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: sbjm45@yahoo.com

www.sistersofstbasil.org

Join our mailing list

and subscribe to

LifeQuesters on the

Web:

Contact

Sister Barbara Jean at

sbjm45@yahoo.com.

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