The annual Greek Catholic Union Helping Hands Day at Mt. St. Macrina in Uniontown, PA, to assist the Sisters of St. Basil, will resume this year. We ask anyone interested in assisting to complete the form below and return to the Sisters. They would like an accurate count of volunteers to insure that COVID-19 guidelines in place at the time of the event, can be followed.
Discovering Truth: Navigating the Battle of Moral Choices
SPONSORED BY THE SISTERS OF ST. BASIL THE GREAT
Ages 18-39
Offering: $50 Donation • Registration Due: June 4
Register by June 1 to receive your copy of the book: “Making Choices” in time for the retreat.
Retreatants will meet by computer in five sessions, each 60-90 minutes beginning 7:30 pm Friday ending by 2:00 pm Sunday. The schedule will be posted on Facebook at this site: thesistersofstbasilthegreat
Conferences on Christian life, reflection sheets, breakout sessions for discussion; prayer services will be provided; optional “Emmaus Walk” for those with past experience of the retreat.
Offering: $50 Donation. Register by email: hpmsm@verizon.net or send to House of Prayer, 510 W. Main Street, Uniontown PA 15401. The donation supports the House of Prayer. Please pay by check and send in with your registration.
Download the registration flyer: Young Adult Registration Flyer
The Sisters of St. Basil are pleased to announce our new administration. Sr. Susan Sisko is our new provincial. Sr. Carol Petrasovich is assistant provincial. Sr. Barbara Jean Mihalchick and Sr. Joanne Lickvar join them on the council. We ask for your prayers as we begin this new and exciting chapter of our community.
The Sisters will hold their Chapter of Elections, April 17 & 18.
Please follow the link for a special message from Sr. Ruth Plante, Provincial: Chapter Request
Sister Ruth at the Food Drive
Celebrations of all kinds have taken new formats this year. The Sisters at Mount St. Macrina commemorated Catholic Sisters’ Week by holding a food drive involving the public and a clothing and housewares collection in-house. The beneficiaries of the food drive, held March 9-20, were two local food banks, St. Vincent de Paul Society and Fayette County Community Action. Clothing and household goods were divided among local outreach programs.
Mary House accommodates 4-5 women in transition, guided by two Sisters of Charity of Greensburg. The Goodwill Store accepted household items. A large part of the collection went to Fresh Fire Church which distributes clothing and household goods to the needy free of charge. Local benefactors brought generous amounts of food, health and hygiene products to the Religious Gift Shop to distribute to the many unemployed of Fayette County. Local agencies have expressed their gratitude for the Sisters’ outreach and for their prayers.
Sister Barbara Jean delivers clothes to Sister Annette Frey, SC at Mary House
The Card Department is now selling Easter cards and Enrollment cards.
You can download the brochure here 2021 Spring Card Brochure
Download the Order Form here Order Form Spring 2021
Sister Regina (Claire Marie) Adams took the final steps of her journey into eternal life in the late evening of February 3, 2021. Entering the hospital with some health problems, she fully expected to return to her mission at St. Mary’s in Wilkes-Barre, PA. The Lord, whom she served so faithfully, however, had other plans for her and took her swiftly to Himself from there.
Sister Regina was born in Trenton, NJ, the daughter of the late Michael and Anna (Anchak) Adams. She entered the community from St. Mary’s Byzantine Catholic Church in Trenton, NJ on February 4, 1957 and made her Final Profession of Vows on August 26, 1962.
For about half of her religious life, Sister Regina spent her energies in teaching, and she was able to convey her love of this ministry whether her students were in the primary grades or the upper ones. Her abilities came into play as she also managed the duties of principal when necessary. Sister Regina’s zeal for learning was matched by her enthusiasm for science, evidenced by her interest in the PA Jr. Academy of Science. Here, her students always placed favorably in these competitions.
Further, Sister’s talent for music served her well in her later years of parish ministry when she was often called upon to cantor for the Divine Services. She had a strong voice and one that was easy to follow. Not surprisingly, sports also had a prominent place among Sister Regina’s interests. Anything connected with Notre Dame or the Steelers had a special place in her heart.
After the schools where the Sisters served were closed, Sister Regina’s energies then turned to parish ministry for the remainder of her life. Chief among the duties of this ministry was visiting the sick of the parishes. Her lively nature lent itself to bringing cheer to those who were homebound, in hospitals or in nursing homes. This ministry, to which she devoted herself with great dedication, was to be her last. From there it was just another step into eternity.
Pilgrims will remember Sister Regina’s familiar face at the Holupki Stand where she was always ready to greet them with joy and with a smile. In the community, Sister will be missed for her sense of humor and her infectious laughter. A friend of hers characterized this laughter as mimicking a tommy gun; thus giving her the nickname “Tommy.” She herself wanted to be remembered for her deep sense of faith and trust in God. No doubt, it was this she called upon as she surrendered her life into the hands of God.
Sister Regina was preceded in death by her parents and her brother Michael. She was the last surviving member of her immediate family. In addition to the members of her community, she is survived by her two devoted nieces Linda Marfino and Regina Garb and their families.
Due to the coronavirus restrictions, there will be no public viewing. All services are private and will held in the monastery Chapel on Tuesday, February 9 at 10:30 a.m. Archbishop William Skurla will celebrate the Funeral Divine Liturgy with Rev. Jerome Botsko, Monastery Chaplain as concelebrant.
After struggling with multiple health issues for a number of years, Sister Pius (Irene) Yavor fell asleep in the Lord on Monday, December 14, 2020. She fell seriously ill with the coronavirus. With permission, Sister Pius had been living apart from community. She was staying with her family, and it was from her home in Perth Amboy, NJ that the Lord called her to Himself.
Sister Pius was born in Perth Amboy, NJ, the daughter of the late George and Anna (Andrejo) Yavor. She entered the community from St. Nicholas Byzantine Catholic Church in Perth Amboy, NJ on September 24, 1951 and made her Final Profession of Vows on August 15, 1957 in the presence of the late Bishop Nicholas Elko.
For several of her years in active ministry, Sister Pius was involved in teaching and catechesis. Of those years, from 1979 through 1983, she was teacher and principal in St. Michael’s School in her hometown of Perth Amboy. While there, she was ahead of her time in initiating computer classes after school for those interested. Evangelization then became her focus, and with great enthusiasm, she answered the request of Rev. John Zeyack of St. Thomas Church in Rahway, NJ to serve in this parish ministry.
What became Sister Pius’s best-loved ministry followed in 1988 when she was hired to serve in Campus Ministry at Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ. It was her joy to be available to the students there, and her engaging personality lent itself to this work. Additionally, Sister Pius served as an instructor in the Adult Enrichment Program of the Passaic Eparchy and as a member of the Passaic Diocesan Catechetical Board
Even though no longer engaged in active ministry for the community, Sister Pius was often on the phone with those who sought her comfort and counsel. It was heartening to her to be a healing and praying presence for those who called upon her.
Sister Pius was preceded in death by her parents, her brother George (Gerry) and her sisters, Marie and Anna (Malik). A day after her passing, her sister Margaret followed Sister Pius into eternity. In addition to the members of her community, she is survived by her niece Venus Majeski.
The Funeral Divine Liturgy will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, December 28, 2020, in St. Nicholas Byzantine Catholic Church in Perth Amboy, NJ. Interment in St Nicholas Cemetery, Perth Amboy.
May God grant to his handmaiden, Sister Pius, eternal memory and peaceful repose.
