The winter 2013 edition of LifeQuesters on the Web offers readers much information on the upcoming Youth Retreat at the House of Prayer and Lenten preparations. Also read about Seven Strategies to Reduce Conflict. Click here to enjoy: LifeQuesters Winter13.
Mark your calendar for Feb. 22-24, 2013 for the Young Adults Weekend Retreat at the Mount St. Macrina House of Prayer in Uniontown. The retreat is open
to men and women, ages 18-35, and the theme is “Deepening in Faith in a
Post-Modern Culture”.
“The Year of Faith that the Catholic Church declared for this year calls each of us to find a means to grow in faith. The retreat will challenge participants to see life’s opportunities and difficulties with Christian eyes. It will be a short-term intensive way to learn to walk more securely in Christ’s way,” said Sr. Barbara Jean Milhalchick, OSBM, who is coordinating the retreat.
The deadline for registration is February 15, 2013. The offering for the weekend is $100. A deposit of $25 is due at the time of registration. Sister Barbara Jean and a team of young people will lead the program. The registration form is provided below. Please click on the link to download. If you have questions or need additional information, please call the House of Prayer at 724-438-7149.
Father Michael Huszti, Chaplain to the Sisters of St. Basil at the Mount, blessed the monastery chapel and the entire building on the occasion of the Feast of the Holy Theophany. The feast was preceded by the praying of the proper liturgical hours which, this year, included special preparatory prayers on both Friday and Saturday, followed by the Holy Supper Saturday evening. TheTheophany icon displayed on the tetrapod was written by Sister Theodosia Alishofski, OSBM.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 125th 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!
Mount St. Macrina looks like a Winter Wonderland! Check out our latest photos.
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