BULLETIN

A N N O U N C E M E N T S _________________________________________________

►Baptisms: Congratulations to Greta Gwendolyn Potter, daughter of Adam and Melissa (Hrynyk) Potter, who received the Sacraments of Initiation on Sunday, July 12, 2020. 

-Congratulations to Isaac Mitchel Kitt, son of Benjamin and Stephanie (Andre) Kitt who received the Sacraments of Initiation on Sunday, July 19, 2020.

We welcome them into our Christian family! May God bless them with many, happy and blessed years! Mnohaya Lita!

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► SLOATSBURG PILGRIMAGE:

Newsletter of the Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate 

Journeying with Josaphata 

66th Annual Holy Dormition/Assumption Pilgrimage 2020 A Virtual Experience due to the Covid -19 Pandemic 

Dear Pilgrims,
Due to the pandemic, our 66th Annual Holy Dormition/Assumption Pilgrimage will be a very different experience for you, our pilgrims, as well as for our Sisters and Clergy. Although physically separated from one another, we will remain “united” under the Omophor of the Mother of God, who we honor each year at this time. The holy grounds of Sloatsburg will be barren of pilgrims standing in lines for Confession, for the Healing of the Sick, for the spiritual nourishment of the Holy Eucharist, as well as standing in line for pyrohy and holubchi. However, the Sisters Servants hope to fill that “pilgrimage void” by coming into your homes through live-streaming the Divine Liturgies and other services throughout the Pilgrimage week. 

The theme of this year’s Pilgrimage is “Mother of Tenderness, be our Strength.” If there was ever a time in our country and our world when we need the tenderness and strength of Our Lord and the Theotokos to help us respect, care for and support each other, it is NOW, during these challenging times! 

Listed in this Special Issue, are the schedule of Pilgrimage services and the access links to them. We have also provided you with a form so that you may request a Divine Liturgy and/or light a candle for your special intentions. The request forms will also be available on-line on our website: www.ssmi-us.org. 

Liturgical services and Meditations will be available on the access link live at the designated times and then anytime, at your convenience.

You will need to go to our website: www.ssmi-us.org and the links will be posted on the HOME page beginning August 1st. 

SisterKathleenHutsko,SSMI ProvincialSuperior 

►Letter from the Bishop: - Floods in Ukraine:

Dear Reverend Fathers, Deacons, Religious Men & Women and Beloved Faithful of the Eparchy of Stamford:  Слава Ісусу Христу!

As most of you are aware, in June, parts of western Ukraine were hit by torrential rains that caused devastating floods over wide areas.  The Oblasts of Ivano-Frankivsk and Chernivtsi were the worst affected.  As a result of the rains, over 4600 homes were lost or flooded, and 550 km of roads and 90 bridges were washed out.  Three people lost their lives and thousands of others were forced to evacuate their homes and leave behind their possessions. Our suffering brothers and sisters in Ukraine need our help.  Our Patriarch, His Beatitude, Sviatoslav has written an appeal letter on their behalf, asking us: “to show Christian solidarity and social service, so that those who are suffering might receive assistance as soon as possible.  I appeal to all communities of our Church in Ukraine and throughout the world, to act in the spirit of the Good Samaritan of the Gospel, to support those who are deprived of their homes and have come face-to-face with misfortune.”

In response to our Patriarch’s request, I ask you dear Fathers to conduct a special collection in your parish to help our brothers and sisters in need.  The funds collected will be sent to ‘Caritas’ organizations active in our Church in Ukraine.  They have already been purchasing and distributing food, clothing and other necessities and will continue to do so because the need is still great.

Please forward your donation to the Stamford Eparchy Office located at 161 Glenbrook Road, Stamford, CT, 06902 and make all checks payable to the “Eparchy of Stamford” with the notation “Flood in Ukraine”.

Your donation, no matter how small or large, will change someone’s life for the better.  And please remember the people of the affected areas in your prayers.  God bless you for your generosity.

Sincerely in Christ, Most Rev. Paul Chomnycky, OSBM

Bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Diocese of Stamford

► 2020 Charities Appeal: Dear parishioners, a letter was mailed to you this past week in regards to our support of the Bishop’s Appeal for this year. The members of every parish in our Eparchy are asked once a year to make their contribution in support of many charitable activities that our bishop initiates. Our parish’s goal is to collect $ 5,800 this year. With your generosity, in the past years, we were always able to successfully support this fund. I want to thank you in advance for your generous support. Please fill out the form you received with my letter and bring or mail your donations to the parish office. Checks are payable to Ss. Peter & Paul Church. 

►St. Albert the Great Academy: Dear parishioners, as you are all aware, after the closing of Ss. Peter and Paul School in 2013, many of our parents enrolled their children into St. Joseph School. Last month, St. Joseph School closed due to the similar financial challenges we experienced seven years ago. However, catholic families from Auburn and neighboring towns  have worked very hard to establish a new private catholic school. This new school is called Saint Albert the Great Academy. The Administration of the new school, in spring of this year decided to lease our school building, and are currently remodeling the school interior which will become a welcoming space for new students in September. 

I would like to invite all young families of our parish to enroll their children in this school. If you are a grandparent and are member of our church, please explain to your children and grandchildren the value of the catholic education. As you know the strength of the Catholic education consists in academic experience and helping children from young age to learn their faith, which will guide them throughout their lives giving them strength in moments of challenge. Nothing is more important in life than to have a solid understanding of your identity, being a good Christian and a good citizen. Also please talk to your friends about the new school. The school, will focus on educating children Pre-K throughout 5th grade. Please visit their Facebook page or their website for more information at: {stalbertthegreatacademy.com}.

►Church Web Site: Dear parishioners we have published a new church website which you can access now {peterandpaulukr.com}. The web site is still in the process of improvement. At this time you can find information regarding the schedule of the Divine Liturgies, church bulletin information and more. From the website you can also easily find a link to our Facebook page and church YouTube account.  

Guidelines for Opening Parish Churches and Resuming Public Services

1. The church should be cleaned/sanitized before each service when the public may be present, especially those areas and surfaces that are commonly used and touched (bathrooms, railings, doors, pew backs, etc.). 

2. Social distancing must be observed by laity. Please consider 1/3 of total church capacity as the maximum number of persons that may be present at any given Divine Liturgy or other service. Be aware that in your area the civic authorities may limit the number of attendees to a specific number.

3. Prayer books and liturgy books are to be removed from the pews. The faithful may bring their own personal prayer books from home.

4. Social distancing of 6 feet (2 meters) must be maintained: a) between non-family members while in the pews; b) while standing or moving in the aisles.

5. Wearing face masks is strongly recommended for the laity.  Priests are obliged to wear masks while preparing the holy gifts on the Preparation table and while distributing Holy Communion. 

6. Veneration of icons and crosses by should be done without touching or kissing them.

7. The faithful are not to attend church services if they are feeling ill.  They should not greet one another with handshakes and should leave the church immediately following the completion of the service. 

8. Please remind the faithful that because of the ongoing public health crisis, they are not bound by the Sunday obligation to attend church services.  Dispensation from Sunday Liturgy obligation remains valid until further notice. 

9. When distributing Holy Communion with a golden spoon please instruct those who choose to receive to open their mouths wide, not to touch the spoon, and not to cough or sneeze upon it.  The spoon must be sanitized immediately after each communicant by wiping it with a cloth soaked in pure alcohol.  A disposable wooden spoon may also be used for distributing Holy Communion.  A separate wooden spoon is to be used for each communicant.  They should be disposed of following the service by burning.  Please remind the faithful that they should not feel obliged to come forward for Holy Communion if they are uneasy about receiving. 

10. Celebrations of weddings, baptism and funerals are allowed if all the precautions listed above are observed. 

11. Collections baskets are to be left in designated places where parishioners may leave their offerings.

12. Live-streaming of liturgical services should continue for the time being as many faithful might be uneasy in attending personally.

13. Please consider other precautionary measures to help ensure that our churches are safe and everyone’s good health is maintained.

Hopefully, these guidelines will help you in resuming liturgical life in our parishes.  Please take the opportunity to thank our wonderful faithful for their constant dedication to God, their service to those in need, and their continued material support of our Eparchy and parishes.

Sincerely in the Risen Christ,

Most Rev. Paul Chomnycky, OSBM

Bishop of Stamford

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O B I T U A R Y:  

…+ Andrew Ray Mosley  fell asleep in the Lord on March 8, 2020 at age of 78. 

+ Sharon Marie Short fell asleep in the Lord on March 22, 2020 at age of 57. 

+ … Walter Chalanick fell asleep in the Lord on April 21, 2020 at age of 94.

+ …Natalie H. Coleman  fell asleep in the Lord on May 11, 2020 at age of 85. 

+ …Mary Kastick  fell asleep in the Lord on June 23, 2020 at age of 92.

Sincere condolences are extended to their families! 

May their memory be eternal! Vichnaya Pamyat’! Вічная пам'ять!

*For memorial Liturgies, or to make a donation 

please call the parish office at (315) 252 5573.

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