News & Reflections

Celebrities and other folks are interviewed yearly regarding their Christmas memories and are often asked: What does Christmas mean to you?

Almost all will answer that Christmas is about family, getting together, sitting around the Christmas tree, opening gifts, catching up with loved ones, etc.

While all these things are laudable by-products of Christmas, as we know, their comments are missing the mark.

Christmas is not about family, getting together, sharing stories, catching up with loved ones, etc.

Christmas is about one thing, and one thing only:  The Son of God deigned to be born in a cave in Bethlehem for our salvation.  Jesus, Incarnate Word of God, took flesh, so that we might have life eternal.

Why doesn’t anyone ever say that when they are interviewed?   I often wonder this; some speculate it’s because they think faith is a “private” matter that folks don’t want to discuss.  Yet, after a win, how many sports figures are first to thank their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for a victory?  There is nothing “private” about the fact that Jesus Christ, Incarnate Son of God, was born of Mary, lived on earth, died, and rose from the dead to save every single person, past, present, and future.  It’s a pretty public thing.

As a nation, are we completely buying into the secularization and commercialization of Christmas?   Are we evolving into the belief (which merchants want us to believe) that the Christmas Season actually ends on Christmas Day because they then turn their sites to Valentine’s Day, another lucrative date on their calendar, rather than the reality that the Christmas Season begins on Christmas Day and is celebrated throughout January?

I challenge you this upcoming Christmas Season to remind yourselves, and all those around you, of what Christmas really means, to embrace and celebrate this joyous Season and proclaim it loud and proud by your words and actions.

God is With Us!  S’nami Boh!

Sister Susan Sisko, OSBM
Provincial
Sisters of St. Basil the Great

“Christ plays in ten thousand places, lovely in limbs, and lovely in eyes not his.” This verse from a poem by Gerard Manly Hopkins is a celebration of God’s presence in all things, stating how everything is a reflection of God’s glory. It fittingly describes our quartet of Jubilarians. In their 60 years as Sisters of St. Basil, they have reflected God’s presence to countless people whose lives intersected with theirs.

Our Jubilarians continue to reflect God’s glory as consecrated women being a praying, healing, and life-giving presence wherever they are. Each one is active, enthusiastic, and committed to the ministry and the people she serves.

Father Jerome Botsko, Monastery Chaplain, conveyed this in his homily at the Thanksgiving Divine Liturgy for the Jubilarians. The Gospel reading of the Parable of the Sower in which the seed is the Word of God lent itself to a description of their lives. They represent the good soil in their faithfulness to their vocations. Over the span of their religious lives, they have produced abundant fruit for God’s Kingdom. We congratulate them and give thanks to God for them. Their accomplishments are briefly described below.

Sister Margaret Ann Andrako’s ministry journey has taken her to parish schools, to Religious Education in the Archeparchy and Passaic Eparchy, to organizational work in the Van Nuys (Phoenix) Eparchy, to director of the House of Prayer, as an administrative assistant at Byzantine Catholic Seminary and then at Central Catholic High School in Pittsburgh, Pa. For two different terms, in 1990 and in 2015, she was Assistant Provincial. In 2021, Sister Margaret Ann accepted a position in the Diocese of Erie as the administrative assistant for the Office of Religious and for St. Mark’s Seminary where she currently serves.

Sister Sylvia Burnett’s ministry likewise took her to parish schools, then to retreat work and spiritual direction at Mount St. Macrina, the Jesuit Retreat Center in Clinton, OH, and at Ecclesia Center in Girard, PA. She also worked on research, planning and development for the Community, served as motherhouse director, and Councilor and director of grounds and facilities.  Sister Sylvia continues to unravel the mysteries of broken marriages in her tribunal work for the Erie Diocese where she has served since 2007 as an auditor in the diocesan tribunal.

Sister Susan Harvey devoted 29 years in the parochial elementary schools around the Metropolia serving as teacher and principal. She taught at nearly every grade level from first through eighth. Following her years in the education apostolate, Sister Susan went on to serve in Pastoral Ministry and as assistant director for the Office of Religious Education for the Parma Eparchy. Returning to the education ministry, Sister Susan served on the staff of the newly organized school at St. Gabriel’s Parish in Las Vegas, Nevada.  In 2014, Sister returned to the monastery, where she took on the position of Director of Associates while assisting with the Cemetery Ministry and the Card Shop, and various other ministries at the monastery.

Following her initial ministry as a teacher, Sister Barbara Jean Mihalchick moved on to retreat work and spiritual direction at the Retreat Center.  In 1989, Sister Barbara Jean was elected to the position of Vicar General in the General Administration of the Order in Rome, Italy. During this time, Sister traveled to all parts of the Order, but especially to Eastern Europe where Sisters were re-structuring public religious life and ministries. There Sister offered on-going formation sessions with the young professed Sisters. Sister Barbara Jean returned from Rome in 2001. Following a sabbatical year, she joined the House of Prayer staff at Mount St. Macrina where she currently serves as program director and Vocation Director for the Province. Presently, Sister is in her second term as a member of the Provincial Council.

One gift that is not listed above is the gift of listening. For a combined 240 years of religious life, each Sister has listened, empathized, sympathized or just was present as a “reflection of God’s glory.” That might just be the greatest gift they gave and keep giving to the world.

No Basilian celebration is complete without a special meal. At the festive dinner afterward, Sister Susan Sisko, Provincial, and all the Sisters offered their warm congratulations to the Jubilarians. May God grant them many more happy, blessed, and spiritually fruitful, years!

A Legend in Her Own Time

There is nothing like a Jubilee to bring Sisters together in joyful celebration. Sunday, May 21^st was such a day, for on that day, the Sisters of St. Basil in Uniontown honored Sister Christopher Malcovsky on her Diamond Jubilee of Religious Life.

Like all major events of the Province, the celebration began with a Divine Liturgy of Thanksgiving. As is customary on this occasion and before receiving the Holy Eucharist, Sister Christopher renewed her vows. In this, she was joined by the entire community.

In his homily, Archbishop William remarked on the many levels of service and the many different roles that Sister carried out in her 75 years of service. Speaking to the time when he was Bishop of Phoenix, he noted that  faced with the enormous task of managing the apartment complex at St. Stephen’s, Sister worked hard to get everything organized, and in so doing engaged others in the parish to help.

Her purpose went beyond practicalities of the buildings, and extended to spiritual counseling when needed. Sister’s ministry in the Eparchy of Phoenix for nearly thirty years actually began in 1991, assisting in organizational work in what was then the Eparchy of Van Nuys.

Sister Christopher spent her beginning years as a Basilian in the teaching ministry.  Her abilities led to the assignment as Motherhouse Superior and then as Provincial Superior for two terms. In 1983, she was elected as General Superior, the highest position in the Order based in Rome. In this capacity, she touched the lives of many Sisters, particularly those still living under communism.  Even at this date, she is fondly remembered for her courage in visiting those groups of Sisters during her tenure.

After completing her term of office in Rome, Sister Christopher returned to ministry in the Phoenix Eparchy where her responsibilities were mainly in parish ministry at St. Stephen’s. In addition, she also managed the 26 apartments for senior citizens on the parish campus. Besides engaging in direct ministry for the parish, Sister Christopher also organized and coordinated the Bishop’s Appeal for the Eparchy, a task which she ably fulfilled over the course of her years in the West. She whole-heartedly dedicated her time, talents and energy to these many significant areas of service.

Though separated by miles, parishioners of St. Stephen Pro-Cathedral and the apartment residents still remember Sister Christopher for her prayerful and calming spirit as well as for her willingness to listen. For many of them, she is just a phone call away.

Because of health issues, Sister Christopher returned to the monastery at Mt. St. Macrina in 2018, assisting part time at the Religious Gift Shop or wherever needed. Presently, Sister Christopher is a resident at Mt. Macrina Manor where she previously offered her services as a volunteer.

At the festive dinner following the Liturgy, Provincial Sister Susan congratulated Sister Christopher and thanked her for her enthusiastic and faithful service. She then read a very special message from the Sisters in Romania who are celebrating their 75^th Anniversary as a Province. Sister Christopher holds a special place in their hearts, since it was through her that the Basilian Sisters in Romania became a part of the Order. Truly, one can say that Sister Christopher has been blessed with many happy and spiritually fruitful years, and all of us are grateful to share in this blessing!

The Sisters of St Basil the Great are grateful for your friendship and your prayers. We wish you and all those you love a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving!

We welcome the pilgrims to the 88^th Annual Pilgrimage in honor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.  Our theme this year’s pilgrimage is the Theotokos the Seeker of the Lost.

With great joy, we have returned to our regular schedule for this year’s Pilgrimage.  We extend our thanks to the Sisters of Saint Basil the Great, the monastery staff, the Basilian Associates, and the army of volunteers who make this Pilgrimage possible each year.

Prayers and pilgrimages to Mary the Mother of God date back to the first Christian Churches.  The devotion the icon under the title “Seeker of the Lost” in the American translation are linked to the Slavic icons under the name of “Seeker of the Perishing.” According to one of the first written references, an icon was painted or written in a village in Russia during the seventeen hundreds.   Several copies with the same names are now found around the world.

According to the Slavic story, a Russian man was traveling by horse and cart was stranded in January blizzard on the feast of the Theophany.  Unable to continue his journey, he prayed to the Mary the Queen of Heaven.  He promised her that if he were rescued that he would donate an icon with the name of the “Seeker of the Perishing” to the local church.

He was saved by a peasant who nursed him back to health.  True to his promise to the Mother of God, the man donated an Icon to the church.  The icon was a source of many miracles.  Other Icons dedicated to the “Seeker of the Perishing” likewise provided help to those who were in desperate situations due to addictions, poverty, and plagues. They received help from God through their intercession to Mother of God to save themselves or other who were lost.

The Bible is full of stories which Jesus searches for the lost.  In Gospel of Saint Luke, he proclaims that He came to bring salvation to those who were lost.  A good example of Jesus mission to save the lost be seen in his seeking Zacchaeus.  Jesus and the apostles were passing through the ancient city Jericho.  Instead of going the houses of the leaders of the city or synagogue, he went to house of Zacchaeus the tax collector.  Tax collectors were hated by all and considered to be worthless and lost.  Of all the people in Jericho, Jesus seeks him and goes to his home to lead him back to salvation.  There are countless other stories of Jesus seeking and reaching out to the poor, the sick, and lowest people of society.  Like Jesus, Pope Francis also reaches out to those that are lost where ever he travels.

The Old Testament prophet Ezekiel foretold Jesus mission to seek the lost.    Ezekiel wrote that as a shepherd looks for his scattered sheep when he is among the flock, so I will look for My flock. I will rescue them from all the places to which they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.

I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick, but I will destroy the fat and the strong.  I will feed them with judgment. (Ezekiel 34:16)

Fulfilling Ezehial’s prophecy, Jesus told the similarly parable of shepherd who leaves the flock of ninety-nine sheep to seek the lost sheep and return it to home.  The one that was lost was found and returned to the flock.

For the past three years, we continuously prayed for ourselves, for our families, and for our friends who have been lost during the time pandemic and during the time of recovery from the shutdown.  We pray especially for those who are still unable to return to church service due to fear of the pandemic.  We pray that we be delivered the continuing effects which hold us back.  We pray that those who are spiritually lost will be found and return to Lord.

We pray to Mary to protect the over five million Ukrainians who have fled and lost their homes.  We pray to Mary to intercede with her Son to bring peace and justice to the war torn Ukrainian where hundreds to thousands are being killed each day.  We pray for a just peace and those who have been scattered and lost will be returned home.

We pray this year to Our Lady of Perpetual Help to intercede to seek and to find those who are spiritually lost.  In the past, the prayers of the pilgrims have be heard and miracles have happened.  We pray that your prayers today will be heard by the Mother of God and that they will be granted by Our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ.