News

On Good Friday, the Church strives to express her mourning over the passion and death of Jesus in every possible way. Special events are held throughout the day as a way for the faithful to revisit the events of that day. This year, the parishioners of the Assumption Catholic Church in Perth Amboy, NJ  with many students of the Parish School, participated at  the moving service called  solemn Vespers with the burial procession bearing the Holy Shroud or Plashchanitsa. The “plashchanitsa” is a winding sheet with the picture of Christ’s body lying dead in the tomb. After the procession made three times inside the Church, the shroud was laid out for veneration on a replica of the sepulcher. You can view more pictures at the parish site www.assumptioncatholicchurch.net

The Easter Egg Hunt was held in our church on Palm Sunday with around 40 kids participating. The morning was brisk, but sunny and  the children had fun-fun-fun. Thank you so much to men from the Holy Name Society who helped make our Easter Egg Hunts a success!

St. Ann’s Society sponsored a Gift Auction, an annual tradition for them. More than two-hundred-fifty patrons attended and played for more than four hundred prizes.  After a tasty lunch of hot dogs, cabbage and noodles, or sausage and peppers that guests were able to purchase, everyone settled in to listen to the calling of winning numbers at 2:00 PM.  Squeals of delight as longed for prizes were won echoed throughout the afternoon.  Platefuls of home-made cake and gallons of coffee were enjoyed.  A good time was had by all and the ladies of St. Ann’s went home tired but proud of another successful event.

This year our parish will offer a spiritually enriching experience during Lent called the Parish Lenten Mission. A Parish Lenten Mission might be described as "a retreat that comes to you." To make a retreat, one must leave home and daily routine in order to give some days to silence, prayer and reflection in order to experience a renewal and growth in faith. Most people are not able to that very easily. A Lenten Mission is an opportunity for renewal and growth in our faith that is available at the local parish and can be fit into the demands of daily life. Part of the attraction of a Lenten Mission is that it is preached by someone coming into the parish for that purpose. Not only is the preacher a "new voice," but it is someone who has a particularly deep knowledge and experience of the spiritual life. Our Lenten Mission is scheduled for March 15, 16 and 17, 2013 and will feature Fr. John Zeyack a former pastor of St. Thomas Church, Rahway, NJ. The Lenten Mission will take place over the course of three days and is a spiritual growth event you will not want to miss.
During three days, Fr. John will talk to the parish on following topics:
1. In English, Friday, March 15 after 6:30 pm. Presenctified Liturgy
Topic: Who is the living and true God whom we gather to worship?
2. In English and Ukrainian on Saturday, March 16 at 9:00 a.m. Sorokousty Liturgy and in English at 5:00 p.m. Liturgy
Topic: The parish – a place to encounter the living Christ!
3. In Ukrainian, Sunday, March 17 at 9:00 a.m. Liturgy and in English at 11:30 a.m. Liturgy
Topic: How do we respond to the call to holiness by living out our faith?
Confessions will be heard before a during services. Families are encouraged to come together. If you can make all three days, great! If not, come when you can for this time of felowship and renewal during Lent!…

Ukrainian Catholic mission in Lancaster, PA, was opened with the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom on Sunday, February 24, 2013 at 1:30PM.  The Liturgy was held at St. John Neumann Roman Catholic Church, 601 East Delp Road, Lancaster, PA.

The next Divine Liturgy will be on Sunday, March 10 at 1:30PM! Наступна Служба Божа буде у неділю, 10 березня, о 1:30 пополудні! Приходьте!

Divine Liturgies are celebrated by Father Andriy Rabiy, pastor of Nativity of Blessed Virgin Mary church in Reading. The services are bilingual, in Ukrainian and English. Служби Божі відправляються отцем Андрієм Рабій, настоятелем церкви Різдва Пресвятої Богородиці у Редінґ. Відправи правляться двомовно, по-українськи та по-англійськи.

Please contact Fr. Andriy if you have any questions or need information by phone at 610.376.0586 or email nativitybvmucc@mail.com
 
Please visit the Lancaster Mission Parish Facebook page for more information.

https://www.facebook.com/ukrainianmissionlancasterpa…

Dear Reverend Clergy, Religious, Seminarians and Faithful of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in USA,

We, the Bishops of the four eparchies of our Ukrainian Catholic Church, desire to foster the common spiritual bond and unity we enjoy amidst ourselves, with the entire Ukrainian Catholic Church worldwide and also ecumenically with our brothers and sisters of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.  We recall the decision of the Synod of Ukrainian Catholic Bishops made in 1997 which established the official text for “Our Father” and “Hail Mary” for use throughout the Ukrainian Catholic Church worldwide.  It reads as follows:

“Отче наш, що єси на небесах, нехай святиться ім’я твоє, нехай прийде царство твоє, нехай буде воля твоя, як на небі, так і на землі.  Хліб наш насущний дай нам сьогодні, і прости нам провини наші, як і ми прощаємо винуватцям нашим; і не введи нас у спокусу, але визволи нас від лукавого”.

“Богородице Діво, радуйся, благодатна Маріє, Господь з тобою.  Благословенна ти між жінками і благословенний плід лона твого, бо ти породила Христа Спаса, Ізбавителя душ наших”.

All of our parishes are instructed to fully adhere to the use of the official text in all Ukrainian liturgical services and when the faithful gather in common prayers.  Choir Directors and choir members of Ukrainian choirs praying the “Our Father” and “Hail Mary” are also asked to refrain from using other translations and to use only the official text.  Please participate in fostering spiritual unity as Ukrainians.  Facilitating full participation in prayers common to all Ukrainians is needed and involves all of us.

We thank you for your anticipated cooperation in fostering a strong spiritual bond amidst Ukrainians in USA and beyond.  We pray for all that we may enthusiastically seek and foster unity as Ukrainians.

God bless you!

+Stefan Soroka(author)
Metropolitan-Archbishop of Philadelphia

+Richard Seminack
Eparch of St. Nicholas in Chicago

+Paul Chomnycky, OSBM
Eparch of Stamford

+John Bura
Apostolic Administrator
of St. Josaphat in Parma…