SS Peter & Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church

AUGUST 30, 2020

Saturday, August 29  

 4:00 PM   ✞ Anna Giza – Ron and Denise Giza

Sunday, August 30                THIRTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

8:30 AM                     God’s Blessings and Good Health for all Parishioner

Thursday, Sept. 3

             9:00                         Tania Blanco – Ulana Campbell                      

Saturday, Sept. 5               

            4:00 PM                   Merle & Theresa Ashton – Peggy James

Sunday, Sept. 6                 FOURTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENECOST

8:30 AM                God’s Blessings and Good Health for all Parishioners

Prayer is a great source of joy

 and the best protection from depression. 

When we talk, Lord, You help me see solutions.

Beheading of Saint John

August 29th 

St. John the Baptist was a great preacher of penance. The zeal for God’s honor and glory caused his death because he corrected the king for his sins and the scandal he was giving the nation, the people of Israel.

  St. John the Baptist is the precursor of Christ, whom Christ said “among those born of women there is no one greater than John.”  He was the last of the prophets sent by God to the people of Israel to prepare them for the coming of the Messiah.

St. John preached penance on the shores of the river Jordan in Palestine. During his time a great scandal occurred in Palestine. Herod Antipas, tetrarch (a subordinate prince or king) of Galilee and Perea took Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, and married her.

While the “austere” Pharisees did not dare to condemn their ruler, St. John the Baptist went to the royal palace and courageously condemned the tetrarch’s incestuous union with Herodias. 

Herod instigated by Herodias cast John into prison. Although Herodias would have him killed, Herod feared to shed his blood partly for fear of the people and partly because he liked to hear the saintly preacher.

On the birthday of Herod the opportunity was given to Herodias to wreak her vengeance on the preacher. It was a great festival with numerous guests, dancing, music, etc. Herodias’ daughter by Philip, Salome, danced before the tetrarch and his company. Herod promised to give her whatever she might ask without contemplating the consequences of voicing these words. At the prompting of her mother, Salome requested the head of Saint John.  Herod through a fear of loss of human honor, for his promise given, ordered his guards that John be beheaded. Thus the girl took the head of the Saint to her revengeful mother.

May our Lord bless you through theintercessions

of the glorious prophet and forerunner,

CONSCIENCE

In a certain monastery, the members of the community made their living by raising wheat and grinding the grain to make flour. To turn the stone in their mill, the monks owned a strong ox.  From time to time the ox would be given rest from its hard work by being let loose in a field to graze. When the monks freed the ox, they were careful to tie a bell around its neck in order that they would know where the ox was in their fields.

One day, a thief stole the ox when it was in a far off corner of the field. In order not to be detected, he stuffed the bell with grass and drove the ox home without being caught. The thief barely had the animal hidden when the bell around its neck began to ring of its own accord as if to announce its whereabouts and reveal the theft. Even when the thief tore the tongue of the bell out, it still kept ringing until in great anguish, he drove the ox back to the monks’ field from where it had been stolen.

Like the bell the ox wore, conscience in our spiritual life functions to sound when we too do something wrong. Even though sinners try to choke its voice, try to hide it, conscience incessantly sounds the alarm, giving no rest until reparation is made.

Certainly the voice of conscience can be choked; it can be dulled and muted. Rationalization makes excuses when we fail morally. 

Conscience is the relentless voice of the soul telling us the difference between right and wrong. Like the reflection in a mirror, it shows us the defects and imperfections in our lives. Conscience is a brave and courageous guide, and we are under the serious obligation in conformity with the informed, correct and adjudged authentic teachings of the Church beyond the opinion of one of the other so called moralist.

The remorse of conscience is relentless, yes. A person may shut his or her ears to its admonitions, but sooner or later its voice is heard especially at the hour of death.

If a person’s life has been sin-filled, conscience torments; if one’s life has been well lived, conscience comforts. Being true to conscience brings peace of soul and spiritual purpose when founded on the teachings of Christ.

St. Paul reminds his readers: (Rom. 15:1-6).

……….Christ did not please Himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproach you have failed upon me.” For whatever things have been written have been written for our instruction, that, through the patience and the consolation afforded by the Scriptures, we may have hope. May then the God of patience and of comfort grant you to be of one mind towards one another according to Jesus Christ; that, one in spirit, you may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

SANCTUARY LIGHT: The Sanctuary light is not requested. Many openings are available for your requests. 

BIRTHDAY GREETINGS: A very Happy Birthday is extended to Steve Spock who will celebrate his 92^nd Birthday on Sept. 2, 2020.    May God grant him many more Happy, Healthy Years. Mnohya Lita!

AUGUST 23, 2020

Saturday, August 22 – 4:00 PM  

✞Robert Bath Jr. – The Munley Family

Sunday, August 23 – 8:30 AM  

TWELFTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

God’s Blessings and Good Health for all Parishioners

Friday, August 28   9:00 AM

✞Alex Szunskyj – Ulana Cambell

Saturday, August 29 – 4:00 PM 

✞Anna Giza – Ron and Denise Giza

Sunday, August 30 –  8:30AM           

THIRTEENTH  SUNDAY AFTERPENTECOST

God’s Blessing and Good Health for all parishioners.

SANCUARY LIGHT: The Sanctuary Light is requested to burn this week Aug. 22 – 29 by Mary Ann & David Youells in memory of their daughter Christine Youells.

August 16, 2020

Saturday, August 15 – 4:00 PM

✞ Mary Kulyn – Mike Kane

Sunday, August 16 – 8:30AM 

ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

God’s Blessing and Good Health on all parishioners.

Thursday, August 20 – 4:00 PM

✞ Tania Blanco – God’s blessing and good health – Ulana Campbell

Saturday, August 26 – 4:00 PM

✞ Robert Bath Jr. – The Munley Family

Sunday, August 27 – 8:30AM 

TWELFTH  SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

God’s Blessing and Good Health on all parishioners

57 CENTS 

A little girl stood near a small church from which she had been turned away because it was “too crowded.” “I can’t go to Sunday School,” she sobbed to the priest as he walked by. Seeing her shabby, unkempt appearance, the priest guessed the reason and, taking her by the hand, took her inside and found a place for her in the Sunday school class. The child was so happy that they found room for her, and she went to bed that night thinking of the children who have no place to worship Jesus.
   Some two years later, this child lay dead in one of the poor tenement buildings. Her parents called for the kindhearted priest who had befriended their daughter to handle the final arrangements.  
    As her poor little body was being moved, a worn and crumpled red purse was found which seemed to have been rummaged from some trash dump.   Inside was found 57 cents and a note, scribbled in childish handwriting, which read: 
“This is to help build the little church bigger so more children can go to Sunday School.”  For two years she had saved for this offering of love. 
   When the priest tearfully read that note, he knew instantly what he would do. Carrying this note and the cracked, red pocketbook to the pulpit, he told the story of her unselfish love and devotion.  He challenged his deacons to get busy and raise enough money for the larger building. But the story does not end there…
   A newspaper learned of the story and published it. A wealthy realtor who offered them a parcel of land worth many thousands read it. When told that the church could not pay so much, he offered to sell it to the little church for 57 cents.
    Church members made large donations. Checks came from far and wide.  Within five years the little girl’s gift had increased to $250,000.00–a huge sum for that time (near the turn of the century). Her unselfish love had paid large dividends. 
When you are in the city of Philadelphia, look up Temple Baptist Church, with a seating capacity of 3,300. And be sure to visit Temple University, where thousands of students are educated.

   Have a look, too, at the Good Samaritan Hospital and at a Sunday School building which houses hundreds of beautiful children, built so that no child in the area will ever need to be left outside during Sunday school time.  In one of the rooms of this building may be seen the picture of the sweet face of the little girl whose 57 cents, so sacrificially saved, made such remarkable history. Alongside of it is a portrait of her kind pastor, Dr. Russell H. Conwell, author of the book, “Acres of Diamonds”. 
This is a true story, which goes to show WHAT GOD CAN DO WITH 57 CENTS.

Prayer 

We need to talk to God each day
We do this through prayer
He’s waiting for our call to Him
No matter when or where.

We can pray in early morning
We can pray to Him at night
But we need to set aside a time to
Keep Him in our sight.

We can tell Him all our worries
We can tell Him all our woes
We can confess all our sins to Him
Though He already knows.

When we are heavy laden
And don’t know what to do
Let’s take His yoke upon us
And He will see us through

☺

Just a little humor

The Lord’s Army

A friend was in front of me coming out of church on Easter and the priest was standing at the door greeting the worshipers.  He grabbed the man’s hand and pulled him aside. The priest said to him, “You need to join the army of the Lord. The man replied, “I’m already in the Lord’s army Father”. So the priest inquired,   – “then how come I don’t see you except at Christmas and Easter?” The man whispered:

 “I’m in the secret service”.

As you may already know, parts of western Ukraine were flooded due to strong torrential rains that fell at the end of June. Thousands of people had to be evacuated leaving their homes and properties behind. Many have lost their belongings and savings.

This is the time when our brothers and sisters in Ukraine need help.

If you would like to make a donation, you may do so:

by making a check out to “Ukrainian Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia” and send it to the chancery office of our Archeparchy located at 810 North Franklin Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123. Please mark your check “Flood in Ukraine”; or

by leaving your donation in your parish collection basket, which will be sent to the chancery office along with other donations;

❖

Saturday, August 8 – 4:00 PM ✞Jason Yankosky – Rita Kurtz

Sunday, August 9 – 8:30 AM       TENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

                  God’s Blessings and Good Health for all Parishioners

Thursday, August 13 – 9:00 AM   ✞Lubomyr Szumskyj

Saturday, August 15 – 8:30  AM     HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION 

                                                    Dormition of the Mother of God

                                                         Anointing of Holy Oil – Myrovania

                                                          BLESSING OF FLOWERS    

God’s Blessing and Good Health for all parishioners.

Saturday, August 15 – 4:00 PM 

✞Mary Kulyn – Mike Kane

Sunday, August 16 –  8:30AM        ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTERPENTECOST

The Feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother Of God

The day of the death of the Most Holy Mother of God is called the Dormition (or falling asleep) in our Church, for her body did not know corruption after death, but together with her soul was taken up into heaven, hence, another name for the feast is “the Assumption”. We have historical data to indicate how long the Mother of God remained on earth after the ascension of Christ into heaven, nor when, where, or how she died, for the Gospels say nothing of this. 

Three days before the death of Mary, the Archangel Gabriel appeared and announced to her from her Son, Jesus Christ, the time of her departure into eternity. On the day of her death, in a miraculous manner the Apostles gathered in Jerusalem although they had been scattered in various countries of the then known world. St. Thomas was the only Apostle absent. The Mother of God expressed her wish to be buried in Gethsemane near her parents and her spouse, Joseph. Christ, in person, came accompanied by Angels and Saints to escort His Most Holy Mother to heaven. The Apostles, while singing holy hymns, carried the body of Mary to the grave where they remained keeping vigil for three days. On the third day, St. Thomas came from afar and desired very much to view for the last time the Most Pure Mother of God. When the grave was opened, her body was not there, only the funeral clothes in which the body had been wrapped. The Apostles then realized that Mary had been taken up body and soul into heaven.

Some ancient Trpicons prescribe the blessing of fruit of the vine (grapes), not on the feast of the Transfiguration, but on the feast of the Dormition. In the Greek Nicolo-Casulan Typicon of the twelfth-thirteenth century, we read: “Let it be known that, on the feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God, the 15^th of August, grapes are blessed and eaten in church after the Divine Liturgy according to an ancient tradition.” The Typicon of Sinai of the year 1214 contains the same prescription. Similarly, the Typicons of the Lavra of St. Athanasius on Athos prescribes the blessing of grapes on the 15^th of August. 

We have the custom of blessing flowers on the feast of the Dormition. The Typicon of Father I. Dolnytskyj says: “Wherever the custom prevails of blessing flowers, let it be done after the Prayer behind the Ambo or after the Dismissal Prayer of the Divine Liturgy. 

SANCTUARY LIGHT:  The Sanctuary Light is requested to burn this week August 8 – 15 by Michaelene Ostrum in honor of her mother’s 92^nd Birthday. 

BIRTHDAY: We extend our greetings to Helene Sirak who will celebrate her 92^nd  Birthday on Tuesday, Aug. 11^th. Also Mary Oshirak celebrating her day on Aug. 15^th      and a belated greeting to Paul Hoover who celebrated his day on Aug. 3^rd. Mnohaya Lita! HAPPY BIRTHDAY 

FLOOD IN UKRAINE: Our thanks to the very generous donation made for the Flood in Ukraine given by anonymous parishioners. The donations received will be sent to the Archeparchy in Philadelphia and will be forwarded to the Ukraine. Donations are being accepted.