June 21, 2026
Saturday, June 20 FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
4:00 PM For All Fathers Living & Deceased
Sunday, June 21 FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
8:30 AM For All Fathers Living & Deceased
Saturday, June 27 FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
4:00 PM Macrina Bogusky, God’s blessings, – Micca Family
Sunday, June 28 FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
8:30 AM God’s Blessings & Good Health for All Parishioners
Birth of St. John the Baptist, Wednesday, June 23 at 9:00 AM
A Spiritual Psalter
or Reflections on God
from the writings of
Saint Ephraim the Syrian
131
All my hope is in God’s mercy.
Thy grace has made it possible for me to call upon Thy name, O Lord. O only good One, Who hast created us all, forgive the transgressions and sins of Thy sinful and ungrateful servant. I know, O Lord, that my sins exceed those of all other men, but I have as my refuge the abyss of Thy compassions which exceeds all things. I am confident that Thou wilt accept and have mercy on all who approach Thy goodness, for it pleases Thee to behold repentance, and Thou rejoicest at the ascetic struggles of Thy servants.
Grant me, Thine unworthy servant, tears, that with an enlightened mind, with love and faith, I may entreat Thine incomparable goodness and be cured of my hidden sores. Show miserable me Thy charity. Deliver me from the torment I deserve. May Thy grace be preached all about, to the benefit both of the countless multitudes who are careless, and me as well.
As Thou didst fill the waterpots with Thy blessing, so likewise fill my heart with Thy grace and Thy goodness. When a caring mother is rejected by her child, she does not scorn him, for her motherly care triumphs over all; may my sins likewise not surpass Thy grace.
I know that I will be punished even for idle words, for evil thoughts, for mere desire. Yet as soon as an opportunity to satisfy my pleasures presents itself, I immediately forget everything, and like a fool indulge in all manner of sin. I am a vainglorious, wrathful cripple, a lazy, dissolute glutton, a sensualist covered with impurities who hourly strays into error; and I do not realize it.
Only hope in the manifestation of Thy grace, O man-befriending Master, consoles me and keeps me from despair. Whether Thou so desirest or not, save me, O all-good Lord, according to Thy great kindness.
146
To whom shall I run? Save me for Thy name’s sake.
Woe is me, burdened with unprecedented sins! The number of my transgressions exceeds the number of grains of sand in the sea and they afflict me like so many iron shackles, for I lack the boldness to gaze upon the heights of heaven.
To whom shall I run, if not to Thee, O Lover of mankind? Have mercy on me, O God, according to Thy great mercy, and according to the multitude of Thy compassions blot out mine iniquity.
To Thee do I run, according to Thy great goodness and Thy charity.
Thee have I angered, yet to Thee do I run, according to Thy great capacity to forget evildoing.
Thee have I offended, yet to Thee do I run, according to Thy great love for mankind, and I entreat and cry to Thee: Turn Thy face from my sins and blot out all mine iniquities. Create a clean heart in me, O God, and renew a right spirit within me!
I have nothing to offer Thee, neither a good deed, nor a pure heart; but hoping in Thy compassion I lay myself down, that Thou mightest bring me to contrition and unwavering observance of Thy commandments, and that I might not fall so easily into sin again, but serve Thee from henceforth in reverence and truth all the days of my life
Petitions & Prayers for Our Parishioners: Donna Winsock, Sonia Dempsey, Catherine Halloway, Charles Hallaway, Louise Hubiack, Frank Udiski, Paul Hoover & James Bencho. Keep them in your prayers. If anyone would like to be included in the prayer list drop a note in the basket, email the church or text Michalene Ostrum at 570-704-7079.
PRAYER FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE CHURCH
O glorious St. Michael, guardian and defender of the Church of Jesus Christ, come to the assistance of the Church, against which the powers of hell are unchained, guard with especial care her august Head, and obtain that for Him and for us the hour of triumph may speedily arrive. O glorious Archangel St. Michael, watch over us during life, defend us against the assaults of the devil, assist us especially at the hour of death; obtain for us a favorable judgement, and the happiness of beholding God face to face for endless ages. Amen.
The Lord resists the proud; but He gives grace to the humble. (Proverbs 3:34)Particularly remember these words when you go to Confession. Nothing binds your tongue to keep it from saying, “I am a sinner,” as does pride. Humble yourself before the Lord, do not spare yourself, do not fear the face of man. Reveal your shame for it to be washed; show your wounds for them to be healed; tell of all your unrighteousness, that you may be justified. The more merciless you are with yourself, the more compassion the Lord will show toward you, and you will leave with a sweet feeling of forgiveness. This is the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,given by Him to those who humble themselves through sincere confessin of their sins.- St. Theophan the Recluse
ASK FATHER A QUESTION? Being that it is Father’s Day, I was thinking about where was Joseph (St. Joseph the Betrothed) when Christ was being crucified? Where was St. Joseph during the crucifixion you ask? Many of the Church Fathers speak to us about St. Joseph and remind us that he was a righteous man. Righteousness means caring to be good with God. Everything Joseph did in his life was living the virtues and the Church Fathers tell us that he was the most righteous man in Israel at the time of the birth of Christ which is why God entrusted Mary and Jesus to his care. Tradition tells us Joseph was about 40 years old and Mary was about 16 years old when Jesus was born. Jesus was about 30 years old when He began His public ministry. Just some simple math for you, Mary is about 46 years old and Joseph would have been about 70 years old when Jesus began His ministry. Many of the Church Fathers talking about St. Joseph remind and inform us that St. Joseph being most righteous was also full of an abundance of compassion. Because of his great compassion, Joseph would not have been able to witness the crucifixion of the Son of God without dying in pain himself from this spectacle. God the Father in His compassion and mercy for St. Joseph took him before Christ began His public ministry. The Church Fathers remind us that in the scriptures the last time we hear of St. Joseph is when Jesus is 12 years old in the temple and he is not present at the wedding of Canna with Christ and St. Mary. Is this why Jesus gives Mary to St. John as mother because St. Joseph is deceased? Yes, there are no “social” services to take care of someone who is unable to provide for themselves. Slavery in Judaism is this social service. The master of the slave is supposed to be like God to the slave and care for the slave who is working for the master. Human sinfulness didn’t always lead to this actually taking place. A widow with no sons would have become a slave to another simply to have means of living. Why would a living God permit His mother to be a slave?
BOOK(S) OF THE MONTH FOR JUNE:
BIBLE
KINGS 1 & KINGS 11
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY TO ALL OUR LIVING FATHERS AND VICHNAYA PAMYAT TO ALL OUR DECEASED FATHERS!!
The Altar Candles for the month of June are given by John M. Ostrum IMO
John J. Ostrum, Jr.
The Sanctuary Light for this week is requested by Anna Magill IMO Donald Magill.
Cemetery 8 envelopes $125.00
Building Fund 1 envelope IMO John Ostrum $50.00
MEMORIAL DOANTIONS: We gratefully acknowledge the donations made to our church in memory of John Ostrum: M/M Robert Desciak, Louise Hubiack, Kocuba Family, M/M Antony Stefanoski, David Youells, Bevan Family, M/M Robert Turinski, Brien Kelly Family, M/M Nicholas Pappas, M/M Paul Hoover, M/M Joseph Kelly, Helen Harabin, Jason Woloski Family, M/M Donald Winsock & Family, M/M Thomas Potsko, Anna Magill, Donna Warren, M/M Keith Zinn, Gloria Elston, M/M William Sharkness, M/M Paul Richelmi, Stephen Udiski, M/M Bernard Kosek, M/M Robert Longenberger.
ORDINATION ANNIVERSARY: On June 22nd, Father Walter will celebrate 12 years of his priestly ordination. Mnohaya Lita! Thank you Father for your dedication and service!
RETRERAT: Father Walter will be away from Thursday, July 2nd to Friday, July 10th. Father Paul Makar will substitute for the Sunday Liturgies. In case of emergency where a priest is needed, please give Father John Seniw a call at 570-204-2532, he will be substituting for Father Vasyl Putera in Berwick at this time. The first Saturday Liturgy will not be said on July 4th, the Liturgy for Families will be on Saturday, July 11th at 8:00AM.
Just a thought to contemplate…. What would you sell to get to heaven?-Father Walter
Certain Pericopes are read during the Weekday Liturgies and are missed if you do not read the readings for the day as a habit, (a very good habit to get into), here are two such important parables that you may have missed this Friday.
Matthew Chapter 13:44-54
The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl
At that time Jesus spoke to them, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.”
The Parable of the Net
“Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked. “Yes,” they replied. He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”
Prayer to Saint John the Baptist
O Martyr invincible, who, for the honor of God and the salvation of souls didst with firmness and constancy withstand the impiety of Herod even at the cost of thine own life, and didst rebuke him openly for his wicked and dissolute life; by thy prayers obtain for us a heart, brave and generous, in order that we may overcome all human respect and openly profess our faith in loyal obedience to the teachings of Jesus Christ, our divine Master.
SS Peter & Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church 