Weekly Newsletter for the week Friday, May 22, through Thursday, May 28, 2009

THIS WEEKEND

PRE-PENTECOST RETREAT AT NEW SKETE - The Fellowship of St. John the Divine is sponsoring a community building retreat for St. Mary's at New Skete Monastery, Cambridge, NY, this weekend, May 22-24 (Friday night until Sunday afternoon).  Nearly 30 parishioners will be participating in that event this weekend.

BLESSING OF GRAVES - On Memorial Day, Monday, May 25,  Fr. Antony will be blessing graves at Fairview Cemetery in Hyde Park, MA. starting at 9:00 am.  If you would like him to bless the graves of loved ones in other cemeteries, please let him know by calling the Church Office at 617-547-1234 or e-mail frawhj@gmail.com

NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS

FASTING AND FEASTS IN MAY AND JUNE - There is no Wednesday & Friday fasting during the forty days from Pascha until the Feast of the Ascension, on Thursday, May 28.  Then normal Wednesday & Friday fasting resumes until the Feast of Pentecost, on June 7.  During the week after Pentecost, June 8-13, there is again no fasting.  The Apostles' Fast begins after that, on June 15,  and continues until the Feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, on June 29.

WOMEN'S CLUB SUMMER READING -  This summer Women's Club members (and anyone else who'd like to join us) will be reading Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, a New York Times best seller. Read the book over the summer, and join us in the fall for an enjoyable evening of discussion,  refreshments and fellowship!

REMINDERS

ANTOCHIAN WOMEN  SCHOLARSHIPS - Scholarships of $500 or more are available from the North American Board of Antiochian Women to females over 25 years of age, in good standing and actively involved in their parish, applying for or registered in an academic or trade program of study and in financial need.  Deadline is June 1, 2009.  Applications are available through St. Mary Church Office. 

SCHOLASTIC ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS - Applications are currently being accepted for the N. G. Beram Veterans Association, Inc. 2009 Scholastic Achievement Award program. Applications can be downloaded from the web page at www.stjohnd.org/ngberam , and completed applications must be postmarked by June 1, 2009. Applicants must be high school seniors and planning to attend an accredited 4 year college oruniversity full-time. $1,000 awards are presented at the Association's banquet in November 2009.  For further information see Arthur N. Mabbett, call 781-391-6530, or email at mabbett@mabbett.com.

FOOD FOR HUNGRY PEOPLE - If you haven't yet returned your Food for Hungry People boxes (filled with money!), please leave them at the Bengarri or give to Violet Robbat this Sunday.  

LIBRARY AND CLASSROOM RESTORATION PROJECT - With the approval of Parish Council and Fr. Antony, there is a project underway to clean up and restore the library.  The aim is to create an appropriate classroom for the adult inquirers group and the teens and also to create a functioning library for the parish.  This ongoing project will be completed by July 1, 2009.  Parishioners can help by refraining from placing things randomly in the library and by taking with them anything they might bring into it.  Thanks to everyone for your cooperation and especially to the many people who have helped with this project thus far.  Please contact David Vermette (617-776-5635, dgvermette@sysmatrix.net) with any question of comments. 

WOMEN'S CLUB OFFICERS: Congratulations to the our new officers:  MayEllen Mabardy, President; Priscilla Goss, Vice President; S. Louise Homsy, Treasurer; and Shirley Bezreh, Recording Secretary.  Special thanks to our out-going officers:  Selma Winstanley, President; Renay DiFiore, Vice President; S. Louise Homsy, Treasurer and Shirley Bezreh,  Recording Secretary.  "Well done, thou good and faithful servants."    

HOLY WEEK VIDEO and PHOTOS-Most of the Holy Week services at St. Mary's were broadcast over the web.  In fact, nearly 200 people logged in to watch a variety of services throughout the week!  If you missed any of the services or would like to watch video recorded from our live Holy Week broadcasts, visit https://www.stmaryorthodoxchurch.org/live. 

As we continue to seek out new ways to extend the ministry of the Church beyond our walls, we ask you to help us by providing your feedback.  If you had the opportunity to view any of the services (whether live or pre-recorded) on the church's web site, please send us an email describing your experience.  In your email, please include: the circumstances for watching the services online, what you think of this ministry, whether you would be interested in the continuation of this type of ministry, and any suggestions you may have for bettering this ministry if it were to continue.  Send your feedback via email to: webmaster@stmaryorthodoxchurch.org

Photographs from Holy Week and Pascha are also available for viewing on the St. Mary website. See  https://www.stmaryorthodoxchurch.org/multimedia/photogalleries/pascha2009

SUMMER CONFERENCE AT ST. VLADIMIR'S - St. Vladimir's Seminary, Yonkers, NY, has announced a Summer Conference for Clergy & Laity, June 18 - 20, 2009 Keynote:  Archpriest Alexander Garklavs. Topic: "The Council & the Tomos: 20th Century Landmarks towards a 21st Century Church." E-mail or call 914-961-8313 Ext. 343.  To register:  www.svotsedu or email: events@svots.edu   See flyer on church bulletin board.

PARISH LIFE CONFERENCE - St. George Church in Lawrence will be hosting the 2009 Parish Life Conference for the Diocese of New England, June 25-28, at the Wyndham Hotel in Andover , MA .  Singles and Doubles:  $95.  Triples: $105 and Quads: $115.  Hotel reservation deadline is June 4, 2009; mention Parish Life Conference for special rates.   More information can be found on St. George's website at www.stgeorgelawrence.org/Conf2009     

CROSSROADS - High School Juniors and Seniors:  The Office of Vocation & Ministry at Hellenic College is now accepting applications for its summer CrossRoad program.  Two sessions are offered:  June 20 - 30 and July 7 - 17, 2009.  For more information and application see  www.crossroad.hchc.edu or call 617-850-1309. 

ARCHDIOCESE CONVENTION - The national convention for the whole Archdiocese will be held July 19 - 26 at Desert Springs JW Marriot Hotel, Palm Desert , California, hosted by St. Michael Church, Van Nuys. Check out their website at www.archdioceseconvention2009.org  for more information.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR SERVICE

There are a number of ways you can help the Church, your fellow worshippers and those in need.  Consider serving in one of these ways:

PARTICIPATION

Liturgical Service - Each Sunday, members of the congregation are needed to read the Epistle and assist during Communion by holding the Communion Cloths and Holy Bread Baskets.  All Orthodox Christians in the Parish are welcome and encouraged to participate. We usually need one Epistle reader and six people to hold cloths and baskets.  If you would like to read the Epistle or assist during the Communion, please contact Jeff Wasilko, 781-820-0882, jeffw@smoe.org.  

Coffee Hour - People are needed every week to provide coffee, juice and cookies, or more if desired, and set it up Sunday morning. To sign up for an available Sunday, please put your name on the signup sheet on the bulletin board outside the Hall or call Marilyn Robbat in the Parish Office and she will write your name in. If you need any help with figuring out what to bring or do, check the list below the signup sheet (also printed in the Bulletin), or ask Marilyn at secretary@stmaryorthodoxchurch.org or 617-547-1234.

VOLUNTEERING

Holy Resurrection Open Doors - The Holy Resurrection Open Door Meal Ministry in Allston needs volunteers every Monday evening (there is a special need in the summer).  The official hours of the project are 4:30 pm-7:30 pm, but it is fine to come anytime and leave any time.  Best times would be 5:30-5:45 to 7:15-7:30 pm.  You can serve meals, coffee and tea to the people who arrive for dinner (6-7 pm) or just stay behind the scenes doing set-up and clean-up.  It is a very rewarding, hands-on, face-to-face way to serve the community with (mostly) other Orthodox Christians-we even chant the Our Father together before the meal begins. Church info can be found at  http://hrocboston.org.  

 Questions? Please contact Liz Straghalis at liztutella@gmail.com  phone 617-974-5005,  or Tiffany Conroy at trattus1@gmail.com, 617-990-7162.

St Paul's Food Pantry - Two to four volunteers help each week in the food pantry at St Paul 's Roman Catholic Church in Harvard Square , Saturday mornings from 9:30-11:45.  If you are interested in helping, please contact Christian Alcala at cmalcala1989@yahoo.com, or (617) 876-5684.

DONATIONS

Food and Clothing - Holy Resurrection in Allston takes donations of non-perishable food items and clothing to distribute at the Open Door Ministry on Monday evenings.  You can bring your donations by on Monday nights between 4:30 pm and 7:30 pm or contact Tiffany Conroy, trattus1@gmail.com, 617-990-7162, for more information.

- St. Paul 's Food Pantry in Harvard Square , where volunteers from St. Mary help every Saturday, depends upon regular donations of canned and packaged foods.  To help, contact Christian Alcala at cmalcala1989@yahoo.com, or (617) 876-5684.

Monetary Contributions - The Agape Canister Program is an Orthodox non-profit development program of the Orthodox Christian Mission Center .  It is dedicated to meeting the needs of children, families, and communities throughout the world, regardless of race, color, or creed. All funds collected by the Agape Canister Program are earmarked for medical care and clinics, water wells, agricultural development, food and clothing, support personnel (e.g. doctors, nurses, teachers), the construction of schools, and the education of indigenous people in their own communities.  Please contribute each Sunday - A clear plastic box is on the Bengarri.

"As you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me," says our Lord.

THIS WEEK'S VOLUNTEERS

FOOD PANTRY - May 23:  Lan Hu and Bill Coyle
COFFEE HOUR - May 24:   Lete Medhanie and Almaz

LITURGICAL SCHEDULE FOR THIS WEEK

Friday, May 22 - Sunday, May 24:  Pre-Pentecost Retreat at New Skete
Saturday, May 23:  NO Vespers at St. Mary
Sunday, May 24:  Orthros 8:45 am, Divine Liturgy 10:00 am

SCRIPTURE READINGS for May 24, Sunday of the Blind Man: 

Epistle:  Acts of the Apostles 16:16-34  But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market place before the rulers; and when they had brought them to the magistrates they said, "These men are Jews and they are disturbing our city. They advocate customs which it is not lawful for us Romans to accept or practice."

Gospel: John 9:1-38  They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. The Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, "He put clay on my eyes and I washed, and I see." Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the sabbath." But others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?"

Monday, May 25,  Memorial Day:  Blessing of Graves at Fairview Cemetery in  Hyde Park  9:00 am;  Visiting Hours for Robert Hamwey  (at St. Mary) 4:00-8:00 pm
Tuesday, May 26:  Funeral services for Robert Hamwey 10:00 am

LOOKING AHEAD

Wednesday, May 27:  Evening Liturgy for the Feast of the  Ascension of our Lord 6:30 pm
Thursday, May 28: Feast of the Ascension (normal fasting resumes)
Saturday, May 30: Great Vespers 5:00 pm
Sunday, May 31:  Orthros 8:45 am, Divine Liturgy 10:00 am
Sunday, June 7, Feast of Pentecost: Orthros 8:45 am, Divine Liturgy 10:00 am, with  Kneeling Vespers
Thursday, June 25 - Sunday, June 28:  Parish Life Conference at  Wyndham Hotel, Andover;  NO services at St. Mary
Sunday, July 5:  Summer hours begin - Orthros 8:15 am, Divine Liturgy 9:30 am

INSIGHT

Do not judge and do not belittle anyone, because from this the heart grows faint and the mind is blinded, and from this, negligence appears and unfeelingness of heart is born. Keep ceaseless vigil, learning in the law of God, for through this the heart is warmed by heavenly fire, as is said: "In my meditation a fire was kindled."

   - St. Barsanuphius

In the souls of the Pharisees and sectarians, the law and mercy do not stand together, i.e., they are unable to fulfill the regulations of the law and to show mercy, but they argue about which is more important of these two; one they omit, and the other they adhere to. The Pharisees literally observed the letter of the Law, but they completely abandoned mercy and love for men.

   - Prolog of Ochrid - reflection for Jan 31

Ever let mercy outweigh all else in you. Let our compassion be a mirror where we may see in
ourselves that likeness and that true image which belong to the Divine nature and Divine
essence. A heart hard and unmerciful will never be pure.

   - St. Isaac of Syria

Zeal is not reckoned among men to be a form of wisdom, but one of the illnesses of the soul, namely narrow-mindedness and deep ignorance. The beginning of divine wisdom is clemency and gentleness, which arise from greatness of soul and the bearing of infirmities of men. For, he [the Apostle Paul] says, "let the strong bear the infirmities of the weak," and "Restore him that has fallen in the spirit of meekness." The Apostle numbers peace and patience among the fruits of the Spirit.

   - St. Isaac of Nineveh