730 Washington Avenue + Carnegie + PA + 15106
E-mail: Rectory: 412-279-4652 holytrinitycarnegie @gmail.com Office Hours: Website: M-W-F 9:00 a.m www.htucc.com to 12:00 p.m. Fax: Facebook: @Holy Trinity 412-279-5109 Ukrainian Catholic Pyrohy: Church 412-276-9897 Instagram: @holytrinitycarnegie
Fr. Jason Charron, Pastor Fr. Ivan Smereka
Fr. Deacon Myron Spak
Confessions
3:00 to 3:45 on Saturday or by appointment
Divine Liturgy
Saturday 4:00 p.m. (Eng.) 8:30 a.m. (Ukr.) and 11:00 a.m. (Eng.)
Diocese of St. Josaphat stjosaphateparchy.com
March 2020 vember 2019 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1st Sunday of Bible study Presanctified Pyrohy Pyrohy Catechetical the Great 7:30 pm Liturgy 7pm Women’s Presanctified Conference Fast night 7 pm Liturgy 6pm Ambridge 10 am Dinner @9:30am Choir afterward Vespers practice 6 pm
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 2nd Sunday Bible study Presanctified Pyrohy Pyrohy 3rd All of the Great 7:30 pm Liturgy 7pm Presanctified Souls Fast Liturgy 6pm 9am 10 am Dinner Vespers and Choir afterward Apologetic
practice class 6 pm
15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Veneration Bible study Presanctified Pyrohy Pyrohy 4th All of the Cross 7:30 pm Liturgy 7pm Presanctified Souls 10 am Liturgy 6pm 9am Choir Dinner Vespers and practice afterward Apologetics
class 6 pm 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
4th Sunday Bible study Annunciation Pyrohy Pyrohy Akafist Great Canon of Saturday – of the 7:30 pm St. Andrew of Vesperal Men’s night Presanctified Divine Liturgy 7:30 pm Liturgy 6pm Akafist 9am Great Fast Crete Vespers and 10 am 7pm 7pm Dinner Apologetics Choir afterward class 6 pm
practice 29 30 31 5th Sunday Pyrohy Pyrohy of the 8am 8am Great Fast Bible study 10 am 7:30 pm Choir
March 8th, 2020 2nd Sunday of the Great Fast From the Desk of the Pastor…
Dear Friends,
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
In light of a number of conversations I’ve had over the past week with people, I thought it good timing to discuss the topics of Communion and the Coronavirus.
First, we should always approach the holy chalice with great caution. We hear this advice in Holy Scripture itself: “Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died” (1 Corinthians 11:28-30). Out of primary concern for our soul, we should be mindful of our state before we come to Holy Communion. Have I confessed my sins? Have I confessed them within the past two months? Am I prepared to receive the Eucharist? Surely, nobody sins by deferring the reception of Communion until such a time as he/she is better disposed. St. Paul in the above passage says that many of his audience are weak and ill because they approach so great a mystery without first discerning.
That having been said, it’s an odd facet of human nature that the moment the possibility of bodily illness is linked to receiving communion then people pause their desire to approach the chalice. We have even had churches in different corners of the world cancel all Sunday services for fear of spreading this virus. Now, I’ll be the first to say that we do have to be vigilant and take extra precautions, especially in washing our hands and covering our coughs and sneezes. But, receiving Holy Communion is not at the top of the list of ways to contract a deadly disease. Currently the US Center for Disease Control states that “a theoretic risk of transmitting infectious diseases by using a common communion cup exists, but that the risk is so small that it is undetectable” (emphasis mine). Interestingly, there have been no documented cases of outbreaks of infectious diseases allegedly linked to the use of a common communion cup, despite inquiries made into this possibility since 1903 in both the US and Britain. Nevertheless, people are quick to highlight Holy Communion as a source of contagion. Where is faith to be found these days? I thought we believed the Eucharist was the “medicine of immortality” as we say in our prayers, yet how is it that it’s the first thing to go in time of illness! What would these people say to Jesus when he healed a man of his blindness by using a bit of spit and rubbing it in the poor guy’s eyes? Has their fear of disease caused them to stop touching money, elevator buttons, cell phones, office coffee pots too? How about attending restaurants, sports events and cafeterias? The truth is that we need the Eucharist more than we need money, phones and sports. As such, let us live with that priority in mind.
If people are serious about their devotion to the Eucharist and equally serious about avoiding illness, then should be most impressed with the Greek Catholic and Orthodox churches. When people receive “properly” in our rite there is no chance of contagion. Here is how to receive communion: You approach with fear and love, reverently making the sign of the cross. Tilt your head back. Widely open your mouth like you are at the dentist. Let the sunshine in! Keep your tongue in your mouth, (you need it more than I do) and then let the priest and the spoon do all the work. The priest drops the Holy Eucharist into your open mouth like a mother bird drops food into the gaping mouth of her little hatchling. There is no contact between the spoon and your teeth, tongue or lips. You are happy, the spoon is happy and so is the next person in line. Voila!
I cannot help but close out this topic with a quote from the Melkite Greek Catholic Bishop Ibrahim Ibrahim. I guess his parents really liked the name Ibrahim. Here is what he wrote: “We will not close our churches, we will not stop our masses, we will not suspend our activities and we will not yield to the virus of fear. We are for prevention, but we refuse to harm the Sacraments and to distort the faith and to flee in times of distress instead of resorting to the fortress of the church, sanctuary of the believers ... Salvation is not to isolate oneself but to approach the sacrament of Holy Communion, the fountain of life.”
We are Christians. That means we are prudent, but never fearful.
Sincerely,
Fr. Jason, priest and sinner PS: Next week I will have the financial statement for the last fiscal year prepared and printed in the church vestibule. I replaced the old computer and old Quickbooks program in March 2019, and have had difficulty getting the information for Jan-Feb. 2019. PSS: Soul Saturday services are at 9am next week followed by Panakhyda. Sunday Gospel Reading Gospel According to St. Mark 2:1-12 And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room for them, not even about the door; and he was preaching the word to them. 3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and when they had made an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “My son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak thus? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question thus in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your pallet and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— 11 “I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home.” 12 And he rose, and immediately took up the pallet and went out before them all; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
Євангеліє від Святого Mapka 1:43-51 Коли ж Він по кількох днях прийшов знов до Капернауму, то чутка пішла, що Він удома.2 І зібралось багато, аж вони не вміщалися навіть при дверях. А Він їм виголошував слово.3 І прийшли ось до Нього, несучи розслабленого, якого несли четверо.4 А що через народ до Нього наблизитися не могли, то стелю розкрили, де Він був, і пробравши, звісили ложе, що на ньому лежав розслаблений.5 А Ісус, віру їхню побачивши, каже розслабленому: Відпускаються, сину, гріхи тобі!6 Там же сиділи дехто з книжників, і в серцях своїх думали:7 Чого Він говорить отак? Зневажає Він Бога... Хто може прощати гріхи, окрім Бога Самого?8 І зараз Ісус відчув Духом Своїм, що вони так міркують собі, і сказав їм: Що таке ви в серцях своїх думаєте?9 Що легше: сказати розслабленому: Гріхи відпускаються тобі, чи сказати: Уставай, візьми ложе своє та й ходи?10 Але щоб ви знали, що Син Людський має владу прощати гріхи на землі, каже розслабленому:11 Тобі Я наказую: Уставай, візьми ложе своє, та й іди у свій дім!12 І той устав, і негайно взяв ложе, і вийшов перед усіма, так що всі дивувались і славили Бога, й казали: Ніколи такого не бачили ми!
Events at Holy Trinity ☛ Please remember in your prayers the soul of Helen Moskal (96). Her funeral will be here at Holy Trinity this Wednesday at 10am. Vichnaya Pam’yat!
☛ Bishop Bohdan has asked that in preparation for our Patriarchal Sobor, our parishes look at a number of points from the meeting which was held in Ambridge on “Communion and Unity” back on Nov. 2nd. One of the points was that in order for our church to grow, our parishes need to move from maintenance to mission by nurturing a culture that is missionary, forming the faithful and welcoming others to join us. To this end, there will be a meeting in our church Saturday, March 28th, after the Akafist Service, to answer these questions: a. Count our Blessings–How do we already fulfill our mission of evangelizing as individuals and as a parish community? b. Dare to Dream – Imagine: What might be possible to better fulfill our mission as the Church in the area of evangelizing & missionary activities?
☛ For the duration of the Great Fast, we will have Presanctified Liturgies every Wednesday at 7pm and Friday at 6pm. The reason Fridays is at 6pm is because it will allow us time to have a shared, community potluck Lenten meal (please feel free to bring a dish to share free from dairy, eggs, fish or meat) and discussion in the church hall after the service.
☛ If we are all in for Lent, then why not learn about the Bible? We will be having a weekly Bible study during Great Lent beginning Monday March 2nd at 7:30 pm. It is open to one and all! Come deepen your prayer life and encounter God in the Sacred Scriptures this Lent. Location will be the Church basement. Please contact Matthew at 720-556-7491 if you are interested or want to find out more.
☛ MEN’S NIGHT – will be on Thursday March 26th at 7:30 pm. Location – Trinity Acres. Come for food, fellowship, fire, fraternity and a reflection. Please contact Matthew at 720-556-7491 if you are interested in coming or want to learn more. ☛ PYSANKA WORKSHOP here on Sunday March 15th and 29th, 2pm-4pm. All materials are provided. Free will offering accepted. Please call the office 412-279-4652 to register or see Halyna Charron.
☛Parish Sviachene is going to be on Thomas Sunday April 19th along with haivky for children. There will be one bi-lingual Liturgy that Sunday at 10 am.
Weekly Collection Report Sunday, February March 1st , 2020 Sunday Regular $3,976, Candles $129, Eparchial $20, Utilities $401, Sorokousti $50, Natalia $142, New Iconography $20, Vestments $550. Total: $ 5,288. Pyrohy: $6,460.
Reminders & Notes ☛ We have Vespers (evening prayer service) on Saturday at 6 pm each week in the Church. After each service we will have a talk on Apologetics (defense of the faith). To this end, please borrow the new Apologetics books at the entrance of the Church. Return when done reading and borrow a new book. So much to learn, so little time!
☛ Your parish provided a foundation to you in life, providing for your spiritual and moral growth. Please remember our parish in your Last Will & Testament. The wording to do this is as follows: “I give and bequeath to the Holy Trinity Ukrainian Catholic Church, Carnegie, __% of the residue of my estate [or: the sum of $____].” You can direct your bequest in any way you wish: it can go towards iconography in the church interior, a chandelier for our church, toward missionary activity so that we spread the faith, toward a Catholic educational fund for young women or young men in the parish, toward church gardening expenses, toward the upkeep of our beautiful cemetery, your funds can be designated in any way you wish.
☛ Please take a book from vestibule. If you wish to keep the book, then a free will offering can be made in the candle basket. Or, if using temporarily, return book when done so another can enjoy it. Our library is growing! ☛ “We must pray without tiring, for the salvation of mankind does not depend on material success; nor on sciences that cloud the intellect. Neither does it depend on arms and human industries, but on Jesus alone.” --St Frances Xavier Cabrini. Do you desire to learn how to pray with the Sacred Scriptures? Are you interested in following the Church’s Scripture plan throughout the Liturgical year? Please take a card in the back of the Church with the current month’s Scripture readings on it as well as instructions on how to do Lectio Divina. This is an ancient method of prayer that is used to encounter the living God in His Word. You can use these cards as a bookmark in your Bible to pray with the readings each day. Questions on this: call Matt Ketcham at 720-556-7491.
GENERAL REGULATIONS OF FASTING AND ABSITNENCE OF THE UKRAINIAN GREEK CATHOLIC CHURCH Abstinence means that we do not eat a certain type of food or any other foods that have that as an ingredient. Fasting means that we eat less food. A general rule is that for a day of fast, we eat no more than one full meal and two smaller meals (snacks) that put together do not equal a full meal. Meat is to be understood as including not only the flesh, but also those parts of warm- blooded animals that cannot be rendered, i.e., melted down, e.g., the liver, lungs, etc. Meat gravy or soup made from meat is included in this prohibition. Dairy is to be understood as products derived from mammals and birds, but not regarded as meat, e.g., cheese, lard, butter, milk, eggs, etc.Those exempt from fasting and abstinence are: Children under the age of 14, Adults over the age of 60, those who are gravely ill, pregnant women, post-partum mothers, breast-feeding mothers, travelers (if travel time exceeds 8 hours), those engaged in heavy labor, those who eat from the table of others and the poor who live from charity. As a rule we abstain from meat and foods that contain meat ingredients every Friday of the year (except during periods of dispensation). Abstention from dairy and foods that contain these ingredients is also encouraged but not mandatory. On Wednesdays throughout the year abstention from meat and dairy and foods that contain these ingredients is encouraged but not mandatory.
RULES OF FASTING AND ABSTINENCE FOR GREAT LENT Our Church traditionally prescribed abstention from meat and dairy products for the entire duration of the Great Fast and Holy Week and this rule is still kept in monasteries. The reason we fast during Lent is to help us die to ourselves with Christ, grow in virtue, and to ask God to help us overcome our sins and vices. The following are the minimal Lenten regulations today, but the faithful are encouraged to live according to this historic rule of abstention as much as they can physically and spiritually. • Wednesdays and Fridays of the Great Fast – Abstention from meat and foods that contain these ingredients is obligatory. Abstention from dairy and foods that contain these ingredients is encouraged. Abstention from meat and dairy and foods that contain these ingredients is encouraged on Mondays in Lent as well. • Great and Holy Week - This week is not considered a part of the Great Fast but is rather a separate period of prayer, fasting and abstinence in preparation for Pascha (Easter). Usually the fast is “ramped up” a bit in this week. Abstention from meat and foods that contain these ingredients is obligatory on Wednesday of Holy Week. Abstention from dairy and foods that contain these ingredients is encouraged. Abstention from meat and dairy and foods that contain these ingredients is obligatory on Good Friday of Holy Week. Fasting is obligatory. FEB. 2ND
FEB. 9TH
FEB 16TH
FEB. 23RD
MARCH 1ST
MARCH 8TH
MARCH 15TH
MARCH 22TH
MARCH 29TH
APRIL 5TH
APRIL 10TH
APRIL 12TH
Lenten Activities for you to choose 1) Sandwiches for the Homeless Date (Changed): 5/9/20 Time: 7:00pm Location: Holy Trinity Church Hall
The Parish Youth Group will be assembling 130 lunches (260 sandwiches) for distribution to homeless and less fortunate in Pittsburgh’s Hill District. The total cost of this project is approximately $300.00. The Youth Group will be collecting: o 30 packages. Quality lunch meat . o Fruit (lowest price available) (Qty. 130) Please be certain each bag contains the same number items to avoid under buying. o 130 Snack packs individually wrapped. (cupcakes, etc.) o Beverages or water, Qty. 130 o Cheese (2 packages of 130) of Aldi individually wrapped o Mayo or mustard packs (2 per lunch bag) o Bags (plastic and paper no. #10 or #12) Plastic bags may be purchased at Aldi for better quality in closing) o 26 loaves of bread. Bread may be donated from area grocery stores.
Each lunch contains 2 lunch meat and cheese sandwiches (2 slices of meat and 2 slices of cheese), a drink, fruit, a snack, and two condiment packages. If you would like to support the Youth Group with this project in any way please contact Youth Group Director, Salvatore at 626-483-1844 or [email protected]
2) “Men Following Jesus Christ” has been asked to serve dinners at the Light of Life Rescue Mission on Monday March 9th. Please let Dcn. Myron (412- 303-9086) know if you and/or your friends are available at that time to help.
3) Sunday, March 22nd from 3:00pm to 7:00pm has been reserved for the participation of the Holy Trinity, Carnegie parish at the 40 Days for Life vigil. We will be meeting at the Planned Parenthood Clinic (933 Liberty Avenue) in downtown Pittsburgh to pray for an end to abortion. There is free on-street parking on Sundays. Two vigil participants per hour is what is recommended. A total of eight participants will allow us to fully staff this event. Depending upon interest, carpooling from Carnegie may be available.
Divine Liturgy Schedule
2nd Sunday of the Great Fast, March 8th 3/7 Sat. 4 p.m. Divine Liturgy for the soul of Stephen and Anastasia Zinski (51st anniversary), requested by their son Stephen Zinski. (IS) Divine Liturgy for the people. (JC) 3/8 Sun. 8:30a.m. Divine Liturgy for the soul of Katherine Volanski, requested by Debra
and Charles Walenchok. (IS)
11:00a.m. Divine Liturgy for God’s blessings upon Stein family: Robert, Cindy, Megan, Sean and Barbara, requested by Barbara Stein. (JC) 3/11 Wed. 7 p.m. Pre-Sanctified Liturgy.
3/13 Fri. 6 p.m. Pre-Sanctified Liturgy followed by common meal in the church hall.
3rd Sunday of the Great Fast, March 15th Veneration of the Cross 3/14 Sat. 4 p.m. Divine Liturgy for the health of Jim Naddeo, requested by St. Josaphat Society. (IS) Divine Liturgy for the people. (JC) 3/15 Sun. 8:30a.m. Divine Liturgy for the soul of Mariya Kalachuk, requested by her
daughter Luda Kalachuk. (IS)
11:00a.m. Divine Liturgy for the soul of John Shiwarski (5th anniversary), requested by his wife Mary and family.(JC)
Please, pray for these people: Diana Antoinette Adeline Makar Mike Makar Rosemary Zagorsky Bob Kness Ken Medwig Kara Stemplewicz Jim Naddeo Ann Kohl Helen Moskal Christy Colalella Mary Simek Steve Neczipir Don Schultz Harry Kohl Clara Wasylyk Jack Schellhaus Jean Staude Carol Ostaffe Maria Bagmet Laura Boyce John Maslany Mary McLaughlin Helen Popivchak Mark Popivchak Michalina Pituch Stephen Maselko Gabby Blythe Eric Stehle Anastasia Chruszcz Josh Carmino Trish Chorba Ray Komichak James McGuire Amy Gentile Esther Koss Tracy Riggle Sandra Mitchell Rich Hurey
April 2020
Sunday Monday Tuesdayvember Wednesda 2019 y Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 Presanctified Pyrohy Pyrohy Lazarus Liturgy 7pm Women’s Presanctified Saturday night 7pm Liturgy 6pm Divine Dinner Liturgy afterward 9 am
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Palm Presanctified Anointing 7pm Holy Good Friday Jerusalem Sunday Liturgy 7pm Thursday Procession Matins 9am Vesperal 12 Gospels Basket Divine 12pm blessing Liturgy 7 pm Vespers 3pm 7pm Easter Vigil 4pm 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 RESURRECTION Bright Bright OF OUR LORD – PASCHA!!! Monday Tuesday Matins 8am Followed by DL and basket blessing 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Thomas Sunday Sviachene and haivky DL 10 am
26 27 28 29 30 Sunday of Men’s night the 7:30 pm Ointment- Bearers Holy Trinity Ukrainian Catholic Church Parish Contacts PAC (Pastor’s Advisory Council): Social Media/Young Mother’s Group: Maryann Davis (contact person) Carola Graefin Vom Hagen (Medwig) 412-708-8003 412-528-1811
Adult Faith Formation: League of Ukrainian Catholics: Fr. Dcn. Myron Spak Nick Kotow 412-303-9086 412-835-8714
Apostleship of Prayer: Annual Picnic Committee: Jean Daniels Andrew Kurzawski 412-276-1735 St. Josaphat Society: CCD Religious Education: Tom Kerchansky Angela Honchar 412-279-5987 412-279-4652 Men Following Christ Group: Safe Environment: Fr. Dcn. Myron Spak Marika Zaliszczuk 412-303-9086 412-215-5372 Diocesan Resource Committee: Youth Group: Zac Sudiak Salvador Ramirez Brambila 412-266-6153 626-483-1844, [email protected] Altar Decorating: Church Lectors: Arlene Esterburg Al Trautman 412-279-4652 (Rectory) 724-695-8137 Ridna Shkola: Music: Olexandra Korenovska Stephen H. Zinski 412-708-1260 412-276-2259 Poltava Dance: Pyrohy Project: Christina Hlutkowsky Ted Sywy 412-980-1993 412-877-6083 Finance Committee: Evangelization & Bible Study: Keith & Mary Reabe, Tom Medwig Men’s: Matthew Ketcham Rectory: 412-279-4652 720-556-7491 [email protected] Bishop’s Review Board-Protection of Women’s: Hannah Ketcham Children: Dr. Justine Perhosky 402-443-8379 412-276-3699