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Early in the evening of Monday, December 14, 2020, Sister Emma Pauline (former Sister Hilaria) fell asleep in the Lord at Mt. Macrina Manor. In two weeks, she would have observed her 100^th birthday. The Lord Jesus, however, chose a better “birthday” for her, this one to be celebrated in His Kingdom.

Sister Emma Pauline was born in Donora, PA, the daughter of the late Michael and Anna (Oras) Fedorchak. She entered the community from St. Michael’s Byzantine Catholic Church in Donora, PA on September 27, 1936 and made her Final Profession of Vows on April 23, 1946.

For a little more than 40 years, Sister Emma Pauline was engaged in catechetical and elementary education as her main ministry. With two degrees in this field, she was especially gifted in teaching the youngsters in the primary grades. One of her students from those years, still remembers her fondly. He credits Sister with forming him in the faith from the time she prepared him for First Communion.

At the juncture of halfway through her ministry, Sister Emma Pauline’s energies shifted to pastoral care, volunteering for three years at Mt. Macrina Manor, then seven years at St. George Byzantine Catholic Church in Linden, NJ.  The late Monsignor George Billy was pastor at St. George’s. He later became a resident at the Manor, and Sister was very faithful in visiting him during her time in pastoral ministry. Her care for Monsignor was deeply appreciated by his family, as she was so well known to them.

In 1996, Sister returned to the Monastery, and shortly after began to volunteer again at Mt. Macrina Manor until 2002 when she retired from active ministry. Sister’s final years of life were spent as a resident at the Manor.

Sister Emma Pauline was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Leonard, and her sisters Irene Womeldorf, Helen Lisante and Anna Ramult, She was the last surviving member of her immediate family.

Rev. Jerome Botsko, Monastery Chaplain will celebrate the Funeral Divine Liturgy in the Monastery Chapel on Friday, December 18. Rev. Stephen Wahal, pastor of Sister’s home parish in Donora, will concelebrate. Due to the pandemic, there will be no public viewing.

Crawford Funeral Home in Hopwood is in charge of arrangements.

Late in the evening of December 8, 2020, Sister Fabian entered into the embrace of the Heavenly Father. It was a feast day that was particularly dear to Sister, celebrating Mary, the Mother of God. Surely, Sister Fabian was welcomed into the Heavenly Kingdom by this beloved heavenly Mother, Mary.

Sister Fabian (Margaret) Krassa was born in Uniontown, PA, the daughter of the late Stephen and Mary (Huston) Krassa. She entered the Sisters of St. Basil from St. John’s Byzantine Catholic Church in Uniontown, PA on September 15, 1950 and made her Final Profession of Vows on January 1, 1956 in the presence of the late Very Rev. George Bonchonsky.

Her ministry experience was largely focused on education, both as a teacher and principal. After 40 years of dedication to this ministry, Sister Fabian was granted her desire to serve in Rome, Italy. There she worked for seven years in the library of the Pontifical Oriental Institute. Of her time there, Fr. Gick, S.J. wrote: “I have found her to be honest and generous in her approach to her work, but more importantly, she had demonstrated a  high degree of loyalty and trustworthiness in her work . . . and has carried out her obligations with care and precision.”

While enjoying her work at the Institute, Sister’s great joy in being in Rome was the many opportunities she had to attend the audiences of now St. John Paul II.

Upon her return to the monastery at Mount St. Macrina, Sister Fabian assisted part time with keeping the Monastery Archives and other clerical duties as were asked of her. When her health no longer permitted this, Sister became a resident at Mt. Macrina Manor, from where she was called home to the Lord.

Writing about her vocation, Sister Fabian noted that it was her parents’ faith and devotion to Christ that finally led her to Religious life. She remembered telling her mother that if she were a boy, she would be a priest. When she was in the eighth grade, the death of her pastor was another event that influenced her life choice. At the end of his funeral, she had the strong sensation that God was calling her to the religious life, giving her his vocation in a sense. After this incident, there was never any doubt in Sister Fabian’s mind about her call. This was made even firmer in high school when a Franciscan priest became the pastor at St. John’s and had parish missions that nourished her desire to be a Sister.

What Sister Fabian enjoyed most in her life was bringing Christ to others through the teaching apostolate. After being sent out to teach, she found that she received even more than the hundredfold promised by Jesus through the important events and relationships she encountered.

In July, Sister Fabian celebrated her 70^th Anniversary as a Sister of St. Basil confirming her initial desire to give her life to God, serving however and wherever she was called. We can rejoice with her, trusting that Sister Fabian is now face to face with Jesus, her Divine Spouse.

Sister Fabian was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers, Jimmy, Michael, Steve, Andrew, Adam and John, and her sisters Anne, Mary (Hudock), and Helen (Zahuranic). In addition to her Sisters in community, she is survived by her sister Pauline Monakee and devoted nieces and nephew.

The Divine Liturgy will be celebrated privately in the Monastery Chapel on Saturday, December 12 by Rev. Jerome Botsko, Monastery Chaplain. Very Rev. Ronald P. Larko, pastor at St. John’s will concelebrate. Due to the coronavirus restrictions, there will no public viewing.

Donald R. Crawford Funeral Home, Hopwood, is in charge of arrangements.

Due to closure resulting from COVID-19 regulations, the Religious Gift Shop experienced a loss of revenue impacting our ability to provide the items our customers have come to rely upon. In gratitude for a donation of $25 or more, we will send you this lovely Our Lady of Perpetual Help battery candle (7.5 inches in height). Checks can be made out to Religious Gift Shop or you may call 724-439-6180 to make a credit card donation. Thank you in advance for your support!

This autumn, a 124 Niche Romanesque style Columbarium is being installed next
to the present Mausoleum in The Resurrection Garden.

If you are interested in the purchase of a Single Niche or a Double Niche in the
Columbarium, please return the form and I will contact you by early December.
At that time details of purchasing, as well as your questions, can be addressed.

Follow the link for further information: Columbarium Information & Form

Thank you, Sr. Seraphim

September 2020

GLORY TO JESUS CHRIST!

Dear Friends,

Every year, for several weeks before our annual Pilgrimage in honor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, we petition Our Lord to grant us good weather for the weekend.  Sometimes He responds favorably, and sometimes we face the challenge of rain and storms.  This year, the year of our first virtual Pilgrimage, the weather was absolutely perfect.  Doesn’t Our Lord have quite the sense of humor!!!

Although we were disappointed that we were unable to welcome you in person (every year brings so many happy reunions!!), we were encouraged and touched by the number of pilgrims who joined us in prayer via our YouTube videos.  We had about 5000 people who had watched one or more presentations.  Likewise, we are in the process of lighting over 500 candles to fulfill the prayerful requests that were made.  I believe that our dear Mother of Perpetual Help must have been very pleased by the honor given to her and her divine Son.

We extend our thanks to Archbishop William, to each of our Bishops and clergy, and to each Eparchy for the publicity given through their publications.  Likewise, the Greek Catholic Union continues to support us as they have since our first days and our collaboration in caring for orphans at St. Nicholas Orphanage in Elmhurst, PA. We are also grateful to Sister Marion Dobos, OSB of the Archieparchial Office of Religious Education for the Children and Teen programs.

Finally, we thank each and every one of you for your words of loving support, your continued prayers, and your ongoing financial donations.  It touches our hearts to experience such a caring response.  Please know that we, in turn, will always remember you in our prayers each day.  We bring your intentions to our dear Mother of Perpetual Help and are confident that she will watch over you and keep you under her loving protection as we continue to face the challenges of these days.

                                                            With love, prayers, and gratitude,

                                                            Sister Ruth Plante, OSBM, Provincial

                                                                        and the Sisters of St. Basil

It is our prayer that you can join us virtually for the 86^th Pilgrimage in honor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help on September 5 and 6.  You can do this by going to our YouTube channel at Basilians – Uniontown PA to view some services and programs that we have recorded for you. This channel will not be available until September 5. The direct link will be put on Facebook and at www.sistersofstbasil.org.

Due to the current COVID-19 conditions and in an effort to responsibly care for the safety of everyone, please note that we will not be permitting groups of any size to gather on the grounds of Mount St. Macrina over the Labor Day weekend.  Furthermore, the Religious Gift Shop and the Shrine will be closed.

No buildings and/or restrooms will be open for visitors since we do not have the means to assure proper and complete sanitizing.

Although we are disappointed that we cannot provide a welcoming hospitality, we are also mindful of our responsibility to foster the health and well being of all.

THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU

FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND COOPERATION!

Beginning with a Divine Liturgy of Thanksgiving on July 20, three Sisters of St. Basil celebrated their anniversaries of religious life: Diamond Jubilarian, Sister Leocadia Sevachko, and 70^th Anniversary Jubilarians, Sister Salome Yanochko and Sister Fabian Krassa,

The lives of these Sisters are all about an affirmation of love. At Baptism these Sisters were given the wonderful gift of faith and brought into the family of love. They began a journey, a journey motivated by love of God, a journey by which they were drawn to live in a community of love. Each in her own way translated this love into service to the Church. Archbishop William Skurla congratulated the Sister Jubilarians and thanked them for faithfully living out that love in their lives and in service to the Church.

Sr. Leocadia entered the Sisters of St. Basil from St. Nicholas parish in Youngstown, Ohio. Sr. Leocadia’s teaching assignments spanned 57 years in elementary education. Her assignments also included a number of years when she served as both teacher and principal. The first to enter the community, Sr. Leocadia has the distinction of being one of three sisters in community; Sr. Dorothy, now deceased, and Sr. Bernarda. After completing her final mission in the Youngstown Area Churches, Sr. Leocadia now resides at the Motherhouse.

Sr. Salome’s home parish is St. Mary’s in Freeland, Pa.  From 1953, when she was first assigned to teach, Sr. Salome had been busy shaping the lives of first and second graders. Sister brought to this ministry the gift of her gentle ways and her enthusiasm for any advances in methodology. She took great delight in learning and using whatever technology was available in to help those entrusted to her care. Now retired from the teaching ministry, Sr. Salome resides at the Motherhouse assisting in sacristan duties.

Sr. Fabian entered the community from St. John the Baptist Church in Uniontown, Pa. Her ministry experience was also largely focused on education, both as a teacher and principal. In a departure from this ministry, Sr. Fabian desired to serve in Rome, Italy. There she worked for seven years in the library of the Pontifical Oriental Institute. Precious to her of her time in Rome were the many times she was able to be at audiences of Pope St. John Paul II. Sr. Fabian presently is a resident at Mt. Macrina Manor.

At the festive dinner following the Divine Liturgy, Sr. Ruth thanked each of the Sisters for the special and unique gifts each brought to her ministry. Although they are often fondly remembered by past students, the countless lives they touched are known only to God. May God grant these Jubilarians many blessed, happy, and spiritually fruitful years!

Glory to Jesus Christ!

The Young Adults of the Byzantine Archeparchy of Pittsburgh are excited to announce a new Byzantine Book club to be held virtually and we want to hear from you!

Our first step is gauging interest and fine tuning some basics. Our hope is to meet online, probably by Zoom, once per month, probably the last Monday of the month from 7:30 – 8:30, for reading and discussion focusing on the intersections of Eastern theology, this modern world we live in, our ancient faith, and being a young adult in the greater church. This group is sponsored by Pittsburgh Byzantine Catholic Young Adults, which if that describes you, here is a Facebook group to join.   https://www.facebook.com/groups/669368746784321/   and also sponsored by the Sisters of St. Basil the Great, Uniontown PA.  Incidentally here is another Facebook page you may wish to follow. https://www.facebook.com/sistersofstbasil.uniontown

The first book we have chosen, at Sr. Barbara Jean’s fantastic suggestion, is St. Basil the Great’s commentary on Social Justice. “On Social Justice: St. Basil the Great.” This is available from the St. Vladimir Press Bookstore at https://svspress.com/ , I’ve also seen it on Amazon. The first essay we will be looking at is available online at http://stjohngoc.org/st-basil-the-greats-sermon-to-the-rich/. Please begin to read this essay to prepare for the first evening, August 31, 7:30 pm EDT.

I’m constantly surprised, and amazed how the church fathers speak so effortlessly through the centuries bringing the wisdom so topical and so needed to the discourse of today. This deep and thought provoking book challenges us to live our faith, even and especially in challenging times. In this time of Covid19 as we have all gotten tragically familiar with online video conferences and feel even more keenly our need for the fellowship of our community of believers, it is my hope that this community study into St. Basil’s wisdom can help inform, challenge, and strengthen our faith and to grow in wisdom, courage and charity as we respond to Christ’s call to us toward theosis.

So if diving into a book of Patristic theology with a community of young Byzantines sounds as appealing to you as it does to us (or you are just happy to find a social gathering that is free of charge and are any age at all, but feel you could be enriched by attending) please email your interest so we can start to gather hard numbers for planning going forward. Likewise if you are interested and have feedback about a good platform, day/time to meet, or have strong opinions if we should keep our working group title of “The Steel City Byzantines Book Club” or change it to “The Church Fathers’ are still Speaking”, or any other questions please direct them to Sam Tima, who has graciously volunteered to watch the email account at samst267@gmail.com.  As people register we will send out information to connect to the video chat. Hope to see you there! Father Will Rupp and Sister Barbara Jean, OSBM will participate in the sessions.

Send your registration notice or questions to Sam Tima at samst267@gmail.com for the opening session, August 31, 7:30 pm EDT.

Come!  Invite a friend and come!