Ukrainian Catholic Church

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1 No. 971 (603) Ukrainian Catholic Church Parish of St. John the Baptist - Perth Parish Priest: Fr. Wolodymyr Kalinecki 20 Ferguson St, Maylands WA 6051 T/F (08) M: E: w.kalinecki@oz .com.au Fr Deacon Richard mbl Sister Servants of Mary Immaculate: Sr Nicodema Zemliak - 16 Ferguson St, Maylands WA 6051 T: (08) PARISH WEEKLY NEWS 16-23rd Aug 2015 Parish Postal Address: PO Box 230, Dianella WA 6059 Editor: Luba Valega T: (08) M: E: luba_valega@hotmail.com This is a weekly Parish newsletter for all to read, to inform you of what is happening in our Parish and share with you some interesting readings. Please feel free to share it around! This Week s Readings Epistle: 1Cor 9:2-12 Gospel: Matt 18: th Sun after PENTECOST. Tone 2 Epistle 1Cor 9:2-12 9:2 If to others I am not an apostle, yet at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. 9:3 My defence to those who examine me is this. 9:4 Have we no right to eat and to drink? 9:5 Have we no right to take along a wife who is a believer, even as the rest of the apostles, and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas? 9:6 Or have only Barnabas and I no right to not work? 9:7 What soldier ever serves at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard, and doesn t eat of its fruit? Or who feeds a flock, and doesn t drink from the flock s milk? 9:8 Do I speak these things according to the ways of men? Or doesn t the law also say the same thing? 9:9 For it is written in the law of Moses, You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain. * Is it for the oxen that God cares, 9:10 or does he say it assuredly for our sake? Yes, it was written for our sake, because he who plows ought to plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should partake of his hope. 9:11 If we sowed to you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we reap your fleshly things? 9:12 If others partake of this right over you, don t we yet more? Nevertheless we did not use this right, but we bear all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the Good News of Christ. Gospel Matt 18: :23 Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king, who wanted to reconcile accounts with his servants. 18:24 When he had begun to reconcile, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 18:25 But because he couldn t pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, with his wife, his children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. 18:26 The servant therefore fell down and kneeled before him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will repay you all! 18:27 The lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. 18:28 But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, who owed him one hundred denarii, and he grabbed him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me what you owe! 18:29 So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will repay you! 18:30 He would not, but went and cast him into prison, until he should pay back that which was due. 18:31 So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were exceedingly sorry, and came and told to their lord all that was done. 18:32 Then his lord called him in, and said to him, You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt, because you begged me. 18:33 Shouldn t you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you? 18:34 His lord was angry, and delivered him to the tormentors, until he should pay all that was due to him. 18:35 So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don t each forgive your brother from your hearts for his misdeeds. ================================================================== Here before us is a simple story. A man owes an incredible amount of money. In terms of our modern coinage, he owes millions and millions of dollars. His Lord is reckoning. Who is this? Of course, his Lord is Christ. He brings the servant before him, and the man has no way to pay. Do you know what these ten thousand talents that he owes are? They are sins. We have no way to pay for our sins, none whatsoever. The sum is so high that we can never ever repay it. So what does the Lord do? He does something that appears harsh to the spiritually undiscerning, but is Page 1

2 actually quite merciful. He says, sell him and his wife and his children, and pay the debt. The debt cannot really be paid, but make some small dent in it, and sell him, estrange him from me, because of his sins. This is a truth your sins will estrange you from God. Do you know what the wife represents? The wife represents the flesh; marriage is here used as a metaphor for the flesh. The children are the deeds of the flesh and soul that arise out of our way of life and thinking. Our wife and children, that is, our body and soul, all of our essence and being, are going to be sold with us into slavery if we do not live as Christians. When you are sold, you are under another master. Who is this master? Diabolos, Satan. You can either have as your master the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, or be mastered by Satan. This man is going to be sold, and the reason our Lord says it to him to wake him up, and to say there is something wrong with his life. Change! And the man repents, and that moment, it is real repentance, and he only asked Lord give me TIME, and I will pay thee all. He does not realize that he cannot pay all, but he begs for more time. He can not even dream to ask, Forgive the debt, because it is too big, too high. He just begs for time, and the Lord forgives it all. You owe me nothing, go in peace. This is what God does for us. We consider things in our life, and they seem so high, and the Lord will give us more than we desire. He will give us so much that we cannot even imagine it! But I tell you, that we must do our part, and we must be worthy, not by giving Him ten thousand talents, because we cannot even give him ONE. We can be thankful, though, and remember. So remember, the Lord said that he would sell the servant and his wife and his children, all that he has, all that he is and he had done into slavery. This slavery is estrangement from God, but the servant is saved from this estrangement by God s mercy. Now there is actually a tacit command there, and it is, Do likewise. Be merciful, as I am merciful. Be perfect, as I am perfect. I am forgiving you so that you may change. I am not forgiving you so that you can pile more sins up, even higher then the ten thousand talents. The servant goes out, and this going out that is spoken of in the scriptures has a terrible double meaning. Of course, he had the leave the physical presence of His Lord. He had to leave the chamber where he was having his audience, and he had to go out, but he also, as he left, went out from fellowship from God. He estranged himself from God. The very same thing that he was in fear of having happen to him, he did to himself. He is like the man, who looks in the mirror, and upon walking away, does not know what he looks like any more, as the Apostle says. He does not realize, he does not think. He is free now, and he estranges himself from God, and he does not even realize it. This is what we do many times, brothers and sisters, when we are not thankful for what has been given to us, and what God will do for us, if we only persevere. So the best way to be free of resentment, anger, fear is to Let it go!. Fr Iraneaus Canada =================================================================== Here are "Ten Commandments of Forgiveness." Number #1. Forgiveness is not easy. It takes time and it takes effort. #2. Forgiveness is not forgetting. It doesn't mean a change in memory. It means a change in heart. #3. Forgiveness does not overlook evil. In other words, it is not avoidance. It is not denial. #4. Forgiveness is not destructive. It doesn't mean that we let hurt and damage continue and go on. #5. Forgiveness is not the same thing as approval. In fact, the reason that we need forgiveness is that we don't approve. Something has happened that we do not approve of. We will not approve of it. What we can do is forgive. #6. Forgiveness is based on recognizing and admitting that people are always bigger than their faults. In other words, I shouldn't define people by just the way they have treated me. There is more to their lives than that. #7. Forgiveness is willing to allow a person who has offended me to start over again. Or, do I say, "No room! No second chances! No, I will not ever let go and let you begin again." #8. Forgiveness recognizes the humanity of the person who has wronged us and also recognizes our own humanity and our own shortcomings and our own contribution to what went wrong. That is why in our prayers for the dead ask forgiveness for their sins both voluntary and involuntary. #9. Forgiveness surrenders the right to "get even." And, finally, #10. Forgiveness means we wish the person or the group that has hurt us well. In fact, we wish them the best. Jesus, after telling the parable, said: "So also will My Heavenly Father do to you, if you do not forgive others from your heart." Pray for your enemies do good to those who persecute you. This liberates you from the feelings of revenge. Amen. Fr Iraneaus from Canada ============================================================================== Words of Wisdom Mat time wrap its healing arms around you and bring you the gift of peace Page 2

3 The Head of the UGCC in Krylos: "God He, who calls us to depths of the sea and goes with us" Monday, 03 August From time immemorial Ukrainians come to this place to stand before God. I am grateful that you came to this pilgrimage, overcoming this spiritual path, seeking God's word, God's helping strong hand. Thank you for coming to the feet of the Mother of God, who is present in Krylos icon, to pray for Ukraine, our people and the Church. With these words the Head and the Father of the UGCC His Beatitude Sviatoslav addressed to the pilgrims on August 2 during a sermon at the Pontifical Divine Liturgy at the IV All-Ukrainian Galician patriarchal pilgrimage to the miraculous icon of Our Lady in the village of Krylos in Ivano-Frankivsk. Bishop Volodymyr (Viytyshyn), Archbishop of Ivano-Frankivsk; Bishop Igor (Voznyak), Archbishop and Metropolitan of Lviv; Bishop Vasyl (Semenyuk), Archbishop of Ternopil; Bishop Bogdan (Dziurakh), Administrator of the Patriarchal Curia of the UGCC; Bishop Vasyl (Ivasyuk), Bishop of Kolomyya-Chernivtsi; Bishop Yosaphat (Hovera), Exarch of Lutsk; Bishop Mykhaylo (Bubniy), Exarch of Odesa and Crimea; and Bishop Yosaphat (Moshchych), Auxiliary bishop of Ivano-Frankivsk conserved with the Head of the UGCC. The preacher added that on this day the Church celebrates the memory of the great Old Testament prophet Elijah. Based on Sunday Gospel, the Head of the UGCC noted that when God calls a man, He "calls him to the depth". "We can hear in today's Gospel that God made the disciples sit in a boat at night and swim in the sea. It was Christ s initiative. When a person responds to God's calling and let God lead him, he cannot control himself. He begins to make something that is beyond his strength"- He explained. According to His Beatitude Sviatoslav, at some point of his spiritual life a person experiences doubts about such events, whether they are fantasy or not. Is it really possible that God calls us to? Are the deep, high tasks that God puts, possible to implement? Then God lets the man go through, first, a fall, and then take off. "He makes us understand that the belief in God is the foundation that makes it possible to step forward and makes that person cannot do. Therefore the Lord says that there is nothing impossible for those who believe"- continued the high priest. His Beatitude Sviatoslav emphasised that God - is the One who "calls us to the depth and goes with us". We only need to believe and firmly hold the hand of our Savior to be filled with His power. Only then can we be strong on our way, and find the peace of the stormy night. "If we, standing here in this holy place, look at the history of our nation and the Church, we can see how many adverse winds were blowing on our people - continued further Preacher. - But our ancestors were able to stand and walk this way, responding to the call of the Lord and Saviour". The Head of the UGCC noted that we are once again going through the same thing as the Apostles amidst the raging Sea of Galilee. "Today we are in the fourth watch of the night standing among Ukrainian raging sea of our being. As soon as we start to look for our Lord's saving hand in our faith, we will immediately find it. No one, no international negotiations and diplomacy will give us the strength to go through to freedom and dignity. Only the Lord Christ can lead us this way. That peace that we want to ask our Lord, peace in our Ukrainian boat, is from God that here in this moment is staying with us", - concluded His Beatitude Sviatoslav. After the Liturgy the Father and the Head of the Church blessed the reanimobile, bought by volunteers from Ivano -Frankivsk to help the military in the East. Photos by press service of Ivano-Frankivsk archdiocese UGCC Department of Information

4 If you want to donate to Fr. Bohdan Prach for the Ukrainian University in Lviv From: Zina Rudnytska To: Ukrainian Catholic Church We have opened a new Everyday Access account under the Rim For you reference description of account is Ukr. Cath. Uni. For people to deposit please provide the following: BSB: Account No: Account Title: Trustee of Ukr. Catholic Church in Australia Reference name of person depositing Regards, Zina Rudnytska Member Services Supervisor Dnister Ukrainian Credit Co-operative Ltd P F zinar@dnister.com.au List for Donations for Ukrainian University Lviv when Fr Bohdan Prach was here a few weeks ago. Mrs M Stasiw $ W & S Prushynsky $50.00 L Valega $ S & N Petrowsky $50.00 Mrs H Kuczma $20.00 Mrs D Teplyj $ Mr O Bachrij $ Mr B Mykytiuk $ Mr R Swincicky $50.00 D & I Konderewicz $50.00 M Maruschak $50.00 W Czwerenczuk $ M Marouchtchak $60.00 anonymous $ Anonymous $20.00 anonymous $45.00 total collected $ ===================================================================== At this time every year the Eparchy sends out two envelopes to all the faithful in Australia. This is a tradition of the Eparchy for many, many years now. Perhaps you have forgotten what the collections are for and how important they are. Let s look at them again. Patriarchal fund: This collection is held once a year in support of our Patriarch Sviatoslav Shevchuk and the work of the Synod of our Church in the world, especially in Ukraine. The Patriarch and the Synod needs money to up keep the offices in Kyiv, to support the mission of the church in countries that do not have their own Bishops i.e. Kazakhstan, Greece, Spain, Portugal etc. The church must send priests and sisters to these missions. Besides the Synod has about 15 commissions i.e. Catechetical, Seafarers, Liturgical, Cannon Law, Evangelization etc. There are about people that the Synod must pay wages to and cover expenses for the Patriarch and Synod have other expenses as well. In order to cover these costs the Patriarch has taxed our Eparchy $18,000 USD a year. Other Eparchies pay more, some pay less. Our tax which will go up in the next year. It must be paid so that our church can function. That s why I am asking that you are generous in your donation to the Patriarchal Fund. Cathedraticum-Aluminaticum: This fund has carried this name for more years than I have been in Australia. It is a Latin name which basically means to support the Eparchy. Every Eparchy in the world has this collection. The purpose of the fund is to cover the costs of the Eparchy. Our Eparchy tries to be as efficient as possible but it has many expenses i.e. staff, travel, new priests, books, subsidizing Eparchial projects. To import a priest, for instance, the total cost is about $16,000 each. There are travel costs, government fees, immigration office fees etc. The Eparchy does not have that much income. It does ask for donations for special projects but in today s day and age with government compliance, computers, internet, website etc. it needs constant support. The Church, outside Ukraine, (i.e. Canada and the U.S.A.) imposes a 15% tax on all income of each parish each year. We have not yet had this tradition in Australia and I do not want to start it. I think that the Cathedraticum Fund collection as we have it now is a better way of doing it. Please support it generously. Yours in Christ + Peter Stasiuk C.Ss.R. A.M. These envelopes will be issued/posted out soon. So please be generous in supporting the Epachy and our Patriarch in Ukraine.

5 Day Date Time Feast Special Feast Days - Julian Calendar Sun Tone 2 16th Aug2015 9:30 am 11th Sun after Pentecost Blessing fruit Mon 17th Aug, pm And panahyda for Departed Ivan Prymak and Melania Daszkewycz Tues 18th Aug, :30am Wed 19th Aug, :30am TRANSFIGURATION blessing fruit Thurs 20th Aug, :30am Fri 21st Aug, :30am Sat 22nd Aug, pm 7pm Vespers Both in English Sun Tone 3 23rd Aug, :30 am 12th Sunday after Pentecost Cleaning Church Roster Fri 7th Aug Nataliya Liakishev thank you Sat 22nd Aug Irene Grynychyn ========================================================= in Northam next This Sun, 16th August, now at 4pm and blessing fruit for Transfiguration =========================================== Please pray for sick people in our parish and visit them if you can. If you need Fr Wolodymyr to visit, please ring him to book a time. 08) Fr Wolodymyr is also blessing houses. If you would like him to come bless your house, please make a booking on or him on w.kalinecki@oz .com.au ================================================= Sun Aug 30th, 2015 INDEPENDENCE DAY LUNCH 12:00pm-3:00pm Maylands Sport & Recreation Club 50 Clarkson Rd., Maylands WA 6051 Admission $25 pp buffet lunch with program For bookings please phone Myk Mowczan or A RESTORATION (Maintenance) fund has being organised for our Church renovations. This is separate to the yearly upkeep (podatok) fund. If you wish to donate, please see Luba Valega. The Church building is in need of repairs and so the Parish Council is asking for your support. Total so far collected was $13, Please see anyone on Parish Council if you would like to make a donation for the lift outside the hall. The cost of the lift was $42,000 Total now $ Church donation May Jesus bless you always =============================== Websites to check out for all your Eparchial information, all parishes info and lots of information for the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Australia will get you news from Ukraine If you wish to make a church donation direct via bank send to Dnister (Ukrainian Catholic church) BSB / acct and Luba for confirmation luba_valega@hotmail.com to confirm Or post cheque to PO Box 230, Dianella 6059