Uncategorized

Mount Macrina Manor’s 20^th Annual Live Nativity will be held on the grounds of Mount Saint Macrina in North Union Township on Friday, December 6, 6-8 p.m. The Nativity will be set up along the Friendship Circle, adjacent to the facility. Mary and Joseph, shepherds tending to their flock, the Three Kings, the Little Drummer Boy and angels will be portrayed. In addition to the volunteers who are participating, there will also be live animals, including a donkey, goat, sheep, calf and an alpaca. The Sisters of St. Basil the Great, as well as other groups will sing Christmas carols. Angels will be passing out candy canes to visitors. Five hundred luminaries will line the driveway that leads to the Nativity. The event is free of charge and everyone is welcome. For information call Mary at 724-430-1021.

Sister Carol Petrasovich, OSBM, Director of Mount St. Macrina House of Prayer and a graduate of the Academy, hosted the bi-annual reunion that took place in Uniontown, PA.  Approximately fifty-seven alumni were in attendance.  Participants traveled from the Midwest and the East Coast for the October 11-13 event.
 
The former “day hops” and “boarders” shared many hours of fond memories about their high school days at the Mount —  information about their advanced schooling, professional careers, marriages, children and grandchildren.  It was a time of rekindling the friendships started years ago.
 
The alumnae held a planning meeting in the former Academy building and had the opportunity to visit with some of the sisters who were their teachers.  They participated in singing the Divine Liturgy for the intentions of the living and deceased students of the Academy.

Read about the 79th annual Pilgrimage and more in the LifeQuesters on the Web Early Fall 2013!

The Conference of Slovak Religious met at Mount St. Macrina recently for their annual meeting.  Eighteen sisters from various parts of the Eastern United States arrived Friday afternoon and gathered in the evening for the business meeting. Saturday morning began with singing Matins and Divine Liturgy together with the Sisters of St. Basil. A mini-pilgrimage experience followed, dedicated to Our Lady of Perpetual Help. The Sisters began by singing her Akathist in the monastery chapel and then proceeded outdoors to continue the prayer at the Lourdes Grotto.  The next venue was the Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in the House of Prayer where they sang a memorial service, the Panachida, in remembrance of their deceased members.  The members returned to the monastery for lunch with the Sisters who truly enjoyed the visitors.

This organization, the Conference of Slovak Religious, provides a forum for sharing among religious congregations and it elicits support for those who have members in Slovakia.  The Sisters of the Order of St. Basil the Great are an international Order with Sisters in a dozen countries including two groups in Slovakia.  The Uniontown Province has participated in the Conference for many years.

October 11-13, 2013

We look forward to welcoming the alumnae of Mount Saint Macrina Academy to the Mount.  The following is the itinerary for the weekend:

Friday Evening

Arrival                       6:00 (no dinner served)

Welcome & Snacks

Saturday   

Continental Breakfast         9:00

Picture taking                    11:30   For those wanting to take their own – no professional photos

Lunch                                12:30

Meeting                              2:00

Free time                           4:00

Divine Liturgy                     5:30

Light Supper                       7:00

Snacks                                9:00

Sunday

Beverages available            8:30

Brunch                              10:30

Departure

Special notice:

Marie, daughter of Bernadette (Kaczmarek) Rohrer, would like your help to raise money for colon cancer recovery.  Marie has battled MS for 29 years and now has to overcome her cancer.  If you care to help, please google: give forward.com/killer cancer-Marie Rohrer or Give now(https://secure.giveforward.com/donate/542671).  Marie’s mother Bernadette can be reached at 412-931-6287.  Thank you.

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Dear Friends,

Thank you for participating in the 79^th Pilgrimage honoring the Theotokos under the title of Our Mother of Perpetual Help.  Many Pilgrims have commented on the sacred
and prayerful atmosphere which permeated the Mount during these days.

We Sisters sincerely believe that all of you, our cherished Pilgrims, bring with
you the irreplaceable manner in which you reflect the light of God’s Son.  Your presence brings a little foretaste of the lasting peace and joy which will be the fullness of the heavenly Kingdom.

Over our 79 years of hosting the annual Pilgrimage, we the Sisters of St. Basil,
continuously acknowledge that without our Pilgrims, the Pilgrimage would not be
possible.  Your presence lights up Mount St. Macrina and the shadow of your being casts a peaceful, prayerful glow over our Mount throughout the year.  We pray that you carry with you a special mindfulness as being chosen to bring the dazzling light of God’s presence into a world darkened by turmoil and disbelief.

We sincerely thank you and offer our assurance that you will be held within the
depth of our prayers throughout this coming year.   May Our Mother of Perpetual Help gently shelter your way.

With sincere gratitude in the Lord,

Sister Seraphim Olsafsky, OSBM

Provincial

The photo albums for the 79th Annual Pilgrimage are now online.  To view the albums, please follow this link: 79th Annual Pilgrimage Photo Albums.

The 79th Pilgrimage will start tomorrow morning.  This evening many pilgrims were on the grounds and attended Matins.  Enjoy our photo album featuring the beauty of Mount St. Macrina >>

…Together we make a unity in the work of service, building up the body of Christ…Ephesians 4:12

The Sisters of St. Basil the Great have been abundantly blessed with dedicated and hardworking volunteers as they prepare for the 79^th Annual Pilgrimage in Honor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

The 240-acre property needs lots of tender loving care for the many pilgrims who will visit Mount Saint Macrina over the Labor Day weekend.

“Preparations begin in the spring and continue throughout the summer.  There is so much to do.  Our volunteers help us with such tasks as planting flowers, cleaning, painting and so much more,” said Sister Carol Petrasovich, OSBM.  Sister Carol is the Pilgrimage coordinator.

The first official clean-up day was Helping Hands Day and it was held on Sat., June 1 and sponsored by the Greek Catholic Union.

An annual event, Helping Hands Day, brings together GCU members and volunteers to weed and plant the floral gardens, urns, and other areas surrounding the shrines throughout the grounds.  Other work included cleaning several pavilions of a winter’s worth of leaves and debris.

As the time of the Pilgrimage grows close, there are many volunteers throughout the community and friends of the Sisters who come to the Mount and help with preparations.  The next organized event took place on Sat., Aug. 17.  This time GCU members were joined by the Duquesne University Men’s and Women’s Cross Country teams. The effort was coordinated by their coach Tom Slosky.

“We were delighted to have this outstanding group of young people come and help our efforts.  This project was presented to them as a volunteer opportunity.  It was not a mandatory project.  The turnout was so impressive and we are so grateful,” added Sister Carol.

For the past few years, the Johnson family and other volunteers from nearby Morgantown, W.Va. have come to Mount Saint Macrina to lend a hand.  The group attends Holy Protection Mother of God Byzantine Catholic Church in Morgantown. They assist Sister Regina with cleaning and preparing the kitchen and dining area at the
Racetrack.

In October 2012, the Sisters lost two dedicated and long term Pilgrimage volunteers.  John Harvey passed away on October 16 and John Dudas passed on October 30.  In their honor, two men from New York and three men from New Jersey came the week prior to the Pilgrimage to assist the Sisters with last minute chores, such as delivering candles, paper supplies, communion stands and benches.  They also work on minor repairs.

“These men worked with John Harvey and/or John Dudas during past Pilgrimages or on parish projects.  So, they have come to help us in honor of their deceased friends,” said Sister Barbara Jean Milhalchick, OSBM.

The Associates have also been very helpful the preparation of the elements associated with the liturgical services.  Some are helping Sister Ruth Plante at the Religious Gift Shop, others are working in the numerous gardens throughout the property and several worked on various clean-up projects.

“We open our hearts and welcome our volunteers who help us with this yearly project.  For the faithful who are no longer able to help, we thank you for all your years of service.  For those planning to give of their time and talents again next year, we will extend a warm welcome back.   For those who have not been here before and are considering helping out next year, we ask for any amount of time that you can offer,” added Sister Carol.

“Everyone is so important and so appreciated.  It would be nearly impossible to name each volunteer who contributes, but you know who you are and you know how thankful
we are that you are here with us,” added Sister Barbara Jean.

The Annual Pilgrimage in honor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help is one of four pilgrimages featured in the August 25 edition of Our Sunday Visitor. Read more >>