SUN MAY 15 4th SUNDAY OF PASCHA. Of the Paralytic. Tone 3
- 4тa НЕДІЛЯ ПАСХИ. Про розслабленого.
- Divine Liturgy. Свята Літургія @ 9:00 AM
- Apostle Acts 9:32-42
- Gospel Jn. 5:1-15
- Panakhyda for the departed mothers. (All remain in the church, please!)
- Panakhyda for Fedir Ryabchenko, requested by his daughter Tatyana Melnyk.
SAT MAY 21 Akathist to the Mother of God.
- Акафіст до Пресвятої Богородиці @ 5:00 PM
SUN MAY 22 5th SUNDAY OF PASCHA. Samaritan Woman. Tone 4
- 5та НЕДІЛЯ ПАСХИ. Жінки Самаpянки.
- Liturgy. Святa Літургія @ 9:00 AM
- Apostle Acts 11:19-26, 29-30
- Gospel Jn. 4:5-42
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ХРИСТОС ВОСКРЕС! ВОІСТИНУ ВОСКРЕС! CHRIST IS RISEN! INDEED, HE IS RISEN!
CHURCH COUNCIL MEETING: Parish Council meeting will be held next Sunday, May 22 during “Coffee and…” in the parish hall. Council members are requested to make every effort to attend this meeting.
AID for Ukraine: Please continue to donate! Many thanks to Peter and Helen Zeleniuk for their generous donation of $1000 for refugees’ assistance. No more suitcases, please!
“COFFEE and…”: The collected money goes to the Scholarship Fund for our children. Thank you to Ivanna Vitrykush and her family for hosting “Coffee and” last Sunday. Hosting today is Iryna Dmytryshyn. Hosting on May 22nd is pani matka Joanne Szwez. We need donations of coffee and butter; monetary donations are always welcomed. Thank you again for your continuous support!
SAINT OF THE DAY: Venerable Pachomius the Great, Founder of Coenobitic/communal Monasticism is Commemorated on May 15. Saint Pachomius the Great was both a model of desert-dwelling and with Saints Anthony the Great (January 17), Macarius the Great (January 19), and Euthymius the Great (January 20), a founder of the cenobitic monastic life in Egypt. Saint Pachomius was born in the third century in the Thebaid (Upper Egypt). His parents were pagans who gave him an excellent secular education. From his youth, he had a good character, and he was prudent and sensible. When Pachomius reached the age of twenty, he was called up to serve in the army of the emperor Constantine (apparently, in the year 315). They put the new conscripts in a city prison guarded by soldiers. The local Christians fed the soldiers and took care of them. When the young man learned that these people acted this way because of their love for God, fulfilling His commandment to love their neighbor, this made a deep impression upon his pure soul. Pachomius vowed to become a Christian. Pachomius returned from the army after the victory, received holy Baptism, moved to the lonely settlement of Shenesit, and began to lead a strict ascetic life. Realizing the need for spiritual guidance, he turned to the desert-dweller Palamon. He was accepted by the Elder, and he began to follow the example of his instructor in monastic struggles. Once, after ten years of asceticism, Saint Pachomius made his way through the desert and halted at the ruins of the former village of Tabennisi. Here he heard a Voice ordering him to start a monastery at this place. Pachomius told the Elder Palamon of this, and they both regarded the words as a command from God. They went to Tabennisi and built a small monastic cell. The holy Elder Palamon blessed the foundations of the monastery and predicted its future glory. But soon Palamon departed to the Lord. An angel of God then appeared to Saint Pachomius in the form of a schema monk and gave him a Rule of monastic life. Soon his older brother John came and settled there with him. Saint Pachomius endured many temptations and assaults from the enemy of the race of man, but he resisted all temptations through his prayer and endurance. Gradually, followers began to gather around Saint Pachomius. Their teacher impressed everyone with his love for work, which enabled him to accomplish all kinds of monastic tasks. He cultivated a garden, he conversed with those seeking guidance, and he tended to the sick. Saint Pachomius introduced a monastic Rule of cenobitic life, giving everyone the same food and attire. The monks of the monastery fulfilled the obediences assigned to them for the common good of the monastery. Among the various obediences was copying books. The monks were not allowed to possess their own money nor to accept anything from their relatives. Saint Pachomius considered that an obedience fulfilled with zeal was greater than fasting or prayer. He also demanded from the monks an exact observance of the monastic Rule, and he chastised slackers. He relaxed the fasting rule for the sick if this would help them recover their health. The Lord revealed to him the future of monasticism. The saint learned that future monks would not have such zeal in their struggles as the first generation had, and they would not have experienced guides. Prostrating himself upon the ground, Saint Pachomius wept bitterly, calling out to the Lord and imploring mercy for them. He heard a Voice answer, “Pachomius, be mindful of the mercy of God. The monks of the future shall receive a reward since they too shall have occasion to suffer the life burdensome for the monk.” Toward the end of his life, Saint Pachomius fell ill from a pestilence that afflicted the region. His closest disciple, Saint Theodore (May 17), tended to him with brotherly love. Saint Pachomius died around the year 348 at the age of fifty-three and was buried on a hill near the monastery.
+ + + CHURCH SCHOOL NEWS + + +
Church School classes will be held today.
Congratulations to the 6th-grade class whose patron saints, Sts. Cyril and Methodios, was observed on May 11, and to Yuliya, whose patron saint, St. Julia, will be observed on May 18. These children will celebrate their special days in class today.
May God grant the 6th-grade class and Yuliya MANY BLESSED YEARS! MNOHAYA LITA!
Pennies from Heaven – We are waiting for several more collections to be handed in before we can tally the donations. Please give your collections to your teachers as soon as possible.
Memorial Day – We will once again be helping to place flags on the graves of veterans at our parish’s cemetery for Memorial Day under the supervision of Kim Irvin. We will be meeting at the cemetery on Saturday, May 28 at 10:00 a.m. We encourage not only church School students but also teens and young adults as well as their families to help with this project.
In the event of rain, the activity will automatically be canceled. If the weather is questionable, a text will be sent to Church School families between 8:30 and 9:30 that morning. Remember that much of the cemetery is often wet so wear appropriate shoes. Let’s dedicate this small amount of time to honor those who have dedicated their service to us.