Archpastoral Letter for Holy Pascha

Transcription

1 Volume LXVI (USPS ) ISSN: Portage, Penna. March 28, 2010 Number 3 Archpastoral Letter for Holy Pascha The Glorious Resurrection of our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ Office of the Metropolitan 312 Garfield Street Johnstown, Pennsylvania Prot. No. 194 Very Reverend Protopresbyters, Very Reverend and Reverend Fathers, and beloved faithful of our God-saved Diocese: CHRIST IS RISEN! INDEED, HE IS RISEN! In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. Gospel of Saint John 1: 4-5 T hese glorious words of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John, which are read on this Great Day, the Day of the Resurrection, reveal to us one of the most marvelous and awesome aspects of this most festive celebration. Over and over again, we hear and sing of the many references to LIGHT. While we often associate lights and light with the feasts of the Nativity, the Theophany, and the Transfiguration of our Lord, this Paschal Feast is the greatest Feast of Light! The Golden Canon of St. John of Damascus is replete with the theme of light: This is the day of Resurrection, BE ILLUMINED, O people... (Ode 1, verse 1); Let us purify our senses, and we shall behold Christ with the inaccessible LIGHT of the Resurrection... (Ode 1, verse 2); This days all things are filled with LIGHT, heaven and earth and the lower regions... (Ode 3, verse 1); The souls bound in the chains of hell, O Christ, pressed onward to the LIGHT... (Ode 5, verse 2); and Truly worthy of triumphant celebration is this holy, RADIANT, and saving night... on which the LIGHT ETERNAL SHONE FORTH bodily from the tomb on all mankind... (Ode 7, verse 4) are just a few of them! St. John s Gospel further enhances this theme of LIGHT! This is an exhilarating message of hope to us Christians who are often subjected to and tempted by the darkness of the world in which we live. Consider this contemporary parable: There was once a cave which lived under the ground, as caves have the habit of doing. It had spent its life in darkness. It heard a voice calling to it: Come up into the light; come and see the sunshine. The cave retorted: I don t know what you mean; there isn t anything but darkness. Finally the cave ventured forth and was surprised to see light everywhere. Looking up to the sun, the cave said: Come with me and see the darkness. The sun asked: What is darkness? The cave replied: Come and see! One day the sun accepted the invitation. As it entered the cave, it said: Now show me your darkness. BUT THERE WAS NO DARKNESS! Thus it is, where there is LIGHT, darkness cannot exist; it is wiped out; it is obliterated! We all know that without light, we would not be able to see anything; there would be no colors, no shapes, no beauty at all. We would stumble and fall. And we are merely speaking of physical, material light, light that is derived from the sun, the moon, and the stars. They, however, are created lights, made by our omnipotent God. And yet spiritual light, the divine light of Christ God Himself is far more brilliant. You only need to recall how the three disciples, Peter, James, and John, had to shield their eyes when the Lord was transfigured before them on Mount Tabor. And they viewed only a small glimpse of His glory! When Moses descended from Mount Sinai after his encounter with God, his face was filled with the Divine Light; the Israelites could not bear to look upon him, and so he had to wear a veil over his face. And they, too, viewed only a small reflected glimpse of His glory! The Fathers of our Holy Church teach us of the theological concept of the Uncreated Light, that is, the light of Divinity, unfathomably brighter than anything that we could ever imagine or witness. It is a totally awesome, majestic, and powerful light; the darkness cannot comprehend it or accept it; on the contrary, it is OVERCOME by it. Some scholars believe that it was this intense light of divinity that left behind an image on the famed Shroud of Turin. -cont d on page 3

2 Page 2 THE CHURCH MESSENGER March 28, 2010 Published by the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese in the U.S.A. 312 Garfield Street, Johnstown, Penna Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople His Eminence, Metropolitan NICHOLAS Issued Monthly Periodicals Postage Paid at Johnstown, PA. Yearly Subscription: $20.00 ($30.00 Canada) EDITOR Very Rev. Protopresbyter Michael S. Rosco 145 Broad Street, Perth Amboy, New Jersey MRosco2@excite.com fax: EDITORIAL STAFF Assistant to the Editor Very Rev. Protopresbyter Mark Leasure fr.mal@comcast.net Associate Editor Very Rev. Protopresbyter Lawrence R. Barriger camels19@ptd.net Chancery Editor Very Rev. Protopresbyter Frank P. Miloro FPMiloro@AtlanticBB.net Circulation Manager Pani Betty Jean Baranik Pani.Baranik@ACROD.org Diocesan News Editor Very Rev. Protopresbyter Luke Mihaly PadreLuke@aol.com Change of Address: POSTMASTER: Send Address Changes to The Church Messenger, Pani Betty Jean Baranik (Pani.Baranik@ACROD.org) Garfield Street, Johnstown, Penna Please allow two or three weeks for changes of address. (USPS ) ISSN: Diocesan Web Site: Good Without God? That s a Good Question! Have you ever met a real, honestto-goodness atheist? I really don t think that I have, but make no mistake about it: they are out there. From the days of Madelyn Murray O Hair, who founded the American Atheists organization in the 1960 s and led a successful campaign to rid public schools of prayer, atheists have managed to annoy, anger and upset believers with their subtle attacks on things that are sacred to us. They protest manger scenes at Christmas. They lead movements to eliminate invocations and benedictions at public gatherings. They win some they lose some. Recently a Federal Appellate Court ruled in favor of keeping the words under God in our Pledge of Allegiance. An appeal to remove In God We Trust also was rightfully denied. Still, our atheist friends continue with their agenda, using whatever resources they can muster to further their cause. Last year, buses in several large cities displayed huge signs on them promoting their anti- God propaganda. In case you missed it, here is their latest advertising ploy: In about a dozen cities, including New York, San Diego, Houston, Tulsa and New Orleans, atheists, with the financial support of a group called the United Coalition for Reason, have put up billboards bearing this message: ARE YOU GOOD WITH- OUT GOD? MILLIONS ARE. Now whatever we may think about atheists and their cause and reading a billboard like this certainly angers and upsets me I can t help feeling that the atheists may have inadvertently given us something very profound to consider: Can we truly be good without God in our lives? That s a very interesting question and a difficult one to answer. Our initial response would probably be to say No, that s not possible. Yet, I m sure we can all think of someone we know who is a good and decent person someone with an outstanding character who -cont d on page 5 Spiritual Discernment Astrange thing happened to me the other day well, perhaps not so strange as indicative of the world in which we live and perhaps, a telling example of the difficulty and necessity of the Lenten season. I had stopped for gas at a local station that day. I was running errands and was in a hurry to get my gas and be on my way. As I waited for the car to fill I noticed that the man who was filling his car on the other side of the island was walking around the area, killing time so to speak. He wandered over to the vacuum and air pump at the station. As I needed air in my tires as well, I secretly hoped that he would soon go back to his car so that I would not have to talk to him. Remember, I was in a hurry! Well, as I finished gassing up and prepared to pull to the air pump and put air in my tires he stayed near the air pump. I resigned myself to the fact that God had decided to teach me a lesson this day about being kind to strangers. Still, even realizing this I tried not to make eye contact as I removed the valve stem covers from my tires. Unfortunately for me, he hovered near the front of my car and as I removed the last cover he began to talk to me. Now you would imagine that as I continue this story that this man would perhaps begin talking to me about his need for direction in his life, perhaps his hard luck or even his desire to become part of a church again, but no, the Lord had a different lesson to teach me this day. The man began to complain that I had to pay for the air I was going to use. It was a small amount, only.75 cents, but this man felt that the fact that I had to pay was outrageous. To be fair, had I gone inside and told the clerk that I had just gotten gas and needed air, it would have been free, but I was in a hurry and decided to simply pay. I smiled at the man and told him this fact and that is when the lesson began. This man, a total stranger, then began a profanity and racial epitaph laced tirade against the clerk and owner of the small convenience store. His anger at having to pay for air when the price of gasoline was so high was obvious, but his use of language was stunning. Now I am certainly not naïve and have, in moments of anger, found myself using profanity, mostly under my breath. But to use this sort of language in front of a stranger took me completely by surprise. He finished his tirade as he walked back to his car, his voice trailing away as he left. As I got back in my car after filling my tires, I replayed the scene in my mind and for the first time saw what I think God had intended me to see. I think that God tries to teach us and show us things each and every day. Sadly, most of the time we are either too busy or too involved to really notice. In fact, we are often too busy or involved to even think about our lives as Christians and how we appear to those around us. The man I met at the gas station that day may or may not have been a Christian, but it was obvious that at that moment, any thought of Jesus Christ was probably the farthest thing from his mind. I think that it might be safe to say that his ability to tell the difference between what was sinful or not was nonexistent. As Orthodox Christians, we too live in danger of finding ourselves in the same situation. This may be hard to imagine but the truth is, oftentimes, we get so used to sinning that it becomes a normal way of life for us. Either this, or we allow society, and its relentless attacks on what is good and holy, to convince us that certain actions are okay, not really sinful at all. When this happens, we find ourselves in great danger spiritually. But the Great Lent gives us a tool to use to fight this: spiritual discernment. Spiritual discernment is the ability to see what is right and wrong in life, in the choices that are presented to us. The Church Fathers talk about discernment when they speak about the spiritual life. They tell us that it is vital to our spiritual struggle and our efforts to walk the path of salvation. If we are unable to tell the difference between what is right and wrong, how can we possibly walk the path of Christ? When we go through any given day -cont d on page 6

3 March 28, 2010 THE CHURCH MESSENGER Page 3 -Archpastoral, cont d from page 1 It is this Light of the Almighty that is miraculously revealed every year on Great Saturday in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, when the current patriarch enters the Tomb of Christ without any tangible means of making fire, having first been searched thoroughly by the civil authorities, and is locked inside. Within a short while, the burst of DIVINE LIGHT fills this ancient Church and lights the candles that His Holiness holds in his hands as he exits the Tomb. The LIGHT becomes FIRE, which at first does not burn those who touch it. This Divine Light is also manifest in the icon of the Resurrection, the Descent of our Lord Jesus Christ into Hades. Just as the light of the Christ Child pierces the darkness of the cave, and just as the God-man, being baptized, radiates upon the dark waters of the Jordan, so even more does the LIGHT of CHRIST burst forth from the dark realm of Death. The Messiah, Who reaches forth to raise up Adam and Eve and all of the other righteous ones from their graves, is bathed in LIGHT, an almond-shaped figure called a mandorla; this suggests a strong and powerful light that is beyond our comprehension. Heaven penetrates the bowels of the earth with its light. It is no wonder that our Church does not depict the actual moment of our Lord s Rising, because no human being could have borne it! The LIGHT OF CHRIST is too intense for a human being to behold. Still, we need to be illumined by the light of Christ, Who called Himself the LIGHT OF THE WORLD. We must invite Him in and let our hearts and souls, minds and bodies, be flooded with it and transformed by it! Just as we need the light of the sun to see and keep us alive, even more do we need the light of Christ to see ourselves and our God clearly and honestly and give us the fullness of life. No true Christian can live in the darkness! That is our belief; that is our hope; that is the truth. No matter what type of darkness invades our lives - illness, despair, loneliness, worries, enemies, hatred, even death - nothing can survive the brilliant light of Christ! We cannot live in the cave of darkness because Christ has obliterated it; He has destroyed it by filling it with His own light. May each and every one of you, especially upon this Feast of Feasts, be filled with the light of the Resurrection of Christ. I pray that you will experience His light in your lives and that you will go forth into the world and shine His Light upon all of God s children, your brothers and sisters in His Name. Imparting upon you my archpastoral blessing, I remain Most sincerely yours in the risen Master, +Metropolitan Nicholas VOSPOJME SOHLASNO - Zbornik duchovnych plesni Let US Sing Together - A collection of spiritual hymns Compiled by: PaedDr, Anna Derevjanikova, PhD. Author of the Introduction and First Chapter; PaedDr. Anna Derevjanikova, PhD. At the end of 2009, Vospojme Sohiasno - a collection of spiritual hymns, was issued in Presov, Slovakia. This book contains 97 hymns from the largest feast days/holy days of the church year, which are sung by the Rusyns of the Carpathians. Not only does the book contain the words, but also the music. This book should be a part of every household, especially for those who want to learn, sing, or just read the text of the spiritual hymns of the Holy Eastern Traditions. In this collection, both the Latin and Cyrillic texts are used, so that it could be used beyond our region. In this short study, the author attempts to bring to your attention the existence of spiritual hymns in the Carpathian region, and the fact that they were, and still are, an important part of people s lives, and an important part of the Orthodox Church tradition, not only in Slovakia. Anyone interested in purchasing this book can contact: Stephanie Salony of St Nicholas Church, NYC via stephanie.salony@comcast.net or via telephone: The price of the publication is $15 plus shipping and handling. Christ the Saviour Cathedral Holy Week & Paschal Schedule 2009 PALM SUNDAY, MARCH 28 9:00 A.M. Divine Liturgy His Eminence, Metropolitan Nicholas Protopresbyter Frank P. Miloro 7:00 P.M. Bridegroom Matins HOLY MONDAY, MARCH 29 7:30 A.M. Bridegroom Matins - Metropolitan s Chapel 7:00 P.M. Presanctified Liturgy - Cathedral HOLY TUESDAY, MARCH 30 7:30 A.M. Bridegroom Matins Metropolitan s Chapel 7:00 P.M. Presanctified Liturgy - Cathedral HOLY WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31 7:30 A.M. Presanctified Liturgy - Metropolitan s Chapel 7:00 P.M. Service of the Mystery of Holy Anointing His Eminence, Metropolitan Nicholas HOLY THURSDAY, APRIL 1 5:00 P.M. Vespers and Liturgy of St. Basil the Great 6:30 P.M. Ceremony of the Washing of the Feet 7:00 P.M. Reading of the 12 Passion Gospels HOLY AND GOOD FRIDAY, APRIL 2 7:30 A.M. Royal Hours Metropolitan s Chapel 7:00 P.M. Vespers and Burial Service - Cathedral HOLY SATURDAY, APRIL 3 8:00 A.M. Vespers and Liturgy of St. Basil the Great 8:00 P.M. Resurrection Matins and Blessing of the Artos FEAST OF THE RESURRECTION, APRIL 4 9:00 A.M. Hierarchical Paschal Liturgy His Eminence, Metropolitan Nicholas, Celebrant Protopresbyter Frank P. Miloro Protodeacon Gregory Benc Blessing of Easter Food Baskets 7:00 P.M. Agape Vespers Metropolitan Nicholas and Cathedral Clergy BRIGHT MONDAY, APRIL 5 8:00 A.M. Paschal Matins 9:00 A.M. Bright Monday Liturgy BRIGHT TUESDAY, APRIL 6 8:00 A.M. Paschal Matins 9:00 A.M. Bright Tuesday Liturgy BRIGHT FRIDAY, APRIL 9 10:00 A.M. Bright Friday Saints Cyril and Methodios Church Camp Nazareth, Mercer, PA Ordination of Sub-deacon John Anderson to the Diaconate

4 Page 4 THE CHURCH MESSENGER March 28, 2010 A New Saint for Carpatho-Russia On September 18, 2008, Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev along with scores of priests and thousands of faithful gathered in the remote Carpatho- Russian village of Malaya Ugolka near Chust to celebrate the glorification of the newest saint of the Carpathians, St. Job (Kundria) of Ugolka. Our Holy Father Job Kundria was born Ivan Kundria on May 18, 1902 in the village of Iza, a village forever held in honor by Orthodox Carpatho-Russians. It was the village of Iza that was the center of a movement away from the false union with Rome to the ancestral Orthodox Faith of Carpatho-Russians. It was to the village of Iza that St. Alexis Kabaluk, the Apostle of Carpatho-Russia arrived as the first Orthodox priest and from which he established 28 other Orthodox parishes. It was the village of Iza that gave the Church 160 monks and nuns, several confessors and martyrs along with our Holy Father Job. The young Ivan finished school in Iza and desired to become a monk but from was obliged to serve in the Czechoslovak army. Finishing his duties, Ivan walked all the way to Mount Athos in Greece twice in order to live there as a monk. Unfortunately, from September, 1926 the Greek government began severely restricting the number of non-greek monks permitted to live on Mt. Athos so each time Ivan was forced to make his way home. At this same time, the Monastery of St. Nicholas opened in the village of Iza and here Ivan completed his seminary studies. In 1930 he and his elder brother, Hieromonk Panteleimon sold everything they owned and opened a skete dedicated to the Holy Trinity in nearby Gorodilovo. On December 22, 1938 St. Alexis Kabaluk tonsured Ivan a monk, giving him the name of Job. With the Nazi occupation of Carpatho-Russia in 1939, Fr. Job and many others fled to Soviet Russia, unaware of the persecution the Communists were unleashing on the Orthodox Church. Fr. Job was arrested, sentenced to 25 years in prison but was released in 1942 to serve in the Soviet army fighting the Nazi invasion of Russia. As a Czechoslovak citizen he was forced to fight with the artillery of the Czechoslovak Volunteers Brigade. As a monk, he refused to fire shells and would secretly defuse them before they were fired off. During this period in his life Fr. Job met the renowned Archbishop Luke the Surgeon, later canonized as St. Luke of Simferopol and kept his portrait in his cell for the rest of his life. With the ending of the war in 1945, Fr. Job made his way back to his monastery in Gorodilovo and was ordained a priest-monk on November 16, Within a year he was appointed rector and abbot and spiritual father of the monastery in Mukachevo. In 1956 a new bishop was appointed by the Soviet authorities who immediately began closing monasteries throughout Carpatho-Russia. Father Job was removed from his position and the monastery in Gorodilovo was closed, beginning a period of wandering from one monastery to another. Hoping to rid themselves of this holy man, the Soviet authorities had Father Job appointed priest in 1962 in the remote village church of Malaya Ugolka, formerly known as Monastyrets. Here as a parish priest, Father Job for 23 years served the Divine Liturgy and the daily cycle of services from which he received the gift of the Holy Spirit. He became known as a starets or an elder. People flocked to him from throughout the region, both peasants and the educated, to seek his advice. He was known as a clairvoyant, worked miracles and predicted the future. He became such a source of grace because of the years he had spent in warfare against his sinful passions and struggling to join himself to the Lord through prayer and fasting. St. Gregory the Theologian in his writing In Defense of His Flight to Pontus wrote It is necessary first to be purified, then to purify; to be made wise, then to make wise; to become light, then to enlighten; to approach God, then to bring others to him; to be sanctified, then to sanctify The life of St. Job is a sermon to each priest on the means by which we can most effectively serve the Lord and His people. Our ministry as priests becomes a source of spiritual healing for people only as we are in the process of being healed of our sinful passions. Our ministry as priests only becomes a channel of grace when we devote ourselves to daily prayer. This is true in the lives of all the holy men and women throughout history: they only impacted the lives of people in powerful ways and bore the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the proportion to which their lives were spent in prayer, fasting, and fighting against their sins. On Sunday, July 28, 1985, at the age of 82 St. Job peacefully fell-asleep in the Lord after serving the Divine Liturgy, preaching a sermon and serving the evening Vespers. Soon after his burial miracles of healing began to take place at his grave in the village cemetery. On October 22, 2007 as local clergy and the diocesan Bishop Hippolytus uncovered the relics of Father Job the fragrance of myrrh and incense filled the air. The Divine Liturgy at which his name was added to the calendar of saints was celebrated in the open air in front of St. Job s village church in Malaya Ugolka. St. Job s life was read out and his troparion and kondakion were sung as all venerated his holy relics and icon for the first time. Very Rev. Father Edward Pehanich Prayers and best wishes are extended to His Eminence, Metropolitan Nicholas, on the occasion of his 27th Anniversary of Consecration to the Episcopoacy (March 13). May God bless his with many years of peace, health and fruitful service in the Vineyard of Christ! Eis polla eti despota! ENCLOSED IS MY CONTRIBUTION TO THE DIOCESAN DONORS FUND FOR THE YEAR 2010: Name: Address: City: State: Zip: Parish: Please make all checks payable to 2010 Distinguished Diocesan Donors, & send to: Office of the Diocesan Treasurer Diocesan Administration Building 312 Garfield Johnstown, PA 15906

5 Volume 5 March 28, 2010 Number 2 The Lenten Retreat By Brittany Williams and Rachel Varner;, Homestead, Pa. On March 6, 2010, we attended the Lenten Retreat at St. Nicholas Church in Homestead, PA. The day started off with Divine Liturgy at 9:00am. There were about sixty people there and more showed up later for the lecture. After Divine Liturgy, all the people that attended church received a cup of koliva which is oats, honey and powdered sugar. The koliva was very delicious and we liked it a lot. Then, we all went downstairs for a light breakfast of cinnamon rolls and coffee. Many of the people really enjoyed the cinnamon rolls including us. When we all finished eating breakfast, the adults and children went their separate ways. The adults went back up to the church where Father Loposky talked about the Prophet Joel. The children went over to the school with Father Zdinak to talk about the light of God. Usually, we see the little children getting bored during these kinds of events but Father Zdinak kept them well entertained. Father had the children act out the story of St. Simeon and St. Anna the Prophetess. The children enjoyed this very much because they were able to bring the story to life. We think this made them understand the story better. When both the adults and children were done with their late morning sessions, we all went back down to the basement of the church for lunch. We had Lenten food, which consisted of soup and bread. Lunch was very delicious and filling. After we finished eating lunch, we went to the front of the church for a group photograph. Once the picture was taken, we all went our separate ways again. Adults went back to the church and the children went back to the school. The children decorated candles with tissue paper, gems, cross stickers and icons. We really enjoyed watching the kids decorate Rachel Varner (2nd from right) and Brittany Williams (3rd from right) join other youth who participated in the recent Lenten Retreat in Homestead, PA. their candles because it showed who they are in a deeper sense. Some kids added sparkles, crosses, and even icons. It was nice to see what icon the kids chose. After we finished decorating the candles, Father Zdinak blessed them and then we all headed over to the church for evening Vespers. At the end of Vespers, some people left and others socialized for a little bit downstairs. We feel that going to the Lenten Services and Retreat really brought us closer to God during this Great Lenten Season. Sometimes, we forget what it s like to be good Christians because we get too caught up in our daily lives. It was nice to get away from the real world and go to church for the day. We definitely look forward to next year s Lenten Retreat. We honestly think that everybody needs that kind of day where you can become closer to God. DAYLIGHT PULL-OUT SECTION

6 Page 2 DAYLIGHT March 28, 2010 We Want to Hear from YOU Choose Faith; Choose to Believe Three years ago, after a huge storm, my parish of Holy Ghost in Manville, New Jersey had 8 feet of water in our Church basement, which serves as our hall. This was the second flood in less than ten years! It has taken a lot of time and hard work to get us back to where we were before the flood. So, you can imagine how worried I was when another big storm was heading our way this past March. The storm started on a Friday night and it rained very heavily all day Saturday. The creek across the street rose quickly and began to overflow around 10 that night. The forecast was for more heavy rain all night. There were things we could try to do to prepare, like moving stuff out of the basement, and we did them, but overall, the situation was out of our hands. I was in the Church Saturday night, wondering how our parish community would be able to deal with another huge flood so close to the last one, and I realized that I also needed to prepare spiritually. I saw my icon of the feast of the Protection of the Theotokos. It s a small icon, that I received on that feast day in 2003, the same day my dad, Fr. Matthias, had been tonsured a monk. Realizing this was an icon of a Feast remembering the Protection of the Mother of God, I had an idea. I took some oil from the weeping icon of St. Anne (I had received this when the icon was at Camp Nazareth a couple of years ago some of you may have been there and seen the icon weep as well), and made the sign of the cross over the icon with the oil. Then, I sprinkled it with some water from the Jordan River where Christ was baptized (we have a small bottle of it in our Church). After that, I sealed it inside three zip-lock bags to protect it against the rain, and I placed it on the top step of the side door of the Church. I put a cinder block on the bottom of the bag to hold it in standing in place and put a brick in front of it so it wouldn t fall forward. The heavy rain that was forecast never came Saturday night into Sunday morning. The water from the creek creeped closer and closer to the Church, but the closest it got was to the foot of the steps where the icon had stood all night long. Now, skeptics and cynics will probably argue that it was a coincidence. If I hadn t placed the icon there, the same thing would ve happened. Maybe they are right. But I choose to believe. I choose my faith. I choose to know that our parish was in need, and that God and the Theotokos were with us. In our lives, each and every day, we have choices to make. Sometimes, these choices involve our faith. You ve read about some of them in the pages of Daylight: a young man choosing Holy Friday services over his prom; a young woman choosing to spend her Memorial Day weekend singing in the parish cemetery for grave blessings despite her being teased by her friends. These brave young people chose their faith. They chose to believe. No one can force us to have faith or to believe. God gave us free will, so we have to make that choice. Let us pray that in difficult times, we all have the strength and courage to choose faith; to choose to believe! -Teens and young adults: You can write about anything pertaining to your faith. Perhaps it s an experience you have had where your faith helped you. You can write about your time at Camp Nazareth, either as a camper or a staff member. The possibilities are endless. If you have an idea and want to run it by me, feel free to contact me. -Parents: Do you have a reflection on raising Orthodox children in today s world? Something you write may be a big help to other parents throughout the Diocese. If you have young children, talk to them about their faith. Ask them what they like about going to Church. Our youngest Church members often say the most profound spiritual things. -Sunday School teachers, ACRY or youth group members and advisors: Let us know what kinds of activities you have going on. Again, your ideas may inspire someone else. Above all, send us picture, picture and MORE pictures! -Priests: Have you given a sermon that focused on our youth recently? Do you have an idea for a story that can teach a lesson to your children? Please contact me. I would love to have input from as many Diocesan priests as possible. If you are interested in writing something for Daylight, please contact Fr. Matthew Moriak at: FrMatthewLL@hotmail.com or by calling him at: (908) You can also find him on Facebook. A Gold Medal A Gold Cross The 2010 winter Olympic games recently came to their conclusion. Many of you probably watched a lot of the events everything from ice hockey to skiing, to everyone s favorite CURLING! If you watched the men s figure skating, you would know that American Evan Lysacek became the first American to win the gold medal since Brian Boitono in 1988! What you might not have known is that Lysacek is also an Orthodox Christian! Lysacek is a practicing Greek Orthodox Christian. While his newly won gold medal must be important to him, it s his Orthodox cross that never leaves his neck. He says it is amongst his most prized possessions. Congratulations Evan on a job well done!

7 March 28, 2010 DAYLIGHT Page 3 What s the Message? Has anyone ever said to you, You should go see that movie. It has a good message? I suppose it s a good thing when you can see a film, which primarily is there for your entertainment, and receive a good, positive message at the same time. Unfortunately, who s to say whether the message of a particular movie is going to be good? Or positive? Or even clear enough to know for sure? That s the problem when we look to things like movies, or television shows to teach us lessons : for every good lesson we might learn, there may be 3 or 4 bad ones. Going to movies to be entertained is one thing, but if we are looking to receive messages that we KNOW will be good and helpful to us as Orthodox Christians, all we have to do is be in Liturgy every Sunday! Every Sunday, we hear 2 readings from the New Testament. The first is an epistle. The word epistle means letter. The epistles were letters that were written to give instruction to early Christians. Even though they were written many years ago, they can still apply to our lives today. Most of them were written by St. Paul, but there are some written by St. Peter and St. John as well. After the epistle, there is a reading from one of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. These are accounts of the life of Christ. Jesus ministry was all about teaching people what they needed to know to live their lives the right way, so for us as Orthodox Christians, we know how important these readings are. In case we aren t sure of the message, the priest offers a sermon right after the Gospel. Often, it will directly relate to the Gospel or even the Epistle reading that you just heard. Even if it doesn t, it will still have an important message that we can learn from. That s a lot guaranteed messages we know we ll receive every Sunday, and we never have to question whether they are good or not! DID YOU KNOW: The first half of the Divine Liturgy (the Liturgy of the Word) is primarily modeled after the Temple worship of the Jewish people. This should make sense to us when you consider that the earliest Christians were the Jews. It would seem natural that they would use elements of what was familiar to them. Worship in the Temple or Synagogue always included singing of hymns, reading from Scripture and instruction from the Rabbi. We sing the antiphons, tropars, etc., read from Scripture and receive instruction from our priests. The second half of the Liturgy is centered around receiving Holy Communion, which is modeled after the Last Supper. Christ instructed His disciple to do this in memory of me and that is what we do during every Liturgy. We will begin looking at the second half of the Liturgy (the Liturgy of the faithful) in the next Daylight. Spotlight on the Arena ARE YOUR CHILDREN READING DAYLIGHT? Jeannette Moriak checks out the latest issue (not a staged photo). The newest addition to the Arena, our Diocesan website s gathering place for Orthodox Christian Youth, is podcasts of the lives of the Saints. The podcasts debuted on March 1, and are available following the Old or New Calendar. The podcasts are designed for teens, young adults and families. Each day, you can listen to the life of the saint commemorated on that day. You can listen to them online or subscribe to the podcast. The link is: Remember to check out the Arena on a regular basis, and become a fan of the Arena page on facebook, which will provide you with links to the newest material.

8 Page 4 DAYLIGHT March 28, 2010 Windows into Heaven: The Feast of the Annunciation Scouting and the Orthodox Church The feast of the Annunciation is celebrated on March 25th if your parish follows the new calendar, or April 7th, if your parish follows the old calendar. If you look very closely at these dates, you can probably already guess why this feast is important. This feast takes place exactly nine months before Christmas! (December 25th or January 7th). It is on the feast of the Annunciation that the Archangel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will have a son, and He will be the Messiah, the Son of God. We can read the story of this feast in the Gosepl of St. Luke 1: There is an important lesson we can learn from Mary in this feast. Mary is overwhelmed and perhaps a little scared at what is happening to her. However, she responds to Gabriel by saying, Behold the handmaid of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word. (Luke 1:38) Even though Mary wasn t sure, she trusted God and was obedient to His will. Sometimes, it can be very easy to question God. We have to try to be like Mary, and trust Him, and to try and follow what His will is for our lives. The icon is filled with bright colors, to show the joy of this feast. In the icon we see the figures of the Archangel Gabriel and Mary. Gabriel s feet are spread apart, as if to show that he is almost running to greet Mary with the news. In his left hand, Gabriel holds a staff, which is symbolic of a messenger. He extends his right hand towards Mary as he announces the blessing to be bestowed on her. If we look at Mary in the icon, there are many things we can learn from how she is depicted as well. We sing that she is more honorable than the Cherubim and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim. In the icon, she is seated in an elevated seat, representing her elevated role as the Mother of God. In her left hand she is holding thread. Mary s task while she stayed in the temple was to weave the purple and red material to be used to make the veil of the Temple. In the icon, her right hand is raised. This is to show her acceptance to what Gabriel is telling her. Mary could have said no, but she accepts out of her willingness to follow the will of God. She is a great example for all of us in this regard. On her garments, you will notice three gold stars. You will see this in many icons of the Mother of God. These three stars represent that Mary was a virgin before, during and after the birth of Christ. At the top of the icon is a circle with what appears to be rays of light coming from it. This represents the Holy Spirit descending upon her at this miraculous feast. Scout Sunday at St. John s Church in Rahway, NJ. Our Diocese is deeply rooted in Scouting in the United States. On February 12, 1956 the very first Alpha-Omega medals were awarded to 14 members of our Christ the Savior Cathedral in Johnstown, PA. It was through the efforts of Metropolitan Orestes, of Thrice Blessed Memory, and the assistance of Very Rev. Protopresbyter Elias Kozar that this Pan-Orthodox Scouting award was established in Since then, Scouting awards for Orthodox Scouting have been established for all age groups. These awards, the Saint George, Chi-Ro and Alpha-Omega, are awarded to scouts who have completed an Orthodox educational curriculum and community service project. Scouting has many forms and is diverse enough to interest any boy or girl. In addition to the well known Boy and Girl Scouts, there are Cub and Daisy Scouts for the youngest, Sea and Aviation Scouts, as well as Eagle Scouts for teens and young adults. So whether your interests are in community service, hiking and camping, sailing and navigation or flight, Scouting has something to offer everyone. Daylight is asking our Diocesan Scouts to share some of their experiences with our readers. Send a 1 page article to the Daylight editor, Rev. Matthew Moriak for inclusion in an upcoming edition. Write about your experience, an event or project. Pictures are welcome and encouraged. Submit your article to: Rev. Matthew Moriak 249 South 7th Avenue, Manville, NJ or by FrMatthewLL@hotmail.com For more information on the Eastern Orthodox Religious Growth Programs, contact your Troop leader, the National Council at or The Very Rev. John Beskid, Diocesan Chaplain of Scouts. Junior ACRY Spiritual Advisor, Fr. Miles Zdinak, instructs the children on decorating their candles during the Lenten Retreat held at St. Nicholas Church in Homestead, PA. The Arena on Facebook If you are on facebook, please do a search for ACROD ARENA and join this group! It will provide periodic links to articles and material on the Arena website. Remember, the Arena was designed especially for you, the youth of our Diocese.

9 March 28, 2010 THE CHURCH MESSENGER Page 5 Official FROM THE CAMP ADMINISTRATOR Dear Diocesan Clergy, Glory to Jesus Christ! The Great Fast is rapidly coming to an end and we ask our Lord to bless us and help us as we engage its spiritual struggles. The effort of the Great Fast, however, is small when compared to the blessings of our Lord in store for those who persevere in it. So with spiritual sobriety we greet the Fast joyfully. The Pascha of the Lord awaits our arrival and it is the Great Fast that will bring us there. While we observe the Great Fast, here at Camp we also eagerly await and prepare for the arrival of the Summer Camping Season. Diocesan priests, parents and children have already been calling to find out the details of the 2010 Summer Camping Schedule. The 2010 Schedule has been posted on our diocesan website. In addition, all the necessary forms for parents, campers, clergy, volunteers and staff have been posted. As you too prepare for the upcoming Fast, and as many of you continue to complete your home blessings, we ask you to help us disseminate this information in your parishes. For some, coming to Camp is a last minute decision, but for many more it is a planned and highly anticipated event in their lives. As you have in the past, please begin to talk to your parents and parish children about Camp Nazareth. Encourage them to come and see the blessings in store for them here. While some of your veteran campers do not need this encouragement, there are others who do. Please refer them to the Camp website for important information and the necessary application forms. Also, encourage your youth who are of age (at least 18 by the beginning of the Summer Season and having completed High School), to be part of the Camp s Summer Staff. There are positions available as counselor, head counselor, kitchen staff, maintenance staff, athletic director, lifeguard and nurse. This is a wonderful opportunity for our youth to get involved in this vital and meaningful diocesan apostolate, form lasting friendships, and use their God-given talents for the benefit and upbuilding of other children and young adults, some of whom are their peers. Personally, I never attended Camp as a Camper or as part of the Staff, but my experience as a deanery priest at Camp has made me wish I had. The link for staff employment opportunities is Please note the following deanery weeks at Camp: Week 1 -- July 18-24, Pittsburgh, Mid-Atlantic, Tri-State and Washington, D.C. Deaneries Week 2 -- July 25-31, New England, New York, New Jersey, Florida and Canada Deaneries Week 3 -- August 1-7, Johnstown, Pocono, Southern Tier, Youngstown and Chicago Deaneries Please also note that the deadline for Camper Applications is July 1 and the deadline for Staff Applications is May 1. Finally, we will be sending packets to each parish very soon which will contain hardcopies of the necessary information and applications for the Summer Camping Season. Thank you very much for your past help in encouraging your youth to come to Camp as Campers and as Staff. Please continue to offer them this necessary pastoral encouragement. Yours in Christ, Fr. Stephen Loposky Camp Administrator Notice Ordinations READER CHRISTOPHER GOMBOS, ordained to the Sub-diaconate on March 12 in St. John Church, Bridgeport, CT and attached to St. John Church (Silver Lane) Stratford, CT SUB-DEACON MATTHEW STAGON, ordained to the Diaconate on March 21 in, Homestead, PA and attached to St. John Church, East Pittsburgh, PA KRISTOPHER CARLISLE, tonsured Reader on March 21 in St. Nicholas Church, Homestead, PA for service to St. John Church, East Pittsburgh, PA READER CHRISTOPHER GREENHILL, seminarian of Christ the Saviour Seminary, to be ordained to the Sub-diaconate on April 3 in Christ the Saviour Cathedral and attached to Christ the Saviour Seminary. READER JONATHAN BANNON, seminarian of Christ the Saviour Seminary, ordained to the Sub-diaconate on April 3 in Christ the Saviour Cathedral and attached to Christ the Saviour Seminary. Missions Established ST. NICHOLAS MISSION OF MURPHY, NORTH CAROLINA Father James Blomeley, Administrator HOLY MYRRHBEARERS MISSION OF HAMPTON ROAD, VIRGINIA Father Maximus Tatum, Administrator HOLY CROSS MISSION OF COLUMBUS, OHIO Protopresbyter Paul Herbert, Temporary Administrator -Editorial, cont d from page 2 at the very least doesn t practice any religion at all and who, for all we may know, may not even believe in God. On the other hand, if we agree and say Yes, you can be a good person without God in your life, what message does that send out? Don t we teach that God is the source of all goodness? Don t we quote the New Testament Book of James in every Divine Liturgy we celebrate when we proclaim that every good and perfect gift is from above? So if you can be good without God why do we need the Church putting all that pressure on us to live good lives? So what is our answer? Without trying to sound like a politician, I believe the best answer is both yes and no. In theory, I suppose a person could do good things without God in his or her life. It s possible on a certain level to be kind and generous and loving and still be an atheist. But is that really living a GOOD LIFE? As believers and as Orthodox Christians, this is where we must emphatically say NO. Where did the whole concept of loving one another come from? It came from God. Where did the social ministry of caring come from? It was God-inspired. Who told us to feed the hungry, visit the sick and those in prison? Search the Scriptures and you will find the answer. God planted the seed of goodness in every one of us. Our goodness is a reflection of our faith. It is anchored in believing that we are carrying out the wishes of our God with our good works, and that a good life will be rewarded in another time and in a far more beautiful place the Kingdom of Heaven. It is indeed a struggle to live a good life with the motivation our faith in God provides. I cannot imagine how difficult living that life would be without God in the picture. Protopresbyter Michael Rosco Editor The Church Messenger

10 Page 6 THE CHURCH MESSENGER March 28, Guest Sermon, cont d from page 2 trying to lead a Christian life, when we go to confession, it is certainly easy for us to see the sins we have not committed. I think we can all hear ourselves saying that we only give in to the little or everyday sins. Discernment helps us to see that there are no little or everyday sins, there is only sin, and sin separates us from God. It is therefore vitally necessary for us to be able to discern between what is right and wrong, what is of God and what is not of God. I can only imagine that the biggest victory for the devil is to get us to sin without regard, as a normal way of life. If he achieves this, he has won and we have lost, not just a battle, but our very own soul. As human beings we have the infinite ability to rationalize our words, our deeds and our thoughts! It is this ability that we must fight against with spiritual discernment. As we travel the Lenten season, as we go through each and every day of our lives, we must make every effort to see things, to see our behaviors for what they really are. The Christian life, the true Christian life, is not easy, if it were, everybody would live it. To live a true Christian life we must make decisions each and every day that others will see as weak or silly. But those decisions, the right ones, are far from weak and silly, they are fundamental to our salvation and eternal life. As this Lenten Season approaches its end, let us take an honest look, a discerning look at our every day life. How often do we judge others, talk behind others backs, lie, steal, perhaps cheat. Do we sin without regard, without realizing it? Or worse yet, do we feel that these sins are not that big of a deal? Spiritual discernment is the true litmus test of living the true Christian life. May the good Lord bless us with this discernment and allow us to walk the path of Christ that leads to salvation and eternal life. Very Reverend Father David Cochran Diocesan College Student Participates in Real Break Trip to Jerusalem BINGHAMTON, NY --- Nicole DelVillano, a freshman at SUNY Platsburgh, and a member of St. Michael s Church will be participating in the Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) Real Break Trip to the Holy Land. Nicole is serving as part of a team of Orthodox college students who is spending the days of their annual Spring Break (March 12-22, 2010) working with the poor and visiting the Holy sites in and near Jerusalem. The group is being led by, Fr. Nicholas L. Andruchow, pastor of Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church in Flagstaff, Arizona and His Grace Bishop Savas of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. The project will take place in the Holy Land, primarily near the city of Jerusalem. The students will be mainly working with Four Homes of Mercy, a charitable organization founded over 60 years ago. Their work will consist of maintenance, cleaning, cooking as well as interaction with the handicapped children and others at Four Homes of Mercy. The group will also visit the holy sites in northern Israel and around the Sea of Galilee as well as in Jerusalem and the West Bank. In addition, they will will be visiting Palestinian Christians in order to learn their stories and share with them worship. This Spring Break, Nicole will be joining over one hundred college students who will make a real change for those less fortunate through Orthodox Christian Fellowship s Real Break program. Real Break is an alternative spring break service-learning program designed to provide college students with life-transforming experiences that strengthen their faith and broaden their Christian world-view. OCF offers several trips to locations all around the globe where students have the opportunity to serve and minister to the poor with compassion and humility. This year the OCF planned a total of 12 trips from February 20th through March 27th. Trip locations include: Alaska, Constantinople, El Salvador, Greece, Guatemala, Jerusalem, Mexico, Romania and San Francisco. College students will have the incredible opportunity to renovate parishes and monasteries, work with innocent orphans and serve those less fortunate them. Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) is the official collegiate campus ministry program under SCOBA. Its mission is to support fellowships on college campuses, whose members experience and witness to the Orthodox Christian Church through community life, prayer, service to others and study of the Faith. The National OCF headquarters is located in Indianapolis, IN and supports over 270 local university chapters across North America. In addition, it provides a variety of thoughtful and innovative programming, including regional training, annual conferences, and domestic and international service learning programs. Paschal Greetings The Staff of The Church Messenger extends cordial greetings to His All-Holiness, Bartholomew, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople; to His Eminence, Archbishop Demetrios, Primate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America & Exarch of the Ecumenical Throne; to His Eminence, Metropolitan Nicholas of Amissos; & to the Priests, Deacons, Seminarians, Monastics, Cantors & Choir Directors; & to all the Faithful of the Diocesan Family & to all of our Readers: Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen! Family Members of Diocesan Clergy Fall Asleep in the Lord JOHNSTOWN, PA - The Chancery has been notified that family members of several diocesan clergy have recently reposed in the Lord. NORMA HALL, mother of Deacon Steve Hall. Mrs. Hall departed this life on February 20. Her funeral is tomorrow (February 24) in Brunswick, Maine. IA (EDITH) GLOGG, wife of Sub-deacon Michael Glogg, reposed in the Lord on February 17 and was buried on February 20 with funeral services celebrated by Father John Zboyovski at Ss. Joseph and Andrew Church in Candler, NC. ROBERT LALIBERTE, the father of Deacon Michael Laliberte,who is attached to Christ the Saviour/Holy Trinity Church in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada reposed in the Lord, on January 30. May Almighty God Rest the Souls of His Newly Departed Servants, Norma, IA and Robert in the Mansions of the Just, Where There is no Pain, Sorrow or Mourning, But Life Everlasting. May His Memory be Eternal. Clergy Convocation Scheduled for Bright Week JOHNSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA Our Diocesan Clergy have been called by His Eminence, Metropolitan Nicholas to gather for a Convocation at Camp Nazareth from April 7-9. Metropolitan Nicholas will host His Grace, Bishop Daniel of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA. Bishop Daniel will deliver two presentations based on the Convocation theme: Finding the Priesthood in the Brightness of the Empty Tomb. The clergy will arrive on Wednesday evening of Bright Week April 7. The following morning, Sub-deacon John Anderson of St. John s Church in Sharon, PA will be ordained to the diaconate at a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy that will be celebrated at the Camp s SS Cyril and Methodios Church. In addition to Bishop Daniel s presentations, the clergy will hear reports from the Clergy Pension Board by Protopresbyter Ronald A Hazuda, from the Missions and Evangelization Commission by Protopresbyter Michael S Rosco and from the Stewardship Commission by Father Frederick Watson. Protopresbyter James S Dutko will also deliver a talk on Orthodox-Catholic Relations and Protopresbyter Peter Paproski will update the clergy concerning the Diocesan website. The Convocation will close on Friday, April 9 at Noon.

11 March 28, 2010 THE CHURCH MESSENGER Page 7 Central Regional Lenten Retreat Well Attended BALTIMORE, MD--Protopresbyter Frank P Miloro presents a check to Constantine Triantafilou, Executive Director and CEO of International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) from our Diocese for their Haiti Relief Fund. Nearly $50, was offered by our Diocesan parishes. Also pictured is Protopresbyter Michael Rosco, a member of the IOCC Board of Directors. HOMESTEAD, PA -- The first of three regional Diocesan Lenten Retreats was held yesterday at St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Homestead, PA. Sponsored by the National ACRY, the retreat drew more than 100 participants. Usually held at Camp Nazareth, this year a decision was made and blessed by His Eminence, Metropolitan Nicholas to move the retreat to the Pittsburgh, PA region, out of concern that the early date of Lent this year, might cause some travel concerns due to possible inclement weather. An excellent presentation was made by Rev. Fr. Stephen Loposky, the Administrator of Camp Nazareth on the topic, Accepting the Mercy of God, what to do when Great Lent isn t so Great, who spoke to the adults and teenagers in attendance. Very Rev. Fr. Miles Zdinak, the pastor of Sts Peter and Paul Church in Windber, PA led a discussion and interactive workshop with the children present on the topic : You are the Light of the World Very Rev. Fr. Robert Buczak and the faithful of St. Nicholas Parish were gracious hosts, providing both continental breakfast after the opening All Souls Saturday as well as a lenten luncheon. WINDBER, PA--Peter & Margaret Komisar of Saints Peter and Paul Church in Windber celebrated their 67 Wedding Anniversary March 6. They have three daughters, seven grandchildren, and five great grandchildren. They are shown with their pastor, Very Rev. Fr. Miles Zdinak. MANVILLE, NEW JERSEY--On Sunday, January 31st, Anne Halkovich of Manville, New Jersey celebrated her 100th birthday! Anne is the oldest member of Holy Ghost Orthodox Church. Her father, Fr. Peter Halkovich served the parish from Anne has remained in Manville to this day and served as cantor for the parish for many years. She attributes her longevity to heredity, her love for God and her Church and eating healthy. RAHWAY, NEW JERSEY--The faithful of St. John s honored life time member George Kochan for his many years of service to the Church. George has been active on the Parish Board for more than 50 years, often serving as President or Vice-President. In addition, the members recognized his labor of love regarding the upkeep and management of the church property, always on call and usually organizing many of the work details and fund raisers. At the conclusion of the liturgy, he was presented a hand carved wooden cross by the current Parish Board president David Lee in recognition of his dedication and years of service. Pastor of St. John s Church is Rev. Fr. Andrew Fetchina.

12 Page 8 THE CHURCH MESSENGER March 28, 2010 Paschal Greetings from Across the Diocese Christ the Saviour Cathedral Johnstown, PA His Eminence, Metropolitan Nicholas Very Rev. Protopresbyter Frank Miloro, Pastor St. John s A.C.R.Y. Chapter #41 Hawk Run, PA Rev. Peter Benyo, Spiritual Advisor St. John s Carpathian Club Hawk Run, PA Rev. Peter Benyo, Spiritual Advisor Ligonier, PA Very Rev. Tony Joseph, Pastor Silver Lane, Stratford, CT Very Rev. Michael Macura, Pastor St. John the Baptist A.C.RY. Chapter # 23 Silver Lane, Stratford, CT Very Rev. Michael Macura, Spiritual Advisor St. John the Baptist A.C.R.Y. Chapter #42 Northside Pittsburgh, PA Very Rev. John Brancho, Spiritual Advisor Northside Pittsburgh, PA Very Rev. John Brancho, Pastor Endicott, NY Very Rev. Michael Kleban, Pastor St. Nicholas of Myra Church New York, New York Very Rev. John Beskid, Pastor Holy Resurrection Church Potomac, MD Rev. Peter Zarynow, Pastor Erie, PA Very Rev. Protopresbyter Ronald Hazuda, Pastor St. Nicholas Altar Society Erie, PA Very Rev. Protopresbyter Ronald Hazuda, Spiritual Advisor Morgantown, West Virginia Very Rev. Mojmir Zalcik, Pastor Barton, OH Very Rev. Michael Kabel, Pastor Holy Ghost Altar Society Phoenixville, PA Very Rev. Protopresbyter John Fedornock, Spiritual Advisor Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church Allentown, PA Very Rev. Protopresbyter Robert Rebeck, Pastor Yonkers, NY Rev. John Cmur, Pastor Very Rev. Protopresbyter Elias Kozar, Pastor Emeritus Cheektowaga, NY Very Rev. Thomas Kadlec, Pastor St. Mary s Ladies Guild Cheektowaga, NY Very Rev. Thomas Kadlec, Spiritual Advisor St. Thomas the Apostle Church Waldorf, MD Rev. Joseph Edgington, Pastor St. Elizabeth Mission Woodstock, GA Rev. Frederick Watson, Pastor St. Stephen Church Latrobe, PA Very Rev. Nicholas Ferencz, Pastor Jacobs Creek, PA Very Rev. Edward Pehanich, Pastor St. Nicholas Sr. & Jr. A.C.R.Y. Chapter #28 Monongahela and Jacobs Creek, PA Very Rev. Edward Pehanich, Spiritual Advisor Hobart, IN Rev. Sergei Alekseev, Pastor St. George s Church Taylor, PA Very Rev. Protopresbyter Mark Leasure, Pastor St. John s A.C.R.Y. Chapter #7 Ambridge, PA Very Rev. Robert Prepelka, Spiritual Advisor Monongahela, PA Very Rev. Edward Pehanich, Pastor Christ the Saviour Cathedral A.C.R.Y. Chapter # 20 Johnstown, PA Very Rev. Protopresbyter Frank Miloro, Spiritual Advisor Saints Peter and Paul Church Windber, PA Very Rev. Miles Zdinak, Pastor St. Alexis Church Lafayette, IN Rev. Gregory Allard, Pastor Ambridge, PA Very Rev. Robert Prepelka, Pastor Saints Peter and Paul Church Rockaway, NJ Rev. Michael Chendorain, Pastor Rahway, NJ Rev, Andrew Fetchina, Pastor St. Michael s Church Niles, IL Very Rev. Samuel Sherry, Pastor Holy Ghost Church Phoenixville, PA Very Rev. Protopresbyter John Fedornock, Pastor Holy Ghost A.C.R.Y. Chapter #30 Phoenixville, PA Very Rev. Protopresbyter John Fedornock, Spiritual Advisor Lansford, PA Rev. Robert Teklinski, Pastor Saints Peter and Paul Womans Club Windber, PA Very Rev. Miles Zdinak, Spiritual Advisor Nesquehoning, PA Rev. Robert Teklinski, Pastor St. John the Baptist A.C.R.Y. Chapter #33 Nesquehoning, PA Rev. Robert Teklinski, Spiritual Advisor Holy Trinity Church Danbury, CT Very Rev. Protopresbyter Luke Mihaly, Pastor St. Nectarios Mission Lakeland, FL Rev. Nicholas Wyborski, Pastor Homestead, PA Very Rev. Robert Buczak, Pastor St. Nicholas A.C.R.Y. Chapter #11 Homestead, PA Very Rev. Robert Buczak, Spiritual Advisor Sharon, PA Very Rev. Protopresbyter Michael Polanichka, Pastor St. Michael s Church Freeland, PA Very Rev. Protopresbyter Lawrence Barriger, Pastor St. Michael s Church Binghamton, NY Very Rev. Protopresbyter James Dutko, Pastor St. Michael s Church Clymer, PA Very Rev. R. Michael Zak, Pastor Bayonne, NJ Very Rev. John Fencik, Pastor Akron, OH Very Rev. Protopresbyter Myron Zuder, Pastor Broadbridge, Stratford, CT Very Rev. Protopresbyter Peter Paproski, Pastor Dickson City, PA Very Rev. Ronald Kovac, Pastor Dormition of the Mother of God Church Bluefield, WV Rev. Mark Tyson, Pastor Descent of the Holy Spirit Church Schererville, IN Rev. Lev Holowaty, Pastor St. Gregory of Nyssa Church Seaford, New York Very Rev. Hieromonk Matthias, Pastor St. Nicholas A.C.R.Y. Chapter #49 Erie, PA Very Rev. Protopresbyter Ronald Hazuda, Spiritual Advisor St. Michael s Church PERIODICAL Rankin, PA Very Rev. John Lazarek, Pastor Scranton, PA Rev. Donald Valasek, Pastor Adzima Funeral Home Stratford, CT Wishing you a Blessed Pascha! Corning, NY Rev. Daniel Mahler, Pastor East Pittsburgh, PA Very Rev. Jonathan Tobias, Pastor Christ the Saviour Church North Royalton, OH Very Rev. Protopresbyter David Smoley, Pastor Very Rev. Stephen Jula, Pastor Emeritus St. Michael s Church Saint Clair, PA Rev. Jeff Zias, Pastor National A.C.R.Y. Forever Forward and Heavenward National President: Nick Dzubak Spiritual Advisor: Very Rev. Protopresbyter Peter Paproski St. George s Altar Society Taylor, PA Very Rev. Protopresbyter Mark Leasure, Spiritual Advisor Saints Peter and Paul Church Levittown, PA Very Rev. Theodore Mozes, Pastor Holy Ghost Church Manville, NJ Rev. Matthew Moriak, Pastor The Presentation of Our Lord Church Hollywood, FL Very Rev. Elias Mitchell, Pastor Perth Amboy, NJ Very Rev. Protopresbyter Michael Rosco, Pastor