News & Reflections

Happy New Year! The end of the year has been a busy time for us here in Wilkes Barre.

At the end of September, in response to an invitation from the Carmelite Sisters, we traveled with our parishioners to Sugarloaf for an evening of prayer. The evening included a Moleben to St. Theresa the Little Flower; followed by an excellent talk about Sr. Theresa the Little Flower by Father Jude Peters OSF from Milwaukee,Wisconsin; and, Compline Prayer.

A few days later, we attended the 125^th anniversary celebration of St. Mary Church in Kingston. Both of us were delighted with the opportunity to meet with parishioners and many young people of the parish.

In mid-October, we attended the Eastern Catholic Churches’ Encounter in Hillsborough, New Jersey and met people from other states, ethnic faiths and religious affiliations.   We participated in Melkite Vespers, Matins and Liturgy and found them inspiring.  The speakers were excellent and we were particularly impressed with Bishop Peter Libasci, who received a standing ovation from the group. He spoke on breathing with two lungs – East and West – and on the “How and What of Lay Leadership,” that is, putting on Christ by witnessing Him to others. Afterwards, we enjoyed participating in the open discussion of the group.

Every Wednesday in October, we made a Pilgrimage to the Mother of God, in which a different Akathist to her was celebrated each time.  On the last day, October 31, all five parishes participated as Father Paul Wolansky of Sts. Peter and Paul Byzantine Catholic Church spoke.

December brought a number of events associated with the preparation of Christmas. On the 6th, we went Christmas caroling beginning with the St. Nicholas Apostolate at Tiffany Court Nursing Home.  Three days later, on December 9, we went caroling again, this time at the Little Flower Nursing Home.  All residents gathered with us and sang along.  It was truly a heart-warming experience.

Also on December 9, we attended the annual St. Nicholas celebration at Golden Palace.  Young and old join in the celebration, and every year one man and one woman are honored with the St. Nicholas award.

Back to caroling on December 11 at St. Luke’s Villa and on December 13 at River Ridge Nursing Home.

December 11-13, we attended the “Year of Faith” mission given at a different parish every night by Father Frank Hanincik.  Father stressed that Faith is related to Trust and that Mary is the Model of Faith. He mentioned that the Pillars of Faith are Scripture and Tradition; however, the Heart of Faith is our relationship to each other and the way in which we witness our faith to others.

We went to St. Michael’s in Pittston on December 23. There all of the parishes gathered for Compline celebrated at 3:00 p.m. by the Pastor’s  bishop, His Grace Milan Sasik of Mukachevo. 

At 7:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve, the ECF children presented a Christmas pageant which we had prepared with them. Christmas carols by the children and parishioners followed the pageant.

Then, on December 30, we attended the ECF Christmas program with Jaslickari at St. John Church in Georgetown at noon.

On New Year’s Eve, Father Jim Hayer, Pastor at St. Mary’s in Wilkes-Barre, held an early New Year’s Eve Social for the parishioners to welcome the New Year.

This Christmas season was a busy one for us.  During the month of December, we also visited home-bound and nursing home residents.  Sister Theodosia made cards for the parishioners of the five parishes in these homes.  We also enjoy singing carols to them and we try to bring comfort to parishioners who have recently lost loved ones.  Our ministry provides many blessed opportunities for us!

Surrounding and enveloping us are the sorrows of loss, war, and horrendous tragedy.

Some of these touch our immediate loved ones; some touch the entire human family.

Yet we are people not without hope.  We know that the Light of the World has
come into our darkness, and that Light will not fail to lead us to Life.

As we Christians prepare to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the
words of the prophet Isaiah ring out today with great clarity and power:

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; on those who live in a land of deep shadow a light has shown.

For there is a child born for us, a son given to us, and dominion is laid on his shoulders; and this is the name they give him:                                  

Wonder-Counselor, Mighty-God,

Eternal-Father, Prince-of-Peace.

wide is his dominion in a peace that has no end.

We wish to all our friends, benefactors, & volunteers

    a Christmas time of peace and grace.
 

     Sister Seraphim & the Sisters of St. Basil the Great

Sister Salome, Sister Agnes, and Sister Leonora were honored by Bishop John Kudrick through his bestowal of the Holy Forerunner Award on November 4, 2012 at a banquet held in St. John Cathedral Center in Parma.  Sister Salome, Sister Agnes, and Sister Leonora were individually honored by receiving the Holy Forerunner Medal, and a framed Certificate of Appreciation.   These Sisters were thanked for their many years of dedicated service to St. Mary Byzantine Catholic School in Cleveland, Ohio.   In his remarks, Bishop John expressed his appreciation on behalf of the Eparchy of Parma for the many ministries in which the Sisters of St. Basil participated for over 30 years in the Eparchy.  Bishop acknowledged the untold good, known only to God, which the presence of the Sisters has brought among God’s people in the Parma Eparchy!

The heavenly ranks were increased in number on the prefestive day of the Entrance
of the Mother of God into the Temple. Early that morning of Nov. 20, 2012, Sister
Isidore made her own personal entrance into the eternal temple. As she was very
devoted to the Mother of God, it was a fitting day for Sister to complete her
earthly journey. The daughter of the late George and Marie (Romanko) Maruhnic, Sister
Isidore was born in what was then Czechoslovakia, and given the name Veronica
at baptism. She entered the Sisters of St. Basil from St. George Byzantine Catholic Church in Linden, N.J. on Feb. 15, 1947. Sister Isidore pronounced her First Vows on Dec. 9, 1948 and made her Perpetual Profession on Aug. 28, 1953 in the presence of the late Bishop Daniel Ivancho.

As a Sister of St. Basil for almost 66 years, Sister Isidore spent about half of
that time worked in culinary arts in the Monastery, at St. Basil’s Home, at Mount
Macrina Manor, or at missions throughout the Byzantine Catholic Metropolitan
Province of Pittsburgh. Other years were spent in the ecclesiastical sewing
department, lovingly putting to good use her talent in the making of vestments
and other ecclesiastical appointments. She eventually managed this department
before ill health required her retirement. Sister’s handiwork can be seen in
the many churches of our Metropolitan Province, giving evidence of her giftedness
and expertise.

One of Sister Isidore’s favorite activities during the many years that her ministry
placed her at the Mount was her daily walk to the Lourdes Grotto.  Often she was accompanied by one her friends among the Sisters, both of whom would be praying the Rosary as they walked along the way.  Later in the evening, Sister could be found praying in the Chapel. When she became a resident at Mount Macrina Manor a little over two years ago, the Chapel there was also one of her favorite places to be. Sister was very generous with her time in helping anyone who needed to have some sewing done; her kindness in this will not be forgotten by those who benefited from it. Sister Isidore was a very comfortable person to be with; one always had the sense that she was very much at home wherever she found herself. This quality is surely one that she carried with herself to her heavenly home.

Rather than eulogize the life of Sister Isidore, Father Eugene invited those present
to join him in a meditation on the fact of death.  Among other points he made, Father Eugene stated, “None of us know when he or she will die. The one who is most healthy
among us may go tomorrow; the most infirm may be present for all of our funerals. We don’t know.”  He went on to say that if we did know, for example, that we had a week yet to live, the thought of facing God would cause us, instinctively, to take inventory of our souls, and, whatever we would find lacking by way of virtue, we would certainly
seek to supply. “But our Divine Teacher has instructed us to live so every day,
with each succeeding day serving to increase our virtues both in quantity and
in quality.”

Especially during the last years of her life, Sister Isidore was aware that her journey
was coming to an end. She bore the discomforts and the pains of her last
illness without complaining and with patience, laying up for herself treasures
in heaven. She heeded the words of scripture quoted by Father Eugene during his
reflection, “Watch, therefore, for you do not know at what hour your Lord is to
come.” When the Lord did call her, Sister Isidore did not go before the Lord
empty-handed but bearing the beautiful virtues of simplicity, a deep faith, a
generous spirit and fidelity to her holy vocation.

Sister Isidore was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Peter and her sister
Anne (Staryak). In addition to her Sisters in community, she is survived by her
beloved sister Barbara Dellisante and several nieces and nephews. The Parastas
Service was celebrated on Fri., Nov. 20 by Rev. Michael Huszti, Monastery
Chaplain. Rev. Ronald Larko was in attendance. The Funeral Divine Liturgy was
celebrated by the Very Rev. Eugene P. Yackanich on Sat., Nov. 24 in the
Monastery Chapel. Concelebrants were Rev. Michael Huszti and Rev. Stephen
Wahal. In attendance were Rev. Jerome Botsko, Rev. Ronald Larko and Deacon John
Hanchin.  Interment followed in the Dormition Section of Mount Macrina Cemetery.

May God grant to his handmaiden,
Sister Isidore, eternal memory and peaceful repose.

The Religious Gift  & Card Shop will hold their Christmas Open House on Sat., Dec. 1 (1:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.) and Tues., Dec. 4 (10 a.m. – 4 p.m.)  Come and enjoy light refreshments and 10% off on all merchandise.  The Religious Gift & Card Shop is located on the lower level of the Trinity Center at Mount Saint Macrina.

The shop offers icons, religious gifts and books, inspirational cards, religious jewelry, special order items, book ribbons, chalice cloths, and other items with a particular focus on the traditions of Byzantine spirituality.

For further information, please call 724-439-6180.