Saturday, Dec. 3
4:00 PM ✞Michael Sirak – Wife Helene Sirak & Michaelene Ostrum
Sunday, Dec. 4 TWENTY NINTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
8:30 AM God’s Blessings and Good Health for all Parishioners
Tuesday, Dec. 6 Nicolas of Myra Archbishop
Anointing of Holy Oil – Myrovania
8:30 AM ✞Fr. Nicholas Kostiuk – Ron and RoseMarie Kachinko and Family
Thursday, Dec. 8 NO Divine Liturgy
Friday, Dec.9 MATURNITY OF HOLY ANNA
8:30 AM ✞John & Mildred Starzec – Ron & Rose Marie Kachinko
Saturday, Dec.10
4:00 PM God’s Blessings for Good Health for Anna Bosack –
Mr. & Mrs. Bernie Kosek
Sunday, Dec. 11 SUNDAY OF THE FOREFATHERS
8:30 AM God’s Blessings and Good Health for all Parishioners
Remember in your prayers Joseph Onderko a patient at Little Flower Manor. Anna Bosack has been transferred to Tiffany Court, Edwardsville, PA.
SANCTUARY LIGHT: The Sanctuary Light is requested to burn the week of Dec. 3 – 10 by Paul & Dolores Hoover in memory of Theodore Soppeck.
ALTAR CANDLES: The Altar Candles are requested to burn for all services in the month of December by Albert Piston in memory of his parents Jennie & Michael Piston.
PYROHY PROJECT: The Parish Pyrohy project was a success thanks to all the faithful who came out to help with this project. 412 dozen was purchased. We thank all who donated monetary, food and baked desserts for this fund raiser. The work is tiring but the rewards are great, all seemed to have an enjoyable day.
WOMEN’S SOCIETY: The annual Christmas Party for the Parish Women’s Society will be held on Sunday, December 11th 1:30 PM at the Church Hall. Santa will pay a visit and a good time will be had for all.
LOTTERY: The last of the winners are listed for the month of November. We wish to thank Mike & Dolores for their job well done in handling this fund-raiser. We do thank all who purchased tickets and to all the sellers who helped to make this a success.
Father Walter wishes to present “The Star of Bethlehem” movie on Saturday, December 17th at 2:00 PM. The Movie is about 1 hrs. and Divine Liturgy is at 4:00 PM. Refreshments will be served after the movie event. Please try to attend this beautiful presentation for the Christmas Holiday. Sign in if you plan to attend.
Conception by St. Anne WHEN SHE CONCEIVED the Most Holy MOTHER OF GOD
December 9TH
Against all hope, the bonds of barrenness are loosed. For, God has hearkened unto Joachim and Anna clearly promising that they would bear a godly maiden. He who commanded the angel to cry out to her, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you,” will be born of her, the infinite One Himself, becoming man.
According to the ancient tradition of the Church, since Saint Anna, the Ancestor of God, was barren, she and her husband Joachim remained without children until old age. Therefore, sorrowing over their childlessness, they besought God with a promise that, if He were to grant them the fruit of the womb, they would offer their offspring to Him as a gift. And God, hearkening to their supplication, informed them through an Angel concerning the birth of the Virgin. And thus, through God’s promise, Anna conceived according to the laws of nature, and was deemed worthy to become the mother of the Mother of our Lord.
The early church and our church has always celebrated the feast day on the 9th of December. It is others who have changed. The entire Church in prior time always celebrated the conception, birth and death of three people. They are: John the Baptizer, Mary the Theotokos and Jesus Christ. All the Church, East and West celebrated these Feast Days on the following days: The Conception of John the Baptizer is celebrated on the 23rd of September and the Birth of John the Baptizer is celebrated on the 24th of June. The Maternity of Anna, i.e. Mary being conceived in the womb, is celebrated on the 9th of December and The Birth of the Theotokos; i.e Birth Giver, Mary, is celebrated on the 8th of September. The Feast of the Annunciation of the Theotokos, i.e Gabriel announcing to Mary that she will be the birthgiver of the Son of God, is celebrated on the 25th of March and the Feast Day of the Natavity of the Son of God is the 25th of December. Now when you look at the time span of each you will see for John the Baptist this is 9 months PLUS 1 day, for Mary this is 9 months MINUS 1 day and for Christ this is a PERFECT 9 months. So that the feast days of the saints stand on both sides of Christ and direct us to the path of righteousness, Christ, saying to us, “Follow Him. He is God and will show us the path to salvation.”
The one western church, the Roman Catholics, changed this and now celebrate these feasts all at 9 months, 9 months and 9 months. Further, if we had a more full iconstas we would find on either side of Christ the Good Ruler an icon of Mary and on the other side an icon of John the Baptist. Here again, one on the right and one on the left directing us to the middle, the Son of God, the path of righteousness for which to follow.
SS Peter & Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church 