Fifth Sunday after Pentecost Fifth Sunday of matthew

Transcription

1 Fifth Sunday after Pentecost Fifth Sunday of matthew Icon of Saint Pancratios -- July 9th

2 Fifth Sunday after Pentecost July 9, 2017 Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory to Him Forever! Our Bishop, clergy, religious and faithful welcome you to St. Stephen Cathedral. We are delighted that you have joined us for our Divine Liturgy. Our Church follows the teachings of Jesus Christ as found in the Gospel and passed on to us through the teachings of the Apostles and Holy Tradition. Saint Stephen Byzantine Catholic Cathedral Sunday Divine Liturgy 8141 North 16th Street, Front Saturday 4:00 PM Phoenix, Arizona Sunday 9:00 AM Office: Fax Weekday Services See Bulletin Website Served by: Most Rev. John S. Pazak, CSsR., Bishop Most Reverend Gerald N. Dino, Bishop Emeritus Very Rev. Diodoro Mendoza, Rector -- Rev. Joseph Hutsko, Vice-Rector Very Rev. Archpriest David M. Petras, Retired Msgr. Kevin McCauliffe, In Residence Deacon John Montalvo - Deacon James Danovich Sister Christopher, OSBM Parish Advisory Council Served by: Parish Advisory Finance Council Served by: Mary Beth Foster Sean Grimes Ted Cooke Stephanie Rimmer Michelle Klinger Joanie Mahar Nicholas Stefaniak III Dolores Sugent Patricia Marmol Basil Rabayda John Surmay Joan Wolfe Luke Roll Ann Zamal SPECIAL SPONSORS This space is available for advertisements to help subside the cost of the bulletin. If you know of a business and/or an organization that would like to advertise in our bulletin please contact Fr. Diodoro for promotional rates. Thank you! Vital Biz Group, PLLC Strategies for Today s Business Scottsdale AZ Nicholas Stefaniak III, CPA info@vitalbizgroup.com Office Cell

3 LOUIE S ULTRA CLEANERS Eco-friendly Dry Cleaning/ Alterations & Repairs/ Wedding Gown Preservation Leather & Suede/ Household Items 4410 W. Union Hills Dr. Glendale, AZ (623) N. Tatum Blvd. Phoenix AZ This Week s Liturgy Schedule Sun. 7/9 Fifth Sunday after Pentecost Tone 4 p. 138 Sat. 4:00 PM Mary Popovich and Mary Rabayda by Joseph Gallucci (Fr. Joe) Sun. 9:00 AM For our Parishioners, Benefactors and Friends (Fr. Diodoro) Mon. 7/10 The Holy 45 Martyrs in Nicopolis in Armenia Fr. Joe) 8:00 AM April, Mia & David Boeher by Collene Canter Tue. 7/11 Holy Martyr the Illustrious Euphemia (Fr. Diodoro) 8:00 AM +Anthony Scioli by Karen Ratliff Wed. 7/12 The Holy Martyrs Proclus and Hilarion (Bishop Gerald) 8:00 AM Health of Jack Norton by Ron Kichinko Thu. 7/13 Synaxis of the Archangel Gabriel No Morning Divine Liturgy Fri. 7/14 Holy Apostle Aquila 10:00 AM Funeral Divine Liturgy of Donald Sopiak (Fr. Joe) Sat. 7/15 Holy Great Prince Vladimir, Equal to the Apostles No Morning Divine Liturgy Sun. 7/16 Sixth Sunday after Pentecost Tone 5 p.143 Fathers of 1st 6 Ecumenical Councils Tone 8 p. 341 Sat. 4:00 PM For our Parishioners, Benefactors and Friends (Fr. Joe) Sun. 9:00 AM Pani Matuszka Jxa Aniskowicz by Nina Murtezi (Fr. Joe) Special Intentions: Erwin Armada, Barbara Dugan, Joanie Mahar, Helen Furka, Vincent Rice, McCarthy Family, Gemma Hillman, Marti Lopez, Kathleen Linkowsky, Betty Geletey, Richard Gable, Robert King, Ann Ryan, Chris Faix, Robyn Foy, and Elaine Browne

4 ANNOUNCEMENTS PLEASE REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS OUR PARISHIONERS WHO RECENTLY PASSED AWAY & ALSO THEIR FAMILIES Our parishioner John DeCenso passed away Friday, June 30 and his Funeral Divine Liturgy will be at St. Stephen Cathedral on Friday, July 21 at 9 AM. Please remember John in your prayers and also his wife Louise. Our parishioner Donald Sopiak passed away Saturday, July 1, his Funeral Divine Liturgy will be on Friday, July 14 at 10 AM. Please remember Donald in your prayers and also his wife Evelyn and daughters Linda and Donna. MYRRH-BEARS RETREAT REPORT & THANK YOU The Myrrh-Bearers Retreat was held at the Franciscan Renewal Center in Scottsdale, Az. June 23-25, Participants arrived from: San Diego, Anaheim, Albuquerque, Tucson, Las Vegas, Colorado, Gilbert, and Phoenix. The Most Rev. Bishop John Pazak and the Rev. Robert Rankin, St. Melany, Tucson con-celebrated the beginning of the retreat, Feasting and Fasting with Divine Liturgy on Friday evening ending with a Panachida for Sister Jean Marie. It was truly a time to grow spiritually and prayerfully. We had an opportunity for renewal in our lives through the Anointing Service and confession. Our speakers celebrated and reflected on the feasts of the Annunciation, Nativity of Christ, Holy Theophany, Holy Transfiguration, Pascha, and Feast of Pentecost. Bishop Gerald Dino closed our retreat with Divine Liturgy and singing that would have rivaled any choir. Sister Jean Marie had developed the theme of the retreat and prepared the groundwork some months ago. This was a fitting tribute to the architect of the Myrrh- Bearers. We could feel her presence in the conference room. Many thanks to those who contributed to the success of the retreat: Bishop John Pazak, Bishop Gerald Dino, Our Priests: Father Diodoro, Father Joe, Father David, Father Michael (Gilbert), Sister Christopher, Our Deacons: John Montalvo and Jim Danovich, The Phoenix Eparchy Office: Monsignor Kevin McCauliffe and Kathy Slonka, Parish Members: Jennifer Mikitish and Cathy Kardos and Friends of St. Stephen s: Jessica Hoskinson and Joyce Coronel. Thank you, Kathleen Wursta, Chairperson

5 FEED MY STARVING CHILDREN SERVICE PROJECT On Saturday, July 29th from 11:15 AM to 1:30 PM we will packing boxes of food for hungry children. This service project takes place at Feed My Starving Children at 1345 S. Alma School Road, Mesa, AZ In order to participate you must register by July 20th. The packing session starts at 11:30 AM but there is an instructional video which begins at 11:15 AM. Please note the directions for registering online. We will all meet at the site in Mesa. Use the link below to easily access registration for our group. Group.aspx?gid= PARISH PILGRIMAGE TO SAN XAVIER DEL BAC MISSION, ST. AUGUS- TINE CATHEDRAL AND ST. MELANY BYZANTINE CATHOLIC CHURCH, TUCSON Our August Jubilee Event will take place on Saturday August 19 and will be a day pilgrimage to San Xavier del Bac Mission and St. Melany Church in Tucson. We will depart from Phoenix at 7:30 AM and arrive back in Phoenix approximately 9:00 PM. There will be a $20.00 donation which will be used to give a donation to the mission for the tour and to help defray cost of gasoline for trip. ($20.00 does not include dinner at the restaurant after the Vigil Vesper/Liturgy prior to our departure to Phoenix) If you are willing to drive please sign the sign-up sheet. All parishioners are welcomed to attend and if someone might have difficulty paying the donation, please see Fr. Joe privately and the donation will be taken care of. A schedule for the day is listed below: Pilgrimage to Tucson Schedule: Saturday, August 19, :30 AM- Depart Phoenix (From St. Stephen s Parking Lot) 10:00 AM- Arrive at San Xavier Mission/ Tour- 45 minutes 10:45 AM- Free time at Mission 11:15 AM- Depart Mission 11:45 AM- Arrive at St. Augustine Cathedral 12:10 AM- Depart St. Augustine Cathedral 12:30 PM- Arrive at St. Melany s / Eat lunch at St. Melany s Hall (BYOL) 1:45 PM- Akathist to Mary at St. Melany s Church 2:30 PM- Talk about The meaning of pilgrimage in life of Christians by Fr. Joe 3:00 PM- Confessions & Time for Contemplative Prayer 4:00 PM- Vigil Vesper/Liturgy 5:30 PM- Depart for Dinner at local restaurant 6:45 PM- Depart for Phoenix 9:00 PM- Arrive back in Phoenix (St. Stephen s Parking Lot)

6 50TH JUBILEE SEPTEMBER EVENT: POSTER & ESSAY CONTEST On Sunday, September 17 (Catechetical Sunday) the posters and essays about the ECF student s Patron Saint will be judged after the 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy at ECF class. Everyone should have received the instructional flyer, we have placed some on the table at back of church. All posters and written essays must be submitted by September 10, 2017 to appropriate Group Catechists. MARRIAGE PREP CLASSES WILL BE HELD SATURDAY, JULY 22 AT 1:00 PM & SATUR- DAYS, AUGUST 12 AND AUGUST 26 AT 1:00 PM. LIFE IN CHRIST CLASSES WILL BE HELD TUESDAYS, JULY 11 AND JULY 25 AT 6:30 PM & TUESDAYS, AUGUST 8 AND AUGUST 22 AT 6:30 PM. This Week s Candle Intentions Pentecost: +Agnes Sue Hill by Joseph Gallucci Nativity: +Sr. Jean Marie Cihota by Alice Garcia Coming Events Mark Your Calendars Now Sunday, July 9- Parish Finance Council Meeting after Divine Liturgy in Parish Office Tuesday, July 11- Visitation of the Sick and Infirmed of our Parish Tuesday, July 11- Life in Christ Class at 6:30 PM in Parish Hall Foyer Sunday, July 16- Parish Advisory Council Meeting after Divine Liturgy in Parish Office Saturday, July 22- Marriage Prep Class at 1:00 PM Sunday, July 23-50th Jubilee Committee Meeting after Divine Liturgy in Pastoral Center Tuesday, July 25- Life in Christ Class at 6:30 PM in Parish Hall Foyer Saturday, July 29 Feed My Starving Children Service Project: 11:15 AM 1:30 PM 1345 S. Alma School Road, Mesa, AZ Sunday, July 30- July Parishioners Birthday Pot Luck after 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy Tuesday, August 8- Life in Christ Class at 6:30 PM in Parish Foyer

7 Saturday, August 12- Marriage Prep Class at 1:00 PM Saturday, August 19 Parish 50th Jubilee Event for August Pilgrimage to San Javier Mission & St. Melany Church in Tucson Departure Time from Phoenix is 7:30 AM Tuesday, August 22- Life in Christ Class in Parish Hall Foyer Saturday, August 26- Marriage Prep Class at 1:00 PM Our Weekly Gifts to the Lord May the Lord bless your kindness and generosity! Saturday: 4 PM: 34 9 AM: 104 Peter s Pence: $20.00; Tithes: $ ; Candles: $48.61; Coffee Social: $39.00; Gift Shop: $161.00; Donations: Non-Parishioners: $129.25; Eparchy Reimbursement: $1, Reimbursement- Hall/Church: $300.00; Total: $ CURRENT BISHOP S APPEAL Parish Goal: $29, Amount Pledged: $23, (66 of 108 households pledged) Pledge Payments Received: $23, Pledge Amount Needed to Reach Goal: $ The Eparchy is kindly asking for a pledge of $ per family to allow the Eparchy to fund the programs sponsored by the eparchy. National Natural Family Planning Awareness Week; July 23-29th with the 2017 theme: It s Time! Say Yes to God s Plan for Married Love Celebrate and reverence God s vision of human sexuality. Our office continues to keep busy as we teach not only all couples preparing for marriage, but many who have been married for years and are just now putting aside contraceptives to learn natural methods for planning their families as they have grown in acceptance of Catholic teachings on married sexuality. We applaud your efforts in your own parishes because we know many of these couples are coming to us because of your faithful teaching. We want to support your parish s family ministries by supporting the marriages and families of your parish beyond just the Marriage Prep period for engaged couples. Please let us help you by promoting the programs we offer. One ministry you will find on this list is the Catholic Academy for Life Leadership (CALL) a leadership program for High School teens in pro-life and love topics. It is now open for new enroll-

8 ment for next year s seminars. We hope you ll visit and encourage participation among your youth. It is Bishop Olmsted s desire to see all youth join the CALL program that complements parish youth ministry. Cindy Leonard NFP/CALL Coordinator The Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix400 East Monroe StreetPhoenix, AZ / St. Vladimir the Great : Feast Day July 15 Grand Duke of Kieff and All Russia, grandson of St. Olga, and the first Russian ruler to embrace Christianity, b. 956; d. at Berestova, 15 July, St. Olga could not convert her son and successor, Sviatoslav, for he lived and died a pagan and brought up his son Vladimir as a pagan chieftain. Sviatoslav had two legitimate sons, Yaropolk and Oleg, and a third son, Vladimir, borne him by his court favourite Olga Malusha. Shortly before his death (972) he bestowed the Grand Duchy of Kieff on Yaropolk and gave the land of the Drevlani (now Galicia) to Oleg. The ancient Russian capital of Novgorod threatened rebellion and, as both the princes refused to go thither, Sviatoslav bestowed its sovereignty upon the young Vladimir. Meanwhile war broke out between Yaropolk and Oleg, and the former conquered the Drevlanian territory and dethroned Oleg. When this news reached Vladimir he feared a like fate and fled to the Varangians (Variags) of Scandinavia for help, while Yaropolk conquered Novgorod and united all Russia under his sceptre. A few years later Vladimir returned with a large force and retook Novgorod. Becoming bolder he waged war against his brother towards the south, took the city of Polotzk, slew its prince, Ragvald, and married his daughter Ragnilda, the affianced bride of Yaropolk. Then he pressed on and besieged Kieff. Yaropolk fled to Rodno, but could not hold out there, and was finally slain upon his surrender to the victorious Vladimir; the latter thereupon made himself ruler of Kieff and all Russia in 980. As a heathen prince Vladimir had four wives besides Ragnilda, and by them had ten sons and two daughters. Since the days of St. Olga, Christianity, which was originally established among the eastern Slavs by Sts. Cyril and Methodius, had been making secret progress throughout the land of Russ (now eastern Austria and Russia) and had begun to considerably alter the heathen ideas. It was a period similar to the era of the conversion of Constantine. Notwithstanding this undercurrent of Christian ideas, Vladimir erected in Kieff many statues and shrines (trebishcha) to the Slavic heathen gods, Perun, Dazhdbog, Simorgl, Mokosh, Stribog, and others. In 981 he subdued the Chervensk cities (now Galicia), in 983 he overcame the wild Yatviags on the shores of the Baltic Sea, in 985 he fought with the Bulgarians on the lower Volga, and in 987 he planned a campaign against the Greco-Roman Empire, in the course of which he became interested in Christianity. The Chronicle of Nestor relates that he sent envoys to the neighbouring countries for information concerning their religions. The envoys reported adversely regarding the Bulgarians who followed (Mohammedan), the Jews of Khazar, and the Germans with their

9 plain missionary Latin churches, but they were delighted with the solemn Greek ritual of the Great Church (St. Sophia) of Constantinople, and reminded Vladimir that his grandmother Olga had embraced that Faith. The next year (988) he besieged Kherson in the Crimea, a city within the borders of the eastern Roman Empire, and finally took it by cutting off its water supply. He then sent envoys to Emperor Basil II at Constantinople to ask for his sister Anna in marriage, adding a threat to march on Constantinople in case of refusal. The emperor replied that a Christian might not marry a heathen, but if Vladimir were a Christian prince he would sanction the alliance. To this Vladimir replied that he had already examined the doctrines of the Christians, was inclined towards them, and was ready to be baptized. Basil II sent this sister with a retinue of officials and clergy to Kherson, and there Vladimir was baptized, in the same year, by the Metropolitan Michael and took also the baptismal name of Basil. A current legend relates that Vladimir had been stricken with blindness before the arrival of Anna and her retinue and had recovered his sight upon being baptized. He then married Princess Anna, and thereafter put away his pagan wives. He surrendered the city of Kherson to the Greeks and returned to Kieff in state with his bride. The Russian historian Karamsin (Vol. I, p. 215) suggests that Vladimir could have been baptized long before at Kieff, since Christians and their priests were already there; but such an act would have humbled the proud chieftain in the eyes of his people, for he would have accepted in a lowly manner an inconspicuous rite at the hands of a secret and despised sect. Hence he preferred to have it come from the envoys of the Roman Emperor of Constantinople, as a means of impressing his people. When Vladimir returned to Kieff he took upon himself the conversion of his subjects. He ordered the statues of the gods to be thrown down, chopped to pieces, and some of them burned; the chief god, Perun, was dragged through the mud and thrown into the River Dnieper. These acts impressed the people with the helplessness of their gods, and when they were told that they should follow Vladimir s example and become Christians they were willingly baptized, even wading into the river that they might the sooner be reached by the priest for baptism. Zubrycki thinks this readiness shows that the doctrines of Christianity had already been secretly spread in Kieff and that the people only waited for an opportunity to publicly acknowledge them. Vladimir urged all his subjects to become Christians, established churches and monasteries not only at Kieff, but at Pereyaslav, Chernigoff, Bielegorod, Vladimir in Volhynia, and many other cities. In 989 he erected the large Church of St. Mary ever Virgin (usually called Desiatinny Sobor, the Cathedral of the Tithes), and in 996 the Church of the Transfiguration, both in the city of Kieff. He gave up his warlike career and devoted himself principally to the government of his people; he established schools, introduced ecclesiastical courts, and became known for his mildness and for his zeal in spreading the Christian faith. His wife died in 1011, having borne him two sons, Boris and Glib (also known as Sts. Roman and David, from their baptismal names). After this his life became troubled by the conduct of his elder children. Following the custom of his ancestors, he had parcelled out his kingdom amongst his children, giving the city of Novgorod in fief to his eldest son Yaroslav; the latter rebelled against him and refused to render either service or tribute. In 1014 Vladimir prepared to march north to Novgorod and take it away from his disobedient son, while Yaroslav invoked the

10 help of the Varangians against his father. Vladimir fell ill and died on the way. His feast in celebrated on 15 July in the Russian Orthodox and Ruthenian Greek Catholic calendars, and he has received the name of Ravnoapostol (equal to the Apostles) in the title of the feast and the troparion of the liturgy. The Russians have added in their service books words referring his conversion and intercession to the present Russian Empire (rossiiskaya zemlya), but the Ruthenians have never permitted these interpolations. Explanation of the Monthly Events & Celebrations of our Parish 50th Jubilee In last week s bulletin we showed examples of where the celebration of jubilees are found in the Scriptures. Today we would like to explain why we chose certain of the themes we did to celebrate the jubilee. Following our next 50th Jubilee committee meeting on July 30 we may add some themes to some of the monthly events. Many of you attended our first event, the Moleben to St. Stephen followed by dinner in the hall. The Moleben to St. Stephen was celebrated to evoke God s blessings and the intercessions of St. Stephen for our upcoming year of celebrations culminating with the 50th Jubilee celebration with Divine Liturgy and Dinner. It was appropriate that we prayed to God and the Patron Saint of our parish as we opened the year-long celebration. Occasions where parishioners celebrate special events with a prayer service followed by a social gathering help to bring parishioners together in a common purpose. The theme for July s event is of a little different nature. When we began planning for the Jubilee, +Sr. Jean Marie encouraged us to have spiritual, liturgical, social, educational events along with some service projects. Towards the end of this month, July 29 we are going to go to pack boxes of food for the hungry children the Feed My Starving Children in Mesa. The year of Jubilee is a time when we should grow as a parish spiritually as well as socially. A service project such as helping with projects to feed the hungry are both spiritual as well as social. We are reminded in the Gospel on Meat-Fare Sunday in the parable of the last judgment about feeding the hungry. Gathering together with other parishioners to do charitable work is a good bonding activity. Moving along to the month of August we came up with a theme which is celebrated in our Byzantine Catholic Church throughout our country and even throughout the world in August and that is the theme of pilgrimage. As May in the Roman Catholic Church is dedicated to the Mother of God, August is dedicated to the Mother of God in our Byzantine Catholic Church for 2 events that are inter-related. From August 1 to August 14 we observe the Dormition Fast in honor of the great feast of the Mother of God, her Dormition (Falling-Asleep in the Lord) on August 15. For this reason there are many pilgrimages celebrated around the world and in our country in honor of the Mother of God. In Olympia, Washington we have the pilgrimage to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, there is a pilgrimage in the Eparchy Parma at the Shrine of Our Lady of Mariapoch and there is the annual Labor Day Pilgrimage to Our Mother of Perpetual Help which has been celebrated

11 since it began in 1934 at Mount St. Macrina in Uniontown, Pennsylvania at the Motherhouse and Monastery of our Basilian Sisters. I have been fortunate to attend 40 of those pilgrimages since I was a teen-ager back in Pilgrimages are a special time for liturgical prayer, contemplative prayer, devotions to Our Lord and the Theotokos. Another special feature of pilgrimages has always been Confession and though people should go more frequently to confession often times people only make their confession at pilgrimages. So with the theme of pilgrimage in mind we are going down as a group to Tucson to the famous Mission church of San Xavier del Bac, then on to the Roman Catholic Cathedral of St. Augustine and following that to our Byzantine Catholic parish of St. Melany to celebrate Akathist to the Mother of God and Vigil Vesper/Liturgy along with time for Confession and private prayer. Pilgrimages are events of people travelling to celebrate special days of prayer to Christ, the Mother of God and other Saints. It is in a sense a getting away from our daily routine be it for a few hours or a couple of days and putting ourselves into a more spiritual setting, removing ourselves from our usual activities so that we can spend time in a special with Christ, the Mother of God and the Saints. You are highly encouraged to participate in this pilgrimage to Tucson. One idea we wanted to pursue in our year of Jubilee was to include within our celebration as many elements of the population of our parish as we possibly could. We wanted to do events for the young youth, teen-agers, young adults, our seniors and especially to reach out to former parishioners and people who could become parishioners. In the month of September we are reaching out to our youth and teen-agers and are asking them to enrich our Jubilee by participating in a special event using their God-given talents. The month of September traditionally begins the Eastern Christian Formation program in our parishes around the country. Usually around the middle of the month we celebrate Catechetical Sunday which begins the classes for our youth and teen-agers. On Sunday, September 17 we are going to have a Poster and Essay Contest for all children and teen-agers. The theme of the contest is going to be about the Patron Saint of each child and teen-ager. At the end of the ECF Session the youth and teen-agers were given an instructional sheet telling them what material they should include in their poster or essay about their Patron Saint. The goal of this project is to encourage the youth and teen-agers to share with the rest of us parishioners the talents of writing or art that God has given them. Our intention is also letting them know that the youth and teen-agers are an important part of our parish now and also in the future. Often there is much to be learned from younger people and we hope that our youth are currently working on their posters and essays so they can inspire us with their presentation on Catechetical Sunday, September 17. (Article to be continued in future bulletins- Fr. Joe)

12 ST. STEPHEN S CATHEDRAL RELIGIOUS GOODS & BOOK STORE (Located in the Parish Hall) Hours of Operation: After the Sunday 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy Items for Sale: Books on Byzantine Catholic Theology, Spirituality, Liturgy Icons, Chotki (Jesus Prayer Ropes), Crosses Come and See What We Have! Many Great Gifts! The Holy Bishop Martyr Pancratius Visit for more publications. Eastern Christian Bulletin Service -- PO Box Fairfax, VA Ph: Fax: