News & Reflections

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!

The Young Adult Virtual Weekend Retreat, Authentic Discipleship: Responding to Christ’s Call in the Post-Modern World, will be held June 26-28, 2020. The retreat is sponsored by the Sisters of St. Basil the Great and Mount St. Macrina House of Prayer.

The retreat is open to all Christian men and women, single or married, ages 18-35.

Those who register will meet by via the internet. Download the Updated Schedule.

Please register by June 25 and receive the link to participate. You may register by email: hpmsm@verizon.net or via the mail: House of Prayer, 510 W. Main Street, Uniontown, PA 15401. Your $50 donation supports the House of Prayer.

If you have questions or need additional information, please call 724-438-7149.

GLORY TO JESUS CHRIST!

My dear Friends,

As we put up our 2020 calendars, I’m sure we did so hoping to fill each page with many plans, hopes, goals, and aspirations.   We had it all figured out…

Needless to say, having passed through one fourth of this year, the picture looks entirely different.  We all find ourselves in situations that we never expected or imagined stretching our faith and trust.  We need to dig deep into our spiritual treasure chest for encouragement.  One phrase I like to remember is: “The only way to stay above the water is to trust the One who walked on the waves.”

When we make plans, I imagine the Lord looks down upon us, shaking his head and smiling as He looks at what is actually on the horizon.  So what do we do?  We trust, we pray, we hold our plans with open hands.  We surrender them to Him.

Such has been our need as Sisters of St. Basil. We met, we discussed, we came up with ideas and plans to celebrate our 100^th anniversary – a Century of Ministry to the Byzantine Catholic Church.  Then COVID-19 arrived on the scene, and everything changed.  We, too, need to remember that just because what’s going on now doesn’t feel good, it doesn’t mean God’s not working.  Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its troubles, it empties today of its strength.  We, too, strive to give up control and allow the Spirit of God to lead our lives.

One of the most difficult changes that we need to accept is the decision to cancel the Pilgrimage gathering in honor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.  In the interest of safety and well-being of all, we will follow the lead of so many others and adhere to the guidelines provided.  It is our intent, however, to work on providing a series of internet services which pilgrims can watch from their own homes.  So, this year we will be making a pilgrimage of the “heart” rather than a pilgrimage of the “feet”.

We know that all of you are likewise going through your own life changes and adjustments.  Together, we Sisters and friends are like a quilt with lots of different shapes, sizes, colors, and patterns. Together, through our prayers for each other, we find warmth and comfort in a support system that makes our lives richer and fuller.  Together, we discover God’s plan for us.

With our loving prayers and support,

Sister Ruth Plante, OSBM

Provincial

Easter 2020

CHRIST IS RISEN!   INDEED, HE IS RISEN!

Dear Friends,

As we prepare to celebrate the great feast of the Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior, we want all of you to know that we are keeping you in our prayers each and every day.  We continue to celebrate the liturgical services in our monastery – being mindful, of course, of social distancing and other safety practices.

We have taken upon ourselves the privilege of praying for all those who will not be able to attend church services this Easter season.

One thing we human beings insist on having is control.  That’s not a terrible thing.  Our human nature requires a certain amount of security in order to bring our best to others.  But when the going gets tough, as it has during this time of the COVID-19 virus, control of our life usually gets wobbly, no matter how much we try to keep everything in order as we have planned.  When we are not sure about trusting what is going on, it is time to turn to the Risen One who does know more than we do. We may not like to admit this when we are invaded by overwhelming distress and grasping on to the thinnest straw of calmness.

This is a time to hold on to the words of Jesus to his disciples, “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you”…”Do not be afraid, I am with you always”…  We all must dig a little deeper into our faith, trusting Our Risen Lord to be faithful to his promises and to share with us the joy of new life.

So, again, we proclaim with joy and faith:  CHRIST IS RISEN!  INDEED, HE IS RISEN!

With our love, prayers, and gratitude to all of you,

Sister Ruth & the Sisters of St. Basil

The Sisters of St. Basil of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Province are planning a yearlong celebration to commemorate a Century of Ministry in the Byzantine Catholic Church in America.

Founded on January 19, 1921, the years of the Province closely parallel the years of our Church and its people.

Very Rev. Gabriel Martyak, Apostolic Administrator, invited Mother Macrina Melnychuk, who was Superior in Philadelphia at that time, to form a second branch of the Order to serve the people of Ruthenian descent. Mother Macrina and two other Sisters accepted this invitation to begin a new foundation for this purpose.

The initial help for the new foundation came from Father Joseph Hanulya, pastor of Holy Ghost Church in Cleveland, OH. Father provided a ten-room house which became the first formal novitiate. As did the others who came to this new land, they immediately went to work. Initially, the small community began caring for orphan children; later including teaching and catechesis.

The Greek Catholic Union played a significant part in the lives of the Sisters and the Greek Catholic faithful. In order to care for the many orphans, the GCU built St. Nicholas Orphanage in Elmhurst, PA. The Sisters responded to the call of the GCU to staff this institution. One wing became the living quarters for the Sisters. An increase in the number of orphans and new vocations necessitated another move, this time to Factoryville near Scranton, PA.

This third location was remote from any Byzantine parishes and clergy, so spiritual benefits were lacking. Thus, the Sisters began to look for a still more suitable locality. Financially, the purchase of lands or a building seemed impossible. The money painstakingly saved by the Sisters through the years had been totally lost in the bank failure during the great depression.

Once more, the Providence of Almighty God intervened, and this led to the final move. It is no secret that the acquisition of the Mt. St. Macrina property was made possible by the contributions of the people from what little they themselves had.  The year 1934 saw the beginning of a Phenomenon of God’s Grace, the Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.  Gathering people from all over the country and beyond, this event has held the Byzantine Catholic Church together, uniting her bishops, clergy, monastics and laity to a vision beyond parish or eparchy.

As schools were needed, the Sisters became professional educators to staff them. They published liturgical books with English translations from the Old Slavonic as the language changed.  The Vatican Council instructed the Church to renew, and they participated in programs of Renewal and Revitalization.  As the people moved westward and the Metropolitan Church was created, the Sisters have served in all four eparchies. Their ministerial significance in the life of our Church could go on and on and on.

The first and foremost sentiment of the Sisters for this unparalleled ministry for God, His Church and His People, is immense gratitude.  In being able to share so much in relationship with the hierarchs, clergy and people, they are gratefully aware that they have received much more than they have given. Through these many years, the lives of the Sisters and the people of our Church have beautifully intersected: in prayer, ministry, mutual support, and simply being together and for each other through times both good and difficult.

Sister Ruth, the Provincial, and the Sisters ask that everyone join them in thanksgiving and celebration. May God accept our efforts and our gratitude, and may He continue to abundantly bless us and everyone in His Church for the next 100 years!

Events for Anniversary Year

Mother Macrina

First Convent -Holy Ghost in Cleveland

Elmhurst-St Nicholas Orphanage

Factoryville