RT. REV. ANDRE ST. GERMAIN (retired) REV. ROGER BOUCHER - Weekend Ministry REV. DEACON PAUL LEONARCZYK

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1 REV. THOMAS P. STEINMETZ, Pastor REV. ALAM ALAM - Weekend Ministry REV. DEACON ROBERT SPENCER our lady OF THE CEDARS CHURCH A MELKITE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY 140 MITCHELL STREET, MANCHESTER, NH TEL # (603) FAX # (603) oloc.church@comcast.net Website: RT. REV. ANDRE ST. GERMAIN (retired) REV. ROGER BOUCHER - Weekend Ministry REV. DEACON PAUL LEONARCZYK October 7, 2012 The Commemoration of the Holy Martyrs Sergius and Bacchus THE THIRD SUNDAY AFTER THE HOLY CROSS Parish Advisory& Finance Council: PAUL ST. GERMAIN, President, ROBERT ANDERSON, ROBIN ANDERSON, BRIAN CULLEN, MARY CULLEN, MARTHA DAGHER, TIM ERMATINGER, PAUL KEARNEY, MARYLOU LAZOS, MATTHEW LOMANNO, KEN MONTY, NAJWA MOUSSOBA, GERALD OUELLETTE, TOM SPENCER N.A.M.Y. Advisor: Sunday School Coordinator: Cedars Society President: ROBIN ANDERSON MARTHA DAGHER MARYLOU LAZOS HOLY MYSTERY OF CONFESSION: Confession is available from any priest before or after any service or by appointment; HOLY MYSTERY OF CHRISTIAN ILLUMINATION: Please contact the clergy in advance to arrange for the required baptismal instructions; HOLY MYSTERY OF CROWNING: At least six months prior to the proposed wedding, please contact the clergy to arrange for the required interview and instructions; HOLY MYSTERY OF THE ANOINTING OF THE SICK: Please contact the pastor at any time when this sacrament is needed; HOLY COMMUNION FOR THE SICK: Anyone too infirm to attend our services may receive Communion in the home. Please advise the clergy whenever this sacrament is needed. Please remember to contact the church if a loved one is in the hospital and would like a visit from the priest. The hospitals do not always notify us!

2 THE ORDER OF TODAY S LITURGY The Troparion of the Resurrection (2 nd Tone) Page 51 The Troparion of the Dormition of the Theotokos (1 st Tone): Page 16 Kondakion : O Never Failing Protectress of Christians : Page 17 THE PROKIMENON: MY STRENGTH AND MY COURAGE IS THE LORD, AND HE HAS BEEN MY SAVIOR! The Lord has chastised me through His teaching, yet He has not delivered me to death! Today s Readings: 2 Corinthians 11: 31 12: 9 and Luke 7: LITURGY INTENTIONS Saturday, 4:30 PM: For the repose of Toufil Kalil (22 nd ), Helen Baroody (27 th ), John Nedder (24 th ), John Habib (20 th, Jennie Nassoura (2 nd ), Homer Bockmon (17 th ), and Shafeeh Attalla (20 th ) Sunday, 11:00 AM: For the repose of Sarah Baroody, by Ernie and Almaz Ashooh Next Saturday, 4:30 PM: For the repose of Bishop Ignatius Ghattas (20 th ), John Koury (58 th ), Julia Bartlett (22 nd ), Fred Thomas (19 th ), and Angele Hansel (4 th ) Next Sunday, 11:00 AM: For the repose of Peter Burkush, 1 Year Anniversary, by his wife Helena and Family Newborn in Christ! The Servant of God, Rafael Julian Peschiera II, will receive the Holy Mysteries of Baptism and Chrismation prior to the celebration of the Saturday evening Liturgy, and Holy Communion at the Liturgy. Rafael is the son of Rafael and Alyssa Peschiera. Congratulations to Rafael and to all of his family! May God grant you many years.

3 THE BISHOP S APPEAL: Your generous stewardship gift to the Bishop s Appeal not only supports the many vital works of our eparchy such as seeking and training new priests and deacons, developing our religious education programs for youth and adults, publishing SOPHIA magazine, fostering spiritual renewal in our parishes, and caring for our aging and ailing clergy but your gift also benefits your own parish. 50% of the gifts from our parish over our goal are returned to our parish for our use. Please be generous. Want fries with that? Yummmm! Hamburgers and french fries are being served up by our youth group following the Sunday Divine Liturgy. Thank you for supporting their efforts. Middle Eastern Food Festival and Bazaar The Annunciation Cathedral, 7 VFW Parkway, W. Roxbury, MA, will be holding their annual Middle Eastern Food Festival and Bazaar on October 12, 13, 14. All are welcome! Vocation View: Paul was aware of his limitations in his ministry, and congregations today are well aware of the human failings of their clergy but both see that the power of God works through priests, and can be life-giving, as it was for the widow s son in the Gospel. Pray for an increase of priestly vocations in our eparchy and consider it for yourself! Attendance: Last Sat. 4:30 PM: 14 Last Sunday 11:00 AM: 138 Collection of Sept. 23 rd : $1, Last Weekend s Collection: $1, Sunday School Collection: $ Mortgage Collection: $1, The average envelope offering last week was: $ The balance remaining on our mortgage is: $ 403, SERVICES FOR THE WEEK Weekday services will be held in the basement chapel! Tues., Oct. 9 8:30 AM Divine Liturgy: For the health of Elsie Ashooh Wed., Oct. 10 7:00 PM Vespers Thurs., Oct. 11 8:30 AM Divine Liturgy: For the health of Louise Ashooh Sat. Oct. 13 4:30 PM Divine Liturgy: Sunday of the Fathers of Nicaea II Sun. Oct :15 AM Orthros Sun. Oct :00 AM Divine Liturgy: Sunday of the Fathers of Nicaea II

4 Oct. 7: The Holy Martyrs Sergius and Bacchus The Martyrs Sergius and Bacchus in Syria were appointed to high positions in the army by the emperor Maximian ( ), who did not know that they were Christians. Envious people informed Maximian that his two trusted counselors did not honor the pagan gods. This was considered to be a crime against the state. The emperor, wanting to convince himself of the truth of the accusation, ordered Sergius and Bacchus to offer sacrifice to the idols, but they replied that they honored the One God and worshiped only Him. Maximian commanded that the martyrs be stripped of the insignia of military rank (their belts, gold pendants, and rings), and then dressed them in feminine clothing. They were led through the city with an iron chains around their necks, and the people mocked them. Then he summoned Sergius and Bacchus to him again and in a friendly manner advised them not to be swayed by Christian fables, but to return to the Roman gods. The saints refuted the emperor's words, and demonstrated the folly of worshiping the pagan gods. The emperor commanded that they be sent to the governor of the eastern part of Syria, Antiochus, a fierce hater of Christians. Antiochus had received his position with the help of Sergius and Bacchus. "My fathers and benefactors!" he said. "Have pity on yourselves, and also on me. I do not want to condemn my benefactors to cruel tortures." The holy martyrs replied, "For us life is Christ, and to die is gain." The enraged Antiochus ordered Bacchus to be mercilessly beaten, and the holy martyr surrendered his soul to the Lord. They shod Sergius with iron sandals with nails in their soles and sent him to another city, where he was beheaded. Trinity High School, 8 th Grade Open House, Tuesday, Oct. 23rd, 7 p.m., 581 Bridge St., Manchester Mount Saint Mary Academy will host a Middle School Fair on Thursday, November 8, 2012.The event will be held at 2291 Elm Street, Manchester, in our school gym from 6pm to 8pm.It is an opportunity for students and their parents to investigate several middle schools during one evening in an informal setting. All area students and parents are invited to attend this FREE event. Much like a college fair in appearance, the atmosphere encourages browsing and interaction among students, their families and the school representatives. We are pleased to announce that the following schools will have representatives at the fair: Derryfield School. Nashua Catholic Regional Junior High School, Liberty Harbor Academy, Holy Family Academy, and Saint Joseph Regional Junior High School.

5 Let Down in a Basket ST. PAUL THE APOSTLE IS THE MOST TOWERING FIGURE Of the first century Church. Much of the Acts of the Apostles is devoted to telling his story and his own writings account for more than 30% of the entire New Testament. He was directly involved in Christian communities throughout the Mediterranean world. It was those communities which collected his writings and preserved his memory for generations to come. Paul wrote little about himself but what he did write gives an insight into not only his own development but the spiritual life of countless saints in the Church throughout its history. In 2 Corinthians chapters 11 and 12 we see the way Paul looked at important events of his life. He introduces this section by giving us his understanding of what he personally contributed to these events: If I must boast, he writes, I will boast of the things which concern my infirmity (11:30). The Escape from Damascus In Acts 9: 1-18 we read of Paul s extraordinary experience of encountering the risen Christ. The Lord reproached Paul for persecuting Him in His followers. When he finally arrived in Damascus he was baptized and began preaching that Jesus was the Son of God (v. 20). This so disrupted the Jewish community, which was expecting Paul to confound the followers of Christ, that they turned on him. Presumably they so convinced the pagan governor that Paul was a threat to the peace of his city that he had guards posted at the city gate to seize him. He could escape in a basket only because he was inordinately short. Another man might have boasted about being chosen to experience Christ in such an immediate way or of being chosen to proclaim Christ to the Gentiles. Paul s encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus was extraordinary, life-changing and critical in the spread of Christianity throughout the Roman Empire and beyond. Yet Paul does not even mention it here he boasts of his puny stature that helped him escape from the city. People in the contemporary world go to increasingly great lengths to change aspects of their appearance of which they are ashamed. Whole industries such as cosmetic surgery and fitness centers have grown up because people feel themselves inferior because of their appearance. Had Paul been too proud to admit that he was a pipsqueak he may not have made it out of Damascus! The Thorn in the Flesh The encounter on the Damascus road was not Paul s last great spiritual experience. He writes, anonymously, of being caught up into Paradise, the place of God s glory. Paul does not boast of his mystical experiences, however; he boasts of something quite opposite, a thorn in the flesh from which he sought to be delivered. Christians have speculated ever since as what this

6 thorn might have been. It seems to have been a chronic physical infirmity, but of what kind we are not told. Paul asked to be delivered from it God said No and then gave the reason: My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. (12:9). Paul doesn t talk about the great spiritual experiences he had been granted. It is too easy to become so focused on such occurrences become ends in themselves. Instead of leading us to God, they take us away from Him. In another passage he tells what he really takes pride in: But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world (Galatians 6:14). Asceticism: Death to the World St. Paul s image of being crucified to the world would find repeated expression in the writings of Christian ascetics in both East and West. Those who seek to love God are continually urged to put to death anything which would deflect that love to something else. Anything to which we may be attached and in which we might take pride our possessions, accomplishments, even our memories, our reputations and convictions can deflect our focus from the One we seek to love. By gradually putting these things aside, the ascetic strives to sharpen his or her ability to concentrate on God. As we become less and less drawn to the things of this world we become more and more single-minded in our attachment to God. We die to the world and, in the words of the popular Greek monastic adage, If you die before you die, then you won t die when you die. St Paul and Continual Prayer Ascetics strive to lessen their attachment to materials things through fasting and almsgiving and to their psychological self-reliance through humble obedience. They seek to fill the void created by these interior deaths through prayer. Here again we find that the inspiration for this dynamic is St. Paul. In a few simple phrases he outlines a program for refocusing our lives on the Lord: Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). When we begin to see that everything around us is nothing other than a gift from God, we being to develop an attitude of joyful gratitude. We come to value material things less for themselves than as the work of God in our lives. To the extent that we practice a form of unceasing prayer such as the Jesus Prayer we turn our mind more regularly to God. At first we concentrate on Him during the set times which we set apart for the prayer. Little by little the prayer becomes second nature to us, and we find ourselves focusing on Him in the midst of our other activities as well. Leaving Attachments Behind Abraham set forth without wondering curiously What does this land look like, that Thou wilt show me? What is awaiting me there? He simply set out and departed as the Lord had spoken unto him" (Genesis12:4). Do likewise. Abraham took all his possessions with him, and in that respect you ought to do as he did. Take everything you have, your whole being with you on your wandering; leave nothing behind that could bind your affection to the land where many gods are worshipped, the land you have left. Tito Colliander, Way of the Ascetics 18

7 Join the Nationwide Rally for Religious Freedom October 20 at the NH State Capitol in Concord Our religious freedom is being slowly but surely taken away from us. We have lost prayer in schools, Merry Christmas has become Happy Holidays, people are told they can t read their bibles at work and companies are being sued for their Christian values. And there is more: The US Health and Human Services mandate which goes into effect in 2013 with Obamacare will force Catholic institutions and charities to fund anti-life services to employees as part of so-called health care, in violation of grave Catholic moral principles. Here is your chance to join a nationwide event: STAND UP FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM in Concord NH on October 20 th from 12-1 PM on the grounds of the state capitol (107 North Main St.). This peaceful demonstration will include prayers, music and speakers. Participants are asked to come, hold a sign, and help send a message to Washington that OUR FAITH DOES COUNT! For more information go to: The Sisters of Holy Cross will have their Annual Fall Fair on Saturday, October 20, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. at Holy Cross Center 357 Island Pond Rd Manchester. Penny Sale, Crafts, Games. Sisters Lollipops, etc. Free Admission and Parking Noursat television will be airing the Divine Liturgy filmed at the 48 th National Melkite Convention on Sunday, Oct. 7 and Thursday, Oct. 11 at 6:00 pm.

8 Please remember to pray for the health and protection of Genevieve Allen, Elizabeth Ashooh, Elsie Ashooh, Louise Ashooh, Alice Auclair, Erin Baroody, Michael Baroody, Ted Baroody, Gertrude Beadle, Anthony Blando, Helena Burkush, Josep Busquets, Danielle Caron, Meghan Connors, Lucy Corriveau, Theresa Cullen, Jamileh Dagher, Nicholas Daniak, Lynn Dargie, Marie Dargie, Sher Farrow, Declan Finn, Julie Fregeau, Mary Fregeau, Christine Freitas, Anne Gallagher, Nick Haddad, Jean Hannoush, Lucille Harper, Robert Hughes, Howard Jabaley, Shirley Lanoue, Sadie Grace McCallum, Miriam McCallum, James McCloskey, Susan Merrill, Margaret Mitchell, Alfred Nasr, Afef Nasr, Blaise Notter, Steven O Leary, Helen Baroody Payne, Josephine Paquette, Virginia Pichette, Jean Poleatewich, Sheila Quinn, Eugene Randlett, Adam Rubin, David Scott, Robert Siwik, Nassim Sleiman, Salwa Sleiman, Tarrant Smith, Sam Solomon, Sheila Swiderek, Catherine Waldron, and Iris Angelina Velasquez. If you are visiting our church, our parish family is delighted to welcome you here! Please give us the chance to get to know you by joining us for some coffee, pastry, and conversation in the church hall following the Divine Liturgy. If you would like to know more about the Melkite Catholic Church, check out the brochure entitled Welcome to this Holy House, located on the table in the back of the church. NORTH HILLS REALTY GROUP, LLC Residential Real Estate Brokers Abraham Dagher, Realtor 814 Elm St., Suite # 302 Manchester, NH (603) STEPHEN LAW GROUP ROBERT S. STEPHEN, MANAGING ATTORNEY SERVING ALL OF YOUR LEGAL NEEDS! (603) Elm St., Suite 303, Manchester NH Your Ad Here $300 per Year GLENWOOD INVESTMENT GROUP CHARLES L. STEPHEN 814 ELM ST., SUITE 503 MANCHESTER, NH TEL # (603) TOLL FREE 1 (866) chuck@glenwoodinvestment.com GEORGE AZZO R&G Construction, LLC NEW CONSTRUCTION, REMODELING, REPAIRS, ALL JOBS BIG AND SMALL! Free Estimates (603) Check out the Mahrajan Website: SUSAN ASHOOH LAZOS, REALTOR NH Association of Realtors HONOR SOCIETY susanashoohlazos.com Cell: SERVING SOUTHERN NH AND THE SEACOAST Prudential Verani Realty