SS Peter & Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church

Saturday, April 1 God’s Blessing for good health for Ronald Kachinko,
` 4:00 PM from Maryanne Kachinko and Family
Sunday, April 2
8:30AM FIFTH SUNDAY OF THE GREAT FAST – MARY OF EGYPT
God’s Blessings and Good Health for all Parishioners
4:00 PM – Deanery Stations of the Cross – St. Vladimir’s, Edwardsville, PA

Wednesday, April 5
6;30 PM Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, Nanticoke, PA
Friday, April 7
4;00 PM Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, Plymouth, PA

Saturday, April 8
4:00 PM ✞Steve Kowalick – Mike & Helen Kowalick

Sunday, April 9 PALM SUNDAY
Blessing of Willow branches and Palm
Myrovania – Anointing of Holy Oil
8:30 AM God’s Blessings and Good Health for all Parishioners

The Schedule For Holy Week
SS Peter & Paul Parish, Plymouth
Holy Wednesday, April 12
4:00PM The Presanctified Divine Liturgy.

Bright Wednesday, April 19
9:00 AM Divine Liturgy, Myrovania

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Transfiguration of Our Lord Parish
Holy Monday, April 10
6:30PM The Presanctified Divine Liturgy.
Holy Tuesday, April 11
6:30PM The Presanctified Divine Liturgy.
Holy Thursday, April 13
6:30PM Matins of the Holy and saving Passion of our Lord.
Passion Friday, April 14
5:30PM Vespers with the Placement of the Holy Shroud.
Holy Saturday, April 15
3:00PM Blessing of Paschal Food (in parish hall).
Resurrection of our Lord – Pascha, April 16
7:00AM Service at the Grave, Resurrection Matins, Divine Liturgy, Blessing of Artos, Myrovania.
Bright Tuesday, April 18
9:00AM Divine Liturgy, Myrovania.
Bright Thursday, April 20
9:00AM Divine Liturgy, Myrovania

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FIFTH GREAT FAST SUNDAY
Today is the last Sunday of Lent. Even though there remains one whole week to run the course of these special days of prayer and fasting, the Church, as if impatient to begin Holy Week itself, urges us to anticipate the glorious entrance into Jerusalem. She does this by prescribing Saint Mark’s account of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem before His passion (Mark 10:32-45)
Saint Mark describes how Jesus takes the twelve apostles aside to tell them that He will be betrayed, condemned and put to death, and that He will rise from the dead. At this threshold of Holy Week, we can put ourselves into the very places of those twelve men and allow ourselves to be taken aside by the Savior for a talk in which He explains to each of us personally the mystery of Redemption.
The apostles were asking Jesus to help them understand at greater depth what will happen. Two of them, the brothers, James and John, quite ambitiously were looking out for their own best interests. Jesus challenged that ambition and explained that true glory lies in serving others. Jesus emphasizes that He Himself is here not to be served but to do the serving.
We can almost feel the keen disappointment of James and John and the indignation on the part of the other ten apostles. What we see among the twelve is a good example of self-interest: What’s in it for me: What’s the pay-off? What do I get?
This last week of Lent we have the opportunity to exchange places with James and John and the other ten apostles, to be with the Lord as He approaches Jerusalem.
We, however, have an advantage those twelve men lacked: we know already what lies ahead for Jesus. We know about the spiritual nature of His Kingdom. We can use the next seven days to renew our own efforts at making our lives deeply spiritual too.
Why do we come to Church?
Why do we assemble as Church?
Why will we celebrate the Eucharist once again, and then again, and again and again?
Why will we begin next Sunday once again the yearly commemoration of the events of the Lord’s last week?
There are various answers we can give to these questions, but I would suggest that the most basic, most fundamental reason we do these things is simply because of love. . . not that we have loved, but that we find ourselves- discover ourselves- loved first by Another. . . . by God.
We are here today because somewhere inside each of us we want, we need, that divine love, shown to us in Christ, to be poured once again into our hearts; so that once again we might be able to “put on love” (Col. 3:14); so that once again we might be made into Christ’s Body; so that once again we might be touched by a love we don’t find in ourselves and find ourselves able to abide in the love of Christ for us.
SANCTUARY LIGHT: The Sanctuary Light is requested to burn this week April 1 – April 8 by Mike & Dolores Sinko in memory of Parents John & Helen Kurkoski..

HELP: After the services on Holy Thursday, April 13, the preparation of the grave will be conducted and help is needed…the preparing and tying of the palm and willow branches will be in the Church Hall after the Services on Friday, April 14th, for the Palm Sunday Divine Liturgy. Please, if you can possibly come to help it will be greatly appreciated. Men, women and young adults are welcome.

HOLY WEEK: Please remember that help will be needed to participate in the Holy week services. Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Resurrection Services Holy Saturday. Sign up to spend some time with the Lord at the grave. A sign up sheet is in the vestibule for adoration of the grave. Please try to fill every hour.

Willow Branches: If you have any Pussy Willows to contribute for Palm Sunday, please bring them to the hall and if no one is there, leave them on the entrance door.
They are needed for Friday so preparation can be made.

DINNER: Our Parish After Easter Dinner is being held on Sunday, May 7, 2017 – 2:00 PM in our Church Hall. A Roast Beef Dinner with all the trimmings will be served. Tickets will be available soon. The cost is $15 for adults and $8 for children under 12. Donations of Gift items for the Chinese Auction will be greatly appreciated. Save the date to attend this Church function – bring your family and friends. Please make your reservations early.

Saturday, March 25
4:00 PM Andrew Patrylak – Wife Clara and Family

Sunday, March 26 FOURTH SUNDAY OF THE GREAT FAST
8:30 AM God’s Blessings and Good Health for all Parishioners
4:00 PM Deanery Stations of the Cross – Transfiguration of Our Lord,
Nanticoke, PA
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Wednesday, March 29
6:30 PM Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, Nanticoke, PA

Friday, March 31 Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, Plymouth, PA

Saturday, April 1 God’s Blessing for good health for
` 4:00 PM Ronald Kachinko, from Maryanne Kachinko and Family
1:00 PM Guest Speaker Hugh Owen on “Marriage Made IN Heaven”

Sunday, April 2 FIFTH SUNDAY OF THE GREAT FAST
God’s Blessings and Good Health for all Parishioners

THE FEAST OF THE ANNUNCIATION
OF THE MOST HOLY MOTHER OF GOD
The mystery of the Annunciation has fundamental significance, for with it begin the New Testament and our salvation. Mankind had waited thousands of years for the good new of the Archangel concerning the incarnation of the son of God. Heaven, earth, and the righteous souls in limbo awaited this good news. On this day God fulfilled his promise to send a redeemer, for on this day the “Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.” In a sermon on the Annunciation, attributed to St. John Chrysostom, we read: “Gabriel was sent to reveal the salvation of the world. Gabriel was sent to bring to Adam the promise of his return from slavery to sin. Gabriel was sent to the Virgin, to restore the honor of womanhood. Gabriel was sent to prepare a worthy bridal chamber for the pure Bridegroom. Gabriel was sent to espouse creature with the Creator. Gabriel was sent to the Virgin betrothed to Joseph, but preserved for the Son. The bodiless servant was sent to the pure Virgin. The one who was free from sin was sent to one exempt from corruption. A lamp was sent to point out the Sun of truth. Morning was sent to precede the light of day. Gabriel was sent to announce Him, who is in the bosom of the Father and in the arms of the Mother. Gabriel was sent to announce Him, Who is seated on a throne at God’s right hand and, at the same time, rests in a lowly manger on earth.”
At the moment of the angel’s annunciation, the Son of God begins the first moments of earthly life in the womb of the Most Pure Virgin Mary. From this momentous fact the privileges of Mary – those of divine motherhood and virginity – clearly emanate.
The celebration of the feast of the Annunciation began in the Eastern Church at the end of the fourth or the beginning of the fifth century. At first, both in the East and the West, it was considered a feast of the Lord as is evident from the names by which it was first known: “The Conception of Christ”, “The Annunciation concerning Christ”. “The Beginning of Redemption”, “The Annunciation”, “ The Annunciation of the Angel to Mary”, “The Day of the Salutation”, “The Day or Feast of the Annunciation”.
In the seventh century, the name was formally established for the entire Eastern Church as “The Annunciation of the Most Holy Mother of God”, and it was decreed that this feast be celebrated as a Marian feast.
The date March 25, was selected for this feast because it occurs just nine months before the feast of the Nativity of our Lord on December 25. In addition to this, there existed an ancient tradition that March 25th marked not only the incarnation of the son of God, but also both the creation of the world and the death of Christ on the Cross. The Alexandrian Paschal Chronicle of 624, and also the Paschal Chronicle of Constantinople, from the start of the seventh century, places the feast of the Annunciation on the 25th of March.

SANCTUARY LIGHT: The Sanctuary Light is requested to burn the week
April 1 – 8 by Mike and Dolores Sinko in memory of parents John & Helen Kurkoski.

FLOWERS: Our thanks to Bruce Fromel for 1 Bouquet of flowers this week in memory of his mother Julia Fromel.

DINNER: Our Parish After Easter Dinner is being held on Sunday, May 7, 2017 – 2:00 PM in our Church Hall. A Roast Beef Dinner with all the trimmings will be served. Tickets will be available soon. The cost is $15 for adults and $8 for children under 12. Donations of Gift items for the Chinese Auction will be greatly appreciated. Save the date to attend this Church function – bring your family and friends.

LUC Meeting: North Anthracite Council – League of Ukrainian Catholics will meet at 5:00 PM, Tuesday, March 28, 2017 at Grotto Pizza, 36 Gateway Center, Edwardsville, PA. This is a specially called session of importance to all Council members to continue planning for the October National Convention being held in Wilkes-Barre.

Saturday, Mar. 4
4:00 PM ✞Ihor Pacicznyk – Olympia Pasicznyk

Sunday, March 5 FIRST SUNDAY OF THE GREAT FAST
8:30 AM God’s Blessings and Good Health for all Parishioner
4:00 PM Stations of the Cross – SS Peter & Paul, Wilkes-Barre, PA
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Wednesday, March 8
6:30 PM Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts at Nanticoke, PA
Friday, March 10
4:00 PM Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts at Plymouth, PA
Saturday, March 11
4:00 PM God’s Blessings for Good Health on Father Walter and
Paul Nicholas Pasicznyk –
By their Mother Olympia Pasicznyk
Sunday, March 12 SECOND SUNDAY OF THE GREAT FAST
8:30 AM God’s Blessings and Good Health for all Parishioners
4:00 PM Stations of the Cross – SS Peter & Paul, U.C.C. Plymouth, PA

PRAYERS: Please remember in your prayers the sick of the parish. If you have anyone in the hospital or nursing home you should inform Father Walter.
Remember to pray for Ron Kachinko who was in the hospital and going through a difficult time.

THE SUNDAY OF ORTHODOXY

The first Sunday of the Great Fast is called the Sunday of Orthodoxy. What do we mean by “orthodoxy”? The word “orthodoxy” stems from the Greek word “orthodoxia” (orthos=straight or right; doksa=opinion) which signifies the true faith and the true worship of God. We are not speaking here of orthodoxy as we understand it today as being opposed to the Catholic Church, but orthodoxy, as applied to the whole Church of Christ until the schism between the Western and Eastern Churches which occurred in the eleventh century under the patriarch Cerularius (1054). The orthodoxy that we celebrate this Sunday is universal-catholic orthodoxy, professed by the entire Church of Christ of the first centuries in the battle against the heresy of Iconoclasm (Gr – eikon=image; klastes=a breaker; – an image breaking heresy) which was perpetrated by the Western Church over the Eastern Church. The Sunday of Orthodoxy is a festival for the whole Church, both Eastern and Western. It is the festive celebration of the decisive victory over Iconoclasm and other heresies.
The purpose of this feast is to pay solemn public homage and veneration to the holy icons of Jesus Christ, the Blessed Mother of God, and all the Saints.
The Church of Christ deeply respects and honors the holy icons as it also does holy relics. She places them in church for public veneration and recommends that we venerate them privately in our homes, and wear small icons around our necks in the form of little crosses or medals for indeed all icons are windows into Heaven.

THE GREAT FAST
Although our time has brought with it many changes in church practice, traditions, and discipline, and rules for fasting have been eased, nevertheless, the Forty Days Fast still has significance for our life. For various reasons today we may find it difficult to fast in the same way as our ancestors; yet even today we are obliged to fast – that is, we are obliged to refrain from sin, and from giving in to our evil inclinations. We are also obliged to pray and to practice virtue and good deeds. In reality then, the most important goal of the Great Fast is our spiritual renewal remembering that Jesus Christ taught us the way to cast out demons and sin is through prayer and fasting.
The Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts:
A typical Lenten service is the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts. Already in the first centuries there was a custom during the Forty Days Fast to omit the celebration of the Divine Liturgy because, at that time, it was still linked with agape, sacrificial love, a giving love, that is the love banquet, and this was not in keeping with the spirit of fasting. Furthermore, the Divine Liturgy is a joyful mystery; for this reason, its celebration was limited to Sunday. On the other days of the week to give the faithful an opportunity to receive Holy Communion, the Divine Liturgy was replaced by the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts which developed in time and is in essence Vespers with Eucharist attached, the Eucharist received having been sanctified on Sunday and reserved for reception during the week; hence, there is no consecration of the Body and Blood of Christ. Hence, the name of Presanctified Gifts. This is a Liturgy in the sense of the word because liturgy means “public work” and this prayer service is a public work.
The Council of Laodicia (c.364) prescribed: “It is not permitted during the Great Fast to offer up the Bread (that is the Consecration), except on Saturday and Sunday” (rule 49). The Sixth Ecumenical Council of Trullo (691) decreed: “On all the days of the Great Fast, with the exception of Saturday and Sunday, and the feast of the Annunciation, the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts must be celebrated. “ (rule 52).

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SUNDAY LITURGIES DURING LENT:
WHY DO THEY SEEM LONGER?

Our Byzantine Church prescribes that the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great is to be celebrated on all of the Sundays of The Great Fast, replacing that of St. John Chrysostom, which is usually celebrated throughout the rest of the year.  St. Basil’s Anaphora is older and has longer priestly prayers than that of St. John Chrysostom (which was derived from St. Basil), and is celebrated ten times during the church year:  the five Sundays of Lent (not Palm Sunday), Holy Thursday, Holy Saturday, Christmas Eve, Epiphany Eve, and on the Feast of St. Basil which we celebrate on January 1.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY: We extend our best wishes to our Pastor Father Walter on his Birthday Tuesday, March 7th. Mnohya Lita! May you have many more happy, healthy years.

SANCTUARY LIGHT: The Sanctuary Light is requested to burn this week Mar. 4 – 11 by Halloway Family in memory of Mother Catherine Halloway.

LOTTERY FOR MAY: It is time for our May Lottery tickets. Mike Sinko had the tickets printed and ready for distribution. Please, if you can take a few to sell it would be a great help as we are missing a few of our sellers. Ask your family and friends to purchase a chance to win.

NEED YOUR HELP: The Stations of the Cross is scheduled for our Parish next Sunday at 4:00 PM. We are asking our good dessert makers for help to serve the fellowship that follows the service. Please, if at all possible try to bake or make any dessert you would like, it will be greatly appreciated.

AFTER EASTER DINNER: Plans are in the process for having our After Easter Dinner on Sunday, May 7th. The dinner usually called Svachene will be a little different. Instead of the Piggies, ham, etc. the plans are in the making of having a Roast Beef dinner served. This is a nice day to get the Parish family together. Keep this date opened for you to attend. Further information will be published.

FOOD SALE: St. Nicholas Ukrainian Church, Glen Lyon is holding a Vegetable Soup, Turkey & Italian Hoagie sale at $5 each on Thursday, March 16, 2017 from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM in the church hall. Place your order by calling Debbie

Saturday, Feb. 25
4:00 PM ✞Theresa Phillips – Janet Golasewski

Sunday, Feb. 26 CHEESEFARE SUNDAY
8:30 AM God’s Blessings and Good Health for all Parishioners
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Wednesday, Mar. 1
6:30 PM Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, Nanticoke, PA

Friday, Mar. 3
4;00 PM Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

Saturday, Mar. 4
4:00 PM ✞Ihor Pacicznyk – Olympia Pasicznyk

Sunday, Mar. 5 FIRST SUNDAY OF THE GREAT FAST
8:30 AM God’s Blessings and Good Health for all Parishioners

According to Byzantine tradition, the Lenten discipline consists of three separate parts:
1.) Corporal or External Fast, including the abstinence from certain foods, drink and
amusements 
2.) Spiritual or Internal Fast, which consists of abstinence from “all evil” -sin
3.) Spiritual Renewal achieved by the practice of virtues and good works.

Corporal fast, also called ascetical fast developed mostly under the influence of monastic discipline and became very rigid, as ascribed by St. Theodore Studite (d. 826): “During the Great Fast, we eat only once at about the ninth hour (3:00 P.M) taking only dry food and vegetables without oil; we do not drink wine, either; except on Saturday and Sunday, when we are also permitted to eat fish. St. Theodore, who followed a moderate monastic discipline, gives the following advice: “Concerning the quantity and quality of food, you should fast as much as your body can endure”. The same principal should be replied today since our Lenten Regulations prescribe only a token fasting.
In order to create a prayerful atmosphere during Lent, the Fathers insisted on a complete abstinence from all kinds of amusements, i.e. music, dances, parties during Lent and St. John Chrysostom chastised those who during the Great Fast “dared to attend horse-races”. This point of fast should be stressed today with the mania of entertainment besetting our generation.

Spiritual or Internal Fast, which is the abstinence from all sin and evil (especially from serious sin) in the most essential part of the fast. St. John Chrysostom taught the “value of fasting consists not so much in abstinence from food but rather in withdrawal from sinful practices. St. Basil the Great explains: “Turning away from all wickedness means keeping our tongue in check, restraining our anger, suppressing evil desires, and avoiding all gossip, lying and swearing. To abstain from these things herein lies the true value of fast!”

Spiritual Renewal, with the practice of the virtues and doing good works, must be the main objective of our fasting as suggested by St. Basil in his homily of fasting: “Accept fast as an experienced educator by whom the Church teaches piety”.

The Great Fast
Fast is one of the oldest and most venerable practices in the Church, which came to us through an interrupted tradition (St Basil, Horn on Fast I, S). The Great Fast can be described as a forty-day period of prayer, penance, and spiritual exercises in preparation for the proper celebration of Easter.
The Great Fast, as we know it today, is the result of a most complicated historical development, not all stages of which have been sufficiently explained. It seems that in the second century, the Church knew only a very short fast (a day or two) before the Pasch. During the third century the pre-paschal fast was extended to the entire week known to us as the Passion or Holy Week. The first mention of the Forty Days Fast is made in the fifth canon of the Council of Nicaea (325). From that time, the Forty Days Fast is discussed by many Church Fathers and St. Athanasius (d. 373) does not hesitate to say: “Anyone who neglects to observe the Forty Days Fast is not worthy to celebrate the Easter Festival’ (cf. Festal Letters XIX, 9)
The Synod of Laodicaea (about 360) imposed the strict obligation of fasting for forty days before Easter for the first time. By the end of the fourth century, the Great Fast, known to the Greeks as the “Tessaracoste” (forty Days) and the Romans as ‘Quadragesima”, was generally observed by the entire Church.
Originally, the forty-day period was computed from Good Friday, the day the Pasch of Crucifixion was celebrated, and then extended to six weeks. In Constantinople, when they transferred the solemn Baptism from Easter to the Saturday of Lazarus, the Lenten season of preparation also had to be anticipated by one week. Thus, according to the Byzantine practice, the Great Fast began seven weeks before Easter and ended on the Friday before the Saturday of Lazarus. At the Vespers of Lazarus we sing: “We have concluded the beneficial Forty Days (Lent) and we implore You, 0 Lover of Mankind, make us see the Holy Week of Your Passion and praise Your work (of redemption).” Liturgically, then, the Great Fast ends on the Friday before the Saturday of Lazarus and is exactly forty days long.
In the Roman Rite, Holy Week was included in the Lenten season and the Lenten season was of six-week duration. But later, when the Sundays in Lent were exempt from fasting in the West, Lent became only thirty-six days long. This situation was remedied in the seventh century by adding four more days of fasting at the beginning of the Lenten season with the first day of Lent on Ash Wednesday. This is the reason for the difference in the first day of Lent between the Byzantine Rite and the Roman Rite.

SANCTUARY LIGHT: The Sanctuary Light is requested to burn the week of
February 25 – March 4 by Paul & Marian Rose in memory of brother Michael
Fromel, Jr.

BUILDING FUND: Our thanks to Nannas, Haines & Schiavo, P.A. and David/Margaret Cecoro for their donations to our Parish Building Fund in memory of Florence Kloap.

FIRST DAY OF GREAT LENT: The First day of Lent begins Monday, February 27th. The first day of The Great Fast and Good Friday are days of strict abstinence for Ukrainian Catholics – we are not permitted to eat any meat or dairy products all day long, and we should try to limit our consumption of food. All Fridays during The Great Fast are days of mandatory abstinence from all meat products. Wednesdays are also suggested as days of voluntary abstinence from meat products. Our fasting regulations are optional only for persons older than 59 and younger than 7. Everyone else is obliged to follow the rules of abstinence of our Church.