News & Reflections

When my great-nephew was 5½ years old, I praised him for being exceptionally well behaved at his grandmother’s wake at the funeral home.  I told him how good he was, and how proud we were of him.  His response was, “You know, I get way too much appreciation.”

In these days when it seems that negativity and competition are sometimes too evident, I wonder if there is such a positive as “too much appreciation.”  I can’t image that we can ever be too grateful for the goodness in our lives, that which comes from God above and that which we extend to each other.  Since the summer is flying by so quickly and Pilgrimage will soon be here, I have to reflect on how thankful we Sisters are for this most blessed extraordinary event in the life of our Church and in the life of anyone who ever came as a pilgrim for the past 83 years.

It cannot be said that the Pilgrimage began as an accident, but it certainly seems that it was not specifically planned for.  On September 3, 1934, Labor Day, about 3000 faithful came by trains, chartered buses and cars for the blessing of the newly acquired home of the Sisters at Mt. St. Macrina. Many had gathered at St. John church on the other side of town, and they came in procession through the city of Uniontown carrying banners.  Forty-two priests joined Bishop Basil Takach in the Divine Liturgy preceding the blessing.

Probably heartened by this response of the clergy and faithful, Bishop Basil with the permission of the Holy See and the enthusiastic support of the Sisters, decided to hold an annual Pilgrimages at Mt. St. Macrina. This would also provide an opportunity for spreading devotion to the Mother of God under her title as Our Lady of Perpetual Help, as Holy Father Pius XI requested of the Sisters.

Now, 84 years later, we prepare to gather again for this Pilgrimage weekend which has held special significance for so many, and which has maintained a strong impact on the Byzantine Catholic Church in America.  How could we not be grateful without limit for this blessing as we thank our Lord and His Mother for this gift to us?  We thank them for all who came during these many years: the earliest pilgrims who were comforted as they remembered the Pilgrimages they left behind at home in Eastern Europe and who were here able to be reunited with friends and relatives who now lived in different parts of America; the many who came year after year, during times good and bad, making it a part of their lives; and to all who now travel here.

We sincerely appreciate our hierarchs, priests, deacons and seminarians for leading us in the incomparably beautiful prayer of our Church.  Their presence enables us to grow in the “where two or three who are gathered in my name,” and to participate in the fullness of the Life of the Church.

We are ever thankful for the countless volunteers and helpers who make it possible for the Pilgrimage to continue in all of the practical ways that we see.  We could not be more grateful for that which we cannot see: the prayers that are offered here, and for the blessings, both those which are received and those which will be brought by each one who attends the 84^th Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help at Mt. St. Macrina.  Please come to receive the blessings that wait, to share the blessing that you bring, and to join us as we attempt to express “way too much appreciation.”

In the early days of the community, Sister Paula would awake from sleep to prepare for morning prayer in the Monastery. On the morning of April 28, she awoke instead to a new life, a life where she was welcomed into the embrace of the Lord she served so faithfully for over 70 years.

Sr. Paula (Anna) Dzurisin was born in Pittston, Pa., the daughter of the late George and Mary (Kizlin) Dzurisin.  A member of St. Michael’s Byzantine Catholic Parish in Pittston, Pa., she entered the Sisters of St. Basil the Great on June 23, 1947. Sr. Paula made her Final Profession of Vows on August 28, 1953 in the presence of the late Bishop Daniel Ivancho.

As with many of those who entered at the time, Sr. Paula spent a good number of years as a teacher and principal in the parish schools of the Metropolitan Province of Pittsburgh. She also taught business courses at Mount Macrina Academy.  There for only one year, the impression she made was such that her students were sure to visit her during the Alumnae reunions.

After almost a half century in the teaching ministry, Sr. Paula returned to the Monastery where she spent a year volunteering in pastoral visiting at the Manor. She was a great conversationalist, and her interest in people was mutually enriching in this ministry.

Her background in business education, however, led to her next assignment, that of managing the Card Department at the monastery for the next eight years. When it was necessary to lessen her responsibilities, Sr. Paula continued to assist in that same ministry for another eight years, graciously handing over the management to another Sister. It was only after this full life in active ministry that Sr. Paula was admitted to the Manor due to declining health.

In her vocation story, Sister wrote that her response to God’s call came only after she repeatedly would say, “No, this isn’t for me, but the call continued to haunt me.”  Having finally said “Yes” to her call, she wrote, “The lived experience of my call became like a precious container filled with love that increased the desire within me to share this love with others. This wonderful gift, my Vocation, has been, is, and will continue to be an exciting challenge for me to live my life to the fullest.”

Sr. Paula was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers Rev. Monsignor George, Joseph, Michael, and John and her sisters, Sister M. Philip and Mary Wascavage.  In addition to her Sisters in community, she is survived by her brother Paul (Dorothy) and many devoted nephews and nieces.

Relatives and friends will be received at the Monastery Chapel on Wed., May 2 from 3:30 p.m. to the time of the Parastas Service which will be sung at 7:00 p.m. The Funeral Divine Liturgy will be celebrated by Archbishop William C. Skurla on Thurs., May 3 at 10:30 a.m. in the Monastery Chapel. Interment will follow in the Dormition Section of Mount Macrina Cemetery.

Thanks to everyone who came to celebrate National Catholic Sisters Week at our Open House this past Sunday. To view photos of the festivities, please follow the link >>

To shine a spotlight on the profound impact of Catholic sisters in our communities and around the world, and in conjunction with National Women’s History Month, the third annual National Catholic Sisters Week (NCSW) will be held March 8–14.

NCSW was created to honor women religious through a series of events, taking place across the country, that instruct, enlighten and bring greater focus to the lives of these incredible women. It’s our chance to recognize everything sisters have done for us.

National Catholic Sisters Week, a branch of National Catholic Sisters Project headquartered at Alverno College in Milwaukee, Wisc., is headquartered at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minn., and is held in conjunction with Women’s History Month..

To learn more about NCSW or to engage via social media, visit www.nationalcatholicsistersweek.org.

Early in the morning of Sun., Nov. 19, 2017, Sr. Rita (Florence) Keshock fell asleep in the Lord at Mt. Macrina Manor. While the community was praying Matins on Sunday, commemorating the Resurrection, she surely met her Risen Lord with joy and gladness.

Sr. Rita, the daughter of the late Michael and Sophia (Backus) Keshock, was born in Campbell, Ohio. She entered the Sisters of St. Basil the Great from St. Nicholas Byzantine Catholic Church in Youngstown, Ohio, on June 12, 1947, and made her Final Profession of Vows on Aug. 28, 1953.

Sr. Rita spent half of her religious life in the ministry of education for which she was well–prepared, having earned both a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Education. While she served diligently in the many schools staffed by the Sisters at that time, there was a new ministry waiting for her in the wings. An article in the Byzantine Catholic World dated Jan. 14, 1996 summed it up in the words: Basilian Sister Finds New Home in the World of Art.

This was her passion. In her own words, Sr. Rita explained, “I am now a painter, a calligrapher, a crafter and an etcher.” Having learned the craft of etching onto eggs, she discovered that this would be a perfect medium for producing icons. Spending hours in her art room Sr. Rita noted that she often became lost in meditative thought of the beauty of life as she worked. Sister took great pride in the fact that, particularly her etched icons, were displayed in a number of exhibits throughout the country. She also taught the craft of etching on eggs to others in numerous workshops, thus leaving a legacy of this favored ministry of hers.

Sr. Rita was preceded in death by her parents, her sisters Mary Louise and Alice (Kuzmack) and her brother Edward. She is survived by her brothers John (Katherine), Robert (+Kathryn) and Charles (Joann), her sister-in-law, Mary Jo and several nieces and nephews.

Relatives and friends will be received at the Monastery Chapel on Fri., Nov. 24, 3:30 p.m. to the time of the Parastas Service, which will be sung at 7:00 p.m. The Funeral Divine Liturgy will be celebrated on Sat., Nov. 25 at 10:30 a.m. in the Monastery Chapel by Archbishop William C. Skurla. Interment will follow in the Dormition Section of Mount Macrina Cemetery.