Українська Католицька Церква Святого Івана Хрестителя
Saint John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church
124 Bridge Street / P.O. Box 206
Salem, Massachusetts 01970
Fr. James F. Morris, Jr., Pastor
3Dewey Dr. Unit D Salem, MA 01970
Email: stjnsalem624@gmail.com
cellular phone: 781-632-5182
Parish Calendar
Слава Ісусу Христу! Слава на віки! Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
Monday, August 15 – Dormition of the Mother of God – Divine Liturgy – 4:30 p.m.
Sunday, August 21 – 10th Sunday after Pentecost – Divine Liturgy – 10:00 a.m.
Wednesday, August 24 – Divine Liturgy – 4:30 p.m. – Blessed Repose of Linda Prato
Sunday, August 28 – 12th Sunday after Pentecost – Divine Liturgy – 10:00 a.m.
Coffee and shared refreshments following Divine Liturgy
Sunday, September 4 – 13th Sunday after Pentecost – Divine Liturgy – 10:00 a.m.
Thursday, September 8 – Nativity of the Mother of God / Різдво Пресвятої Богородици –
Divine Liturgy – 4:30 p.m.
Sunday, September 11 – Sunday before the Exaltation of the Holy Cross –
Divine Liturgy – 10:00 a.m.
Panakyda – 10 year Memorial for Mrs. Ann Ercha – Requested by Joanne Valliquette
Wednesday, September 14 – Exaltation of the Holy Cross / Воздвиження Хреста Господнього
Divine Liturgy – 4:30 p.m.
Sunday, September 18 – Sunday after the Exaltation of the Holy Cross – Divine Liturgy – 10:00 a.m.
Saturday, September 24 – Funeral Service and Memorial for + George and + Aur Pinecross –
Divine Liturgy and Panakhyda – 10:00 a.m.
Sunday, September 25 – 16th Sunday after Pentecost – Divine Liturgy – 10:00 a.m.
Saturday, October 1 – Protection of the Mother of God – Divine Liturgy – 9:00 a.m.
____________________________________
Prayers requested – Along with all of the sick for whom we are praying, please continue to be mindful of Mrs. Edice McGill, mother of Kathy Skrabut, of The Villages, Florida as well as Mrs. Marilyn Crowley, mother of Darlene Morris. Likewise, let us be mindful of parish committee member Marie Gurry, who will be undergoing surgery this week.
Ukrainian Independence Day – Wednesday, August 24 – 31st Anniversary of Ukraine’s Independence.
A Flag Raising Ceremony and short speakers program will be held at 10:00 a.m. at Riley Plaza, Salem, in front of the Post Office. The initiative for this event came from the Office of Mayor Kim Driscoll with support from Mr. Michael Lutrzykowski, Director of Facilities and Chief Construction Project Manager for the City. Mr. Lutrzykowski began reaching out to our parish community since the early days of the War in Ukraine, and has served as a liaison between Mayor Driscoll’s Office and us. We invite and encourage parishioners to attend this first ever observance of Ukrainian Independence Day in Salem if you are able to do so. There will be a flag raising, singing of National Anthems of the United States and Ukraine, an invocation, a reading of the Governor’s Proclamation and words from community leaders including Attorney Paul T. Rabchenuk, Vice President of the Ukrainian Congress Committee, Boston Chapter. As is the case each year, there will also be a Flag Raising Ceremony on August 24th at 12 Noon at Boston City Hall Plaza. Thank you for your consideration.
Ukraine – As the media coverage of the War in Ukraine seems to fade into the background, we have actually learned of a renewed attack on the capital city of Kyiv this past week and of continued shelling and attacks on other cities in various regions. The devastating June 27th attack on a Shopping Mall in Kremenchuk was described by President Volodymyr Zelensky as “one of the most daring terrorist attacks in European History.” Initially, 18 people were reported dead, with 40 missing and some 60 injured. There was no threat to the Russian army reported. Rather, this attack was simply an attempt on Russia’s part to sabotage “people’s attempts to live a normal life, which makes the occupiers so angry,” according to President Zelensky. On the day following this attack, His Beatitude, Patriarch Sviatoslav expressed “prayerful closeness to the relatives and friends of the victims and all the wounded.” As he often does in his daily messages, Patriarch Sviatoslav ended with these words: “But Ukraine is standing. Ukraine is fighting. And we thank the Lord God and the armed forces of Ukraine that we have survived to this morning and can see the light of day.”
We continue to pray for our parishioners Nadiya and Evheniy Troyan who are with family outside of Lviv and continue to reach out to the children living in the “Modular City” in Lviv and to be a support and presence to their son, Volodymyr and other family members. We likewise continue to pray for Ihor and Christine Bilyk’s son, Olesh along with his family and other family members and friends of our parishioners.
Refugee Fund – As a next phase in expressing concern for the Ukrainian People, we have started a parish “Refugee Fund.” It would seem inevitable that there will be arrivals to the north shore who will find their way to our church and be in need of assistance from us. We are already receiving donations to this fund from friends outside the parish and we wish to let everyone know about its establishment. As mentioned, we have partnered with our brothers and sisters at St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Salem to support one another in these efforts. Along with accepting monetary donations for this fund, it would be equally as helpful to accept gift cards to Stop and Shop, Market Basket, Walmart or Target. Families with children who are attempting to start a new life after fleeing the War will certainly be able to utilize this kind of assistance. Donations to the Refugee Fund should be labeled accordingly and will be credited to those using the parish envelope system. Thank you.
Painting Project – As indicated at the Parish gathering on July 17, we have received the green light from the Chancery Office for the painting of the church interior. We are pleased with the proposal from the locally based APC Services, which has done a number of church interiors in the area, including that of St. Mary, Star of the Sea in Beverly.
We are most grateful to Mrs. Dorothy Stemniski, formerly of Swampscott and now of McKinney, Texas for her generous pledge of half the proposed cost of the project. Mrs. Stemniski has offered this generous gift in memory of her dear husband, John Stemniski. John was always a generous contributor to parish projects for his many decades of involvement with St. John’s. Likewise, Mrs. Stemniski hoped that this gift would serve as an incentive to others to step forward and do what they are able. We have begun to receive other pledges and donations will gratefully continue to do so. While we all understand that these times are not easy and that prices are increasing in every area of our life, we ask at the very least that you consider how you might be able to assist with this project.
Although not alarming, there has been a slight increase to the bottom line of cost as you might expect. You will soon have an itemized version of the proposal along with some extra touches to highlight the religious art work in the church and to add highlights of color to some key features of the church interior.
Likewise you will see updates on a regular basis reflecting pledges and donations as we go forward.
Pilgrimage – The annual Dormition Pilgrimage will be held on Saturday and Sunday, August 13 – 14 at the Grounds and residence of the Sister Servants of Mary Immaculate in Sloatsburg, New York. A flyer and schedule has been posted on the parish bulletin board. Further details are available at the home page of our Diocesan Website: https://www.stamforddio.org/
A highlight of this year’s Pilgrimage Services will be the Ordination of five men who will serve as deacons in parishes in the Diocese of Stamford, including Jonathan Meeser, from our sister parish of Protection of the Mother of God in Manchester, New Hampshire.
Passing to Eternal Life – We extend prayerful condolences to Mr. Sergio Pinecross and to Alexandra and Thomas Pinecross Shileds and their children Isabella, Peter and Padraic at the Falling asleep in Christ of their dear parents and grandparents, George and Aur Pinecross, during the past year.
Euskal and George Pinecross came to the United States from Spain with a visa for “individuals with extraordinary artistic abilities,” and were invited to participate in an exhibition at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C.
Mrs. Aur Pinecross had a background in Theology and wrote poetry with Mystical and Social Justice Themes. She gave lectures and workshops and also travelled as a missionary.
Mr. George Pinecross had a background in Fine Arts and Iconography, and became an accomplished iconographer having accepted many commissions including churches in the United States and Europe. George and his son, Sergio painted icons as Mrs. Pinecross obtained the many commissions on which they worked.
Mr. and Mrs. Pinecross first became familiar with the Ukrainian Church from their association with the Ukrainian Sisters in New York. We came to know them some ten years ago when they attended services here at St. John the Baptist in Salem shortly after a tragic fire which did damage to their studio in Lowell.
A Memorial Divine Liturgy and Panakhyda Service will be celebrated at St. John’s for George and Aur Pinecross on Saturday, September 24, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. May God grant blessed repose in the company of the saints to his faithful servants George and Aur and may their Memory be Eternal! Vichnaya Pamyat!
Sunday, August 28 – 12th Sunday after Pentecost – Divine Liturgy – 10:00 a.m.