SAINT BASIL the GREAT PARISH

Transcription

1 SAINT BASIL the GREAT PARISH 202 HARCOURT STREET, WINNIPEG, MB R3J 3H3 Parish Office: Parish Hall: Parish Priest: Rt. Rev Canon Walter Klimchuk PALM SUNDAY From Father Walter Today the church invites us to worship a God who loved us so much that he gave everything he could in order to save us. Our redemption was a supreme act of divine love in which the whole Trinity participated. The Father loved us so much that he gave his only Son to rescue us. Jesus loved us so much that he willingly became like us and took upon himself the punishment for our sins. The Holy Spirit loved us so much that he began speaking to us ages ago, through prophets and kings, to prepare us for the redemption that was to come and for the church that would be his vessel of salvation for the whole world. Our redemption did not come only because God loved us. Jesus voluntarily laid down his life because he loved the Father and was totally committed to carrying out the Father's will, whatever the cost. Jesus knew and placed his trust in the Father's love for him, fulfilling the prophet's words: "I know that I will not be put to shame" (Isaiah 50:7). SUNDAY DIVINE LITURGY 10:00 a.m. (Rosary precedes each Liturgy by one half hour) WEEKDAY SERVICES (Tue-Fri) 8:30 a.m. Rosary followed by Liturgy CONFESSIONS Before Divine Liturgies BAPTISIMS By appointment FUNERALS By arrangement MARRIAGES By appointment at least three months in advance WEBSITE: PARISH OFFICE ADDRESS: parish@saintbasilwpg.ca BULLETIN SUBMISSIONS: bulletin@saintbasilwpg.ca Jesus was able to obey even unto death on the cross because he relied on the power of the Spirit to sustain him and give him courage. Our redemption came because of the perfect love that exists within the Trinity. How did the Father and Spirit respond to Jesus' faithfulness? "God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name

2 which is above every name, that at the name Jesus... every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:9-11). God was pleased to crown Jesus with the name "LORD" because he saw Jesus' obedience and willingness to pour himself out as a sacrifice of atonement. Now, incorporated into Christ through baptism, we can participate in the very life of God and learn to love just as the Father, Son and Spirit love - fully and perfectly. "Father, only through your mercy could you have sent your Son to save us. Jesus, only through your love for the Father could you have emptied yourself for our salvation. Holy Spirit, only in the love between the Father and Son could you have carried out our salvation. We are in awe of your glory, 0 God; we worship and thank you". ****PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING DAY AND TIME CHANGE: DUE TO A SCHEDULE CONFLICT, FATHER KOWCH WILL BE ASSISTING WITH CONFESSIONS ON TUESDAY MARCH 22 ND FROM 6 TO 6:45 PM, NOT ON WEDNESDAY MARCH 23 RD AS PREVIOUSLY SCHEDULED.***** THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. Let s begin with three observations on the Fourth Commandment: 1. This is the longest of the Ten Commandments. 2. It is also the most difficult to properly interpret. 3. The Fourth Commandment remains a source of perennial interest. Some of us feel guilty about the way we spend Sundays. When we read Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy, we start getting a bit worried. Most of us aren t too clear about what it is we re supposed to remember or exactly how you keep a day holy, and that just makes us feel well, it makes us feel a little guilty.

3 Many people approach the Fourth Commandment with a mixture of guilt and vague unease. They sense somehow that Sunday ought to be different, but how and why, and who sets the rules? Or to put it another way, perhaps we know exactly what it means, but we don t know how it applies to us. I. Three Major Difficulties As we begin to approach this Commandment, it will help to squarely face three major difficulties that confront us. These difficulties are not equal in importance; they in fact function on different levels. But taken together they show us the difficulties we face in arriving at a proper interpretation. A. This is the Only Commandment Not Repeated in the New Testament. That s a significant fact when you consider that the other nine commandments are all repeated in one form or another in the New Testament. Therefore, we know that nine of the Ten Commandments are clearly still in force today because they are specifically repeated in the New Testament. What about the Fourth Commandment? Why isn t it repeated in the New Testament? What does that suggest? B. The Church Has Historically Worshiped on Sunday. While there have been a few scattered exceptions through church history, the vast majority of Christians have worshiped on Sunday. As a result many people automatically assume that the Christian observance of Sunday equals the Old Testament observance of the Sabbath. C. We Now Face the Fading Tradition of Sunday as a Holy or Sacred Day. While we are free to debate the reasons, no one can debate the conclusion that Sunday observance is a fading tradition in North American Christianity. One writer put it this way: Our great-grandparents called it the Holy Sabbath. Our grandparents called it the Sabbath. Our parents called it Sunday. We call it the weekend. Let s face it. Many of us think nothing of skipping Sunday services if something better comes along. Our problem is that it doesn t even bother us. Curious question: How many Christians are careful to go to church on Sunday while on vacation?

4 No wonder we are greatly confused. Most of us secretly think this Commandment should be paraphrased, Thou shalt not enjoy life on Sunday. And then, being modern, we go ahead and enjoy it anyway and end up feeling vaguely guilty. No wonder we re mixed up! II. Three Conflicting Viewpoints But if you want more confusion, just ask any pastor about this Commandment. Lo and behold, the preachers don t even agree. Nor do the scholars or the commentators. For 2000 years, down to this very day, three main viewpoints have existed about the Fourth Commandment and its application to the Christian. A. The Seventh Day Adventist View This view suggests that Christians should observe Saturday as the Sabbath. Consequently, the Seventh Day Adventists go to church on Saturday morning. For them, Sunday is like our Saturday. This view has the advantage of taking the Sabbath commandment very seriously. They argue that the Sabbath has always been on Saturday and there is no Scriptural evidence that the Sabbath was ever changed to Sunday. Such a view also preserves the integrity of the Ten Commandments and offers a consistent principle of interpretation. It fails, however, because there is quite simply no New Testament evidence to suggest that Christians felt obligated to meet on Saturday for worship. The early Jewish Christians certainly continued to worship on Saturday, but that changed as the church became predominantly Gentile. The view fails because it does not properly distinguish between law and grace. In fact it mixes the Old Testament law with the New Testament principle of the grace of God. B. The Christian Sabbath View This view suggests that Sunday has replaced Saturday as the official Sabbath day. Most of us were probably raised with some version of this view. It has several strengths. First, the Christian Sabbath view recognizes the legitimacy of the Fourth Commandment. Second, it also recognizes the crucial importance of the resurrection of Christ. There are some problems with this view, however. The most important one is this: Sunday is never called the Sabbath in the New Testament. In fact, in the Bible the weekly Sabbath is always on Saturday never on Sunday. There is no evidence whatsoever that the Sabbath was ever changed in either Testament. While it is true that the early church soon began worshiping on the first day of the week, there is no evidence they ever called Sunday the Sabbath.

5 That is to say, it is indeed true that a change was made from Saturday to Sunday. But that change did not involve changing the Sabbath day. The Sabbath remained on Saturday; the Christian day of worship become Sunday. To suggest otherwise is to go beyond the New Testament and to confuse Jewish worship with Christian worship i.e., to confuse law and grace. To go one step farther, the Christian Sabbath view directly contradicts Galatians 4:9-10 and Colossians 2:17, which clearly seem to teach that the Sabbath was always on Saturday. C. The Abiding Principle View This view suggests that in the Christian era all days are alike to God. Since there is no stipulated day of worship, we voluntarily set aside Sunday as the Christian day of worship in honor of the Resurrection of Christ. First of all, this view suggests that Sunday can never be the Christian Sabbath because the Sabbath was specifically given to the nation of Israel as a sign of the special relationship between God and his people. To Israel the Sabbath was clearly to be a reminder of the great work God had done. The Sabbath was given to a particular people (Israel) at a particular place (Mt. Sinai) at a particular time (the birth of the nation) for a particular purpose (a reminder of creation and of the covenant). Secondly, this view argues that the switch to Sunday was a voluntary change which happened in order to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ and as a natural consequence of the church becoming predominantly Gentile. A. All four gospels record the Resurrection on Sunday (Matt 28:1; Mark 16:2; Luke 24:1; John 20:1). B. Of the nine post-pentecost references to the Sabbath, eight refer to the Jewish Sabbath which Paul observed for the purpose of evangelism. The ninth occurrence declares the Christian s liberty from Sabbath law. C. The New Testament nowhere commands believers to worship on the Sabbath. In fact, the New Testament seems to open any day as proper for worship (Romans 14:5-6). D. Several references imply New Testament worship on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7; I Corinthians 16:1-2; Revelation 1:10). E. Believers are explicitly freed from observing the Sabbath (Galatians 4:9-11; Colossians 2:14-17). F. The clear testimony of church history is that the early church worshiped on Sunday (Ignatius, the Didache, Barnabus).

6 Summary: The early church voluntarily switched from Saturday to Sunday in order to commemorate the Resurrection of Christ. The New Testament frees believers from the Sabbath and prescribes no set day of worship. Some Preliminary Conclusions 1. Sunday is not the Sabbath. 2. The early Christians worshiped on Sunday to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ. 3. Most of our Sunday taboos are based on tradition, not on the Bible. 4. The New Testament says nothing about what you should or should not do on Sunday. In Jesus day the rabbis made a list of 1521 things you couldn t do on the Sabbath. The list included killing a flea that landed on your arm. In Scotland in the 1600s a man was arrested for smiling on the Sabbath. The first train to run on Sunday was met in Glasgow by an enraged group of clergymen who told the passengers that they had just purchased a ticket to hell. On and on the stories go. Here is the stunning fact: There are absolutely no directions given in the New Testament about how Christians are to observe Sunday. None. Therein lies the great difference between the Sabbath and Sunday. 1. The Sabbath was given as a matter of law; Sunday is a day of grace. 2. The Sabbath remembers creation; Sunday celebrates re-creation. 3. The Sabbath was a social force for a nation; Sunday is an individual day given to each Christian to celebrate as he sees fit. 4. The Sabbath was governed by rules and regulations; Sunday has no rules whatsoever. We voluntarily observe Sunday because Jesus rose on the first day of the week. Therefore, don t let anyone make you feel bad on Sunday or put you on a guilt trip. Jesus died to set us free from that kind of bondage. The Other Side So far it would seem as if there is no valid use for the Fourth Commandment today. In fact, it might seem as if we ought instead to talk about the Nine Commandments and drop the Fourth one right off the list. Not so! We re not about to drop any of the commandments. They all have something to say to us today.

7 The Fourth Commandment was specifically given to the nation of Israel as a sign of its special relationship with God. That much is certainly true. But it is also true that the concept of the Sabbath goes all the way back to creation. Genesis 2:1-3 says, Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating he had done. Note the divine pattern here: 1. Six days of work. 2. One day of rest. Looking at the pattern another way, this is what we see: Work comes first, followed always by rest. Work, then rest. This is the divine pattern of life. The Rhythm of Life It seems to be that Genesis 2:1-3 contains an important principle that transcends the law. God has established a certain rhythm to life. Man is not meant to work forever without a rest. God ordered the universe from the very beginning so that like the sounding of a clock, every seven days man would stop and rest and relax and gain perspective. This is not only a spiritual principle, but also an emotional and physical principle. We need a day of rest, a break, a change of pace. That is the enduring principle which is picked up by the Fourth Commandment and called the Sabbath. The legal requirement is gone. We no longer live under the law. But the enduring principle remains. We need a day of rest. God made us that way. God knew what he was doing when he rested on the seventh day. Was he tired? No. But he was establishing a universal pattern for the human race. We wear out and break down unless we have a day of rest. Here s an amazing insight: In the Old Testament the Sabbath was not primarily a day of worship. It was primarily a day of rest and celebration.

8 The Abiding Principle With that in mind, let s see if we can state the abiding principle of the Fourth Commandment: We give 1 day in 7 to God because 7 out of 7 belong to him!!! Seen in that light, the Fourth Commandment is extremely relevant today. No, we don t keep a Sabbath in the Old Testament sense. Yes, we desperately need a weekly Sabbath and if we don t observe one, we will soon break down and begin to wear out. God says, Remember the Sabbath day. Why do we need to remember the Sabbath? 1. Because we tend to forget it so easily. 2. Because we live self-centered lives. 3. Because we tend to forget our own mortality. 4. Because our work would soon control us otherwise. 5. Because the Sabbath reminds us that there is more to life than a paycheck. 6. Because families need time to come together. 7. Because it is so easy to crowd God out of our lives. In a very real sense the Fourth Commandment is God s Maintenance Commandment. It s his way of saying, If you don t slow down, you re going to kill yourself. The Sabbath was never meant to be a burden around our necks. No! The Sabbath was originally God s gift to the human race. The Sabbath is meant to take us back to Eden, back to life as it was meant to be. On the Sabbath we are set free from deadlines, demands, projects, payrolls, memos, timelines, and all the rest. On that one holy and sacred day, we remember that what we are is more important than what we do. For six days each week we are judged on our performance. For one day out of seven we aren t judged at all! Somewhere along the way we have lost our humanity in the pursuit of a career. The Sabbath says, Stop! Remember! Think! Reflect! You are more than a teacher or a coach or a doctor. You are a man or a woman made in God s image. That s how you were born; that s how you will die. We need the Sabbath! God knew we couldn t survive without it. Where does all this leave us? 1. No set day of worship is ordered for us. 2. We meet on Sunday to honor the resurrection of Christ. 3. No list of dos and don ts is given in the New Testament.

9 4. We need a weekly Sabbath to restore our perspective. 5. We give God 1 day in 7 because 7 out of 7 belong to him. III. Remembering the Sabbath Today Only one question remains: If Sunday is the Christian day of worship, how should we observe it since it is not the Sabbath although we all need a weekly Sabbath? Here are four suggestions: A. Get Recharged on Sunday. For ancient Israel the Sabbath meant resting from the rigors of an agrarian lifestyle. For modern Americans that probably means getting some exercise. Use the day to relax and unwind from the pressures of the week. Take a walk, read a book, watch a good movie, enjoy a meal with friends, play some games, shoot some hoops, have some fun. Whatever helps you unwind and relax, do it. And don t feel guilty about it. B. Celebrate the Resurrection With Other Believers. Don t simply go to church. Sunday ought to be the high day of the week. It ought to be the day you look forward to all week long. Sunday ought to be the best day of the week because it s the day when you throw aside the mundane cares and the vexing problems and focus on the greatest miracle in all history the resurrection of Jesus Christ! Sing! Laugh! Clap! Celebrate! Rejoice! Let the children of God lift their voices! He is risen! He is risen indeed! C. Focus on Your Family. That sounds familiar, doesn t it? Take time to play with your children, to call your parents, to visit your aunts and uncles, to have a big meal together, to wrestle on the carpet, to play Monopoly, to have a pillow fight, to take an afternoon drive, to write letters to your loved ones, to pause and remember those who have died, to rejoice over the goodness of God to you. Let Sunday become a holy and happy family day. Let it be a time to strengthen those relationships that mean the most to you.

10 D. Do a Good Deed. This takes us back to the words of Jesus who rebuked the Pharisees because they criticized a man for pulling his sheep out of a ditch on the Sabbath. But if he left the sheep there, it would die. Jesus said, It is lawful to do good on the Sabbath. (Matthew 12:12) How can we do good on Sunday? Visit the sick, phone a discouraged friend, have someone over for Sunday dinner, share the gospel, have your neighbors over for a cookout, write a letter to your favorite missionary, give an offering to the poor, spend some time playing ball with children who have no fathers. The sky s the limit. The willing heart will find a thousand ways to do good. Every Day is Sunday The end of the matter is this. For the Christian, every day is Sunday. All seven days belong to the Lord. We re not required to give God one day out of seven. But God has made us so that we need a break, a change, and a time to enjoy life. Ecclesiastes says, There is a time for every purpose under heaven including a time for God. And that s the abiding, unchanging spirit of the Fourth commandment. Someone has said it this way. Before Christ, men worked all week and then rested on Saturday. They worked to earn their rest. Now that Christ has risen from the dead, we rest on the first of the week because the work of salvation has been accomplished for us. Sunday is a day of grace. We receive that which we do not deserve. Sunday reminds us that we don t have to work and strive to gain acceptance with God. It teaches us that in Jesus Christ wholly apart from human works we are accepted by God. A Time to Rejoice Where does that leave us? Singing, dancing, laughing and playing. It leaves us rolling in the clover, eternally celebrating life. We are forgiven, set free, unshackled, our guilt removed, our sentence pardoned, raised to new life, seated with Christ in heaven. It s time we took the grumpiness out of our religion and put the joy back in! Therefore, go from this place and celebrate life today. Throw a football, take a walk, read a book, eat a good dinner, read the Bible, play with your children, write a letter, call a friend, enjoy the world God created. Relax, rejoice, have a party, celebrate the goodness of the Lord. Jesus lives! We re set free! That s what Sunday is all about.

11 PLEASE REMEMBER THOSE WHO NEED OUR PRAYERS Oh God our Father we pray You restore to physical health, those who are weakened with illness. Give peace of mind to those troubled with worry and comfort those discouraged with problems. Help them find their inner strength, a faith and trust in you and a love for one another to guide them through any health challenges or troubles they may face. Amen. Please pray for the health of Lou Gollets. Please pray for the health of Walter Latocki. Please pray for the health of Steven Marchenski. Please pray for health & healing for Joyce Hojlo. Please pray for the health and total recovery of Bill Morant. Please pray for the health of Annie H. Kruk. Please pray for the health of Margaret Hadubiak. Please pray for the health and total recovery of Dorothy Labay. Please pray for the health of Kay Tokarwiski. Please pray for the health and total recovery of Mildred Kalyniuk. Please pray for the health and recovery of Helen Czaplynsky. Please pray for the health of Serge Larouche. Please pray for the health & total recovery of Marjorie Romanik. Please pray for the health and recovery of Adele Genik. THE TRAVELING ICON OF THE MOTHER OF POCHAIV You can arrange to have the icon in your home by using the sign-up sheet at the back of the church. Just write your name on the week in the calendar that corresponds to your choice of time period. When we speak of icons as a medium for gazing into heaven, we refer to their value as much more than ethereal-looking religious art. Instead, icons serve as a very real means for connecting us with God and His love. Icons are beautiful, but without relationship behind it, beauty alone feeds only a portion of the human soul, and ultimately patronizes the deep human need for loving connection with the Transcendent. With this in mind, we seek to view icons as points of visual and spiritual intersection with eternal things, as living prompts for our prayers, and as reminders of the very real world that exists beyond the limitations of this temporal one. Icons can seem complicated or strange at first. Take time to come present to the icon, to simply gaze, allowing both your sense of sight as well as the longings of your heart to interact with what the icon presents to you in a particular moment. Icons have a way of teaching the heart spiritual truths the mind cannot. This is part of what is meant by icons being theology in color. While the Icon is in your home pray before it, alone or with others, for all your intentions and needs. You may pray the Rosary, in whole or in part, or the prayers from the Moleben to the Mother of God, or pray in your own words; or simply spend some silent moments in meditation, listening and being attentive to God's Word. In your prayers, approach the Blessed Mother with childlike confidence and bring her all your concerns, worries, disappointments, hurts and sufferings, and all your needs, wishes and hopes. But also say a prayer of thanksgiving for all of your successes and joys, your graces and blessings, known and unknown. Make the most of the presence of Mary's Icon in your home. If anyone wishes to receive the Sacrament of Confession or Holy Communion at home or in the hospital or nursing home please contact the parish office at

12 LITURGIES & INTENTIONS INTENTION OFFERED BY MARCH 20 TH 11:00 am HEALTH OF LOU GOLLETS CATHY & ANGELA STOYANSKY +SOUL OF PAUL KOWAL 3 YEARS OLLIE KOWAL & FAMILY MARCH 21 ST NO MASS MARCH 22 ND 8:30 am +SOUL OF NICHOLAS KOHUCH GERRY & MICHELLE STINSON MARCH 23 RD 8:30 am HEALING FOR ROB, COLLEEN & RYAN PROKOPOWICH STELLA & CONNIE SENIUK PROKOPOWICH MARCH 24 TH 8:30 am FOR THE DECEASED SOUL OF MARGIE BILL & LESIA BOYCZUK WITH PANAHYDA MARCH 25 TH 8:30 am ANNUNCIATION & GOOD FRIDAY +SOUL OF LEONARD KIMACOVICH 40 DAYS FAMILY MARCH 26 TH 10:00 am MARCH 27 TH 8:30 am HOLY SATURDAY EASTER SUNDAY FOR THE FAITHFUL MARCH 28 TH 8:30 am +SOULS OF STANLEY & EMILY STOYANSKY & FAMILY C & A MARCH 29 TH 8:30 am +SOUL OF LEONARD KIMACOVICH ED & STELLA PILAT MARCH 30 TH 8:30 am +SOUL OF LEANNE GERMAINE FATHER WALTER MARCH 31 ST 8:30 am +SOUL OF LEONARD KIMACOVICH MARGARET & SAM KABAN APRIL 1 ST 8:30 am HEALTH OF MARJORIE ROMANIK FATHER WALTER APRIL 3 RD 10:00 am HEALTH OF MARJORIE ROMANIK FATHER WALTER +SOULS OF MAX, MARY & ABRAHAM MELNYK ROXY MELNYK & FAMILY +SOUL OF DEACON NICHOLAS KOHUCH MARTIN & LEONA NECHWEDIUK +SOULS OF HANNAH & MICHAEL PROVALNIUK +SOULS OF TEKLIA & JOSEF KULCHYTSKIJ SVITLANA KWIATKOWSKI APRIL 4 TH NO MASS APRIL 5 TH 8:30 am +SOUL OF LEANNE GERMAINE FATHER WALTER +SOUL OF LEONARD KIMACOVICH RON SLOBODIAN APRIL 6 TH 8:30 am +SOUL OF LEONARD KIMACOVICH ANDREA KOHUCH +SOUL OF LEANNE GERMAINE FATHER WALTER

13 SANCTUARY LIGHT WEEK OF INTENTION OFFERED BY MARCH 20 TH +SOULS OF CATHERINE & DMYTRO MANDZIE FAMILY MARCH 27 TH +SOUL OF WALTER GALAY ELSIE GALAY & FAMILY APRIL 3 RD HEALTH INTENTIONS FOR FAMILY SOPHIA ANDRINIUK APRIL 10 TH +SOUL OF ANNE NAHULIAK VIRGINIA MOORE APRIL 17 TH +SOUL OF JOHN ZAMRYKUT ANNE TANCHAK & FAMILY MAY 1 ST +SOUL OF MIKE TANCHAK ANNE TANCHAK & FAMILY MAY 22 ND +SOULS OF MIKE & JEAN NECHWEDIUK MARTIN & LEONA NECHWEDIUK JUNE 12 TH +SOUL OF HUSBAND BORIS MUSICK (28 YEARS) DOREEN MUSICK & FAMILY JUNE 19 TH +SOULS OF SISTERS CHRISTINE, MARY & PEARL DOREEN MUSICK & FAMILY JUNE 26 TH +SOULS OF BROTHERS PAUL, WALTER & NICHOLAS DOREEN MUSICK & FAMILY JULY 3 RD HEALTH OF ANNA LABAY ANDY & LINDA LABAY JULY 10 TH +SOUL OF TONY NAHULIAK VIRGINIA MOORE JULY 24 TH +SOUL OF EMILY STOYANSKY ANGELA & CATHY STOYANSKY AUGUST 28 TH HEALTH & BLESSINGS ANGELA STOYANSKY CATHY STOYANSKY SEPTEMBER 4 TH +SOULS OF WILLIAM & NELLIE KABAN KABAN FAMILY SEPTEMBER 11 TH +SOUL OF ROSE CAMERON KABAN FAMILY SEPTEMBER 18 TH HEALTH & BLESSINGS ANGELA STOYANSKY CATHY STOYANSKY SEPTEMBER 25 TH +SOUL OF FRED SOLTYS ANNE SOLTYS & FAMILY OCTOBER 2 ND HEALTH & BLESSINGS FATHER WALTER CATHY & ANGELA STOYANSKY OCTOBER 30 TH +SOUL OF ANNE SKOCHYLES GERRY SKOCHYLES NOVEMBER 6 TH HEALTH & BLESSINGS CATHY STOYANSKY ANGELA STOYANSKY NOVEMBER 13 TH +SOUL OF LARRY FEDORCHUK PHYLLIS FEDORCHUK & FAMILY DECEMBER 4 TH +SOUL OF JOHN LABAY ANDY & LINDA LABAY DECEMBER 18 TH +SOUL OF STANLEY STOYANSKY CATHY & ANGELA STOYANSKY A Sanctuary Light burns eternally to indicate the presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist in the Tabernacle. It is a marvelous thing that we can actually be in His presence! "The Eucharist is at the very center of our life; such was the teaching of Jesus. When commenting on the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves He told His apostles that He Himself is the Living Bread that came down from heaven. He called on the twelve for an act of faith and it was Peter who answered in the name of all: 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of everlasting life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God' (John 6:69). Christian faith is faith in the Eucharistic Christ." - Jean Galot, S.J.

14 TODAY DURING MASS WE SHALL HAVE THE COMMUNITY CELEBRATION OF PENANCE Following is a short excerpt from a recording of sermons given by Blessed Vasyl Velychkovsky to priests in the underground church in Ukraine about the Sacrament of Confession: 'When we approach confession, let us remember: we must prepare ourselves. For the confession to be holy, it must never be done carelessly or in haste and never without preparation. Never. Otherwise, we will lose much grace. When we begin to prepare for holy confession, firstly, let us place ourselves in the presence of God. Let us ask our heavenly Father for the gift of courage and strength to do penance. Let us ask the Son of God for enlightenment so that we would recognize our sins. Let us ask the Holy Spirit that he consume our sins and offenses with the fire of His love. Then calmly examine our conscience. Let us ask the Mother of God for the grace of true sorrow and a contrite heart. True sorrow. Remember, that without true sorrow, one cannot make a good confession. Sorrow for one's sins is the heart of confession. As the body without a soul is dead, so confession without sorrow is dead. Let us pray: '0 Mother of God, grant me sorrow for my sins. Grant me to recognize my faults. Grant me to see the gravity of sins. Grant that I may have before me the wounds of Christ, the blood of Christ, the sufferings of Christ, the tortures and the death of Christ. So that looking upon this, my heart may pain and despise sin. That I may suffer all things rather than offend my God through the smallest thing.' Ask our Mother of God for the great grace of true repentance for our sins... "After a good confession where we have confessed all our sins, let us again awaken sorrow in our hearts. With the eyes of our soul let us gaze upon the Blood of Christ, on the wounds of Christ. Let us say: '0 God, forgive me and have mercy on me, for my heart is in pain. I would rather undergo all this pain than offend You in any way.' And then imagine! When the priest says the absolution, the Blood of Christ flows over my soul, covers my soul, my heart, and cleanses me. What a great grace! What great mercy!" MARCH 2016 PRAYER INTENTIONS Universal: Families in Difficulty (e.g. in our parishes and parish territories.) That families in need may receive the necessary support and that children may grow up in healthy and peaceful environments. Evangelization: Persecuted Christians (e.g. Syria, Iraq, China, occupied Ukraine, etc.) That those Christians who, on account of their faith, are discriminated against or are being persecuted, may remain strong and faithful to the Gospel, thanks to the incessant prayer of the Church.

15 54 Ways to Be Merciful During the Jubilee Year of Mercy Practicing mercy in our lives actually does take practice Aleteia The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples, Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners? He heard this and said, Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, I desire mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners. Matthew 9:11-13 God, who is merciful, desires our mercy. Here are 54 ways to keep to mercy during the Jubilee Year. Try randomly selecting one each week and putting it into practice. (We gave you two extra; mix them up!) 11) If you didn t mean to be a pain in the neck to someone, admit that you were and ask the person to forgive you. 12) Take a tip from Cardinal Timothy Dolan and carry around $5 Starbucks and McDonald s gift cards for the homeless. 13) Take time in prayer to contemplate the good qualities of someone who is difficult for you. Do the same for each member of your family. 14) Send a card, flowers, gift or note to someone on the six-month anniversary of his or her loved one s death. By then most people have stopped recognizing their grief. 15) Offer to babysit for a busy mom to go out and have a couple of hours to herself. 16) Make a meal (or buy a gift certificate) for a mom who s just given birth or adopted a child, or for someone who s just gone through a loss. 17) Hold. Your. Tongue. 18) Offer to run an errand (groceries, dry cleaning pick up, dog-walking) for a busy parent or homebound person. 19) If you can t sit down beside a homeless person to talk for a while today, at least send a donation to a ministry that does do this (such as Christ in the City). 20) If you re sharing a treat, take the smaller portion.

16 Lent began Monday February 8 th. The first day of Lent and Good Friday are fast days in the Ukrainian Catholic Church. On fast days, we totally abstain from meat and dairy products and take only one full meal. Other meals should be of smaller proportions, like snacks. STATIONS OF THE CROSS: EVERY WEDNESDAY AT 7 PM, UNTIL GOOD FRIDAY. IN THIS YEAR OF 2016, ACCORDING TO THE GREGORIAN CALENDAR, THE FEAST OF THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD, MARCH 25, OCCURS ON GOOD FRIDAY. BOTH COMMEMORATIONS ARE CONSIDERED BY THE CHURCH TO BE OF GREAT THEOLOGICAL AND SPIRITUAL IMPORTANCE AND THUS BOTH ARE LITURGICALLY COMMEMORATED. TODAY 1:00 to 3:00 pm - St. Basil s UCWLC invite you to their annual tea at the St. Basil s Parish Auditorium (202 Harcourt Street). Dr. Anne Penny will officially open tea. Join them for Home Baking, Raffle & Silent Auction. St. Basil Knights of Columbus "Spring Fling" Old Time Dance Saturday, April 16, 2016 St. Basil's Auditorium 202 Harcourt Street Winnipeg, MB Cocktails: 7:00 p.m. Tickets: $17.50 each Dance: 8:00 p.m. Lunch Music by: The Female Beat For Tickets Please Contact: Harry Fediuk Andy Labay Martin Nechwediuk John Solomon

17 THE HAPPIEST OF BIRTHDAYS TO: NELLIE ANNE FEDIUK who celebrates on March 21 st SAM KABAN who celebrates on March 21 st JORDYN SZWALUK who will celebrate March 24 th ALEX ZIMROSE who will celebrate on March 24th LAVINIA NOVAK who will celebrate on March 25th IRIS SAWCHUK who will celebrate on March 27th MNOHAYA-MNOHAYA LITA! GOD GRANT YOU MANY HAPPY YEARS! YOUTH NEWS 2016 Youth Winter Games Schedule. Indoor Soccer: Saturday, April 2, 2016 Seven Oaks Soccer Plex, 725 Kingsbury Ave., Registration 12:30pm., soccer and Snacks 1:00-3:00pm Clean indoor runners required Windup: Saturday April 16, 2016 St Vladimir & Olga Cathedral Hall Food, Music, Games and Awards 6:00-10:00pm All youth of all ages are invited and admission is free. These events give our children an opportunity to meet and visit youth from all over the city. We will arrange carpooling for any children needing a lift to and from the events. Please contact Wanda at prychitko@shaw.ca, so we can ensure that enough drivers are made available. COMMUNITY CALENDAR April 14 - The Catholic Foundation of Manitoba s Annual Caritas Dinner honouring the service of consecrated men (i.e. monks and religious) at the RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg. Tickets $95 and can be purchased by calling [visit ] HOLY FAMILY AUXILIARY SUNDAY APRIL 24 1:00 PM FASHION IN BLOOM A LUNCHEON & FASHION SHOW FEATURING SPA LIFESTYLE & FASHION BOUTIQUE HOLY FAMILY HOME AUDITORIUM 165 ABERDEEN AVENUE TICKETS $30.00 SILENT BID AUCTION & RAFFLE LUNCHEON BY HOMER S RESTAURANT FOR TICKETS CONTACT ELAINE SKIRZYK AT

18 Calling Youth and Young Adults (and parents are welcome to join in too!). Join the Archeparchial Ukrainian Catholic Youth & Young Adults as we pray and share our faith this Good Friday March 25 at our annual Plastyanytsya Hop. Please meet us at 3:50 p.m. at Sts Peter & Paul Parish and we will be carpooling to the various parishes. Reminder to bring water with you to drink because we will be out for 4-5 hours. Please feel free to join us at any of the parishes at any point if you are not able to join us for the whole evening. The final list of parishes is below. For more information Tamara at Please let me know if you can join us (and if you will need a ride from Sts Peter & Paul Parish)! Start at 4pm Sts Peter and Paul Parish 390 Marion St (Rides available from here, please arrive before 4pm) Leave at 4:15 pm Arrive at 4:40 pm St Andrews 160 Euclid Ave Leave at 5 pm Arrive at 5:20 pm Holy Family Parish 1001 Grant Ave Leave at 5:35 pm Arrive at 6 pm Blessed Virgin Mary Church, 965 Boyd Avenue Leave at 6:15 pm Arrive at 6:25 pm St Nicholas Parish 737 Bannerman Avenue Leave at 6:40 pm Arrive at 6:55 pm Holy Eucharist Parish 505 Watt St for Jerusalem Matins at 7pm (pick up from here after the service, approx. end time 8:30pm-9pm) The following parishes are open for all night vigils in front of the Plaschanytsia: Holy Ghost, St Joseph's, (more to be added) Optional: After Matins, possibility of going for a snack at Sals (Please bring money for this option) Join us from the beginning or somewhere in between! We are happy to have you praying with us! Ukrainian Catholic Youth & Young Adult Director 233 Scotia Street, Winnipeg, MB, R2V 1V7 Phone: ex 6 youth@archeparchy.ca World Youth Day 2016! CUCP ~ Canadian Ukrainian Catholic Pilgrims Ukrainian Catholics from Canada will be joining together to experience WYD July 12-August 3, 2016 July ~ Lviv, Ukraine July ~ Zarvanytsia, Ukraine July ~ Days of the Eparchy in Przemysl, Poland July ~ World Youth Day Week in Krakow, Poland August 1-3 ~ Wrap Up Retreat Days in Krakow, Poland Cost Approx $3800-$4200 For more information on the Pilgrimage you can either Sarah at uwitness2youth@gmail.com or Millie at youth@edmontoneparchy.com Please join us for a Pilgrimage of a Lifetime! (Register early, space is limited) UCY

19 LIFE S VISION Monday, May 9, 2016 at 6:30 pm- Join the Gospel of Life at Holy Eucharist Parish, 505 Watt St. Thursday, May 12, 2016 at 10:30 am- Service at St. Mary s Cathedral prior to the March for Life. Thursday, May 12, 2016 at 11:30 am- Gathering for the March for Life at the Legislative Building. Followed by speakers and closing remarks. VELYCHKOVSKY PILGRIMAGE TO UKRAINE 2016 July 3 to July 25, The Bishop Velychkovsky Martyr's Shrine is conducting a pilgrimage for 22 days to places in Ukraine where Blessed Martyr Vasyl lived, worked and suffered. Some of the places we will be visiting are: Lviv, Ternopil, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kovel, Kamianetz Podilsk, Kyiv, the Carpathian Mountains, Zarvanytsia, Pochaiv, etc. On this pilgrimage we will have prayer services and hear stories of Blessed Vasyl s life as well as sight-seeing throughout Ukraine.Cost of the trip is $4500 CDN which includes: flights from Winnipeg to Lviv/Kyiv to Winnipeg, travelling in air-conditioned bus throughout Ukraine, accommodations, meals and attractions. Travel and medical insurance is not included. For more information contact by bvshrine@mymts.net or phone Book as soon as possible as space is limited to 20 pilgrims. Deadline for reservations and non-refundable deposit of $ is February 29, Tour conducted by Fr. John Sianchuk, C.Ss.R. & Mary Jane Kalenchuk. Come and experience Blessed Vasyl s homeland and the beauty and hospitality of Ukraine PYSANKA ART DAVID & DEREK WASYLYSHEN OSEREDOK UKRAINIAN CULTURAL & EDUCATIONAL CENTRE 184 ALEXANDER AVE E MARCH 6-APRIL 9 SPRING FAIR FRIDAY MARCH 18 10am-6 pm & SATURDAY MARCH am -4 pm OSEREDOK BOUTIQUE. FEATURING TRADITIONAL & ART PYSANKY, PYSANKY JEWELLERY, PYSANKY COOKIES AND PYSANKY WRITING SUPPLIES. PLUS, A NEW SPRING LOOK FOR YOU AND YOUR HOME NEW ARTISAN JEWELLERY, CERAMICS, ARTWORKS & MORE! 184 ALEXANDER AVE. EAST ucec@mymts.net PYSANKY WORKSHOPS AT OSEREDOK:ETCHED PYSANKA WORKSHOP SATURDAY APRIL pm. Registration fee $20 non-members, $15 members. FAMILY PYSANKA WORKSHOPS SATURDAY MARCH 19 2 to 4 pm, SATURDAY APRIL 16 2 to 4 pm. Registration fee $12 non-members, $8 members. GROUP BOOKINGS MINIMUM 12 MAXIMUM 35 PARTICIPANTS PER SESSION Registration fee $7. Call or ucec@mymts.net Manitoba Catholic Prison Ministry Spiritual Retreat Quality of Mercy.. The Tri-Diocesan Prison Ministry committee is offering during the year-long Jubilee of Mercy, an opportunity for chaplains, prison ministry volunteers, correctional and parole officers, parishes and community members, to move together in a much deeper spiritual journey to be far-reaching Christian witnesses of mercy to the world. Karen Toole will lead us to defining for each and everyone one the Quality of Mercy. so that we can move forward with the work we have been called to do with respect to justice that is pleasing to God. Saturday, April 30th, :00am to 4:00pm St. Benedict s Retreat & Conference Centre 225 Masters Avenue Winnipeg, Manitoba, R4A 2A1 Questions? call Cost - $ Deadline to register April 4th, 2016 Cheques payable to CACR of Saint-Boniface; mailed to Retreat, c/o Micah House 1039 Main St, Winnipeg MB R2W 3R2

20

21

22

23

24 March 2016 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 STATIONS OF 4 Sorokusty during 5 THE CROSS 7 PM morning Mass 3 KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS MEETING 6:45 April 6 PANCAKE BREAKFAST & 7 8 International Women's Day ANNUAL MEETING FOLLOWING DIVINE LITURGY 9 STATIONS OF THE CROSS 7 PM FOLLOWED BY UCWLC MEETING Sorokusty during morning Mass Knights of Columbus coffee house following Divine Liturgy 14 Commonwealth Day STATIONS OF THE CROSS 7 PM Sorokusty during morning Mass PEROGY SUPPER 4 to 7 pm PALM SUNDAY Liturgy 11:00 am SPRING TEA 1:00 pm 21 HOLY MONDAY 8:30 am 22 HOLY TUESDAY 8:30 am CONFESSIONS 6 to 6:45 PM 23 HOLY WEDNESDAY 8:30 am STATIONS OF THE CROSS 7 PM 24 HOLY THURSDAY DIVINE LITURGY 8:30 AM MATINS TWELVE PASSION GOSPELS 7 PM 25 GOOD FRIDAY ANNUNCIATION OF THEOTOKOS 8:30 am followed by: VESPERS & EXPOSITION OF THE HOLY SHROUD 7PM JERUSALEM MATINS 26 HOLY SATURDAY 10: am Divine Liturgy; 2, 4 & 6 pm Blessing of Easter baskets & confessions; 7:30 pm Sepulchre Service 27 EASTER SUNDAY 8:30 am Resurrection Matins followed by Divine Liturgy Notes: