The Year of Consecrated Life & Events of the Sisters of St. Basil
Inside this issue:
The Year of Consecrated Life 1
A Timely and Urgent Request 2
Saints, Scriptures &
Solemnities
2
BEATIFICATION WEEKEND
OCTOBER 4-6, 2014
3
House of Prayer Schedule
4
Sisters of the Order of St. Basil the Great
LifeQuesters on the Web
FALL 2014
In 2013, Pope Francis declared that a Year of
Consecrated Life be celebrated throughout the world.
The US Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB)
Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations
is coordinating the commemoration of this special year.
Plans include “Days with Religious, ” a series of
initiatives and resources to help people learn about the
consecrated life of religious men and women. Activities
will focus on sharing experiences of prayer, service, and
community life with those living a consecrated life.
The Year of Consecrated Life will begin the weekend of
November 29, 2014, and end on February 2, 2016, the
World Day of Consecrated Life. The year also marks
the 50th anniversary of Perfectae Caritatis, a decree on
religious life, and Lumen Gentium, the Second Vatican
Council’s constitution on the Church. Its purpose, as
stated by the Vatican is to “make a grateful
remembrance of the recent past” while embracing “the
future with hope.”
“The ‘Days with Religious’ activities will represent great
opportunities for families and adults to look at the many
ways men and women serve Christ and the Church
while answering the call to live in consecrated life,” said
Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Raleigh, North Carolina,
chairman of the USCCB Committee on Clergy,
Consecrated Life and Vocations.
Catholics are invited to join activities that will be
promoted.
The Sisters of St. Basil are planning the following events:
February 2, 2015 - World Day of Consecrated Life -
Give thanks for Religious.
February 8 - Religious Open House (Tentative)
May 29-31 - Young Adult Retreat and Prayer Weekend
with the Sisters of St. Basil
Summer 2015: Days of Mission and Service with
Religious
Events will include joining the Sisters of St. Basil in their
ministries or special projects such as:
Helping Hands Day, June 6
Pilgrimage Prep Day, August 22
Parish groups or individuals assisting on scheduled
dates between August 24 and September 6
August 2015 through Pascha Season, 2016
Companioning Experiences - opportunities for women to
shadow a Sister of St. Basil in prayer, community life and
ministry.
Page 2
Saints, Scriptures & Solemnities
November 8 Archangel Michael and All Angels Heb 2:2-10; Lk 10:16-22
November 9 22nd Sunday After Pentecost Gal 6:11-18; Lk 8:41-56 November 16 23rd Sunday After Pentecost Matthew—Apostle Eph 2:4-10; Lk 10:25-37 November 21 Entrance of the Theotokos Heb 9:1-7; Lk 10:38-42 & 11:27-28 November 23 24th Sunday After Pentecost Eph 2:14-22; Lk 12:16-
21 November 30 25th Sunday After Pentecost Andrew—Apostle Eph 4:1-6; Lk 13:10-17
A Timely and Urgent Request
Please include today’s persecuted Christians in your prayers. The
current news makes us realize – if we listen- that, yet again, large
numbers of Christians are being attacked, along with their churches
and charitable organizations. Please pray for their physical protection
and deliverance.
The greatest number is in the Middle East but many other places
could also be listed. The following verses highlight the Christians of
the Gospel times suffering and/or praying for other Christians who
were suffering:
Acts 12: 5 Phillipians 1:19 Philemon: 22
Romans 15: 30-31 Acts 20: 23-24 Acts 21: 30-31
“We share a desire for peace and stability in the Middle East, and the
will to promote the resolution of conflicts through dialogue, reconcili-
ation and political commitment. At the same time, we would like to
give all the help possible to Christian communities to support them in
remaining in the region,” Pope Francis said. “We cannot resign our-
selves to imagining a Middle East without Christians, who have pro-
fessed the name of Jesus there for over two thousand years”.
The Entrance of the Theotokos
Sister Barbara Jeans Leads Retreat in Roswell Georgia
Sister Barbara Jean Mihalchick, OSBM, led a parish retreat at Epiphany of the Lord Byzantine Catholic Church in Roswell, Georgia,
November 1-2.
BEATIFICATION WEEKEND OCTOBER 4-6, 2014
Sister Susan Harvey, OSBM
and Sister Barbara Jean Mihal-
chick, OSBM accompanied by
Sister Agnes Knapik, OSB,
traveled from the Mount to
participate in the events related
to the Beatification of Sister
Miriam Teresa Demjanovich.
Sister Theodosia Alishofski,
OSBM and Sister Regina Ad-
ams, OSBM came from Wilkes
-Barre for Saturday’s liturgy.
The main ceremony was held
Saturday, October 4 in the
Newark Cathedral Basilica
where her portrait and relic
were displayed. Dozens of
Byzantine Catholic priests and
faithful joined in the Liturgy,
including Barbara Soltis, who
was Sister Susan’s first grade
student in Bridgeport, Conn.
Sunday, we made our way to
Convent Station, home of the
Sisters of Charity of New Jer-
sey. We prayed at the crypt
where Sister Miriam Teresa’s
remains are preserved behind a
wall in a small room in the
motherhouse chapel. A very
modest display of photos,
memorabilia, and an intention
book were there.
We enjoyed lunch with the
Sisters of Charity. I congratu-
lated them on the beautiful
Beatification ceremony the day
before. I told them it was on
the standard of the ceremonies
in the Vatican Basilica, includ-
ing a magnificent choir; the
participation of many Sisters in
the ceremony, as well as the
man who was healed as a child
and the family of Sister Miriam
Teresa; an excellent homily;
and, comments by the General
Superior who acknowledged
the new Blessed’s Byzantine
Ruthenian roots.
We and about 30 Sisters of
Charity then went to St. John
the Baptist Byzantine Catholic
Church, Bayonne, N.J. where
Sister Miriam Teresa was bap-
tized and attended into her
teen years. Her photo has
been hanging in the vestibule
of the church for a long time.
There we participated in a Hi-
erarchical Divine Liturgy with
our Bishop Kurt Burnett and
many priests. Thirty volunteer
cantors led the singing from
the balcony. The parish did a
beautiful job organizing every-
thing. They had a holy card
prepared as well as an icon for
the tetrapod. The beautifully
decorated church was filled
with Eastern and Western
Catholics some of whom trav-
elled from as far away as Mich-
igan. An abundant dinner fol-
lowed in the parish hall.
On our way back to the
Mount, we stopped at the
Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann
Seton to thank her for the new
Blessed Miriam Teresa. We
prayed at her tomb in the Ba-
silica and visited the museum
which features her life story
and memorabilia. All of these
experiences were truly inspir-
ing!
Thanks to the Sisters of Mercy
in North Plainfield, New Jersey
who hosted us in their guest
quarters and were most gra-
cious.
Page 3 NEWSLETTER TITLE
Sisters of the Order of St. Basil the
Great
Mount St. Macrina 500 West Main Street Uniontown, PA 15401
Phone: 724-438-7149
Fax: 724-438-8660 E-mail: [email protected]
www.sistersofstbasil.org
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Contact
Sister Barbara Jean at
House of Prayer Announces
2014-2015 Program Schedule
The Essentials of Prayer
Sat., Nov. 8, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Presenter: Becky Johnen
Registration due: Nov. 1. Offering: $25,
includes lunch
Christmas Preparation Morning Retreat
Sat., Dec. 13, 9:15 a.m.-1 p.m.
Presenter: Father Jim Hess
Registration due: Dec. 8. Offering: $30,
includes lunch
Christmas Preparation Afternoon
Retreat
Sun., Dec. 14, 1:15 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Presenter: Deacon Tim Corbett
Registration due: Dec. 9. Offering: $30,
includes supper
Lenten Morning Retreat
Sat., Feb. 28, 9:15 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Presenter: Rev. Thomas Dansak
Registration Due: Feb. 23. Offering: $30,
includes lunch
Lenten Afternoon Retreat
Sun., March 1, 1:15 p.m.-5 p.m.
Presenter: Very Rev. Robert Pipta
Registration due: Feb. 24. Offering: $30,
includes supper
Healing Retreat
Sat., March 7, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Presenter: Father William Kiel
Registration Due: March 2. Offering: $35,
includes lunch
Monday Reading Series
March 9, 16, 23, 30, 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m.
Presenter: Sr. Barbara Jean
Registration Due: March 2. Free will offering
Poustinia Weekend
Mar. 13-15, 7 p.m. Fri. - 11 a.m., Sun.
Registration due: February 13. Offering: $85
Praying with Scripture
Tuesday, March 17, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Presenter: Sr. Carol
Registration Due: March 12. Offering: $30,
includes lunch
Women’s Overnight Scripture Retreat
April 24-25, 6 p.m., Fri. - 4 p.m., Sat.
Presenter: To Be Announced
Registration Due: April 17. Offering: $85
Young Adult Weekend Retreat
May 29-31, 7 p.m., Fri. - 11 a.m., Sun.
Presenter: Sr. Barbara Jean & Young Adult
Team
Men and Women - Ages 18-35
Registration Due: May 22. Offering: $100