Orthodox Church in America SS Peter & Paul Orthodox Church Newsletter May 2021 April Council Highlights Roof repair on the house on Church property is complete Refresh of the interior of the house on Church property is finished Church A/C units had their pre-summer checkouts Discussion held regarding the Our holy Father Alexis, the with the directorship of an or- liturgical celebraons. Natural- return of in-person Sunday defender of the Orthodox Faith phanage. At Presov Seminary, ly, ethnic parishes and non- School and zealous Father Toth taught Lan rite clergy did not fit into worker in the Church History this vision. Thus, when Father Lord’s vineyard, and Canon Law, Toth came to present his cre- was born in Aus- which served him denals, Archbishop Ireland tro-Hungary on well in his later life greeted him with open hoslity. March 18, 1854 in America. Saint He refused to recognize him as into a poor Car- Alexis did not a legimate Catholic priest or to patho-Russian serve long as a grant permission for him to family. Like many professor or an serve in his diocese. SS Peter & Paul Orthodox Church others in the administrator, for As a historian and professor of 1614 E. Monte Vista Rd. Austro- the Lord had a Canon Law, Father Toth knew Phoenix, AZ 85006 Hungarian empire, the Toths different future planned for his rights under the terms of the 602.253.9515 were Eastern Rite Catholics. him. In October, 1889 he was Unia and would not accept www.sspeterpaulaz.org Alexis’ father and brother were appointed to serve as pastor of Archbishop Ireland’s unjust de- www.oca.org priests and his uncle was a a Uniate parish in Minneapolis, cisions. In October of 1890, www.orthodoxfellowship.org bishop in the Uniate church. Minnesota. Like another Abra- there was a meeting of eight of He received an excellent edu- ham, he left his country and his The Right Reverend DANIEL the ten Uniate priests in Ameri- Bishop of Santa Rosa caon and knew several lan- relatives to fulfill the will of ca at Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Rector guages (Carpatho-Russian, God (Gen 12:1). under the chairmanship of Fa- 480.287.0240 Mobile Hungarian, Russian, German, [email protected] Upon his arrival in America, ther Toth. By this time the Lan, and a reading knowledge ArchpriestDavidBalmer, Attached Father Alexis presented him- American bishops had written Retired of Greek). He married Rosalie self to the local Roman Catho- to Rome demanding the recall Mihalich, a priest’s daughter, Deacon John Weiss lic diocesan authority, Arch- to Europe of all Uniate priests in and was ordained on April 18, bishop John Ireland, since America, fearing that Uniate Andrew Evans 1878 to serve as second priest Council President there was no Uniate bishop in priests and parishes would hin- 480.948.7929 in a Uniate parish. His wife America at that me. Arch- der the assimilation of immi- died soon aerwards, followed bishop Ireland belonged to the grants into American culture. Barbara Harp by their only child—losses Choir Director party of American Catholics Uniate bishops in Europe re- [email protected] which the saint endured with who favored the fused to listen to the priests’ Stephanie A. Homyak the paence of Job. Church School Director “Americanizaon” of all Ro- pleas for help. Newsletter Editor In May, 1879, Father Alexis was man Catholics. His vision for Archbishop Ireland sent a letter 602.432.7473 appointed secretary to the Bish- the future was founded on a [email protected] to his parishes ordering their op of Presov and also Adminis- common faith, customs, and members not to attend Father Heather Pfeiffer trator of the Diocesan Admin- the use of the English lan- Myrrhbearers Altar Society Toth’s parish nor to accept any istration. He was also entrusted guage for everything except [email protected] (Continued on page 5) PAGE 2 SSPETER&PAULORTHODOXCHURCHNEWSLETTER Message From Our Rector Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, and every day of the year. Though too many to name, I would like Christ is risen! Indeed He is risen! to thank each and every one of you who helped prepare for the beauful I greet you in the joy of Christ’s Services of Holy Week and Pascha. Resurrecon. From flowers to music to cleaning the temple, from baking breads and dyeing Through days and weeks of the Great eggs, from seng up for the proces- Fast we prepared for the commemora- sions and seeing to our security, from on of Christ’s Paschal Mystery: the egg hunt for our chil- His passion, death, and dren to serving in the resurrecon. Holy Altar, from Then, in Holy seng up to Week we taking parcipat- ed in the providing annual c o f fe e commem- and meals oraon of and snacks the Lord’s and our life-giving traditional passion and bread, wine, death. The vari- and dried fruit, ous services of Holy from baking prosfora Week, the proclamaon of to parcipang in and assisng the Scriptures and the singing of the with the Services and so much more: ancient hymnography of the Church, each and every one of you was an im- allowed us to bear witness to the great portant part of our parish’s Holy Week mystery of the Son of God entering into and Pascha. May the Risen Lord conn- the fullness of human life, including ue to bless us as we begin to return to a physical death. more normal experience of parish life. On the Feast of Feasts, Holy Pascha, we Christ is risen from the dead, trampling joyously proclaimed His victory over sin down death by death—and upon those and death in His triumphant Resurrec- in the tombs bestowing life! tion from the dead. After last’s year’s noticeably quiet celebration, behind With love in the Risen Lord, closed door, this year’s celebration was particularly joyous as we were able to gather again with all our brothers and +Bishop Daniel sisters in a full celebration of the Lord’s Resurrection. The Church now continues to celebrate this bright victory through- out the forty days of the Paschal Season. Let us pray that in our parish and in our homes we will sustain the joyous spirit of Pascha and that the proclamation of Christ’s victory—and ours—will continue to be proclaimed in our daily lives, each PAGE 3 SSPETER&PAULORTHODOXCHURCHNEWSLETTER Lazarus Saturday Holy Thursday Holy Friday Palm Sunday Bridegroom Matins PAGE 4 SSPETER&PAULORTHODOXCHURCHNEWSLETTER Holy Saturday Pascha PAGE 5 SSPETER&PAULORTHODOXCHURCHNEWSLETTER Repose of SaintAlexisToth, (Continued from page 1) and to refrain from aacking their faith. money with other clergy worse off than priestly ministrations from him. Expecting himself, and contributed to the building of While it is true that he made some strong imminent deportation, Father Toth ex- churches and to the educaon of seminar- comments, especially in his private corre- ians in Minneapolis. He was not anxious plained the situation to his parishioners spondence with the church administration, and suggested it might be best for him to about his life (Mt.6:25), what he would it must be remembered that this was done leave and return to Europe. eat or drink or wear. Trusng in God to while defending the Orthodox Church and take care of him, Saint Alexis followed the “No,” they said. “Let’s go to the Russian the American Mission from unfounded admonion of Our Savior to “seek first the bishop. Why should we always submit our- accusations by people who used much kingdom of God and His righteousness, selves to foreigners?” It was decided to harsher language than Father Toth. His and all these things shall be added to write to the Russian consul in San Francisco opponents may be characterized by intol- you” (Mt.6:33). So he bore the tribulaon, in order to ask for the name and address of erance, rude behaviour, unethical methods slander, and physical aacks with paence the Russian bishop. Ivan Mlinar went to and threats against him and his parishion- and spiritual joy, reminding us that San Francisco to make initial contact with ers. Yet, when Father Alexis was offended “godliness is stronger than all” (Wisdom of Bishop Vladimir; then in February, 1891 or deceived by other people he forgave Solomon 10:12). Father Toth and his church warden, Paul them, and he would often ask his bishop to Podany, also made the journey. Subse- forgive his omissions and mistakes. Bishops Vladimir, Nicholas, Saint Tikhon, and Platon recognized the special gis of quently, Bishop Vladimir came to Minneap- In the midst of great hardships, this herald olis and on March 25, 1891 received Father Father Toth, so they oen sent him forth of godly theology and sound doctrine Toth and 361 parishioners into the Ortho- to preach and teach wherever there were poured forth an inexhausble stream of people of Slavic background. Even though dox Church of their ancestors. The parish- Orthodox wrings for new converts, and ioners regarded this event as a new Tri- he was aware of his shortcomings and gave praccal advice on how to live in an umph of Orthodoxy, crying out with joy: inadequacies, yet he was obedient to the Orthodox manner. For example, his arcle instrucons of the bishops. He did not “Glory to God for His great mercy!” “How We should Live in America” stresses hesitate or make excuses, but went imme- This initiative came from the people them- the importance of educaon, cleanliness, diately to fulfill his mission. Saint Alexis selves, and was not the result of any coer- sobriety, and the presence of children in visited many Uniate parishes, explaining cion from outsiders.