Paschal Epistle. To the venerable clergy, monastics and faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox

Transcription

1 329 Saints Peter & Paul UOC 8410 West 131st St. Palos Park, IL Fr. Vasyl Sendeha - Rector Rectory Phone/Fax: (708) Hall Phone: (708) Rev.vasyl@yahoo.com Parish Council Howard Brooks Sisterhood of St. Anne Josephine Hobert Church School Director Victoria Rak Church Choir Director George Cepynsky Sr. UOL Harry Oryhon Caregiving Com. Harry Oryhon Seraphim Group Howard Brooks 50/50 Club Michael Gbur Brotherhood of St. Constantine John Policzszuk Paschal Epistle To the venerable clergy, monastics and faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church beyond the borders of Ukraine and to our brothers and sisters in Ukraine, You fell asleep in the flesh as a mortal, O King and Lord; You rose again on the third day, raising Adam from corruption and abolishing death: Pascha of incorruption, the Salvation of the world. (Exapostilarion) Dear Brothers and Sisters! CHRIST IS RISEN! Today the entire Christian world in one unified and joyful choir praises the event which is without analog in any time or age. The entire essence of Christianity rests upon the most glorious Resurrection of Christ, which contains the answer to the mystery of our life and faith. If Christ is not Risen, says

2 the Apostle Paul, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty (1Cor.15:14). Our faith would not exist without the Resurrection of Christ, and without faith there would be no true life, because the Christian faith is the point of our life and our spiritual essence. On this Paschal night we, in the words of St. John Chrysostom, proclaim the victory of life over death: O Death, where is your sting? O Hell, where is your victory? Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in the grave. Together with this, though, we see and hear that our dear ones do die, both the young and the old. What, then, is this victory of Christ over death? There are various types of death: there is bodily death, but there is something more terrible spiritual death, when the soul dies by removing itself from God and cutting itself off from Him. All people died this death during the millennia before the advent of Christ, having lost God as the Source of life. And so Christ, the Son of God, came upon earth. As God He could not die, but out of love for us, as a man, He shared our fate, ascended the Cross, and died for us. Christ rose from the dead, descended to hades, into the abyss of sin, and by His entrance there once and for all destroyed death, filling all with the wondrous light of eternal life. On this joyous Paschal day we also rejoice, dear brothers and sisters, for on this day through the Resurrection of Christ the salvation of the world was achieved let us rejoice and be glad, for Christ, the conqueror of death and hell, opened to us the path to eternal life and salvation. By His Resurrection Christ opened to us the gates of heaven, most especially to all those who approach Him with faith, hope, and love. Today all the sorrowful and suffering, the infirm and poverty stricken, all those who bear difficult circumstances in this earthly life, rejoice as well, for the joy of the Resurrection is greater than all temporary sorrows and suffering. St. Paul says that the sufferings of this present age are nothing compared to the glory and joy which we will experience when, by the grace of Christ the Saviour, we become heirs of the heavenly good things and participants in His eternal glory. 2

3 We will be joyful and thank God, Who so loved us that He gave His Only-begotten Son for our salvation and eternal life. How can we Orthodox Christians respond to this unconquerable and divine love of our Saviour? We should always thank God, fulfilling His commandments and learn to love every other person as God has loved us. We must turn away from everything temporary and passing, turn away from love of self, and offer up our lives for others. Pascha means passing over from one state to another. As in ancient times the Israelites passed from the slavery of Egypt into the promised land, thus our soul should pass over from the captivity of sin to piety and virtue (Ven. Abba Dorotheus). We offer heartfelt greetings to the clergy, deacons, and monastics of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the diaspora during this festive, Paschal season, as well as to our youth and children. We offer a special greeting to our brothers and sisters in Ukraine, who are bearing various trials and difficulties at this time in defense of their homeland. May the Risen Christ bring long-awaited peace and unity to every Ukrainian family, strengthen our faith, fill our hearts with spiritual joy, and increase our love, so that we will be able to fully delight in the joy of these bright, Paschal days! We pray and believe that the Lord God will bless our Ukrainian nation, and that our Motherland Ukraine will become a strong, European country. May the blessing of the Risen Christ be with all of you. Truly, Christ is Risen! With Archpastoral Blessings, + YURIJ, Metropolitan, Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada + ANTONY, Metropolitan, Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA, Metropolitan of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the Diaspora + JEREMIAH, Archbishop, Ukrainian Orthodox Diocese of Brazil and South America + DANIEL, Archbishop, Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA + ILARION, Bishop, Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada + ANDRIY, Bishop, Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada 3 329

4 Sunday: April 9 Palm Sunday 9:30 am Divine Liturgy Children decorate/bake Easter Bread Monday April 10 6:30 pm Bridegroom matins Tuesday April 11 4:30pm Pascha Bread Baking for Shut-ins and parishioners transferred to Wednesday 6:00pm Wednesday April 12 6:30 pm- Holy Unction Service lead by Deanery Clergy at St. Vladimir Cathedral, Chicago, IL Holy Thursday April 13 6:30pm Reading of 12 Passion Gospels Holy Friday April AM Royal Hours 5:30 PM Children decorate the tomb (Bring your kids) 6:30 PM Vespers Procession with Holy Shroud 11 pm Jerusalem Matins Holy Saturday April 15 11:00pm Reading of the Acts 11:30pm Midnight Office Holy Pascha, April 16 Sunday Resurrection of Our Lord and God Jesus Christ! 12 am Midnight Paschal Matins & Festal Divine Liturgy with blessing of the baskets inside the hall 11 am Agape Vespers blessing of baskets outside Bright Monday April 17 10:00 am Divine Liturgy Luncheon at the Rectory St. Thomas Sunday April 23 9:30am Divine Liturgy followed by Free Children Egg Hunt. Over 3000 eggs! Annual Lamb & Chicken Roast. Pysanka Auction 4

5 329 Have a blessed & Happy Pascha Resurrection of Our Lord and God Jesus Christ! Christ is Risen! God bless you all who have come to celebrate the Joy of Resurrection of Our Lord and God Jesus Christ! Thank you very much to all of those who have come and participated at Divine Liturgy and Spring Clean up on Lazarus Saturday. Special thanks to those, who have been coming to the Church Services of the great Lent and passion week. Our gratitude is extended to to all ofthose who have come and helped the sisterhood and brotherhood to work in the kitchen with perogy making and bread baking. Thank you to all of those who have volunteered in Tomb guarding duty and actively participated in the Paschal Procession. Thank you to all of the children for decorating the tomb of Christ and participating in the Holy Friday services. Last but not least, thank you to our Choirs: children choir and adult choir under the leadership of Sub-Deacon George Cepynsky for beautifying our Paschal services Fr. Vasyl Suggestion box The Suggestion Box: To implement a more accessible communication strategy, a suggestion box has been placed at the back of the church. All parishioners are invited to provide feedback, suggestions and also caregiving needs/ideas. Please fill out the slip provided by the suggestion box. You may sign your name or leave it anonymous. The Board will formally review all suggestions collected during monthly board meetings. 5

6 Eternal Light In loving memory of Orich and Husayko families at Easter by Carol Bartlett Memory Eternal $ In memory of parents Michael & Magdalene by Barbara & Katie Bruce Seven Day Vigil Candles Janet Milton for God s blessings and Paschal greetings to my church family for all the love & support you have shown me. Janet Milton for God s blessings and Paschal greetings to Father Vasyl, Pani Matka Olenka, Antony & David for all their support and love. Janet Milton for the health & healing of Mrs. Czerniak Janet Milton for the health & healing of Mrs. Savoy. Janet Milton for the health & healing of Josephine Hobert. Anatol & Kahty Bilyk for the health of Barbara Patronik Anatol & Kathy Bilyk for the health of Katie and Barbara Bruce Anatol & Kathy Bilyk for the health of Irene Belkow For the health of my parents Palvo & Polina in Ukraine by Halyna Kashpar For the health and God s blessing fro Family Members by Barbara & Katie Bruce For the health and God s blessing for Fr. Vasyl & Family by Katie & Barbara Bruce For the health of my Godson Damon Cheronis by Pat Beck For the health of Barbara Patronik by Pat & Michael Beck For the health of Christine Finnigan by Pat & Michael Beck For the health of Sharon Flanagan by Pat & Michael Beck Liliana Wanshula-Roviaro for the health of Alexandra Pawlenko For the health of my God Children Dimitri, Anna and Ekaterina by Ludmila Piskoun For the health of my Dear Hasband Alexander by Ludmila Piskoun For the health of Anna-Maria, Andriy, Svitlana, Serhiy, Vasyl, Vita, Ludmila, Alexander, Michail, Tatiana, Kateryna, Artem, Natalia, Olena and Uliana by Olga Piskoun For the health of Maria Omelian by Fr. Vasyl For the health and quick recovery of Fr. Clooney by Fr. Vasyl For the health of Katheryna Czerniak by PM Olenka 6

7 Seven Day Vigil Candles In memory of my husband Lubomyr By Leela Cepynsky In memory of Ludmila by Leela Cepynsky Janet Milton in blessed memory of Monte on his birthday, April 14 Janet Milton in blessed memory of mother, Olga, on her birthday, April 18 Anatol & Kathy Bilyk in memory of mother Ann Laitar In memory of my Dear Parents Anna and Nikolai Chaika by Ludmila Piskoun In memory of my Dear Parents-in-law Mark and Nadezhda Piskoun by Ludmila Piskoun In memory of Father Ivan on the 11th anniversary of his passing into eternity by Kashpar Family In memory of Arlene Spivak by Barbara & Katie Bruce 329 Prayer Corner for the Month of April We ask all of you to remember in your prayers the following individuals, who are in need of God's healing and grace: Dean Manson, Vera Beggs, Pavlo & Polina, Barbara Patronik, Elias, Roxana, Irene, Katheryna Czerniak, Lilian Cepynsky, Josephine Hobert, Anthony Bendy, Katie Bruce, Maria Omelian, Patti Faye, Toni Marie Klavin, Hazel Gardiner, Michael Kimak, Yuriy Zmysly, Paul Jr & Dorothy Seliga, Wolodymer Kashpar, Nick Kapusta, Priest Vasyl Dovhan, Priest David Clooney, Frankie, Zachary, Alexander, Paul, Dolores. Monthly Memorial Panahyda April 30: In memory of our Late Father Borys James Czornyj on the 8th anniversary of his passing. Requested by Walter Czornyj In memory of +Robert Redmerski and +Caroline Podlecki. Requested by Carol Redmerski. Barbara & Katie Bruce in memory of Mother & Father + Magdalene and +Michael In memory of my husband +Jack Hobert on the anniversary of his passing into eternity by Josephine Hobert 7

8 Coffee Hour Schedule April St. Thomas Sunday LAMB & CHICKEN ROAST April Mary Lamantia and Maria Iordanov May 7 -- Open volunteer needed May MOTHER S DAY UOL & Men's Club Host May Mark & Terese Masur in memory of Metropolitan Constantine May Olga & Alex Pawlenko If you would like to volunteer for the Coffee Hour or need to change your scheduled date, please see Dr. Harry Oryhon call or harrymolars@aol.com St. Thomas Sunday Lamb & Chicken Roast Sunday, April 23 served at Noon Donation Adults - $16.00 Children - $6.00 Under 10 years Free Pysanka Auction. (Creations of Anatoli Omelian) Free Children s Egg Hunt Over 3000 Eggs to hunt for!!! Please see Noreen Neswick or PM Olenka Church Humor While working for an organization that delivers lunches to elderly shut-ins, I used to take my 4-year-old daughter on my afternoon rounds. She was unfailingly intrigued by the various appliances of old age, particularly the canes, walkers and wheelchairs. One day I found her staring at a pair of false teeth soaking in a glass. As I braced myself for the inevitable barrage of questions, she merely turned and whispered, "The tooth fairy will never believe this!" 8