley urges congress to support Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act
lethal injection protocols under review
Cardinal Seán O’Malley of Boston, chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), urged support for the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act when it comes before the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill, H.R. 36, introduced by Representatives Trent Franks (R-AZ) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), proposes a ban on abortions at 20 weeks after fertilization. In a January 20 letter to the House, Cardinal O’Malley wrote that there are many lessons learned from Dr. Kermit Gosnell’s imprisonment in 2013 for murder and other crimes committed while providing abortions. “This tragic circumstance led many Americans to realize that our permissive laws and attitudes have allowed the abortion industry to undertake these procedures. All decent and humane people are repulsed by the callous and barbarous treatment of women and children in Gosnell’s clinic, and in other clinics that abort children after 20 weeks,” Cardinal O’Malley wrote.
The chairs of the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development and Committee on Pro-life Activities welcomed the U.S. Supreme Court’s January 23 announcement that it would review the drug protocols of lethal injection executions in the state of Oklahoma. The court will consider whether the procedures violate the U.S. Constitution’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment. “I welcome the Court’s decision to review this cruel practice,” said Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski of Miami. “Our nation has witnessed through recent executions, such as occurred in Oklahoma, how the use of the death penalty devalues human life and diminishes respect for human dignity. We bishops continue to say, we cannot teach killing is wrong by killing.” The Court’s decision to consider the case of Glossip v. Gross, brought by three death row inmates in Oklahoma, comes after several lethal injection executions were botched, including that of Clayton D. Lockett in Oklahoma. “Society can protect itself in ways other than the use of the death penalty,” Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley, Chair of the Committee on Pro-life Activities, said. “We pray that the Court’s review of these protocols will lead to the recognition that institutionalized practices of violence against any person erode reverence for the sanctity of every human life. Capital punishment must end.” The U.S. bishops have been advocating against the death penalty for over 40 years. In 2005, they initiated the Campaign to End the Use of the Death Penalty and continue to work closely with state Catholic Conferences, the Catholic Mobilizing Network and other groups towards the abolition of the death penalty in the United States. The bishops join Pope Francis who in October 2014 called on Christians and all people of good will “to fight…for the abolition of the death penalty… in all its forms,” out of respect for human dignity. The Supreme Court is expected to hear arguments in this matter in April. n
Message
“The Supreme Court’s past insistence that unborn children must be ‘viable’ to deserve even nominal protection is not meaningful or workable,” Cardinal O’Malley added. Whether “viable” by the Court’s definition or not, he said, eyewitnesses confirmed that “the children were born alive and crying or screaming in pain, until their lives were intentionally and deliberately ended.” “These procedures after the middle point of pregnancy also pose serious dangers to women – as evidenced by Dr. Gosnell’s own manslaughter conviction for one woman’s death, and news about the death or serious complications of other women undergoing such procedures,” he said. “For all these reasons, the proposed ban on abortions at 20 weeks after fertilization is a place to begin uniting Americans who see themselves as ‘pro-life’ and as ‘pro-choice,’” Cardinal O’Malley added. “On behalf of our country and the children whose lives are at stake, I urge you to support the commonsense reform offered by H.R. 36 and to oppose all weakening amendments.” n
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it; if one part is honoured, all the parts share its joy” (1 Cor 12:26). The Church is the communio sanctorum not only because of her saints, but also because she is a communion in holy things: the love of God revealed to us in Christ and all his gifts. Among these gifts there is also the response of those who let themselves be touched by this love. In this communion of saints, in this sharing in holy things, no one possesses anything alone, but shares everything with others. And since we are united in God, we can
do something for those who are far distant, those whom we could never reach on our own, because with them and for them, we ask God that all of us may be open to his plan of salvation. n The Holy Father’s Lenten message was released by the Vatican Tuesday, Jan. 27. Full text of the message may be viewed online at http:// w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/ en/messages/lent/documents/papafrancesco_20141004_messaggioquaresima2015.html
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‘No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion’ policy reflects will of the people, says cardinal Cardinal Seán O’Malley, Archbishop of Boston and chairman of the USCCB Committee on ProLife Activities, welcomed passage of the “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act of 2015” (H.R. 7) by the U.S. House of Rep-resentatives. “By passing this legislation, the House has taken a decisive step toward respect for unborn human life, reflecting the will of the American people,” he said. Co-sponsored by Reps. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Dan Lipinski (D-IL), the pro-life bill passed with bipartisan support by a vote of 242-179 on January 22, the day of the annual March for Life in Washington. The House approved identical legislation a year ago by a closer margin, 227-188. The bill codifies a permanent, government-wide policy against taxpayer subsidies for abortion and abortion coverage. It also requires health plans offered under the Affordable Care Act to disclose the extent of their coverage for abortion and the amount of any surcharge for that coverage to consumers. Cardinal O’Malley wrote to Congress last January urging support for the legislation, saying it “will write into permanent law a policy on which there has been strong popular and congressional agreement for over 37 years: The federal government should not use its funding power to support and promote elective abortion, and should not force taxpayers to subsidize this violence. Even public officials who take a ‘pro-choice’ stand, and courts that have insisted on a constitutional ‘right’ to abortion, have agreed that the government has every right (in the Supreme Court’s words) to ‘encourage childbirth over abortion.’” “H.R. 7 also requires health plans under the Affordable Care Act to provide full disclosure on their abortion coverage to consumers,” said Cardinal O’Malley. “This lets Americans choose health coverage that reflects their values. Just as most Americans do not want their tax dollars used for abortion, they do not want their own health coverage misused to pay for abortions. I hope the U.S. Senate will take up this important legislation soon.” n
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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2015
Faith-filled, eventful 2015 March for Life byzantine catholics add strong, fervent presence, prayers by Deacon Paul Boboige
“Two-thirds of Americans c o n s i d e r themselves to be pro-life, according to a Gallup poll,” said Cardinal Seán O’Malley at the standing room only Mass for Life Jan. 21 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. It was the eve of the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. to mourn the infamous Roe v. Wade decision of the Supreme Court in 1973. Joining the enormous crowd for the event were Bishop Kurt Burnette, Byzantine Catholic seminarians, deacons, priests and faithful. The Byzantine Catholic presence was enthusiastic but dwarfed by the tens of thousands of high school and college students who, along with infants and grandparents, marched down Constitution and Pennsylvania Avenues, past the Capitol and to the Supreme Court to witness the truth that human life is sacred from the
moment of conception. The annual all-night Vigil for Life began on the eve of the March with the bishop of the Passaic Eparchy, Most Reverend Kurt Burnette celebrating Compline in the Crypt Church at 11:00 pm. Bishop Edward B. Scharfenberger, Bishop of Albany, delivered the homily; hymns and responses were beautifully sung by Slava Choir of Epiphany of Our Lord parish, Annandale, Va. After the Jan. 22 early morning Mass for Life in the Upper Church, a much smaller but prayerful group celebrated Divine Liturgy at the Byzantine Catholic Chapel at 9:45.
Very Reverend Bryan Eyman of Parma was the main celebrant with concelebrant Father James Ragan of Holy Ghost parish, Charleroi, Pa. assisted by Deacon Paul Boboige of the Archeparchy’s Pro-Life Office. The Byzantine entourage then joined the March for Life after a hurried subway trip to the gathering point on the National Mall. The March ended at the Supreme Court, where the Akathist was prayed by Father Richard Plishka of the Eparchy of Parma, seminarians, Byzantine Catholic faithful and friends. n
Pat Boboige and Father Jim Ragan at the 2015 March for Life, Jan. 22.
Deacon Paul Boboige is Coordinator of the Office of Pro-Life for the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh. He serves Nativity of the Mother of God Church in Dubois, Pa.
Recessional folowing the Jan. 21 Compline service at the Basilica of the National Shrine of trhe Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. photos by Deacon Paul Boboige
Faithful receive the Eucharist at the hand of Father Bryan Eyman during the early morning celebration of the Byzantine Divine Liturgy Jan. 22 in the Byzantine Chapel.
Bishop Kurt Burnette of the Eparchy of Passaic blesses the faithful during the Jan. 21 Compline service.
Recent events remind Catholics of our commitment to engage in dialogue, not just with Muslims, but with all people of differing religious beliefs. In this 50th anniversary year of the Vatican II Declaration Nostra Aetate, we remember our call to “recognize, preserve and promote the good things, spiritual and moral, as well as the socio-cultural values” found in other religions (Nostra Aetate, no. 2). In the wake of violence, Auxiliary Bishop Robert McElroy of San Francisco reminds us that “we continue to labor for greater understanding and mutual commitment to peace and religious freedom.” The Bishops’ Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs affirmed the teachings of Nostra Aetate in the document “Dialogue with Muslims,” released in August 2014. The bishops expressed their conviction that “encounter and dialogue with persons different than ourselves offers the best opportunity for fraternal growth, enrichment, witness, and ultimately peace.” As the world mourns violence under the guise of religious fundamentalism, it’s important to remember our teaching and recommit ourselves to the transforming power of dialogue and encounter.
Pope to visit Sarajevo
Secretariat of Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Vatican City, 1 Feb. 2015 (VIS) – Following today’s Angelus prayer, the Holy Father announced that on 6 June he will travel to Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and asked those present for their prayers so that his visit “to those dear populations may give encouragement to the Catholic faithful, may be a leaven for good and contribute to the consolidation of brotherhood,
the byzantine catholic world
peace, interreligious dialogue and friendship.” n The Catholic population of Bosnia and Herzegovina is approximately 15 percent; Orthodox (31 percent) and Muslim (40 percent) constitute the largest religious majorities.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2015
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making a difference
Protecting the unborn in a ‘throwaway culture’ by Tony Magliano
What a sight! Over 25 times from the top of Capitol Hill in Wa s h i n g t o n , D.C., I have seen a sea of people marching to proclaim the dignity of unborn human life, and how death-dealing abortion sends the unholy message that some human beings are disposable. And as I write, I plan to march with and view that sea of people once again, during the 42nd annual “March for Life” on Jan. 22. It’s always a moral and spiritual shot-in-the-arm for me. But good as they are, the Washington “March for Life” and the “Walk for Life West Coast” in San Francisco (on Jan. 24), as well as dozens of similar events at state capitols throughout the U.S., are simply not enough. While significant progress has been made to lessen the number of abortions, nonetheless, according to the National Right to Life Committee approximately one million unborn brothers and sisters are brutally dismembered by abortion each year. And globally, according to the pro-abortion Guttmacher Institute, over 40 million unborn babies are killed annually by abortion. Throughout the entire year believers in the God of life need to pray, educate, peacefully protest, donate and lobby on behalf of the unborn. They can’t do it for themselves. Therefore, please email and call your two U.S. senators (Capitol switchboard: 202224-3121) urging them to cosponsor and actively support the “Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act” which would ban most abortions after 20 weeks of unborn life. There is solid medical evidence that unborn babies feel pain by at least 20 weeks after fertilization (www.nrlc. org/abortion/fetalpain). And abortion is brutally painful. According to the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC), the abortion technique known as “dilation and evacuation,” used to abort
unborn children up to 24 weeks, uses forceps with sharp metal jaws to grasp parts of the developing baby, which are then twisted and torn away. Another abortion technique after 16 weeks of pregnancy known as “saline amniocentesis,” inserts a needle through the mother’s abdomen and withdraws a cup of amniotic fluid and replaces it with a powerful salt solution. According to the NRLC, the baby swallows the salt solution and is poisoned. Additionally, the chemical solution causes painful burning and deterioration of the baby’s skin (www.nrlc.org/abortion/ medicalfacts/techniques). In a Sept. 20, 2013 address to a gathering of Catholic gynecologists, Pope Francis affirmed the sacredness of unborn human life, and connected it to the work of social justice. He said, “In all its phases and at every age, human life is always sacred and always of quality.” The Holy Father said abortion is a product of a “widespread mentality of profit, the ‘throwaway culture,’ which today enslaves the hearts and intelligences of so many.” This mindset he added “requires eliminating human beings, especially if physically or socially weaker. Our answer to this mentality is a decisive and unhesitant ‘yes’ to life.” Taking a consistent ethic of life position, the pope linked together unborn babies, the aged and the poor as among the most vulnerable human beings whom Christians are called to especially love: “Things have a price and are saleable, but persons have a dignity, they are worth more than things and they have no price. Because of this, attention to human life in its totality has become in recent times a real and proper priority of the Magisterium of the Church, particularly for life which is largely defenseless, namely, that of the disabled, the sick, the unborn, children, the elderly … “They cannot be discarded!” n Tony Magliano is an internationally syndicated social justice and peace columnist.
Join Fr. Scott Seethaler at ‘L.E.N.T.’ retreat March 7 byzantine serra club sponsors ‘let’s eliminate negative thinking’ mini-retreat at seminary The Byzantine Catholic Serra Club of Pittsburgh invites the faithful for a mini-retreat (halfday) on the theme “L.E.N.T. = Let’s Eliminate Negative Thinking.” This day of prayer and meditation will take place March 7 at the Byzantine Catholic Seminary, located at 3605 Perrysville Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15214. We are blessed this year to have with us Father Scott Seethaler, OFM Cap, a well-known motivational speaker who speaks in both religious and public forums concerning issues of stress, personal and professional excellence, and family values. RETREAT SCHEDULE: 9:30 a.m.Registration 10:00 a.m. Moleben - Prayer Service to the Precious and Life giving Cross ** First Presentation by Fr. Scott Seethaler, OFM Cap 12:00 noon Luncheon 1:30 p.m. Penitential Service ** Second Presentation by Fr. Scott Seethaler, OFM Cap At the conclusion of this presentation the faithful will have the opportunity to receive the Mystery of Reconciliation.
2:30 p.m. Conclusion To register for this event, contact Frank Chiprich 724258-7122 or Richard Trankocy 412-672-4665. Offering for this retreat is $15. For directions to the Seminary, please visit www. bcs.edu. n
Father Scott Seethaler, OFM Cap, was born in Pittsburgh, Pa. and presently resides there. He was ordained a Roman Catholic priest in 1969 and is a member of the Order of Capuchin Friars Minor. Father Scott has a master’s degree in Religious Education. He has taught high school in Pennsylvania and Maryland and has also taught at Slippery Rock University and Duquesne University. Since 1975, Father Scott has traveled as a motivational speaker throughout the United States. He speaks in both religious and public forums concerning issues of stress, personal and professional excellence, and family values. In 1998, he received the Communication and Leadership Award from district 13 of Toastmasters International. His resources, retreats, radio ministry, and newsletter have helped many people. His radio program Joyful Reflections is aired six days a week on a variety of radio stations in Western PA. Following in the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi, who had a great love for the poor, Father Scott built a hospital for the poor and sick in Oaxaca, Mexico in 2000. n
Radio Ministry reaches out to homebound The Byzantine Divine Liturgy is broadcast live every Sunday from Holy Ghost Church in McKees Rocks, Pa., 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. over WEDO Radio 810 AM. Contributions to help sustain this important ministry are most welcome and needed year-round. Especially at this time of year in the spirit of almsgiving, it is hoped that the generous faithful of the Archeparchy will add the Radio Liturgy Ministry to their giving. Checks should be made payable to the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh and sent to: Chancery, 66 Riverview Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15214, ATTN: Radio Liturgy Ministry. n
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parish news PAGE 6
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2015
Patronal feast observed with weekend celebration
councils installed at st. gregory parish
Joint parish celebration ushers out old but good year
by Father Valerian Michlik
The snow did not stop the faithful of St. Gregory Byzantine Catholic Church in Upper St. Clair from gathering for their patronal feast day on the weekend of January 24-25. As part of this year’s celebration, the faithful witnessed the installation of the new Parish Advisory Council and Parish Financial Council. At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, those parishioners who have completed their years of dedicated service on the Parish Advisory Council were honored. Additionally, each received an icon of St. Gregory of Nazianzus, our patron saint. Following the recognition, a letter from Metropolitan Archbishop William C. Skurla was read to the faithful, in
which our chief shepherd bestowed his blessing and approved the appointments of the new members of the Parish Advisory Council and Parish Financial Council for the benefit of St. Gregory’s parish family. Prayers were offered for the newly appointed church officers [pictured below with Father Valerian] that they may “give themselves wholly to the service to which they have been called, with all fidelity, reverence, sincerity and singleness of mind.” Following the Divine Liturgy, the celebration continued with refreshments in the church social hall, where we all took the opportunity to offer our best wishes to the new members of these parish councils. n
dubois, sykesville churches team up for memorable year-end celebration by Deacon Luke and Cathy Crawford
On December 7, 2014 the parishioners of Holy Trinity Church, Sykesville, Pa. and Nativity of The Mother of God, DuBois, Pa. joined at Holy Trinity to celebrate the Feast of Saint Nicholas. The Saint Nicholas Moleben Service was led by Father Robert Karl, pastor and administrator of the respective parishes. Following the Moleben all of the worshipers shared a pot luck dinner and fellowship in honor of Saint Nicholas. A special fundraising activity also
was held in order to benefit the youth program at Holy Trinity. To cap off the night, St. Nicholas greeted everyone in attendance, but especially visited with the good boys and girls who made this special pilgrimage to see him. Thanks are extended to Deacon Paul Boboige, Deacon George Fatula, Father Bob and the Holy Trinity Social Committee for a fun and memorable night. n Photo by Deb Hoyt of Nativity Church, DuBois
Only 10 more months to wait! weirton, wv parish recalls visit from st. nicholas, looks forward to 2015
Mike Vasilcheck
Zaspivajte!
A Carpatho-Rusyn Folk Songfest was held on Sunday Jan. 18 at the Byzantine Center of Youngstown, Ohio, sponsored by the Youngstown-Warren Chapter of the Carpatho-Rusyn Society. It was great way for like-minded people - members of the C-RS and of Byzantine Catholic churches in the Youngstown area - to get together to socialize, sing and to strengthen both their Slavic ethnic identity and religious heritage. About 65 people attended this event to learn and enthusiastically sing Rusyn folk songs as directed by Pittsburgh area musician and cantor Jerry Jumba (pictured). Jerry related the history and the mood of these folk songs before adding the rhythm and melody with his accordion and voice. The crowd readily learned the songs and sang happily with each new tune. Ultimately, the participants were uplifted just as their ancestors who immigrated from the “old country” were uplifted from the toils of everyday life in the coal mines and steel mills of Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio.
The children from St. Mary Church in Weirton, W.Va. enjoyed their annual visit from St. Nicholas at the parish children’s party, held on a fine Saturday afternoon Nov. 29, near the end of a very eventful 2014. Pictured are young and old party-goers along with their pastor, Father Ed Lucas, who are counting the days and months until the good saint makes a return visit in 2015. n
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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2015
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Seven challenges to become great family leaders Deacon Dennis Prestash, who serves St. John the Baptist Church in Hawk Run, Pa. was the keynote speaker for the 2014 St. Nicholas Celebration at the Cathedral Center in Munhall, Pa. Dec. 7. His presentation, ‘Raising a Christian Family in the 21st Century’ included the following challenges for the faithful to become champions for their families. by Deacon Dennis Prestash
First and foremost, we must lead by example. There is nothing more powerful than authenticity. In our day and age, there is nothing more appealing to our family than this quality. Young people today have an incredible instincts in “picking out a fake.” Great leaders don’t lead with words, they lead by actions. Second, we need to lead our families by being trustworthy. Great family leaders understand the power of truth. They must be truthful and stand strong with tough decisions even though they may not be the most popular decisions. Children learn to respect their parents even when the decision they receive is not what they want to hear, and they learn that their parents are not going to say “yes” to everything. Third, we need to be great collaborators. No parent lives in a vacuum. You can’t do it yourself. Parenting is not a solo job. It takes a huge network. We need partners which include parents, grandparents, Priests and religious, friends, brothers, sisters, teachers, and coaches at schools. Everyone loves to put together a great fantasy football team today. It’s just as important to put together an all-star team when it comes to family. Fourth, we need to let our families know we all make mistakes. There is no point in pretending to your children that you never make mistakes. My father was always great in telling my brothers and sister in detail about events he had experienced growing up. He was a great story teller. He used this gift to tell us about his victories as well as his failures in life. He always wanted us to learn from his mistakes. We need to remind our children that it’s okay to fail as long as we learn and get better with each failure. My dad loves sports and one of his greatest lessons was reminding us that a baseball player with a .300 batting average is considered the best in the game. In other words, he fails 7 out of 10 times at bat. Amazing when you think of it. Fifth, your family needs your time. Some may argue that they need love more than they need time, but time is one of
the greatest proofs of love. You don’t really know that I love you until I act out that love. Parenting requires an enormous amount of time. Children hunger for their parents’ time. It’s easy to get caught up in lots of things that may seem urgent but are certainly not more important. I would like to share a story with you that hits home on this subject: A man came home from work late and very tired only to find his cheerful 5-year-old son waiting for him at the door. “Daddy, may I ask you a question?” “Yeah, sure, what is it.” “Daddy, how much do you make an hour?” That surprised the father as he thought for a moment. Then he answered, “What makes you ask such a thing?” “I just wanted to know,” pleaded the little boy. “Alright if you must know, I make $20 an hour.” “Oh,” the little boy replied. Then looking at this dad he asked, “May I borrow $10 please?” The father became upset, “If the only reason you want to know how much money I make is so you can buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then march yourself straight to your room and go to bed.” The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door. The man sat down and after an hour or so, he calmed down and started to think he may have been a little hard on his son. He went to the door of his son’s room and asked, “Are you asleep?” “No Daddy, I’m awake.” “I’ve been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier.” “It’s been a long day, and I took my aggravation out on you. Here’s the $10 you asked for.” The little boy sat straight up beaming. “Oh, thank you Daddy!” He then reached under his pillow and pulled out some more crumpled up bills and started to count them. The father began to get angry again and barked, “Why did you want more money if you already had some?” “Because I didn’t have enough, but I do now,” the little boy replied. “Daddy, I have twenty dollars now… Can I buy an hour of your time?”
PIROHY • PIROHY • and more!
ALIQUIPPA - St. George Byzantine Catholic Church, 1001 Clinton St., Aliquippa, PA 15001 will sell pirohy on Friday, Feb. 13 and Friday, Mar. 13. Potato, kraut, cheese, lekvar available at $9 per dozen ($4.50 per half-dozen). Order in advance Thursday the 12th from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and Friday the 13th from 7:00 a.m. to noon. Pickup must be made Friday the 13th between noon and 2:00 p.m. To order call 724-375-6652. AMBRIDGE - Saint Mary of the Protection Byzantine Catholic Church, 624 Park Road, Ambridge PA 15003 welcome the public to their Pirohy Sale every Friday from 9:00 a.m. until sellout. Four varieties include potato or sauerkraut ($9/doz) and cottage cheese or lekvar ($10/doz). To place orders in advance, calls are taken on Wednesdays from 9:00 a.m. til noon and/or Fridays beginning at 9:00 a.m. at 724-266-8642. BRADENVILLE - St. Mary Byzantine Catholic Church, 112 St. Mary’s Way, Bradenville, PA 15620 begins its “Great Fast Pirohy Sale” Fridays throughout the Great Fast (Feb. 20 theu Mar. 27, excludes Good Friday) from 11:00 a.m to 4:00 p.m. at St. Mary’s Center, above the church. Three homemade varieties include potato/cheese, lekvar(prune), and sauerkraut. Pirohy may be ordered frozen and uncooked for $7 per dozen or cooked with butter and onions for $8 per dozen. Halušky in a take-out pan enough for two also will be sold for $4. Three ways to order: phone 724-597-0310; text 724-640-2421; email catmac@wpa.net . CARRICK - St. Pius X Byzantine Catholic Church, 2336 Brownsville Road, Pittsburgh (Carrick), PA 15210 offers homemade PIROHY and halušky for sale every Friday during the Great Fast (Lent), excluding Good Friday. Hours of sale are 12 noon to 5:00 p.m. Pirohy varieties are potato/cheese, ($7/doz) cabbage or sauerkraut ($8/doz) and cottage cheese ($10/doz). Eat-in or take-out; containers provided. Pirohy may be purchased cooked or frozen. Pre-ordering is not required but is helpful, especially for large orders. Questions or advance orders, phone the church at 412-881-8344. CHARLEROI - Holy Ghost Byzantine Catholic Church will sell pirohy and other homemade Lenten foods on three days during the Great Fast: Wednesday Feb. 18, Friday Mar. 6, and Friday Mar. 20 at the Holy Ghost Social Center, 828 Meadow Avenue near 9th Street, Charleroi, PA 15022. Eat-in or take-out (containers provided) menu includes pirohy, cooked (w/ butter & onion) and/or frozen; fish sandwich; lima bean or potato soup; coleslaw, halušky and other side item specials. Hot and cold beverages available. Event is “weather permitting.” Call ahead to order: 724-489-0500. MUNHALL - St. Elias Byzantine Catholic Church, 4200 Homestead-Duquesne Road, Munhall, PA 15120 will open their Lenten Kitchen Wednesday, Feb. 18, and every Friday during the Great Fast: Feb. 20 & 27 and Mar. 6, 13, 20 & 27 (no sales on Good Friday). Hours are 11:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. MENU: Pirohy, potatocheese and lekvar; Dinners: baked fish, fried fish, fried shrimp; noodle halušky; fish sandwich. Take-out or Eat-in. Major credit cards accepted! $1-off-a-fish-dinner COUPON available. Phone the rectory 412-461-1712 for details.
Giving our time to our children is perhaps the greatest challenge facing parents today. We must always keep in mind that we give our time to whom and what we love. The Sixth challenge is to pray together as a family. In our present culture, there is an enormous struggle taking place around the issue of prayer in our family life. This was highlighted when the Synod of Bishops met. They said, “We must make a choice between the demands of the world and the demands of Christian life and prayer.” We can see these demands in public life, politics, and even prayer in school. Recently, my son who is in the 4th grade came home upset when his friend was sent to the office for wearing a shirt that stated, the importance of prayer and God’s love for
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us.” It offended someone in the school. We, as parents, must continue to pray with our families, make the choice to let our families know that prayer is so important and has a powerful place in our homes as well as our culture. Remember the old saying, “the family that prays together stays together.” I think we really need to take this seriously and incorporate prayer into our daily family lives. The Seventh and final challenge is to ensure that our children have great role models and/or mentors. A mentor is someone who teaches and guides us from their own experiences. One of the best ways to encourage the direction of our families is to put outstanding heroes in their paths. n
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Corner
Activity Word Search!
Find the words from the word list within the letter grid. They may appear horizontally, vertically or diagonally.
LOOK at me! look at ME! by Sandy Simko
It is many times an easy task to identify a young visitor to a Byzantine Catholic Church. The eyes of this visitor are opened wide with exploration as he or she sees the many beautiful and what seems to be colorful artwork on the walls, ceiling and on a screen that is in front of the sanctuary - the altar area of the church. Those educated in the Byzantine tradition smile knowing that the artwork is actually biblical scripture called holy ICONS. The ICON is more than a holy picture. The subject, the chosen colors and facial expressions have great meaning in an ICON. John Kosmas Skinas has written two children’s books introducing and guiding the young minds in their understanding and appreciation of ICONS. Mr. Skinas stresses “Icons, like all beautiful things, reveal God to us. They are quieter than most of the art we’re used to, which screams, LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT ME! Icons whisper, LOOK AT GOD! LOOK AT GOD!” The first book is titled ‘PICTURES OF GOD.’ This 28-page 8x8-inch richly illustrated book has 13 major ICONS featuring three ICONS of special interest to children: Noah, The Guardian Angel and Christ Blessing the Children. The other 10 icons in this first book include: Pantocrator, the Nativity of Christ, Christ Walking on Water, the Annunciation, Theotokos of Tenderness, The Crucifixion, The Hospitality of Abraham, Saint George, All American Saints and Saint Katherine. Each double page is divided
with a 4-feature format of each icon. 1)EXPLANATION OF THE ICON - done in simple terms 2)NOTICE THIS SECTION - brings attention to specific markings on the icon 3)THE PICTURE OF THE ICON - beautifully detailed in rich colors 4)THE NAME OF THE ICON ‘PICTURES OF GOD’ is an excellent simplified, introductory book to the meaning of ICONS - the Windows to Heaven. ‘FROM GOD TO YOU – The Icon’s Journey to Your Heart’ is the title of the second 28-page Icon book written by Mr. Skinas. “The Icon is a place of meeting where you and God can gaze at each other from the two sides of eternity.” This quote by Mr. Skinas suggests that this second book was written for the older reader since it has more advanced historic knowledge and a deeper explanation and understanding of holy icons. ‘FROM GOD TO YOU’ is appropriate reading for the older child and the inquiring adult. Here is a brief format example of the Icon called Iveron Icon of the Theotokos: EXPLANATION There was a period of time in the church when people called iconoclasts began to destroy the holy images. One pious widow was able to save her precious icon by pushing it off into the sea rather than having it destroyed. Many years later, this icon reappeared at the Iveron Monastery on Mount Athos, Greece. NOTICE THIS SECTION - if you look closely at this icon, you will see dried blood on the chin of the Theotokos. An attacking
ANGEL JOHN LUKE SKINAS
CHRIST JOURNEY PANTOCRATOR STEPHEN
pirate stabbed the icon and blood came gushing out of the icon’s face. This pirate then believed in Christ and became a monk at the Iveron Monastery. THE PICTURE OF THE ICON - rich gold and brown colors THE NAME OF THE ICON - the original Iveron Icon of the Theotokos “Burned, smashed, and buried, icons have endured a great deal as they’ve made their way from God to you. God wants you to keep His image in your heart, where, if you listen closely, you can hear His message with every beat …” (John Kosmas Skinas) Included in this second book are the following icons: Icon Not Made by Hands; Virgin of the Sign; St. Luke’s Painting of
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ICON KASSIANI RESURRECTION
the First Icon; Flight Into Egypt; Christ Pantocrator; Angel with the Golden Hair; Iveron Icon of the Theotokos; St. Theodora; Transfiguration; Resurrection; the Good Shepherd; St. Kassiani; St. Stephen the New and St. John of Damascus. As an educator, I would recommend both of these books, not only for the younger child but also for the older child and any adult who desire to learn about icons and their meaning. n
‘PICTURES OF GOD - A Child’s Guide to Understanding Icons’ and ‘FROM GOD TO YOU - The Icon’s Journey to Your Heart’ are available through the Byzantine Seminary Press, 3643 Perrysville Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15214
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BYZANTINE D I V I N E L I T U R G Y view liturgical services (various times) streamed LIVE online at:
St. John the Baptist Cathedral, Munhall, Pa. www. stjohnsbyzantinecathedral. com Holy Ghost Church McKees Rocks, Pa. www.holyghostbyzantinecatholic.org St. John Chrysostom Church - Pittsburgh, Pa. www.sjcbcc.com the byzantine catholic world
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thoughts for our day by Archpriest David M. Petras
what is the great fast? The proper and common term for what we usually call “Lent” is the Great Fast. There are actually three fasting periods on our journey to the feast we call “Easter,” more properly, Pascha (the Greek word for Passover) or Resurrection. The first is Cheesefare Week, the week before the proper Great Fast, when we do not yet abstain from dairy products. The Great Fast itself runs from the Monday after Cheesefare Sunday to the Friday before Lazarus Saturday, a period of exactly forty days. The third is the intense week of preparation called the Great and Holy Week. The term “Great Fast” is very descriptive, but I think we have to understand that “fasting” is not the only characteristic of this preparation. We often name things after some feature that especially stands out for us. Thus, we call the sacramental mystery of Penance “Confession.” The practice of confessing our sins is the most difficult part of this whole process of reconciliation to God and his people, the Church. It is, however, not the most important part, it is done only to open us to the great reality of the mercy of God’s forgiveness. In the same way, fasting is an integral part of our preparation for our Lord’s resurrection, but it is done primarily to open us to the grace of his infinite love for us on the cross, by which he trampled upon death by death and granted us life. Fasting is a tool of our preparation for Pascha, but it is not the goal. By fasting, we train ourselves to think less of our own comfort and needs and to turn toward love for others. The last Sunday
before the fasting periods is called Meatfare Sunday, again putting the emphasis on what we are giving up. It may also be called the Sunday of the Last Judgment, because we read the Gospel of the second coming of the Lord (Matthew 25:31-46), in which we are judged on our charity to others, and the ability to see the image of God in all
Every Lent should be a renewal of our baptism as we are being transformed into Christ . . . human beings. If, at the end of the Great Fast, we take pride in our accomplishments, we have done the exact opposite of what the Fast is for: to turn our concern to the other instead of ourselves. This is why it was often the custom of the faithful to give the money they saved by fasting to the poor. The way we use the word “fast” is to abstain from all food. The Great Fast, though, does not mean a literal fast from all food. Instead, it meant abstaining from the pleasure of food, as St. Dorotheus of Gaza wrote, one “must take care not to break the fast without great necessity or to look for pleasurable things to eat, or weigh oneself down by eating and drinking until he is full.” This has been codified in precise rules. For the Great Fast, it means to abstain from meat and animal products, which include eggs, butter, cheese and milk. It is, in actuality, a healthy diet, since these foods often contain potentially
harmful fats. The strict fast also precludes cooking food in oil, which would also be less healthful. There are, in tradition, mitigations of the fast, on Saturday and Sunday oil may be used, and on certain days, fish and dairy products may be eaten, for example, the Feast of the Annunciation on March 25 and the great Feast of Palm Sunday. The ancient Greek people considered fish to be an animal. In our modern Church, what is required by law is abstention from meat and dairy products on the first day of the Great Fast and on Good Friday, and abstention from meat on Wednesdays and Fridays. The fast is actually not difficult, and today many people keep a similar diet, but not for religious reasons. They may do it to protest the killing or mistreatment of animals, or because it is a healthy diet for them. Whether we find it difficult or easy to keep depends on our awareness of what we are doing. Conscious motivation makes many actions possible, though, of course, we also need the grace of God, especially if we are acting out of our faith. That is why we can never take pride in our accomplishments. Pride drains fasting of all value. There are also models for fasting. The Great Fast lasts forty days. In human experience, this is long enough to make a serious difference, but not so long as to be an intolerable burden. Our liturgical worship points to the experience of the Hebrew people in the desert. Freed by God from slavery in Egypt, they then had to wander for forty years in the desert before coming to the Promised Land, a land flowing with milk and honey. This is why Lent, the Great Fast, is sometimes called
a journey. It is not an actual, physical trip from one place to another, but a metaphorical passage from sin (slavery to evil) to sanctification in Christ. In their journey through the desert, the Hebrew people received the ten commandments from God, which are much less a burdensome code of law than a covenant to live a truly human life as the Creator intended. We remember this in the Ambon Prayer of the Presanctified Divine Liturgy, “During the forty days, you gave your servant, Moses, the tablets of the Law inscribed by your divine hand.” Another model for fasting is the forty day fast kept by our Lord after his baptism in the Jordan. Here the evil one tempted him three times with the allure of power. As followers of Christ, we must learn not to take power over but to serve one another (Mark 9:35-45, the reading for the Fifth Sunday of the Great Fast). Finally, the Great Fast may be considered as a journey with the Lord to Jerusalem, where he would endure the cross and then rise from the dead for us, “When the days for his being taken up were fulfilled, he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51)” Lent, which we call the Great Fast, is a time of self-denial, and our moderation in food is a sign and tool to set aside our pride and selfishness and to open ourselves up love of God and love of our neighbor. Every Lent should be a renewal of our baptism as we are being transformed into Christ, which is the Christian goal, as expressed by St. Paul, “All of us, gazing with unveiled face on the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as from the Lord who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18) n
2015 Year of Consecrated Life “Wake up the world! Be witnesses of a different way of doing things, of acting, of living! It is possible to live differently in this world. We are speaking of an eschatological outlook, of the values of the Kingdom incarnated here, on this earth. It is a question of leaving everything to follow the Lord. No, I do not want to say “radical.” Evangelical radicalness is not only for religious: it is demanded of all. But religious follow the Lord in a special way, in a prophetic way. It is this witness that I expect of you. Religious should be men and women who are able to wake the world up.” — Pope Francis the byzantine catholic world
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A Happy New Year . . .
with 11 more months of 2015 left to make a fresh start, it’s not too late to wish by Father Steven Wahal
Yes, I still wish you a Happy New Year … I wish you the newness of life. The world keeps giving us new days, new weeks, new years, new seasons, and new people; but too often we seem content with a strangle-hold on the old, especially old hurts that continue to hurt us. I wish you laughter. Every once in a while, may you laugh so hard it hurts and so loud that people look at you. I wish you tears. Crying can be therapeutic, washing away hurts, but tears also have a unique way of letting us know what is truly important to us and what moves us. I wish you happiness. I believe God wants us to be happy. I want us to be happy. I want to be happy. If you are not happy, find something or someone that makes you happy. Make a change, big or small. Choose happiness. I wish you God. He knows you and loves you. Take some time to know Him and to love Him. I wish you religion. We all need community and ritual to give our lives meaning. May you find meaning and help bring meaning to the lives of others. I wish you faith. It is easy to pretend that we have something. We have all learned that trick. May you believe in something or someone that will sustain you, now and forever. I wish you hope. If hope is all you have, you still have the possibility of all things. It is amazing what one candle does to darkness, what one word does to a lonely heart, what one prayer does to a lonely soul. I wish you love. Old friends, devoted family, new crushes, a significant other, an unconventional character - any of these or one of each. May you have at least one friend whom you don’t know from school or work or church or the neighborhood - someone who is your friend just because you are you. Love - give it and get it. I wish you physical health, it is truly the basis of doing so many things. If you haven’t been to the doctor or dentist make an appointment. If you need surgery or a colonoscopy - get it. Medicine is truly a gift from God, especially in our lifetime.
I wish you mental health. There are many people who are quietly helped by professionals - psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, counselors, clergy, and other spiritual guides. We don’t hear enough about it. Talk to someone. Get help if you need it. Choose happiness. I wish you enough money to live comfortably and enough money to help others. That’s all, that’s enough. I wish you would get out of debt - it benefits the lender and no one else. Learn to live more simply. I wish you strength when you feel weak. I wish you courage when you feel afraid. I wish you comfort when you feel distress. I wish you people when you
feel alone, and downtime when you feel stressed. I wish you wisdom when you face a decision, and resolve when you face a challenge. I wish you patience when you are anxious, and encouragement when you are lazy and lethargic. I wish you forgiveness. Give it and get it. Pride was the original sin and little has changed. No matter how justified I feel, nothing is worth treating someone that way. I wish you peace. We are told that stress contributes to physical and mental health issues. We all know people who have disappeared from our lives because of family problems or other troubles. Learn to let
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go, accept the things you have no power to change, make the changes you can, be discerning, be centered, be mature. I wish you beauty in nature, or art, or the faces of others. I wish you fun - dinner out, game night in, a vacation, a long-lost friend. I wish you - you. May you revel in you and rejoice in others. May others also revel and rejoice in you. I wish you gifts of love - from God, from yourself, from others. I wish you a Happy New Year, and all these things to make it so. n Father Steven serves the parishes of St. Michael, Donora and St. Mary, Monessen, both in Pennsylvania.
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around the archeparchy ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT BREAKFAST BUFFET - Sunday Feb. 8, sponsored by the youth group of St. Mary Church, Trauger, Pa. Held at St. Mary’s Center, Route 981 in Trauger, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Adults $6; Children (age 5-10) $3; ages 4 & under FREE. For information call Laurie at 724-423-7396.
Forgiveness Sunday Feb. 15 “This is a beautiful and humbling prayer service that sets us on the proper path to begin our journey through the Great Fast – a time for prayer and fasting and almsgiving, We are called not only to ask for forgiveness for the neglects or hurts we have inflicted on one another throughout the year, we also must give others the peace of forgiveness they seek. And we do it face to face. To offer and receive forgiveness, and embrace. It is a powerful experience and a good beginning for renewal.” +Metropolitan Basil M. Schott
“. . . but the greatest of these is LOVE” I Cor 13:13
Happy Valentine’s Day
Feb. 14
National Marriage Week! National Marriage Week (Feb. 7-14) is a great time to support marriage. As Bishop Richard Malone of Buffalo, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family and Youth said in his 2015 letter to all U.S. bishops, National Marriage Week and World Marriage Day (the second Sunday in February) provide opportunities “to celebrate the gift and blessing of marriage and to affirm and support engaged and married couples.” The annual observance of National Marriage Week encourages diverse groups to strengthen individual marriages, reduce the divorce rate, and build a stronger marriage culture, which in turn helps curtail poverty and benefits children. n
Official publication of the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh
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
next issue date: MARCH 1
submissions deadline: FEBRUARY 17
SUMMER PROGRAM FOR YOUTH - Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa. will host the fifth annual Faith and Reason Summer Program, an intensive, one-week introduction to the Catholic, Liberal Arts Tradition. The 2015 program will be held on campus from Sunday, June 14 to Friday, June 19, and will be directed by Dr. Michael Krom, associate professor and chair of the philosophy department. Dr. Krom is a member of St. Mary Byzantine Catholic Church in Bradenville, Pa. Thanks to the generosity of a private donor, a full scholarship is available for a Byzantine Catholic participant. Further information is available by contacting Krom at 724-805-2844 or michael.krom@stvincent.edu. Students may register online at www.stvincent.edu/faithandreason. IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF ST. PAUL - 11 days in Greece and the Greek Isles Oct. 20–30, hosted by Father Charles Yastishock and Father Edward Cimbala (Eparchy of Passaic). Only $3399 per person from Newark ($2599 plus $702 taxes/airline fuel surcharges and $98 port charges). Travel in the footsteps of St. Paul … See the Acropolis in Athens …Visit Corinth, where Paul worked with Aquila and Priscilla …Take a Greek Isles cruise to Ephesus …Visit Thessaloniki and Philippi. Tour Includes round-trip air from Newark, taxes/airline fuel surcharges, port charges, first class hotels, 3-day Greek Isles cruise, most meals, comprehensive sightseeing and much more. Join Fathers Charles and Ed for this trip of a lifetime! For a color brochure, call Father Yastishock at 732- 255-6272 or e-mail czarcmy@comcast.net.
Resources to help couples celebrate National Marriage week can be found on the USCCB’s marriage initiative site, For Your Marriage
http://www.foryourmarriage.org/celebrate-national-marriage-week-usa/
dates to remember february 8 Sunday of Meatfare february 15 Forgiveness Sunday / Sunday of Cheesefare february 16 Great Fast 2015 begins Presidents’ Day (national observance) march 7 ‘L.E.N.T.’ Mini-Retreat Byzantine Catholic Seminary - Pittsburgh, PA march 8 Daylight Saving Time (DST) begins (“spring ahead”)
See page 2 for Pittsburgh Protopresbytery Great Fast Vespers schedule See more upcoming events at www.archpitt.org
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