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 by Sister Elaine Kisinko, OSBM

Today the word Pilgrimage seems to be appearing often in Catholic news sources everywhere. Readers are being invited and urged to travel especially to the churches and shrines that have a Door of Mercy named so during this Year of Mercy as proclaimed by Pope Francis.

Sadly in contrast, the secular news brings reports of increasing turmoil, violence, terrorism and confusion every day. History tells us that it is during difficult times such as these that people turn to prayer.

During the years of the second world war more than half century ago, record numbers of Pilgrims came to Mount St. Macrina for the annual Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. They prayed for peace and for their loved ones to return safely from the raging battles.

This Pilgrimage has endured through the best of times and the worst of times for 82 years. As always, the Mother of God beckons for her children to come to honor her and to ask for her Son’s mercy and her help for their personal needs and for peace in every area of the world.

Whether this would be your first Pilgrimage or you have come for many years, please know that this unique event of our Byzantine Catholic Church welcomes you. It offers a few days apart from your regular routine. Here the graces of liturgy, prayer, reconciliation and anointing await you. You will be part of a gathering of bishops, priests, deacons, sisters, families and friends who have traveled from near and far. With them you will present your needs, petitions, cares and concerns to the Mother of God for help. The gift of your presence will be a blessing for all those with whom you share your time.

So that time approaches. The Mother of Perpetual Help gently calls. The Door of Mercy to her Shrine is open, and the prayers of the Sisters of St. Basil ask a safe journey for you to Pilgrimage – Mount St. Macrina, Uniontown, Pa., Labor Day weekend, September 3-4, 2016.

A Pilgrim Continues the Journey

Come and join us in a prayerful journey.  We will walk to various FESTAL ICON SHRINES on the Mount. As we walk, we will be singing processional hymns.  Stopping at each shrine, we will sing the moving hymns of the feast, hear a short meditation on this feast and ponder its meaning in our lives today. We will then continue our journey to the next Icon Shrine.

This Festal Icon Walk will take place on Saturday, September 3 at 2:00 p.m.

The Young Adult Retreat, “The Heart and Soul of the Gospel,” was held last weekend at the House of Prayer.  Fr. Will Rupp and Fr. Vasyl Symyon, also young adults, presented sessions, as did participants who helped plan the program along with Sr. Barbara Jean, OSBM.  The group solemnly entered the Holy Door at the Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in the House of Prayer and sang the Compline prayers. Group sessions and discussions, confessions and Divine Liturgy at our monastery completed the weekend. This was the second annual retreat and another is planned for next Spring.

Preparations for the 82nd Annual Pilgrimage are in full swing! Thanks to Sr. Josifa Simova for taking these wonderful photos!

Pope Francis’ Year of Consecrated Life closed on the World Day of Consecrated Life, February 2, 2016. The Byzantine Catholic Serra Club chose this year to honor 44 religious, including Basilian and Benedictine sisters, Brother Michael Zetzer, OSB and Abbot Leo Schlosser, OSB on Sunday, May 22. This time of appreciation began with a prayer service in the Monastery Chapel.

These Consecrated religious have served our Metropolia for over 2,515 years, and the Byzantine Serrans thought that a time of appreciation was long overdue. Of the 44 honored, 28 were able to celebrate with us. Byzantine Serra President Patricia Bovee presented each honoree with a certificate of appreciation, which indicated the years each served. Certificates were sent or carried to those who could not be present. Pictures were taken and Serrans mingled with the honorees at the catered dinner that followed in the Monastery dining room at Mount St. Macrina.

Members of the Catholic Daughters of America from Court St. Anne de Beaupre and Court Dolores entered the Holy Doors at the Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in the House of Prayer May 25.  The women, from Bentleyville and Brownsville Pa., spent time in prayer and enjoyed a tour and luncheon before visiting the Religious Gift Shop. Catholic groups from the greater area are arriving to pray at this Holy Door site at Mount St. Macrina House of Prayer. Call 724-438-7149 for reservations.

Mount St. Macrina Cemetery will hold its annual Memorial Day services on Monday, May 30, 2016. The Divine Liturgy will be offered by the Sisters of St. Basil in their chapel for all military personnel and for all those interred in the cemetery. Family and friends are invited to attend the prayer service to be held in the cemetery at 11:00 a.m. Military Honors will be provided by the members of AMVETS Post 103 Honor Guard.

During the National Pike Festival, the Thompson Mansion/House of Prayer will be open for guided tours on Sun., May 22. Cost: Adults-$12; Children – $5

For further information about the festival, visit http://nationalroadpa.org/news-events.

We raise up the generations of men and women who have given their lives to the service to the Church as religious and monastic sisters, brothers, and priests.  Their commitment has made the church possible.

Read about our communities here Celebrating the Gift of Religious Life

Sister Vitalia would have celebrated her 107^th birthday in early June. Instead, she celebrated her patronal Feast Day by entering into the Heavenly Kingdom on Friday morning, April 22, 2016. Sister Vitalia entered the community in Elmhurst, Pa., in 1930, when the community was only in existence nine years, so she was one of the first vocations to answer the call to the Sisters of St. Basil.

The daughter of the late Stephen and Anna (Belley) Tomcho, Sister Vitalia was born in Walhonding, Ohio. She entered the Sisters of St. Basil from St. Gregory Church in Lakewood, OH on October 27, 1930. She pronounced her First Vows on August 30, 1932 and made her Solemn Perpetual Profession on August 21, 1938 in the presence of Bishop Basil Takach of blessed memory.

In her vocation story which was published a few years ago, Sister Vitalia stated that teaching became her lifelong work. In fact, at the time of her retirement from active ministry, Sister had the distinction of offering the longest active service of any of the Sisters in community. Her teaching ministry spanned 67 years, most of these as a full-time teacher and/or principal. Only the last few years were spent in tutoring on a part time basis. Although Sister liked all the places where she was sent, her favorite time and place was teaching the sciences and math at Mount St. Macrina Academy in the 1950’s. It was a great joy for her when the Alumnae returned to the Mount for their reunions and took the time to visit with her. Among the things she enjoyed were trips to the shore, visiting her late sister, good food, and even cooking it. She truly enjoyed life and the people she met throughout her life.

Sister Vitalia spent the last nine years of her life as a resident at Mount Macrina Manor. When visiting her, she could often be found fingering her rosary beads, but she was always ready for a chat. Over the years, Sister became well-known to many of the caregivers. It was touching to see that during her last hours on earth, quite a few of them stopped by her room for a final farewell.

Sister Vitalia was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers Michael and Stephen, and her sister Mary Hausman. In addition to her Sisters in community, she is survived by her devoted niece Barbara Akins. The Parastas Service will be celebrated on Friday evening, April 29 at 7:00 p.m. The Funeral Divine Liturgy will be offered on Saturday, April 30 at 10:30 a.m. by the Very Reverend Andrew Deskevich, Protosyncellus of the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh, with Rev. Michael Huszti as concelebrant.