Parish News

News for February 2012

2012-02-01T16:50:00.004-05:00

Feb. 2nd (Thurs) Solemn Holy Day - Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple
Following Divine Liturgy for all 3 locations will be Blessing of Candles.

St. John's McKeesport 9 am

Sts. Peter & Paul Wilmerding 11 am

St. Demetrius Jeannette 7 pm

Feb. 9 & 10 and 23 & 24- Pyrohy Sales

Call 412-678-2206 to place advanced orders by noon on Friday. Pyrohy are $8 dozen, with fresh Potato & Cheese or frozen Sweet Cabbage or Lekvar (prune). Volunteers receive full lunch and 1 dozen pyrohy for $1! All are welcomed!

Feb. 15th Paska Bread Sale

Call church hall at 412-678-2206 during Pyrohy sale the week before to order. Twisted loaves sold at $6 Plain or $6.50 Raisin. Fresh, homemade with natural ingredients. Keeps well in fridge or freezer. Excellent for breakfast and sandwiches!

NEW WEBSITE COMING SOON!!!!

We're currently designing a new & improved website for St. John's in McKeesport. Pages will be edited and updated, with web-links to Eparchy of Parma sites, sister parishes and more! You can still use the current website in the meantime as we make the transition.

News for January 2012

2012-01-02T21:08:00.010-05:00

Happy New Year! Father Gregory Madeya extends his warmest wishes for a very healthy, blessed and happy New Year to all, and thanks you for making him a part of our parish family.

January 6 (Friday) - Feast of the Theophany, a Holy Day of Obligation
Thursday 6 pm at Sts. Peter&Paul in Wilmerding
Friday 10 am at St. John the Baptist in McKeesport
Friday 7 pm at St. Demetrius in Jeannette

January 6 (Friday) - Pyrohy/Bread Workers Luncheon
All pyrohy/bread workers are invited for a "Thank You" luncheon, following the 10 am Divine Liturgy for the Theophany of Our Lord, in St. John's church hall. You are appreciated for all your volunteered time and hard work in our kitchen ministry projects.

January 8 (Sunday) & 15 (Sunday) - Ukrainian Christmas Concerts.
Given by the Ukrainian Cultural Trust Choir, first at St. John the Baptist Ukr. Catholic church on the Southside at 3pm. The second concert will be at St. John the Baptist Ukr. Orthodox church in Sharon at 3pm, with a bus available for attendees. Admission is free at both locations, please call Dorothy Waslo at 412-487-0208 for further information.

Church Envelopes and Calendars - 2012 are now available in the back pews.
Please look for yours (alphabetical order) the next time you are in church.

January 22 - Moleben Prayer Service for the Sacredness of Life
Held at St. George Ukr. Catholic Church (Northside on California Ave) at 3 pm. It is the 39th anniversary of the sad decision of Roe vs Wade, where abortion was legalized inthe US. Please jon us together as we raise our voices in an invocation for Life! Rev. Madeya will be the homilist for this important service. Following the Moleben, there will be a social in the hall.

Jaunuary 27 - Pyrohy Sale (new varieties)!
Please call church hall at 412-678-2206 with your advanced order. While walk-ins are welcomed, we cannot guarantee available quantities. Pyrohy are delicious, lovingly hand-made, and sold at $8/dozen.
Varieties are: Potato & Cheese (fresh), Sweet Cabbage (frozen), or Levar/Prune (frozen). New microwaveable containers let you simply heat & eat, so buy a dozen for your next lunch!
Volunteers are ALWAYS made to fell welcome, plus get a dozen pyrohy for $1. A delicious full lunch and hot/cold beverages are served to our volunteers. We hope to see your smiling face at our place! Come out to help us and enjoy the social atmosphere.

News for December 2011

2011-12-12T22:34:00.004-05:00

December 15 & 16: Last Pyrohy Sale before Christmas!
Please call 412-678-2206 to place your order to guarantee quantity. Hand-made, delicious pyrohy for your Xmas Eve Supper and for your Xmas holiday parties. With butter & cooked onions for a tasty treat - now in MICROWAVABLE CONTAINERS for your added convenience!!

December 21: Bread Pick Up Day!
Only bread that was pre-ordered will be available for pick-up. Please check church vestibule for sign-up sheet to order in early January for next sale. Flavors are: Plain, Raisin, Sweet, Pumpernickel, Ukrainian(with onion). Call 412-672-0923 for questions.

Christmas Schedule for Divine Liturgy:
Friday (St. John's) 3:15 pm - Confession

Saturday (Sts. Peter&Paul) 6:00 pm - Vigil Liturgy

(St. John's) 9:30 pm - Great Compline (placing of Christ Child in manger)
10:00 pm - Vigil Liturgy
11:00 pm - Social in church hall, all are welcome.

Sunday (St. John's) 9:30 am - Divine Liturgy

(St. Demetrius) 11:30 am - Divine Liturgy

News for November 2011

2011-11-17T12:31:00.007-05:00

Sunday, November 20 - Holiday Vendor Fair and Cash for Gold
At St. George's Ukr. Cath. Church on the Northside, from 11:30-4:30pm. Many vendors featured, along with trade-in your unwanted silver & gold jewelry for cash. baked goods and and door prizes available. Call 412-766-8801 for details or directions.

Sunday November 20 - last call for Homemade Pumpkin Roll Sale!
Our next-door neighbors at Free Hungarian Reformed church are selling delicious Pumpkin Rolls for only $10 per roll! Call 412-678-3077 or 412-251-8411 to place order, but walk-ins are welcome on Nov. 23rd.

Nov. 17 & 18: Get your Pyrohy for Thanksgiving!
Please call St. John's Hall at 412-678-2206 to order. $8 per dozen, delicious & freshly cooked. Volunteers are welcomed & lunch provided for your helpful work.

Tuesdays in November: "Eastern Catholic Churches in Pittsburgh" class
Held at St. George's on the Northside, free of charge. Please call 412-766-8801 for directions and details. Come join us for an informative evening and learn about the many eastern churches that have made Pgh. their home over the past century. Remaining classes examine Romanian (Nov. 22) and Maronite (Nov. 29) rites of the Catholic Church.

SAVE THE DATE:

December 1 - 20th Anniversary of Ukraine's Independence! Held at Omni Shoreham Hotel in Wash, D.C. For tickets & information call 202-223-2228, or email: gala@usukraine.org .

December 17 & 18 - Christmas Bake Sake benefiting Good Smaritan Catholic Church in Ambridge. Orders due by Dec. 13 at 12 noon. Call 724-266-6887 or 724-266 2079 to place your order. Nut Rolls, Apricot Rolls, Poppyseed Rolls (whole or half) and Frozen Potato/Cheese Pierogi will be available for sale.

December 3 - Annual Chicken Paprikash Dinner with Homemade Dumplings
Dinner located @ the Free Hungarian Reformed Church of McKeesport near McKeesport Area High School & Penn State McKeesport/ Greater Allegheny
Dine in our social hall or take out, from 3-6 pm. Adults: $8 ~~~Children: $5
Questions? call 412-672-7298

News & Events for October 2011

2011-10-03T10:51:00.019-04:00

Sundays in October - Holy Rosary dedication to our Blessed Mother, Mary.
Each Sunday morning before the regular 9:30am Divine Liturgy, we ask you to join us in the prayer of the Holy Rosary. Experts and those with rusty skills are both welcome!

Clergy Retreat - October4-6 and October 16-24.
Father Gregory will be away twice this month. Please call Fr. Paul Voida (St. Mary's Romanian) at 412-673-5552 or Fr. Donald Voss (St. Nicholas's Byzantine) at 412-664-9131, in case of an emergency while Father Gregory is away. St. John's will NOT have regular Weekday Divine Liturgy on these dates, but WILL have the usual Weekend Divine Liturgies for our parishioners.

Fundraiser Raffle Tickets for Sale !!!!
Announcing a POPULAR FUNDRAISER for St. John's - a 4 month calendar raffle ticket. Winning numbers taken from the first 7pm daily number PA Lottery from Jan. 1 thru April 30, 2012! Please purchase your $20 ticket NOW from St. John's by calling 412-672-0923 or seeing a comittee member after Divine Liturgies/events.

Pay-out Listing: Monday thru Friday = $50
Saturday and Sunday = $100
St. Valentine's Day (Feb. 14 ) = $150
St. Patrick's Day (March 17) = $150
Palm Sunday (April 1) = $200
New Year's Day (Jan. 1) = $500
Easter Sunday (April 8) = $500

October 7 & 8 and 20 & 21- Pyrohy Sale !!
It's back! Pyrohy selling season resumes under our new director, Brother Thomas John Hartman. Br. Thomas has extensive experience in restaurant and food industry management, and we are excited to have his expertise and warm smile join our parish fundraising project! Pyrohy are still $8 per dozen, handmade, fully cooked and sold ready to eat. Volunteers are always welcome for all day or just an hour of help - however you can lend a hand.
We work Thursday mornings and all day Friday of the sale. Please call the church hall at 412-678-2206 to place your order in advance. Walk-ins are also welcome! We truly thank you for your faithful support!

October 8 - Blessing of Pets at 11:30am (Saturday)
Please bring your four-legged and feathered friends to our parking lot in the back of the church to recieve a special blessing. Pets must be leashed, in crates/cages, or other controlled manner. All animals will receive a treat. Hope to see you both there!

October13 - Rosary Society/Marian Guild start-up meeting (Thursday).
As this month is dedicated to our Blessed Mother, Mary the Mother of God, we invite you all to join (men & women) a brief meeting at 10am to initiate a Roasry Society at St. John's church. We hope many will be able to attend this worthwhile cause!

October 15th (Saturday) - Three Church Yard Sale!
Come on over to find fantastic bargains, hidden treasures and much more at this populare evtn! Hot fresh, homemade Donuts and refreshments will be sold as well! If you would like to rent a space/table to sell your wares, please contact Rose at 412-601-1194 or call the rectory at 412-672-0923. Thank you for your great support of this fun event.

Thank YOU to all parishioners and friends of St. John's parish who helped make our portion of the Annual Fall 3-Church Yard Sale a bigger success than ever!! Many thanks to the sorters, pricers, donaters, donut helpers, Vendors and clean-up crew. A special thank-you to Br. Thomas John who baked 98 delicious loaves of different breads for this event! We had our BEST sale yet!!

OTHER COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS:

Sunday October 16: All-You-Can-Eat Pancake Breakfast from 8am-12:30pm at Holy Family Parish (our neighbors immediately beside our building) sponsored by their parish Youth Assoc. Tickets are $5 adults, and $3 children. All proceeds to benefit National Catholic Relief Fund of parishes flooded by Hurricane Irene in Northeast PA, NY and New England areas. Please help them by supporting this worthy cause while you enjoy fresh hot pancakes with all the trimmings!

Friday & Saturday October 21 & 22: Attic Sale at St. Patrick's church located on 310 32nd Street, McKeesport. Come over 9am-3pm on Friday and again 9am-12noon on Saturday to find bargains galore. Call chris at 412-751-7555 or Pat at 412-751-5821 for more details.

Saturday October 22: Autumn Bingo Luncheon at Free Hungarian Reformed Church (our neighbors on University Drive with the green roof). Doors open at 11:30am , with lunch served at 12noon. Tickets are $15 and include your luncheon and bingo package. Fun bingo games, door prizes, Chinese auction, 50/50 raffles and more await you for a fun afternoon! Please call the church at 412-672-7298 for details and directions.

Saturday October 22: Ukrainian Food Festival at St. George's Ukr. Cath. Church on the Northside from 12 noon -3 pm. Delicious ethnic food, beautiful crafts, and a variety of vendors await you! Call 412-766-8801 for details and directions.

News & Events for September & October 2011

2011-09-12T18:42:00.011-04:00

THANK YOU to all who participated in the 3 Church Picnic on Sunday, Sept. 11!
Our honored guests were: State Senator Jim Brewster, First Responders of McKeesport Fire Station 190, and Boy Scout Troop 916. We're so grateful to have you participate in our Sept. 11th Memorial Service.
Additional thank yous to Rita's Water Ice of White Oak for their generous donation of flavored samples to all picnic attendees-a cool treat just as the sun reappeared! Thanks to all who brought the delicious food, the talented cooks at the grill, those who donated the Jump House and other kids' games, and provided the fabulous patriotic decorations. Special thanks to Jim Morozowich for the very generous use of his large blue tent, and to Br. Ambrose Ross, BHS for the amazing dessert donations! Thank you to those who donated the Raffle baskets! The Clover Belles and Beaus were fabulous, we were happy to have them join in the fun another year!
Finally, thank you to Pastor Dan, Father Bruce, Father Gregory and ALL parishioners of Free Hungarian Reformed, Holy Family National Catholic, and St. John the Baptist Ukr. Catholic churches for their hard work and effort that allowed all of us to enjoy a beautiful celebration of cooperation and Christian fellowship!

September 14 (Wednesday): Exaltation of the Holy Cross, a Solemn Holy Day.
Divine Liturgy held at St. John's only, at 9am.

September 21 (Wednesday): Fundraiser Committee Meeting to be held at St. John's church hall at 6:30pm. All are welcome to attend with a cooperative attitude.

September 24 (Saturday): Flea Market at St. George's parish (Northside)
Time: 9am-3pm on 3455 California Ave. Pgh 15212 Treasures and menu of ethnic food & baked goods will be sold. Come out and find a bargain!

Pyrohy Project Announcement: Those in charge of the project for the past years have retired, and we sincerely thank Dorothy Matta & Toni Busowski for all the hard work and effort they have devoted to our parish. We also extend a very warm welcome to Brother Thomas John Hartman, BHS, who will be our new chairperson as we start a new pyrohy season! We hope to see both faithful and many new faces volunteering in our kitchen once again. Our selling season will start in the upcoming weeks, once Brother Thomas John has set the schedule, please check back for news or call the rectory at 412-672-0923.

Calendar Lottery Raffle: This is an important fundraiser for our parish! Please see the pastor or any committee person to sell tickets. It will run from January thru April 2012, with weekday prizes being $50, weekends being $100 and monthly holidays being between $200-$500! Special thanks to chairperson Maria Barnyk and Jaycox-Jawarski Funeral Home for their donation of time and printing of this fundraiser!

SAVE THE DATE FOR THESE UPCOMING EVENTS:
Oct. 1 - Corpus Christi 's Annual Respect life Dinner at 5:30pm in the parish hall on 8th & Market Sts. $10 cost covers delicious Stuffed Chicken Breast Dinner. Guest speaker will be local attorney, Brad Tupi. Tickets can be purchased thru Father Gregory by calling St. John's rectory at 412-672-0923. For more info please call Corpus Christi at 412-672-0765. Tickets will NOT be sold at the door, and must be purchased by Sept. 18th.

Oct. 1 - Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus at Bellefield Hall Auditorium (Univ. of Pgh.). Concert begins at 7pm and tickets are $25 and sold by calling 412-394-3353 or visit website: http://www.proartstickets.org/ . Concert benefits Ukrainian Language Studies Program at Univ. of Pgh.

Oct. 15 - Fall Three-Church Yard Sale, featuring donut fundraiser at St. John's. Vendor tables available to rent. More information to follow later.

Oct. 30 (Sunday): Free Seminar for Families Coping with Illnesses.
Speaker will beTeryl McCaffrey, RN. Time from 1-3pm at St. Patrick's Church Hall on 310 32nd St. in McKeesport. Limited seating, please call 412-672-9641 for reservations.

News for August 2011

2011-07-31T15:45:00.014-04:00

August is a busy month - please scroll down and read carefully to get all the news you need about St. John's and what's happening in our community.

August 4 (Thursday) - Three Parish Picnic Planning Meeting
Held 7 to 8 pm in St. John's Church Hall. We'll be planning the details of the picnic much along the same lines as last year. All are welcome to help in making sure this event is another big success for our parishes. If you'd like to be part of the planning committee all you have to do is show up. We'd love to have you join us!

August 6 (Saturday) - Holy Day of Obligation! The Transfiguration of Our Lord .
9am Divine Liturgy immediately followed by blessing of fruit. Please note this will be the only Liturgy for the Holy Day. You may bring your own fruit, but Father will also provide some.

August 7 (Sunday) - Home-made Donut Sale! (Yes, these are the same ones from the Yard Sale) 8am-12noon in St. John's Church Hall. Get your warm, fresh kettle-cooked donuts! Available in traditional flavors for $6 per dozen, but also fancy glazed variety for $8 per dozen. These are not store-bought, but hand-made with love and care, right out of the kettle. Please spread the word about this Fundraiser, all proceeds benefit St. John's Church. Thank you & see you Sunday morning!

August 10 (Wednesday) - Fund-raising Committee Meeting
Everyone with a love for our parish, positive attitude, and willing to help is welcome to attend. With these tough economic times, our struggling church needs to increase its income. A Fundraising Committee will be formed to help achieve our financial goals. Our first meeting is scheduled for August 10 at 6:30pm in St. John's church hall. All parishioners and friends of our parish are invited to attend, to share their cooperative and creative ideas. We hope you will join us!

August 14 (Sunday) - Pilgrimage to National Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon.
Located in North Jackson, Ohio. Sign-up sheet for one-day bus trip is in the vestibule. Requested Donation is $15 per person. Bus will leave from St. John's McKeesport at 2:15pm and then from St. John's Southside at 3pm for Ohio with an arrival time of 4:30. Return time is expected to be 10pm to St. John's McKeesport. Day includes tours, some shopping available, and Divine Liturgy by Bishop John Bura and other senior clergy. Pilgrimage site is handicap accessible.

August 15 (Monday) - Holy Day of Obligation! Feast of the Holy Dormition.
Divine Liturgies scheduled as follows:
St. John's in McKeesport - 9am
Sts. Peter & Paul in Wilmerding - 11am
St. Demetrius in Jeannette - 7pm

August 16, 17 & 18 - Annual International Village in Renzie Park!
Come on out with the family and enjoy a favorite local tradition! Only $2 admission!! Ethnic food, entertainment and even fireworks await as you take a fun trip around the world with this time-honored event. As always, we open up our lot and field for parking spaces. All parishioners are welcomed to help with parking cars in our field, this is a major fundraiser for the parish!

August 24 (Wednesday) - Fundraiser Committee Meeting at 7pm in St. John's church hall. All are welcome, just bring a cooperative spirit and creative ideas to help plan some new fundraisers.

August 24-27 - Big Ukrainian Festival in McKees Rocks!
At St. Mary's Ukrainian Orthodox church on Helen & Ella Sts. in the Bottoms. Wednesday thru Saturday from 4pm-10pm. Food, live ethnic & local entertainment performances, games for all ages, and much more await you & the family! Come on out for a great time and celebrate! Please call 412-331-2362 for more information.

August 25 (Thursday) - 3 Parish Picnic Planning Meeting at 7pm at Holy Family church hall.
This is the final meeting to wrap up before the September 11 picnic. If parishioners would like to lend a hand to make this picnic another success they're very welcome to attend this important meeting. Refreshments will be served.

Upcoming Events:

September 1-4 - Good Samaritan Church Festival! (this is Br. Ambrose's parish)
Located on 8th & Melrose in Ambridge on church grounds. 4 days of amazing ethnic food and top of the line entertainment (Vogues, Johnny Angel & the Halos, Chicago Push, Dick Taddy Orchestra, Lenny Gomulka!), games of chance (hourly 50/50, Bingo, etc), and many other delights. Call 724-266-6565 for more info or go online at http://www.goodsam1.org/ This is a GREAT outing for the whole family over Labor Day weekend!

September 11 (Sunday) - 2nd Annual Three Parish Picnic!
Save this date on your calendars! Picnic is from 12pm-6pm. Held in Free Hungarian Reformed church's hall in case of bad weather. We're planning another successful event of fellowship, fun and food for parishioners of St. John's, Free Hungarian Reformed and Holy Family churches! There will be delicious homemade food & desserts, plus beverage. We'll watch the Steelers' Opening Game of the season on the big-screen TV, plus see the amazing Clover Belles & Beaus, win some Raffle baskets, bingo, games for the kids & lots more! See you in a few weeks!

Note! T-shirts will again be sold for the picnic, featuring a Patriotic theme in honor of 09/11/01 that incorporates all 3 churches. Order are due by Sept. 4 by 1pm, please call Malvene Harris to order at 412-848-1815. Prices ranges according to size from $10 (youth)-$13(adult XXL).

News for July

2011-07-03T21:56:00.013-04:00

Thank you to all those who were involved in our parish's annual Feastday Porkchop Dinner!! All the hard work put into preparations, set-up & clean-up, donated desserts and monetary donations. Your time and efforts were gratefully appreciated!

Congratulations again to Rev. Dr. Mark Morozowich, SEOD! It's been an eventful year for Father Mark - celebrating 20 years in the Holy Priesthood, then achieving tenure at The Catholic University of America, and now he has been chosen to be the acting Dean of their School of Theology. Father Mark earned his doctorate in 2002, and has been teaching at CUA since 2003. He asks for our continued prayers of support in his new ministry.

Grateful thanks to Bill Starry who generously donated new entry lights to our parking lot! They are a functional and stylish addition to our parish grounds, and we thank Bill very much!

Parish festival: our neighbor in White Oak, St. Angela de Merici Roman Catholic church is holding their parish festival on July 7, 8, 9 (Thurs. through Sat.). Please come out for a fun time with family and friends! Great food, fun games for all, and enjoyable company await you!

2011 Income & Expense Report: The Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Parma's 6 month financial report for Jan- June 2011 has been distributed to all parishes. Check here soon for links to view this documentation as well as parish income/expense listings for the previous years.

Save the Date for these upcoming events!

Sunday August 7: Homemade Donut Sale! This parish fundraiser will be held in our church hall from 8am-12noon. These donuts will be homemade and not store-bought! A variety of delicious flavors will be available for purchase by the dozen. If you enjoyed them at the 3-church Yard Sale, the originals are back with even more heavenly flavors to tempt your tastebuds! Please spread the word!!

Sunday August 14: Pilgrimage to National Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon. Located in North Jackson, Ohio, our local parishes will gather together to participate in festivities honoring the Dormition (Assumption) of the Blessed Mother of God. A Charter Bus will depart from St. John's (McKeesport) at 2:15pm, and from St. John's (Southside) at 3pm on the 14th for the shrine. We will arrive at the shrine at 4:30pm giving ample time to tour the buildings, trails and chapels, gift shop and to enjoy home-made food and refreshments available for sale. The Church and church hall are handicap accessible. Our Bishop John Bura will led everyone in Divine Liturgy at 7pm. Our return to Pittsburgh is planned for 10pm that same day. Please sign up as soon as possible in our vestibule, donation for the pilgrimage is $15 per person.

Saturday September 10: 2nd Annual Three Parish Picnic! The set-up will be much like last year's enjoyable event, with food, entertainment, fun& games, raffles and a great time for all parishioners and their families! More information to follow in the coming weeks.

News & Announcements for June 2011

2011-06-09T08:08:00.011-04:00

THANK YOU to all parishioners, vendors, donators, helpers, and buyers who made our Annual 3 Church Yard Sale a great success for another year! St. John's made over $500 from the sale of used treasures and donuts. We hope to see everyone next year at this fundraising event!

THANK YOU to all volunteers who donated their time & effort to our parish's Pyrohy project for yet another selling season. Your efforts are greatly appreciated! Frozen cooked pyrohy are still available for those who cannot wait until the next selling season. Please see Father Gregory for your purchase.

Father's Day Candles: Envelopes in the weekly bulletin are for remembering a loved one (grandfather, father, son, Godfather, nephew, etc) for Father's Day. The donation is $4 per candle. Your loved one's name will be inscribed upon a candle which will be displayed within the church on Father's Day. Please have your donation turned into Father Gregory no later than Monday, June 13th.

June 11 (Saturday): This is the last Saturday for All Souls Saturday! Divine Liturgy for St. John's is at 9am.

June 11 & 12: "Gently Used Purse Sale" will be held at Good Samaritan Catholic Church in Ambridge (Brother Ambrose's parish) from 10am to 6:30pm on Saturday, and from 9:30am to 1pm on SUnday. The sale will be held in the parking lot, with proceeds benefitting World Youth Day.

June 12 (Sunday): The Blessing of Graves will be held Penetecost Sunday at 3pm, at St. John's Cemetery just off Crooked Run Road (weather-permitting).

June 23 (Thursday): Annual Feastday Dinner featuring stuffed porkchops! A special Divine Liturgy will be held at 5pm with dinner following at 6pm. No take-outs are available. Cost is $10 adults, and $5 children ages 10 & younger. Tickets are for sale after every Divine Liturgy. Please note there will not be any tickets sold at the door for this event. Cash donations will be gratefully accepted to help defray the expenses, and there is a sign-up sheet in teh vestibule for dessert donations. We hope to see you all at our delicious dinner!

Congratulations to Rev. Dr. Mark Morozowich, SEOD! After celebrating his 20th Anniversary in the Holy Priesthood, he has also earned tenure after 8 years of teaching at The Catholic University of America in Wash., D.C.! He serves as the Assoc. Dean for Seminary & Ministerial Programs at the university's School of Theology & Religious Studies. He thanks everyone for their continued prayers of support, and is very grateful to be a "son of St. John's parish".

News for May 2011

2011-05-11T12:43:00.002-04:00

May Rosary - As May is traditionally dedicated to Mary, our Blessed Mother, the Holy Roasry will be recited before the weekend Divine Liturgies. We hope you can join us.

May 13 - Pyrohy Sale! $8 a dozen. Please call church hall 412-678-2206 Friday of the sale to place your advance order. Walk-ins are also welcome. Volunteers are needed and receive 1 dozen for just $1.

May 14 - Food Collection Day sponsored by the NALC of the US Postal Service. Please place your non-pershible food donations in your mailbox on Saturday, May 14th. The donations will be taken to your local food bank to benefit thoe in need. Thank you for your kind support!

May 15 - Spaghetti Dinner at St. John the Baptist Church in McKees Rocks on 204 Olivia Street. Held from 12-5pm. $8 for adults, $4 for kids under 12. Bake sale, Chinese auction, and Cash bar. Take-outs available, please call 412-331-5605.

May 27 - Pyrohy Sale! $8/dozen, please call 412-678-2206 to place your advance order Friday of the sale. Walk-ins are also welcome. Volunteers needed & receive 1 dozen for just $1.

Thank You - Many many thanks to all those wonderful workers who made our annual Pascha Dinner a tasty event for all attending! We greatly appreciate all those donated desserts, too.

Congratulations to Rev. Dr. Mark Morozowich, a vocation of St. John's church, on his 20th Anniversary in the Holy Priesthood! Mnohaya leeta!

May 29th - All parishioners & friends are cordially invited By ather Mark & his family to join in a special Divine Liturgy of Thanksgiving at 9:30am, immediately followed by a reception & brunch in St. John's social hall. Please sign-up on the list in the vestibule, or call the rectory office, so an exact count may be obtained.

June 4th - 3 Church Yard Sale! Saturday from 8am-3pm at St. John's, Holy Family, & Hungarian Free Reformed will have hidden treasures for sale, plus vendor tables, and refreshments sold at all 3 churches. We're right across McKeesport High School & PSU campus. If you would like to rent a spot/table the cost is only $10, please call 412-672-0923 or 412-601-1194. Come out for a great time rain or shine!

2011-04-18T14:06:00.004-04:00

April 18 - Pickup Day for Good Samaritan's Bake Sale orders. Orders may be picked up at St. John's after 12noon.

HOLY WEEK: Please also refer to the calendar for main schedule of services.

April 20 - Holy Confession Service. Please join us after Stations of the Cross for Holy Confession. This is the last chance before Easter Sunday! Please join us for a little "spring-cleaning" for the soul.

April 21 - Holy Thursday: Divine Liturgy with Vespers held at 7 pm.

April 22 - Good Friday: Chanting of the Passion at 10, followed by Vespers and procession of the Holy Shroud at 12 noon. There is a strict dietary fast today of no meat or dairy products.

April 23 - Holy Saturday: church will be open for Veneration of the Platynychya (Holy Shroud) from 10am - 6pm. Easter food baskets will be blessed at 6pm, please arrive early to get a nice spot at the tables in the church hall and bring your candles & matches!

3. April 24 - PASCHA Sunday! CHRIST is RISEN!

8:30am - Resurrection Matins and Procession.

9:30am - Divine Liturgy celebration. Please join us in celebrating this joyful occasion as a parish family!

4. April 26 - Ecumenical Panychida for 25th Anniversary of Chernobyl Disaster. Holy Trinity parish on 730 Washington Avenue in Carnegie is holding this memorial service at 7 pm. Please come & pray for those still suffering the after-effects of the tragedy. 5. May 8 - Save the Date! Annual Pascha dinner is held from 11am - 2pm in church hall, immediatle after Sunday Liturgy. Cost is adults = $8, kids 10 & under = $4. Meal includes, traditional stuffed cabbage, kolbasi, ham, potatoes & veggies, cheese, eggs, pascha bread, hot/cold beverages and variety of homemade desserts. Tickets sold after each weekend liturgy, with take-outs available by advanced order. No tickets sold day of dinner! Please see sign-up sheet for desserts in vestibule. Hope to have you & your family join us for this event.

Parish News for April 2011

2011-04-06T12:43:00.013-04:00

Stations of the Cross - Every Wednesday through Great Lent at 6pm. Please plan to join us in this special Lentan devotion.

April 15 - Pyrohy Sale! Celebrate submitting your taxes with a couple dozen for yourself. $8 a dozen, handmade & fresh from the stove. Potato variety only. Walk-in welcomed, but quantities cannot be guaranteed, so please place your advance order by calling Thursday morning or Friday of the sale at 412-678-2206. Volunteers always needed.

April 16 & 17 - Easter Bake Sale at Good Samaritan Catholic Church at 8th & Melrose in Ambridge, from 9am-2pm. Orders may be taken in advance or day of sale up to 12 noon. Walk-ins welcomed. Nut, Apricot, Lekvar(Prune), and Poppyseed rolls available, along with Plain (orange/lemon) or Anise Easter Bread round loaves. Please call 724-266-6887 or 724-266-2079 to place an advanced order. If you wish your order to be delivered to St. John's in McKeesport, please tell them. These orders will be available on Monday April 18 beginning at 12noon.

April 16 - Singing Practice for Lenten & Easter hymns at St. John's Church Hall at 5:30pm. All are welcome to join in!

April 17th - 45th Annual Pysanky Sale! Sts. Peter& Paul Ukrainian Orthodox church on 220 Masfield Blvd. in Carnegie from 11am-4pm. Over 300 different specialty eggs for sale, plus Ukrainian folk art, basket raffles & special giveaways, bake sale & more! Kitchen will be open for food purchases, and church will be giving tours throughout this event. Please call 412-527-5359 or 412-276-0342 for info. Major credit cards accepted for egg & craft sales only.

May 8 - Save the Date! Annual parish Pascha dinner is held from 11am - 2pm in church hall, immediatle after Sunday Liturgy. Cost is adults = $8, kids 10 & under = $4. Meal includes, traditional stuffed cabbage, kolbasi, ham, potatoes & veggies, cheese, eggs, pascha bread, hot/cold beverages and variety of homemade desserts. Tickets sold after each weekend liturgy, with take-outs available by advanced order. No tickets sold day of dinner! Please see sign-up sheet for desserts in vestibule. Hope to have you & your family join us for this immensely popular event!

Stuffed Cabbage Sale from 3-4pm at $1.50 per roll. Rolls are handmade & fresh to ensure quality. Please call 412-672-0923 to place order or use sign-up sheet in church vestibule. Note - If you attend the Pascha Dinner, you may pick up your order when you are finished the meal.

June 4 - Save the Date! 3 Church Yard Sale is back! Come out from 8am-3pm to find hidden treasures & super bargains at all 3 churches. Food & refreshments will be on sale at all 3 churches as well. Are you looking to sell your own crafts/belongings? Vendor spots are $10 each and first come, first serve. Please call 412-601-1194 or 412-672-0923 to reserve your indoor/outdoor vendor spot at St. John's soon.

News For March 2011

2011-03-18T12:11:00.007-04:00

March 18 - Pyrohy Sale! $8/dozen, handmade with care. Volunteers needed. Please call Church Hall at 412-678-2206 to place your order. Potato & Cheese variety only. Next sale is April 1 - no foolin'. March 23 - Stations of the Cross every Wednesday through the Great Fast. Held at St. John's from 6-7pm. Please join us for reflection and prayer as we continue our spiritual journey. March 25 - Feast of the Annunciation. Divine Liturgy scheduled as follows: St. John's in McKeesport at 9am, Sts. Peter&Paul's in Wilmerding at 11am, St. Demetrius in Jeannette at 7pm. March 29 - 2nd of 2 Pysanky Workshops at Sts. Peter & Paul church in Wilmerding. Just bring along these supplies: 4-5 paper towels, 2 raw (or pre-blown) eggs at room temperature. Bringing your own Kistka and beeswax is optional, dyes will be provided for you. March 25 - next Lentan Fish Fry at Good Samaritan Church in Ambridge. Held every Friday of Lent. Fish dinner or sandwich (baked or fried), crab cakes, shrimp, mac n' cheese, halushki, french fries, cole slaw & more are available! Call church cafeteria at 724-266-6010 to order from 11am-7pm. Eat-in, Take-out, or Delivery available! Announcing the NEW Head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, His Beautitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk! Formerly Bishop of Buenos Aires Argentina, now elected leader for our UGCC. Please remember our new leader in your prayers for many holy, successful and healthy years of leadership. For the full story, please check the latest edition of "The Way" publication, available now online at the Philadelphia Ukrainian Archdiocesan website.

News for February

2011-01-31T08:42:00.004-05:00

Wednesday February 2 - Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord into the Temple.
Blessing of Candles to follow all Divine Liturgies, for distribution to parishioners.
St John's McKeesport: 9 AM
Sts.Peter & Paul Wilmerding: 11 AM
St. Demetrius Jeannette: 7 PM

Saturday & Sunday Feb. 5 & 6 - Super Bowl Hoagie Sale!!
Turkey and Italian hoagies will be sold after both weekend Divine Liturgies at a cost of $6 each -first come, first serve. They will be made fresh from Zosak's Market in the 10th Ward. Relax and enjoy watching the Steelers with these great sandwich at your party.

Pyrohy Sale Dates: Feb. 4 & Feb. 18
Enjoy a dozen fresh hand-made pyrohy for $8. Volunteers just their dozen for only $1. Please call the church hall Thursday or Friday (sale day) in advance to guarantee your order at 412-678-2206. Walk-ins are welcomed, but quantity cannot be guaranteed.

Sunday, Feb. 13 - St. Valentine's Spaghetti Dinner & Bake Sale.
St. George's Church hall on 3455 California Avenue Pittsburgh 15212 (Northside). $7 for adults, and $5 for kids 12 & younger. Serving time from 11:30 AM-3 PM. Generous portions of great food and scrumptious desserts await you & your valentine. Dine-in or take-out available. Come out and enjoy a fun time and let St. George's staff doing the cooking!

Pyrohy Sale - Next sale date is Feb. 18. Please call 412-678-2206 on Thursday or Friday to place an advance order. $8/dozen. Volunteers get 1 dozen for $1. Walk-ins welcome.

Sunday, Feb. 20 - "All you can eat" Spaghetti Dinner!
Holy Trinity Ukrainian Catholic Church on 725 Washington Avenue in Carnegie. Dinners are $8/adults, $4/kids 6-12, free for kids 5 & younger. Serving time is 12noon to 5PM. Take-outs available, please call 412-276-9897 to place order.

News for 1st Week of January

2011-01-03T10:54:00.002-05:00

January 2nd - Ukrainian Cultural Trust Choir Concert
At 3pm at St. Demetrius Ukr. Catholic church in Jeannette. All are welcome to enjoy the beautiful trained voices of this choir! A reception with refreshments will be available afterward.

January 6th - Feast of the Theophany: a holy day of Obligation!
All Divine Liturgies will be held this Thursday only: 9am at St. John's, 11am at Sts. Peter&Paul, and 7pm at St. Demetrius. Please remember to bring containers for the blessed Holy Water.

January 21 - Start of the 2011 Pyrohy season.

News For Christmas Week

2010-12-20T20:28:00.005-05:00

Schedule of Christmas Liturgy:
St John's McKeesport -Christmas Eve Vigil = 10 PM
Christmas Day = 10 AM
*NO regular vigil Liturgy for Saturday evening!*
Regular Sunday Liturgy = 9:30 AM

St. Demetrius Jeannette - Christmas Eve Vigil = 6 PM
*NO Christmas Day Liturgy!*
Regular Sunday Liturgy = 11:30 AM

Sts. Peter&Paul Wilmerding - *NO Christmas Eve Vigil Liturgy!*
Christmas Day = 9:30 AM
Regular Sunday Liturgy = 9:30 AM

LAST CHANCE for pre-Christmas Confession!
If you were sick, working, or for other reasons couldn't make it to last week's Penitential Service at St. John's, don't fret! There's one more opportunity for you on Thursday evening at 6:30 PM at St. Demetrius in Jeannette.

Christmas Concerts: featuring the Ukrainian Cultural Trust Choir of Western PA.
Sunday December 26 at 3 PM at Sts. Peter& Paul Ukr. Orthodox Church in Lyndora.
Sunday January 2 at 3 PM at St. Demetrius Ukr. Catholic Church in Jeannette.

News for December

2010-12-06T17:03:00.005-05:00

Welcome Father Yaroslav Koval! We have a new assistant Ukrainian Catholic priest in our area all the way from Rome! Our Bishop John has brought him here to help with not only our 3 parishes of St. John the Baptist, St. Demetrius & Sts. Peter&Paul, but also at St. George (Northside), St. John the Baptist (Southside), and Immaculate Conception in Barnesboro. Father Yaroslav has studied at St. Josaphat Ukrainian Papal College for 7 years, and was ordained a priest this past June. He is married with a yong family, and is eager to learn more about us as Pittsburghers. Let us welcome him and offer our prayers for his spiritual success!

Wednesday Dec. 8 - Feast of the Immaculate Conception
This is a Solemn day of worship for Ukrainian Catholics., and an Obligation day for Latin-rite Catholics. Father Gregory's schedule for Divine Liturgy is as follows:
St. John's McKeesport - 9am
Sts. Peter&Paul Wilmerding- 11am
St. Demetrius Jeannette - 7pm

Thank you Good Samaritan Catholic Church Choir!! What a lovely concert they provided all attending St. John's Annual "light-up night" on Sunday Dec. 5. It was a wonderful way to welcome in the true meaning of Christmas into our hearts and minds. thank you to all who made this yearly event such a memorable success!

Angel Giving Tree - Deadline is December 12th to place your unwrapped gift(s) for the Auberle children under the St. Nicholas icon. Please let Father Gregory know immediately if you cannot fulfill your obligation to a child, if you have taken a ticket, so he can make other arrangements. Thank you for your thoughtful generosity to these youngsters in need.

Please see previous post for information on Troop Care Packages, Can Collection for Charity, and Pyrohy schedule.

News for late November/early December

2010-11-23T16:09:00.008-05:00

Thanksgiving Liturgy Schedule:
Wednesday - St. Demetrius (Jeannette) at 11:00 am
Sts. Peter&Paul (Wilmerding) at 7:00pm
Thursday - St. John's (McKeesport) - 9:30am

Choir Practice: Ukrainian Trust Choir of Western PA is looking for new voices to join in their weekly Tuesaday practices from 7-9pm. Held at Sts. Peter&Paul on Mansfield Blvd. in Carnegie. You do not need the "perfect voice" or be able to read Ukrainian. The choir is ecumenical and welcomes all christians! Come join us for a fun time interacting with their friendly group. Please call Ernya Honchar at 412-429-1536.

Pyrohy Sales: December 3 & 17 at St. John's hall. $8 per dozen, volunteers get 1 dozen for $1.
Please order your pyrohy on Thursday or Friday of the sale, call 412-678-2206.

Angel Giving Tree: benefitting the children & youth at Auberle. Special "santa tags" are attached to the tree, please one (or more) for a child that will list what they are hoping to receive from "Santa". Bring in your unwrapped gifts to our parish by Sunday December 12, and place then under the icon of St. Nicholas. Thank you so very much for your kind generosity!

US Military Care Packages: We are still collecting items to ship overseas to US service men & women serving in high-risk areas. Two labeled boxes are in the church vestibule to hold your donations. Please only donate the following, although cash donations are also accepted:

Single-serving drink packets of kool-aid or crystal-lite, or iced tea.
Snacks such as beef jerky, Combos, Chex mix, Bugles, Pringles, Pretzels, Gummi Bears
Magazines like Car & Driver, Sports, Science/Space, News, etc. Nothing inappropriate or older than summer 2010, please.
Blank greeting cards for birthdays, holidays, get well, etc. Stationary & envelopes, pens.
Pre-paid phone cards (At&t), but not in large denominations.
Toiletries-soap, toilet paper, toothpaste&brushes, combs, shampoo, mouthwash, hand-sanitizer, lotion and moist towelettes, etc

Sunday December 5th - Feast of St. Nicholas the Wonder-worker & Light-Up Night at St. John's in McKeesport, starting at 4:00 pm. Our special guests are the Good Samaritan Parish Choir, under direction of Br. Ambrose Ross, BHS & "St. Nicholas" will be there to greet parish youngsters & young-at-heart. Hot & cold refreshments will be served to all attending. Please come out to help us celebrate this favorite parish tradition!

Sunday December 5th - St. Nicholas Dinner at St. Demetrius parish in Jeannette at 12:30pm

Saturday, December 11th - St. Demetrius' Pyrohy sale from 10am - ? Please help us on Friday 12/10 from 3pm with preparation work, and then on 12/11 with the sale itself. Your volunteering will be deeply appreciated!

Good Samaritan Bake Sale - Order no later than 12/13 at noon! Baking Nut Rolls, Poppyseed Rolls, Apricot rolls & Lekvar Rolls. Whole rolls=$11 and Half-rolls=$6. Your orders will be delivered to St. John's for pick-up on Monday 12/20 beginning at noon.

News for November

2010-11-03T20:50:00.004-04:00

November 5 & 19 (Friday) - Pyrohy Sale!
Only 2 pyrohy sales left before Thankgiving, please call the church hall at 412-678-2206 to place your order by Friday morning. Hand-made fresh, with butter & cooked onions, our pyrohy are $8/dozen. Walk-ins are welcomed, but quantity can only be guaranteed for advanced orders. Volunteers are always needed, and get 1 dozen for only $1! Come on over and get a few dozen for your Thanksgiving feast!

November 7 (Sunday) - Treat your tastebuds to a Roast Pork Dinner - Mmmm!
St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic church of 204 Olivia St. in McKees Rocks (Bottoms) is holding this delicious dinner event from 12-5pm. Also featuring a Bake Sale, Chinese Auction and cash bar. Take-outs are available. Please call 412-331-5605 for information or to order. Cost is $8 for adults and $4 for kids under 12.

November 10 (Wednesday) - Special Veteran's Day Celebration
McKeesport Area High School is honoring all Veterans (war and peacetime) with a patriotic presentation in their auditorium at 9:30AM. The school band, choir, and orchestra will all salute our area veterans with special performances. A light reception will follow the ceremony in the High School's lobby area for all Veterans.

November 13 (Saturday) - Eastern Catholic Men's Conference
Sponsored by the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma at St. John the Baptist Byz. Catholic Cathedral Complex in Parma, Ohio. Dynamic speakers, fellowship, and a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy with Bishop John Kudrick. Confessions will be available throughout the day. Cost is $30 and includes lunch. This Conference is open to all men, regardless of rite. Young men 13-17 may attend for free, but must be accompanied by their father or adult male chaperone. Please go to http://www.parma.org/ for more information or to register online.

November 13 (Saturday) - Night at the Races!
Holy Trinity Ukr. Catholic Church on 730 Washington Avenue in Carnegie is hosting this fun event. Food includes a buffet, beverages, desserts. Buffet starts at 5:30pm. Admission is $10, must be age 18 and over to enter! First race is at 7pm. Also featured: 50/50 hourly raffles, and Ukrainian auction raffles. Buy & name your own horse for just $10. Call 412-279-4652 for information.

News for October and November

2010-10-25T09:14:00.013-04:00

Sunday, October 24 - Thank you Bishop John Bura for your visit!
This weekend we had the honor of welcoming Bishop John Bura to our parish of St. John the Baptist in McKeesport. His Excellency was greeted by two of our parish families at the door of our church with the traditional gifts of salt and bread, plus a bouquet of sunflowers. A pleasant reception immediately followed Divine Liturgy, with parishioners getting to know Bishop John a little more as he made his way around the tables of people, talking and chatting with them. We thank him for the many blessing and kind words he bestowed upon us!

Special thanks! - To all those who arranged the reception for Bishop John with tasty food, homemade pizzelles, drink, and nice table settings.

Congratulations to St. Demetrius parish on their Centennial Anniversary!
Our sister parish in Jeannette PA celebrated its 100th Anniversary this past weekend with a big bang! Bishop John Bura was there to celebrate Divine Liturgy, along with pastor Rev. Gregory Madeya, and priests Msgr. George Appleyard, Rev. Dr. Mark Morozowich, Rev. Ignatius Kury, and Rev. Claudio Melniki, Rev. Valerian Michlik, Rev. Leo Schlosser OSB, Rev. Douglas Lorence, Rev. Paul Voida (Romainian), and three of our Deacons. A reception followed at the Grand Concourse restaurant in Pittsburgh southside's Station Square. A memorable time was had by all at this historic event!

Friday October 29 - St. John's Spaghetti Dinner!
Mama Mia! We're having a spaghetti dinner open to the public from 4-7pm THIS FRIDAY! Cost is $8 for Dine-in and $7 for Take-out, with children 10 & under just $5. Dinner includes spaghetti with 2 meatballs, side salad, roll & butter, beverage (not with take-out) and dessert. Bring your appetite for a hearty homemade meal. Call 412-678-2206 for advance take-out orders on Friday. We look forward to seeing you there!

Saturday, October 30 - Halloween Party!
Our neighbors at the Free Hungarian Reformed Church (adjacent to St. John's with the green roof) are throwing a ghastly good party from 1-4 pm in their church hall. Open to young and young at heart of all ages. No charge, just come in for a spooktacular time (costumes optional)! Note: Our 3-Church Picnic was such a hit that Holy Family Polish National Catholic, Free Hungarian Reformed, and St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic churches have decided to rotate our yearly Halloween and Xmas parties, with each location taking a turn to host each of these events for the present time.

Friday, November 5 - Pyrohy Sale
This is your next-to-last chance to buy our delicious hand-made pyrohy before Thanksgiving time! Volunteers are always needed and can get 1 dozen for only $1. Walk-in customers are welcomed, but to guarantee quantity please call 412-678-2206 on Thursday or Friday morning of the sale to place your advance order.

Saturday, November 6 - Byzantine Seminary Press' "Christmas Open House"
From 10am to 6pm at 3643 Perrysville Avenue in Pittsburgh (large red bldg.). Beautiful icons, reading material, wall and 3-barred crosses, Holy Bibles, Liturgical items, Xmas & greeting cards, stocking stuffers, and gift-certificates. Cash, checks and credit accepted. Gift-wrapping available. Please call 412-322-8307 to confirm hours. Our usual weekly schedule is 10am -3:30pm M-F, but special appointments can also be arranged.

Sunday, November 7 - Roast Pork Dinner at St. John the Baptist in McKeesRocks (Bottoms)
$8 adults/$4 kids under 12. Time is from 12-5pm in Church Hall, call 412-331-5605.
Mouth-watering roasted pork with all the trimmings! Bake sale, cash bar, chinese auction. Take-outs available. Call above number to place an order or for more detailed information.

Saturday, November 13 - "Nite at the Races" at Holy Trinity Ukr. Catholic Church.
Located on 730 Washington Avenue in Carnegie. Call 412-279-4652 for more information. Must be 18 or older to enter! $10 admission includes: buffet, soft drinks, beer, coffee, tea and desserts. 50/50 hourly raffles & Ukrainian auction raffle. Doors open at 5:30pm with 1st race at 7pm. Buy and name your own horse for $10.

Saturday, November 13 - Eastern Catholic Men's Conference in Parma, Ohio
The Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma is sponsoring this great event at St. John the Baptist Byz. Catholic Cathedral complex in Parma, Ohio. To register online please go to www.parma.org Dynamic speakers, fellowship, and Hierarchical Divine Liturgy with Bishop John Kudrick. Confessions also will be available throughout the day. This conference is open to ALL MEN REGARDLESS OF RITE. Cost $30 and includes lunch, young men ages 13-17 are welcomed at no charge, but must be accompanied by father or adult male chaperone.

APO Care Packages - Look for the Boxes in Church Vestibule
St. John's Heroes, our parish youth group is collecting items to send to US service men & women currently serving overseas. We ask that you strictly follow the list of items below so they comply with the conditions our military face overseas.

Drink packets: single-serving to add to troop's water bottles (Crystal light, etc)
Snacks: beef jerky, Combos, Chex mix boxes, Pringles cans, pretzels, gummie bears, mints, gum, cookies - in protective packaging to avoid being crushed. Please do not donate anything chocolate as it melts too easily.
Toiletries: soap, toilet paper rolls, small hand sanitizer bottles, handi-wipes, travel-size kleenex, shampoo, combs, brushes, toothpaste & toothbrushes, sunscreen.
Reading material: Nothing inappropriate! Please stick with automotive, motorcycle, sports, science, travel, etc. Magazines do not have to be the latest issue, but we ask they be somewhat current.
Pre-paid phone cards, for example from AT&T. Please donate only small denominations.
Blank greeting cards and all-occasion cards, stationary, pens for writing, envelopes, etc.

If you would rather give a monetary contribution, that is welcomed! We can use cash donations to purchase any other material and pay the shipping costs of the care packages. You can place your donation in an envelope marked, "Our Heroes Care Packages", and send it to either the rectory or else include it in the collection baskets at weekend Liturgies. Thank you for your support of our troops!

News for October

2010-10-11T12:13:00.006-04:00

Rosary for October: During the entire month, we will recite the Holy Rosary on Sunday mornings before Divine Liturgy. Please try to join us!

October 13: Bread Sale!
Plain or Raisin, fresh, home-made & just like Baba used to make. Call 412-678-2206 on Wednesday morning to order, or use the sign-up sheet in the vestibule of the church.

October 29: Spaghetti dinner Fundraiser!
Mama Mia! St. John's is holding a Spaghetti Dinner open to the public on Friday, Oct. 29th. Eat-in or Take-out orders welcomed. Come on in and let us do the cooking! A fabulous hearty Italian dinner including beverage, side-salad, roll, and dessert await you!

October 24: Pastoral Visit by Bishop John Bura to St. John the Baptist (Sunday)
Bishop John will be making his visit to St. John's and our sister parishes of St. Demetrius and Sts. Peter & Paul over this weekend. Divine Liturgy schedules may be changed to accommodate the Bishop's schedule. A reception will be held in each church hall following Divine Liturgy.
A special collection benefiting our seminary will be taken up for this weekend. Please be generous in your support of the education of our future priests. Thank you!

Sat. October 30: 3 Church Halloween Party!
Our neighbors at Free Hungarian Reformed are holding their Halloween party on Saturday October 30th from 1-4pm in their church hall. All children and young-at-heart are invited to attend. Parishioners from Holy Family next door will also be in attendance. Wear your best costume and come prepared for a ghostly good time!

Care Packages: Helping US Service men&women serving in hazardous locations overseas.
St. John's Youth Group (St. John's Heroes) are collecting items to be donated for care packages to US military located in combat areas overseas. Please only bring in the specific items listed below, as they have been especially requested by military service personnel.

single serving drink packets (for water bottles)
beef jerky
snacks: combos, chex, pretzels, gummi bears, pringles mini-cans
mints & chewing gum
cookies - not chocolate covered (melts)
magazines - nothing issued before summer 2010. Only appropriate material accepted (just stick to automotive, sports, travel/adventure & science issues)
Stationary and Special Occasion Greeting cards (holiday, birthday, anniversary, thank you)
Pre-paid Phone Cards (eg. AT&T) in small denominations. (Do not buy any over $5)
Soap (Ivory is good) and Handi-Wipes (sand gets everywhere!) and Chapstick
Toilet tissue, Kleenex travel packets, Hand Sanitizer mini-bottles, travel size shampoos.

Two boxes will be placed at St. John's - one in the vestibule and a second in the church hall for donations. Cash donations also accepted.

More news for September & upcoming months

2010-09-19T20:42:00.009-04:00

THANK YOU to all who attended the first Annual 3-Parish Picnic!!
Wow! What a great time everyone had at our picnic held with our neighbors, Holy Family Polish National and Free Hungarian Reformed churches! Great weather, delicious food, the Steeler game televised, super entertainment, games for grown-ups & the kids, and so much more made for a perfect afternoon. What a wonderful way to celebrate the community of faith that is present in our 3 parish families! We will reschedule the picnic next year for the Sunday following Labor Day. A special thank-you to Jim Morozowich for lending his picnic tent, and Joanne Corbett, of Rita's Water Ice in White Oak, for donating over 200 servings of dessert!

Sept. 24 - 1st Pyrohy Sale of 2010-2011 Season.
Mark your calendars - our delicious, handmade pyrohy will return this Friday. Please call the Church Hall at 412-678-2206 to place your order on Wed., Thurs. or Friday mornings. $8/dozen of fresh, like-Baba-used-to-make goodness. Volunteers to pinch, clean, and cook are welcomed and receive a dozen pyrohy for just $1! Hope to see you there!

September 24 & 25 - Ukrainain Heritage Festival at Sts. Peter & Paul in Ambridge.
Saturday hours=10 to 8pm, Sunday hours=10 to 6pm. Ukrainian vendors & crafters (inc. hands-on demonstratons), mouth-watering ethnic food, & live entertainment! Performances by Mosaic musical group and Kyiv, Kashton and Poltava dance ensembles. Come on out and bring along the entire family for a fun-filled day!

October 2 - Annual Three Church Yard Sale from 8-12:30pm.
St. John's, Free Hungarian Reformed, and Holy Family Polish National parishes are teaming up once again for their annual combined yard sale. If you would like to rent a table, it is $10, please contact Rose at 412-601-1194 for more information. PLEASE WAIT to bring in your items until Sat., Sept 25th (due to the Pyrohy sale on 09/24)!!!! All items must be in useable, clean condition. No torn or stained clothing, broken appliances, or damaged goods will be accepted for the Yard Sale. All 3 churches will be selling a variety of tasty food & beverages to shoppers. Stop by and find a great bargain for your place!

October 2 & 3 - St. George's Ethnic Food Festival and Flea Market.
St. George's on the Northside (3455 California Avenue) is holding a food festival and a flea market the entire weekend-Sat. from 9am to 4pm, and Sun. from 10am to 4pm. Their delicious food is eat-in or take-out.

October 9 & 16 - Clean-up at St. Demetrius in Jeannette.
In anticipation of Bishop John's visit for their Centennial Celebration, St. Demetrius is holding a clean-up starting at 9am on both Saturdays before the Anniversary weekend. Please help us make their church & grounds sparkle - any assistance is graciously appreciated!

October 10 - St. Angela Merici Caregiver Outreach Program.
Back by popular demand! "How can we attend to the Emotional needs of aging loved ones & caregivers?" is the theme for this presentation. This seminar is FREE and will be held at St. Robert Bellarmine Church on 1300 5th Ave. in East McKeesport, from 1:30-3:30pm. handicapped parking is in rear of upper level. Seating is limited. Please contact St. Angela Merici Office at 412-672-9641 for information and reservations.

October 23 - St. Demetrius Parish in Jeannette's 100th Anniversary Celebration.
His Grace, Bishop John Bura, will celebrate Divine Liturgy at 10am, followed by the anniversary banquet from 12-4pm at the Grand Concourse at Station Square, Southside. Cost of banquet is $40/adult and $20/children 12 & under. All are welcomed to attend! Please note that parking is extremely limited in Jeannette, so plan to arrive as early as possible. Please call Karen for tickets & information at (724) 864-1897 or email stdemetriusjeannette@gmail.com

November 13 - Eastern Catholic Men's Conference.
Sponsored by the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma, this conference will be open to men of any age, regardless of rite. Cost is $30/adult and includes lunch. Boys ages 13-17 may attend for free and be accompanied by their father or adult male chaperone. Location is St. John the Baptist Catholic Conference Complex in Parma, Ohio.
Featuring dynamic speakers and fellowship, and ending with a Divine Liturgy celebrated by Bishop John Kudrick. Confessions will also be available throughout the day, for those wishing to partake in this beautiful sacrament. For more information or to register online, please visit http://www.parma.org/.

News For September

2010-08-31T17:29:00.009-04:00

Sept 2, 3, 4 & 5: 15th Annual Good Samaritan Catholic Church Festival!!
Come one, come all to this fantastic event at Good Samaritan Parish in Ambridge (home to Brother Ambrose) for a fun-filled time!
Mouth-watering food & refreshments, games, live entertainment by a great variety of bands, bingo, a gigantic money raffle ($2000, $3000, and $6000!), hourly 50/50 raffle, HUGE silent auction, dancing, face painting, bake sale and much much more.
Different dinner menu & entertainment for each day (Thurs-Sunday). For more information call 724-266-6565. Good Samaritan is located on 8th & Melrose Avenues in Ambridge.
Bishop David Zubik will be presiding at the 5:30pm Saturday evening Mass! This will be also be a Polka Mass, featuring the "Larry Placek Combo".

Sept. 12 (Sunday): 1st annual 3-Church Picnic (rain or shine) !
St. John the Baptist, Holy Family Polish Nat'l. Catholic and Hungarian Reformed will be holding a picnic for all their parishioners & family members. It will be held on St. John's church grounds, if rain is in order we move to the Hungarian Reformed's church hall. The theme is a Black 'N Gold Beach Party. Yes, the Steeler game will be on for all to see!
Food served around 1:30pm includes chicken, dogs, burgers, sausage, beer & wine, pop, coffee, etc. Each family is asked to provide a side dish or a dessert to the picnic to share (please keep to a wide variety to avoid too many duplications). A sign-up sheet is available in the church vestibule.
Commemorative black&gold T-shirts are available for sale for only $10. Live entertainment provided by Clover Belles & Beaus and Polka Bands! Each church will sponsor a Basket Raffle, so check the bulletin for details! We hope to see you & the family there!!

International Village: Thank you to all who so generously donated their time to help with parking for this annual event. The money made from parking fees and frozen pyrohy sales was $2,930.00! A super accomplishment thanks to all our volunteers.

St. Demetrius Parish in Jeannette: 100th Anniversary News!
Centennial Anniversary photo books are now available for purchase at cost of $40. Each is a coffee-table style with black suede cover, measuring 8"x11", with 50 full color pages.
A CD containing all the high-resolution photos used in the anniversary book is also for sale at a suggested donation of $25. A great way to get images reprinted for your own use.
The 100th Anniversary Cookbook is just $10 and filled with many favorite recipes of St. Demetrius parishioners & friends.
Orders for these 3 items are due by October 3rd in order to have them shipped to you before the 100th Anniversary celebration. Please contact Rene Karnash at 724-864-2569 for information and ordering.

News for August

2010-08-02T11:38:00.009-04:00

Volunteers Needed: Grane Hospice Care of Pittsburgh is in need of volunteers ages 18 and over. NO previous volunteer or hospice experience needed. Volunteers can serve in a variety of roles depending on their skills & interests. Grane Hospice will provide training and mileage reimbursement for those interested in proving care. To learn more please contact Julie Moreschi at 412-963-6319. Thank you!

August 15 (Sunday) : Feastday of the Dormition of Our Blessed Mother!
Remember to bring your flowers to be blessed after Divine Liturgy for this beautiful Feastday.

August 15 (Sunday) : All are welcome to Holy Trinity in Collier Twp.'s Annual Parish Festival!
12:30-8pm on Ridge & Ewing Roads in Collier Twp. Call 412-279-4652 for details.
Bake sale, games for all ages, and live entertainment by the Mansfield Five!

August 29 (Sunday) : Ukrainian Independence Day Celebration!
Alpine Club on 220 Alpine Road in Bridgeville. Phone Anne Konecky at 412-343-0309 for ticket information. Cost $10 (advance) or $15 (at the door), child/students just $1!
Delicous Ukrainian food, fun & games for all ages, Ukrainian vendors & much more!
Cultural Program begins at 3pm and features: virtuoso bandurist Ostap Stakhiv, Kyyiv and Poltava Dance Ensembles, and Ridna Shkola and Chervona Kalyna! Dancing is from 5-9pm featuring the Ostap Stakhiv Orchestra.

September 2-5: Good Samaritan Parish's Anual Festival!
8th & Melrose Ave. in Ambridge, PA. Please call 724-266-6565 for details. This is a HUGE festival with tons of fun for everyone of every age! Bingo, face painting, hourly 50/50 raffles, silent auctions, music & dancing, ethnic food & homemade dinners, and a Big Money raffle of $2000, $3000, or $6000!! Please take time out to visit this marvelous event & bring your appetite and dancing shoes!

September 12 (Sunday) : Three Church Picnic from 12:30-8pm!
Join St. John the Baptist, Holy Family & Hungarian Reformed parishes as they throw a "Hawaiian" bash! Tasty ethnic foods & homemade treats, fun for the entire family, and great music! Hope to see you at our picnic, come out to see our neighbors and meet some new faces!
Starting Sunday the 15th, please sign up your family to bring along your favorite side dish or dessert in the vestibule after Liturgies.

October 2 (Saturday) : Three Church Yard Sale from 8am-12:30pm!
Come out and find a treasure at our annual combined yard sale. St. John the Baptist, Holy Family & Hungarian Reformed are teaming up again to provide great bargains to all! Delicious food & light refreshments will also be sold.
Interested in a Vendor Table/Spot? They're just $10! Please call Rose at 412-601-1194 or the Church Office at 412-672-0923 for details.

Religious Tours: Church of the 7 Dolors in Yukon, PA is offering 2 more tours for Fall 2010!
Sept. 27-Oct. 7: "In the Footsteps of Jesus" Holy Land tour features Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Cana, Nazareth, Jericho and Dead Sea and other famous sites.
Oct. 22-29: "in the Footsteps of Pope John Paul II" Poland tour featuresWarsaw, Krakow, and sites also affiliated with St. Faustina and Divine Mercy shrine.
For a packet on either tour, please call 724-722-3141 or email: padre16201@yahoo.com. Write to : Church of the 7 Dolors, PO Box 308 Yukon, PA 15698.

October 23 & 24: Bishop John Bura to visit St. John's in McKeesport!!
Please mark your calendars for this wonderful weekend. Our new Bishop John will be here to meet all parishioners. Let's give him a very joyful welcome! More day-to-day details to follow in the coming months.

News for Week of June 6-12

2010-06-08T14:57:00.002-04:00

Father's Day Candles - Please fill out & submit an envelope listing the names of fathers you wish to commemorate. Each name will be embossed upon its own pillar candle on Father's Day, Sunday June 20. A $4 per candle donation is greatly appreciated. Money & names are due back to church on Sunday June 13.

Please see last week's post for other news. Thank you!

News for Week of May 30-June5

2010-05-31T15:27:00.004-04:00

Blessing of Graves: Sunday May 30 at St. John the Baptist Cemetery at 3pm.

Thank You! - Our 2009-2010 Pyrohy Season has drawn to close. A special thank you to all those who volunteered their time to help this project raise money for our parish! We could not have done it without you - you are deeply appreciated! Please check back on our blogsite for 2010-2011's season to begin in Sept/Oct.

Annual Feastday Dinner - St. John's traditional Stuffed Porkchop dinner will be on Thursday, June 24 at 6pm, immediately following the special 5pm Divine Liturgy. Tickets are $10/adult & $5/kids 10 and under. Tickets can be purchased after all Divine Liturgies. No tickets will be sold at the door and no Take-outs this year. Cash donations will be gratefully accepted to help defray cost of the dinner.

No Weekday Divine Liturgy - There will be no weekday liturgy for Sts. Peter & Paul in Wilmerding on Wednesday June 2, nor for St. Demetrius on Thursday June 3.

Religious Tours - Church of the 7 Dolors in Yukon, PA is sponsoring 2 tours for Fall 2010. For a detailed information packet, please contact their church office at 724-722-3141 or email: padre16201@yahoo.com .
1. Holy Land Tour Sept 27-Oct 7: "In the Footsteps of Jesus", where He was born, journeyed, ministered & was buried including both Churches of the Nativity & Holy Sepulchre.

2. Poland Tour Oct 22-29: "In the Footsteps of Pope John Paul II, Warsaw, Krakow & other sites. Includes sites affiliated with St. Faustina & Divine Mercy Shrine.

St. Demetrius 100th Anniversary - Please get your ad for the commemoration book and any favorite recipes for their cookbook submitted to Rene Karnash as soon as possible! Our gratitude to all those who have generously supported this centennial celebration!

Thank You Veterans! - to all our veterans, living & deceased, we give our gratitude for securing our country's freedoms and for helping all those living under tyranny & oppression to secure a better life. Your sacrifices will be remembered for many generations to come! May God bless you & keep you in His care!

Week of May 16-22

2010-05-17T14:53:00.003-04:00

All Souls Saturday - May 22 at 9am at St. John's in McKeesport. Divine Liturgy will be celebrated on this special day for all of the deceased, whose name have been submitted.

Pyrohy Season - Final Sale this Friday, May 21, before the kitchen closes for the summer. $8/dozen. Extra helping hands are welcomed, and receive their dozen pyrohy for just $1

100th Anniversary Cookbook - St. Demetrius parish in Jeannette will be compiling a new cookbook in honor of their Centennial celebration. Please submit your favorite recipe to their parish thru either Father Gregory or their email: stdemetriusjeannette@gmail.com Thank you for your support!

100th Anniversary Commemorative Book - St. Demetrius parish is also publishing a wonderful photo book for their Centennial celebration. If you wish to submit a memorial, advertisement, or well-wishes to be included in their book, please contact Rene Karnash at 724-864-2569 or stdemetriusjeannette@gmail.com . Available sizes are priced from $240 to $20. The deadline for submitting is June 27, 2010.

Week of May 9 - May 15

2010-05-10T09:14:00.012-04:00

Holy Day of Obligation - Thursday is the Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord. Divine Liturgy will be scheduled as follows:
Wednesday 6pm - (vigil liturgy) St. John's
Thursday 9am - St. John's
Thursday 11am - Sts. Peter & Paul (Wilmerding)
Thursday 7pm - St. Demetrius (Jeannette)

Reciting of the Holy Rosary - Before all weekend liturgies during the month of May. Please join us! Meditative prayer is a wonderful way to unwind from stress & soothe the soul before liturgy.

3-Church Yard Sale - At this time, no date has been set as our neighbor, Holy Family Polish National church, sustained serious damage to their rectory and that has postponed this event. Hopefuly, the yard sale will be held in early/mid June on a Saturday. We will post new information in the coming weeks.

Scholarship Fund - Students of Ukrainian ethnicity planning to attend Duquesne Univ. may apply for the Estina Franzek Perpetual Scholarship Fund. The scholarship amount may vary, and students are awarded on an academic year basis. Renewal of past scholarship recipients is also possible, based on academic performance. Deadline for application is May 16. Please contact your parish priest for details, or contact Fr. Valerian of St. George's parish (Northside).

Pgh. Folk Festival - Monroeville Convention Ctr. from May 14-16. Celebrating Unity through Diversity for 53 years! Mark your calendars & plan to attend this popular annual event that celebrates the heart of the 'Burgh's international cultures!

Pyrohy Sale - Friday, May 21. Last of the season before the kitchen closes for the summer. Volunteers are always welcomed to assist with preparations on Wed & Thurs morning, and Friday of the sale. $8/dozen, but helpers get one dozen for just $1.

Can Collection - Many, many thanks to all who were generous to bring in empty cans to raise money for our parish youth project! We raised $170 over the past school year! This will greatly help a child in need that our youth wished to sponsor. Please continue to bring in your empty pop, soup & other cans so we may continue to raise money for worthy causes.

Storm Damage - Our cemetery sustained some considerable damage from the wind storm a few weeks ago. Fortunately, no memorial stones were damaged, but Father Gregory asks parishioners to please be generous in their next cemetery offering envelope, to help defray the cost of the maintenance & clean-up.

Eparchial Capital Campaign - Donations are still being accepted for this fund, which assists the needs of the Eparchy. Please deliver them to our pastor, so he may forward them to Bishop Bura's office.

Bereavement Support Group - held 6 consecutive Thursdays at UPMC McKeesport in the 2 Mansfield Conference room, from 1-3pm. Free parking and no cost to participants. Contact June Hancock for information or to register at (412) 664-2057.

Annual Acolyte/Youth Convention - 9th annual retreat on Wed. & Thurs., June 23 & 24. Cost is free for all St. John's parish youth. This event is heavily attended by our youth & teens, and well-chaperoned by area parents. Fun activities, meeting new friends, outdoor games, swimming, cook-out, food & more food, a souvenir T-shirt are all included in this 2-day event. All youth attending MUST have a medical form filled out prior to event. Deadline for application is June 10th. Packets are already being sent out, please contact Father Gregory for additional forms or information. Our kids work hard all year. This is their opportunity to kick back, relax & meet other great kids. Please call Father Mike Polosky at (724) 266-2262 or email: sspandp@aol.com for more information. We look forward to seeing you there!

Many thanks to Sts. Peter & Paul - many people worked hard to make 500 stuffed cabbage rolls for the LUC Convention! The LUC and those who attended this event are very grateful!

Congratulations & Prayers for Zach Lehman - Zach makes his 1st Holy Confession & Solemn Communion this Sat. evening, May 15 at Sts. Peter & Paul in Wilmerding. He works hard dedicating his time as the Acolyte at his parish and is heavily involved with his Boy Scout troop in his spare time. Please remember this wonderful young man in your prayers as he completes his final sacrament of initiation into the Church! Mnohaya Leeta, Zach!

Week of April 18 to 24th

2010-04-19T13:42:00.003-04:00

Annual Pascha Dinner - Thank you to all who attended our parish Easter dinner this Sunday! An enjoyable time was had by all. It was nice to see so many parishioners, their guests, and Brothers of the Holy Spirit at this favorite event. A special acknowledgement to all volunteers who worked so hard to make the dinner such a success, and to those who donated baked goods for dessert!

Food Drive - The US Post Office is assisting in a non-perishable Food Drive on Saturday, May 8. Please place non-perishable food items for donation by your mailbox for your letter carrier to pick up for your local food bank. Let's help our community as best we can!

Eparchial Capital Campaign - As of March 18, 2010, Bishop John Bura of our Eparchy has sent a letter of appeal to all parishes: "...The needs of the Eparchy are great and assessments from some parishes are either incomplete or delinquent. The Eparchy cannot operate without your support. I ask you to help make this campaign a success." Father Gregory asks us to do the best we can to help our Diocese and His Grace Bishop John at this hour of need. Envelopes have been included in weekly bulletins for this special collection.

Bereavement Support Group - 6 consecutive Thursday meetings sponsored by UPMC McKeesport, starting April 22 through May 27. From 1-3pm in the 2 Mansfield COnference Room. Free Parking & no cost for participants. Please contact June Hanecek at 412-664-2057 to register or for more information.

Ukrainian Selfreliance of Wstn. PA Federal Credit Union - 36th Annual Meeting on Sunday April 25, at 3pm. To be held at St. George's Ukr. Cath. Church at 3455 California Ave. Pgh 15212 (Northside). Meeting & Elections followed by dinner. Members=free, non-members=$10. For dinner reservations call 412-481-1865.

Vespers for Eastertide - featuring Ambrose Romanos Singers, at Faith Lutheran Church on Wed. April 28 at 7pm. Faith church is located on 1656 Lincoln Way in White Oak, phone 412-673-2296.

Pyrohy Dates - remaining days are Fri. 04/23, 05/07, 05/21 for the season. $8/dozen. Please contact church hall at 412-678-2206 to order.

News for Holy Week 03/28-04/04

2010-03-29T11:26:00.002-04:00

Congratulations to Mary Hankewycz & Maria Morozowich for making their Sacrament of First Holy Confession on Palm Sunday!!

Holy week Schedule - Please refer to the Calendar of Events or the weekly bulletin for the latest times for Liturgies and services. There is no 9am Divine Liturgy for Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday.

Good Samaritan Bake Sale - if youordered baked goods, Brother Ambrose will have them available for pick-up after 12noon today, Monday the 29th.

Bereavement Support Group - From April 22 - May 27, 1-3pm in the 2 Mansfield Conference Room of UPMC McKeesport. Free parking and no charge to attend. The series will run 6 consective Thursdays. For more information please contact June Hanecek at 412-664-2057.

Annual Parish Paska Dinner - in St. John's church hall on Sunday April 18th immediately following a special Divine Liturgy at 11:30 am (dinner would begin at 12:45). No tickets sold at the door, so please purchase yours before weekend of 04/18. Adults=$8 and Kids (under 10)=$4. Donations of cash or baked goods to help defray cost would be greatly appreciated (a sign-up sheet for baked items is in the vestibule).

Stuffed Cabbage Sale - Sunday April 18th, cost of $1.50 each. An order sheet is available in the vestibule. Orders may be picked up by dinner guests after the Paska dinner, all others between 2-3pm. Thank you kindly in advance fo your generous support!

Pyrohy Schedule - 3 dates left to order our delicious pyrohy before the kitchen closes for the summer: April 23, May 7 & May 21. Please call the church hall at 412-678-2206 to order 1-2 days before main sale day on Friday.

News for Week of March 14

2010-03-15T14:52:00.003-04:00

Sunday, April 18th - Annual Paska Dinner. Immediately following a 11:30am Divine Liturgy. Please note the change in time & traditional date! This will be held 2 weeks after Easter Sunday, following a special liturgy time. No tickets will be sold at the door. Cost is $8/adults and $4/kids under 10. Take-outs will be available & tickets will be sold after regular Divine Liturgy. (A stuffed cabbage sale will also be held the same day, see below for details.)

Sunday April 18th - Stuffed Cabbage Sale! Cost $1.50 each, an order sheet will be in the vestibule of the church. Anyone attending the Paska Dinner can pick up their holuptsi order at the end of the dinner. with all other orders available between 2-3pm.

Spring Pyrohy Schedule - Only 4 dates left: March 26, April 23, May 7 & 21.

Saturday March 27 & Sunday March 28th - Easter Bake Sale! Good Samaritan parish in Ambridge is holding a special baked goods sale. Your order can be delivered to McKeesport (please indicate St. John's & Brother Ambrose) for pick-up on Monday March 29th after 12 noon. To order phone: 724-266-6887 or 724-266-2079. Prices are as follows:
Whole Nut, Apricot or Poppyseed Roll = $11
Half Nut, Apricot or Poppyseed Roll = $6
Whole Lekvar (Prune) Roll = $11
Orders need to be in ASAP!

Stations of the Cross - Every Wednesday at 6pm throughout Lent. Children are always welcome to attend with their parents!

News for Week of February 21

2010-02-24T18:09:00.006-05:00

February 26th: Pyrohy Sale
Please place your orders for our delicious home-made pyrohy! Call the church hall at 412-678-2206 on Wed. or Thursday before the main sale day on Friday. Volunteers are always welcomed and can get a dozen pyrohy for just $1 for lending a helping hand.

Stations of the Cross: held every Wednesday at 6pm throughout the Great Fast. Please join us for a ideal way to get away from your daily stress, for some refreshing meditative prayer.

March 5th thru March 7th: Combined LENTEN MISSION!
Rev. Fr. Adalbert Wolski, TOR, will be the mission director/presenter, conducting Lenten sermons & the opportunities for Holy Confession. We look forward to having you join us next weekend! See schedule below:
Friday, March 5th - Penitential Service at St. John the Baptist at 7pm.
Saturday, March 6th - All Souls' Saturday at St. John's at 9am
" - Divine Liturgy at St. John's at 4pm
" - Divine Liturgy & Confessions at Sts. Peter&Paul at 6pm
Sunday, March 7th - Divine Liturgy at St. John's at 9:30am
" - Divine Liturgy & Confessions at St. Demetrius at 11:30am

News for Week of Feb. 07

2010-02-10T15:06:00.002-05:00

St. Valentine's Day Spaghetti Dinner - at St. George's church on the Northside (3455 California Avenue) from 12-4pm! Adults just $7 and kids (12 & under) only $5. Eat-in & Take-out available.

Ukrainian Merchandise Sale - weekend of Feb. 20th & 21st, following the Sat. 4pm and Sun. 9:30am Divine Liturgy in St. John's Church Hall. A variety of delightful merchandise will be on hand for sale: CDs, DVDs, Books, Greeting Cards, Clothing Accessories, Embroidery & Crafts and more!!!
A percentage of the sales will also be donated to our church, we encourage you to take advantage of this exciting pre-Pascha event. Complimentary refreshments & pastries will be served during the sale. Come on out & get "Ukrainianized"!

News for Week of January 31, 2010

2010-01-31T18:37:00.008-05:00

Tuesday, Feb. 2nd - Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple is a Holy Day. Divine Liturgy will be held at 9am at St. John's, 11am at Sts. Peter&Paul in Wilmerding, and 7pm at St. Demetrius in Jeannette. Blessing of candles will follow all liturgies.

Tuesday Feb. 2nd - Ukrainian Cultural Trust Choir opens its doors to new voices! Practice begins this Tuesday from 7 - 9pm at the Ukrainian Hall in Carnegie for the upcoming concert on March 21. For information & directions please contact Dorothy Waslo at 412 - 487 - 0208. Carpool is available is needed. We look forward to seeing you at practice!

Saturday, Feb. 6th - All Souls Saturday. If you have deceased loved ones whose names you wish to commemorate, you may use "special intention" envelopes in your weekly packet to list the names & place them in the collection basket. The other All Souls Saturdays are: 02/27, 03/06, 03/13, 05/22.

Sunday Feb. 14th - St. Valentine's Spaghetti Dinner! St. George's on the Northside cordially invites you to their annual spaghetti dinner in the church hall. Cost is just $7 for adults and $5 for kids (12 and younger). Time: 12 - 4pm. Enjoy a delicious meal & ethnic bake sale. Eat-in or Take-out available! Location: 3455 California Avenue in Pgh., just off Ohio River Blvd.

Sunday Feb. 21st - All You Can Eat Spaghetti Dinner! Holy Trinity in Carnegie cordially invites you to their pasta dinner with mouth-watering meals served from 12 - 5pm. Cost is just $8 for adults & $4 for kids (6-12). Location is 726 Washington Ave. in Carnegie.

Sunday, March 14th - The Spirituality of Caregiving! St. Angela Merici Caregiver Outreach Program continues its series on Understanding the Aging Process. Location is White Oak Borough Bldg. on 2280 Lincoln Way in White Oak (handicapped parking available). Time:1-3pm. The featured Guest Speaker will be retired chaplain, professor & author Dr. Richard L. Morgan. Reserve your seat today for this engaging & rewarding presentation! Please phone for seating reservations by calling 412 - 672 - 9641.

Last but not least...St. John's has your annual contributions available for your 2009 taxes. Please call the office at 412 - 672 - 0923 for your copy.

News for Week of January 3, 2010

2010-01-03T15:49:00.008-05:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! On behalf of St. John's pastor, Father Gregory Madeya, may you & your loved ones be blessed with good health, peace, and happiness in 2010. It's a new year - let the love of Christ shine through you in everything you do!

Christmas Collection: A heart-felt thank you for your kind & generous gifts to the Church for Christmas. Your gifts to the Lord in honor of His Birth amounted to $3,411.00!

Wow - a lot of news this week, so fasten your safety belts and let's go!

2010 Church Envelopes & Calendars are available & located in back of the church. Please pick your box as soon as possible. If you know someone who is unable to pick theirs up, would you please take their box to them?

January 6th: Holy Day of Obligation - Wed. January 6th is the Feast of the Theophany.
Vigil Liturgy held at Sts. Peter & Paul in Wilmerding at 6pm on Tuesday.
Divine Liturgy at St. John's at 10am, & at St. Demetrius in Jeannette at 7pm* on Wednesday. Please bring along a container for holy water!

*100th Anniversary of St. Demetrius parish in Jeannette!!
Divine Liturgy for Theophany at 7pm also marks the exact 100th anniversary of the very 1st Liturgy held at St. Demetrius. Please come and help them celebrate their Centennial milestone!

January 10th: Testimonial Dinner for Bishop Robert Moskal at the Airport Marriott Hotel in Coraopolis. Reception is at 1:30, followed by dinner at 2:30. Tickets are $35 each. For more informatin or reservations, please contact Luba Hlutkowsky (412) 279-7377.

January 10th: Ukrainian Cultural Trust Choir Christmas Concert in Arnold at 3pm at Holy Virgin Ukrainian Orthodox Church on 1701 Kenneth Avenue. Come & let their melodious voices lift your spirit!

January 10th: Youth Catechism has resumed it's regular weekly schedule of Sundays at 10:45-11:30am, immediately following Divine Liturgy. All youth are encouraged to attend, and newcomers are always warmly welcomed. Learn about our Faith, have fun socializing with others & enjoy light refreshments in a comfortable atmosphere. (Bibles & notebook material provided)

January 13th: Pro-Life Prayer Vigil - Sts. Peter & Paul in Ambridge is sponsoring a Prayer Service on Wed. Jan. 13 at 6pm. It will be held at the Gazebo in the Park on 11th & Merchant Streets. All parishioners of the Pgh. Deanery are strongly urged to participate in this worthwhile service. Please plan to attend & pray for the unborn!
The vigil will start at the Gazebo and a candle-lit procession will proceed down Main St. to the church. A small reception will follow in the church hall.

January 15th: 2010 Pyrohy schedule - please check the parish website calendar for upcoming dates. Our popular pyrohy are now $8/dozen, please place orders on Wed & Thurs, mornings before sale at (412) 678-2206. Thank you as always for your ongoing support!

January 16th (Saturday): 20th Annual Malanka at the Ukrainian-American Club from 7pm-1am. The club is located at Mansfield Blvd. & Walnut St. in Carnegie. Best American top-40's and Ukrainian dance music provided by Fred Yasnowsky & his Musical Collection Band from 9pm-1am.
Pre-paid tickets available through Mon. Jan 11, and are $15. Tickets at the door are $20. Children up to college youth are just $1! Ala carte kitchen begins at 7pm. Ethnic Entertainment by "4th Wave" featuring a traditional Ukrainian Vertep will also be part of the celebration!
Tickets can be purchased by contacting Halyna Lutsiv (412)481-1865 / Kristina Szmul (412)882-4465 / the Honchars (412) 429-1536, available on a first called, first reserved basis.

2010 Religious Tours through Church of the 7 Dolors in Yukon, PA: For a packet of information & dates on any tour please contact (724)722-3141 or padre16201@yahoo.com.
February - Holy Land Tour "in the Foorsteps of Jesus" to Bethlehem, Nazareth, Cana, Dead Sea, Tiberius, Mt. Tabor, Holy Sepulchre.
March - Fatima, Portugal as well as Lisbon, Coimbra and other sites associated with Fatima.
May & July - Oberammergau for the "once every 10 years" Passion play performance. Also included are tours of Bavaria, Switzerland & Austria.

2009-12-14T16:05:00.003-05:00

Christmas Penitential Services - Wednesday at 6:30pm -8pm here at St. John's. Several priests will be on hand to hear your confession. On Thursday Father Gregory will be at St. Demitrius' church in Jeannette for confessions at 6:30pm before the 7pm Divine Liturgy. Lighten your spirit through this beautiful Sacrament of Reconciliation!

Church Decoration - Wednesday evening after the Penitential Service is over, please donate a few minutes to help out with decorating the church for Christ's Holy Birth! Your assistance is greatly appreciated!

Auberle - this is the last week to donate your gifts to Auberle. If you have lost your ticket #, never fear, we have a master-list at the church office to help you. All gifts are asked to be delivered to St. John's by Friday, Dec. 18th. God bless you for supporting this worthy cause!

News for Week of December 6th

2009-12-07T14:58:00.002-05:00

THANK YOU to all who attended our St. Nicholas Feastday celebration! VERY SPECIAL THANKS to Father Gregory & Rene Karnash for creating a wonderful musical selection, to Brother Ambrose BHS for obtaining the donation of delicious baked goods from The Ultimate Pastry Shop in Sewickly (fabulous), to Jake our custodian for another outstanding job in setting up the lights & beautiful Manger Scene, and of course to St. Nicholas who took time out of his busy schedule to visit all the good girls & boys in our parish!
All those who attended enjoyed a great way to get into the Christmas spirit! Check out the pics in our Photo Gallery soon. It was a great way to get together, have fun, & catch up with one another before the crush of the holiday season.

DEC. 8th - HOLY DAY!!!! This Tuesday is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception (Conception of our Blessed Mother by St. Ann). St. John's will be celebrating Divine Liturgy on Monday evening at 6pm and Tuesday at 9am. Also on Tuesday, our sister parishes: Sts. Peter & Paul in Wilmerding at 11am, and St. Demetrius in Jeannette at 7pm. Please join us in praise of our Blessed Mother's feastday. We look forward to seeing you!

CHRISTMAS BAKE SALE! Good Samaritan Parish in Ambridge, PA is selling Nut, Poppyseed, and Apricot Rolls for Christmas. Whole Rolls are $11, and Half Rolls are $6. Save yourself the work & order some today! Brother Ambrose BHS will be delivering orders for pick-up to St. John's McKeesport on Monday Dec. 21st. To order, sign up at the sheet at the doors of our church, or call 412-672-0923 at St. John's or 724-266-6010 for Good Shepherd's church hall, and tell them Br. Ambrose send you! Thank you for your order!!

PYROHY News - Due to the rising cost of ingredients, Pyrohy will be $8 per dozen.
Our next & last sale before Christmas will be Friday Dec. 18th. Please place your orders Wed-Fri. morning by calling St. John's Church Hall at 412-678-2206. Volunteers are needed & always welcomed on Fridays. It's a win-win situation: come & lend us a hand and we'll feed you lunch and you can get 1 dozen just $1 for helping us! That means 2 dozen mouth-watering pyrohy for only $9! WOW!! We hope to see you there!

THANK YOU! To all who generously donated canned & dry food to the Intersection Food Bank in McKeesport. St. John's parishioners & friends contributed 6 cases of food to the needy in our community. They were thrilled to see your donations & it came at a very tough time for so many needy people. God bless you all for your prayers & generousity!!

AUBERLE Giving Tree - We are collecting Xmas gifts for the children of Auberle. There are 3 tags left, if anyone can open their heart for these last 3 children on your list, it would be greatly appreciated. Whatever you can provide is fine. Please bring your unwrapped gifts to the church with the tag attached, and place them under the St. Nicholas icon near the altar. All gifts must be returned by Tuesday, Dec. 15 so that we may get them delivered in time to Auberle. Thank you for supporting this worthy cause and making a child/teen smile this Xmas!

News for Week of November 8th

2009-11-10T13:21:00.005-05:00

November 15th: This is the Deadline to drop off food donations for The Intersection community kitchen & food bank. Please make sure to leave your donations under the table in the vestibule before/after Divine Liturgy. Only non-perishable items can be accepted. Thank you for your generous support to help our fellow brothers & sisters that must struggle daily to feed themselves and their families! Even one can of baked beans can make a difference!

THANK YOU - to all those who made the Halloween Party a fun time for all! Many, many thanks to those who made donations to defray the cost of pizza & supplies (everything was covered at no additional cost to the church). Our thanks also to those who assisted in the decorating & cleanup (before and after the party), those who brought desserts and other treats, and to of course everyone who attended - without you the party cannot be a party!!

Night At The Races! - Holy Trinity parish in Carnegie is holding this event on Saturday,November 14. Cost is just $10 per person, must be age 18 or older. Doors open at 5:30pm, with a buffet dinner featuring refreshments & desserts. First race is 7pm. There will be a 50/50 raffle & a Ukrainian raffle. Call 412-279-4652 for more information. Holy Trinity is located on 730 Washington Avenue in Carnegie. Hope to see you there!

Can Collection - St. John's Heroes are continuing to collect aluminum cans throughout the year to raise money for various youth projects. We give a very special thank you to Mr. Tony & Mr. Joe Karlinchak, and to Mr. & Mrs. Joe and Mary Sas for their help in making the latest collection our most successful yet! To date we have collected $60 through this drive, and will be using the proceeds to sponsor a child in need through the Cath. Near East Welfare Assoc. (CNEWA). Thank you for helping us to help others in need!

News for Week of October 25th

2009-10-28T10:07:00.005-04:00

Parish Halloween Party !- Sunday, November 1 from 3-5pm. The event will be held in the church hall. All parishioners (children & adults) and their families & friends are invited to attend this fun celebration! Costume dress is for anyone, but not mandatory. Games, treats, prizes, raffles are always part of the fun. Plus delicious pizza & desserts, and plenty of refreshments will be served. Donations of snacks, soft drinks, etc to help defray cost are always appreciated. The Steelers are taking the week off, so come on out and join in the fun here! It's a great time to be enjoyed by all!

Thanksgiving Food Drive - benefitting The Intersection community food bank, in McKeesport. St. John's "Heroes" (our parish youth) will be collecting non-perishable food for the next several weeks. Please be thoughtful of others who are struggling hard to feed their families 3 meals a day in our area, and give generously to this worthwhile community service - even 1 can of food or 1 box of pasta can make a huge difference to someone in need! Donations will be accepted until Nov. 15.

St. George's "Antique Road Show" - Sunday November 1 from 12-3pm. Bring in your precious treasures to St. George's Church Hall where they will be appraised by licensed auctioneer, Linda Hunkele! The cost for appraisal is just $5 per item, or 2 items for $8. A perfect opportunity to find out the worth of that item you've had for all those years on the shelf or in the attic. Delicious foods & baked goods galore will also be on hand for sale. St. George's is on California Avenue in the Northside. Call (412) 766-8801 for information and directions.

Tamburitzan Concert - Sunday, Nov. 1 at 2pm in McKeesport Area High School. Penn Sembles Adult Tamburitzans 40th anniversary concert invites you for an afternoon of entertainment, music and dancing. Concert/Dance tickets are only $7/person, and are available to purchase in advance or at the door Please contact Paula Puskaric at (412) 673-6375 for more information.

News for week of September 27th

2009-09-29T16:51:00.004-04:00

Events for the coming Week:

1. Saturday, October 3rd at 11 am- Blessing of Pets! Join us with that special member of the family in the parking lot behind the church. If the weather is poor we will still have the blessing in the rectory garage. All fish, frogs, cats, mice, hamsters, dogs, birds, bunnies, turtles etc are welcome, and are to be under control in a safe, responsible manner please. We hope to see you & your friend there!

2. Saturday, October 3rd from 10-3 pm - Ethnic Food Festival at St. Demetrius! Get your fill of delicious home-made favorites from our sister parish in Jeannette to eat-in or take out. There will be tasty baked goodies, lots of heart-warming dishes, and fun raffles as well. St. Demetrius is located on 1015 Gaskill Avenue Jeannette, PA 15644. Please find parking along the streets in front and behind the church. Call Kay at 724-523-4515 or the Church hall at 724-523-2111 for more information. Bring your appetite!!

3. 71st LUC CONVENTION from Oct. 9-11 - Location is Ramada Inn & Conference Center in Greentree, PA. The League of Ukrainian Catholics is hosting their annual convention, themed "Christ Lives In Me!" Check out the details on their website: http://www.luc.netne.net/ ! You do not need to be a member of the LUC in order to attend. Guest speakers will include His Grace Bishop Nicholas Samra, Sister Ann Laszok OSBM, Stephen Haluszczak, and Msgr. George Appleyard. Entertainment over the weekend will be provided by St. George's Religious Edu. Children, Poltava Ukrainian Dance Company and The Continental Dukes Band. Hotel reservations can be made by calling 412-922-8100 and asking for a LUC Convention room rate of $89/night. We hope to see you there!

Old News:

A huge THANK YOU to all those who helped to make the 3 Church Yard Sale another success! For those parishioners who helped set up tables and spaces, to those who donated items, helped with the sale itself and the clean-up, those who donated & cooked the food, and of course to the wonderful vendors, we offer our gratitude. We raised over $600 from the sale!

Iconography Class on November 6-8 at Holy Trinity Byzantine Catholic Church in Wall, PA. This is for beginner’s level for adults. You will write an icon of Christ the Teacher, on an 8 X 10 gesso covered board. Using a pre-prepared prototype, you will learn techniques for faces, garments, gilding and background.The theology of iconography and specifically Jesus Christ will also be presented. The class will be Friday evening, all day Saturday & Sunday (noon until finishing). You must be able to attend all three days to have a completed icon. There will be the opportunity to attend Liturgy Sunday morning at 9:00.The cost of $95.00 will cover all supplies: an 8 X 10 gesso board, paints, brushes, gold leaf, polyurethane and miscellaneous supplies. A lunch will be provided on Saturday as well as coffee and tea on all days. A deposit of $25.00 is required and the class will be limited to 20 people.
For further information, please call Marylyn Barone at 412-678-9453 or email her at mwbarone@comcast.net.

News for Week of September 13th

2009-09-19T05:41:00.003-04:00

3-CHURCH YARD SALE this Saturday, Sept 19 , from 8am-12:30pm!!
Don't forget to stop by and see all the great items for sale at this popular event!
All 3 churches are located directly across from the McKeesport High School on Eden Park Boulevard: Hungarian Reformed, Holy Family Nat'l. Catholic & St. John's Ukrainian Catholic. Many vendors will be there to sell their wares as well. We look forward to seeing you there!

Hungry? All 3 churches will also offer various drinks, baked goods, hot dogs or hamburgers for sale. So after you load up on our fantastic bargains, get a delicious snack or two to take home.

News for week of Sept. 6th

2009-09-08T12:46:00.004-04:00

Please refer to past news blogs aswell as this week's, so as not to miss out on events.

Ethinic Food Festival - at our sister parish, St. Demetrius, in Jeannette!!
It will be on Saturday, October 3rd from 10am - 3pm, and will feature Baked Goods, Ethnic Foods, Raffles and more! Call ahead or just stop by 1015 Gaskill Ave. Kay can be reached at 724-523-4514 or call the church hall at 724-523-2111. Eat in or take out. All are welcome!

News for Week of August 30, 2009

2009-08-30T14:42:00.005-04:00

We Extend A Warm Welcome to Bishop John Bura!

His Grace, Most Reverend John Bura is Appointed Apostolic Administrator Sede Vacante of the Eparchy of St. Josaphat in Parma, Ohio. The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, has accepted the retirement from the pastoral governance of the Eparchy of St. Josaphat in Parma, OH, presented by His Grace, Most Reverend Robert M. Moskal, in conformity with canon 210 §1 CCEO.
The Holy Father has nominated as Apostolic Administrator sede vacante of the Eparchy of St. Josaphat in Parma, His Grace, Most Reverend John Bura, Titular Bishop of Limisa and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archeparchy of Philadelphia.
His Grace, Most Reverend John Bura was born on 12 June, 1944 in Wegeleben, Germany. In 1950, his family moved to the United States and settled in Jersey City, NJ. After completing elementary and middle school, he entered St. Basil Minor Seminary in Stamford, CT. From 1965 to 1970 he studied Theology at The Catholic University of America and resided at St. Josaphat Seminary in Washington, DC. He was ordained to the Presbyterate on 14 February, 1971 for the Archeparchy of Philadelphia.
Following ordination he served in various pastoral and administrative positions as teacher of religion and the Ukrainian language and Vice-Rector of St. Basil Minor Seminary in Washington, DC; Rector of St. Josaphat Seminary in Washington, DC; pastor of Holy Ghost Church in Chester, PA and St. Nicholas Church in Wilmington, DE. On 3 January, 2006, he was nominated Auxiliary Bishop of the Archeparchy of Philadelphia and consecrated on 21 February, 2006. His appointment is immediate.

Upcoming Fall Events: 3-Church Yard Sale, Skyblast III, Iconography course, LUC Convention, and other events previously posted are listed below for detailed information.

New Events:

Pyrohy Season will kick off Sept. 25th! Please remember to place orders 1-2 days before sale to ensure quantity. All sales dates can be found in the Pyrohy/Bread tab on the main church webpage.
Catholic Daughters of the Americas in McKeesport Court 221 are inviting ladies to join their organization. They meet the 2nd Monday of the month, Sept-June, at the CCD bldg. of St.Patrick parish from 12-3pm. Call Betts at 412-754-1515 for further information.
Church of Seven Dolors (seven sorrows of Mary) in Yukon, PA is sponsoring several pilgrimage trips to Europe and the Holy Land. Please see past posting for details. In addition, their 100th Anniversary Cookbook with over 600 recipes will be ready for sale in October! Cookbooks are $13 each (+ $3 shipping), or $25 for two (+ $4.50 shipping), or 6 or more for $75 with free shipping. For more infomation, please contact them at 724-722-3141 or email padre16201@yahoo.com.
"I am a Caregiver 24/7, can you help me?" is a St. Angela Merici Caregiver Outreach program that will be held Sunday, October 11, 2009 at St. Pius V Church Hall at 2911 Versailles Ave. McKeesport. The program will run from 1-3pm and the presenter is Patty Aul, RN from Jefferson Senior Services. Parking is available on corner of Freemont & Versailles Ave. Seating is limited, so please call St. Angela Merici's Office at 412-672-9641 for your reservations as soon as possible.

News for Week of August 23, 2009

2009-08-24T15:44:00.010-04:00

3-Church Yard Sale: Mark your calendars for Saturday, Sept. 19 from 8-12:30pm. We will begin to accept donations the weekend of August 30th. All items must be clean and in working condition, no damaged/stained goods will be accepted. Burgers and refreshments will also be sold at our church. If you are interested in renting a vendor table they are $10 a table, please contact Rose Morozowich at 412-601-1194. Please spread the word about this fundraiser!

Skyblast III: Sts. Peter & Paul's Church in Ambridge is sponsoring a night out for their Singles Group! The date is Sept. 26 for singles 35 and over. The evening includes the Pirates vs Dodgers game, Zambelli fireworks and "Foreigner"concert!! A free Pirates cap is included. Cost of ticket is just $17/person. A bus from Sts. Peter & Paul is provided for transportation for $9/person. Please email Nadine Palichat at npalichat@msn.com for reservations.

Religious Tours: Church of the 7 Dolors in Yukon, PA is planning 3 tours for 2009/2010.

Holy Land - "In the Footsteps of Jesus". Dates are Sept. 14-24, 2009

Italy - Vatican City, Rome, Naples, Sorrento, Capri, Amalfi Coast & the tomb of St. Padre Pio at San Giovanni Rotondo. Dates are November 1-11, 2009

Germany, Switzerland, Austria - World famous village of Oberammergau gives the Passion Play once every 10 years. Bavaria also is featured. Dates are May& July 2010

For an information packet, please call 724-722-3141 or fax 724-722-3140. Church Email: padre16201@yahoo.com or write: Seven Dolors Church. PO Box 308 102 Center Street Yukon, PA 15698.

Iconography Class:
Holy Trinity Byzantine Catholic Church in Wall, PA will sponsor an iconography workshop at the beginner’s level for adults the weekend of November 6-8. You will write an icon of Christ the Teacher, on an 8 X 10 gesso covered board. Using a pre-prepared prototype, you will learn techniques for faces, garments, gilding and background.
The theology of iconography and specifically Jesus Christ will also be presented. The class will be Friday evening, all day Saturday and Sunday, noon until finishing. You must be able to attend all three days to have a completed icon. There will be the opportunity to attend Liturgy Sunday morning at 9:00.
The cost of $95.00 will cover all supplies: an 8 X 10 gesso board, paints, brushes, gold leaf, polyurethane and miscellaneous supplies. A lunch will be provided on Saturday as well as coffee and tea on all days. A deposit of $25.00 is required and the class will be limited to 20 people.

For further information, call Marylyn Barone at 412-678-9453 or email her at mwbarone@comcast.net.

News for Week of August 16, 2009

2009-08-18T13:35:00.003-04:00

Hi Everyone!

We welcome his Grace, Most Reverend John Bura, to our eparchy of St. Josaphat! Bishop Bura hails from our Archeparchy in Philadelphia. We pray for his success and for the health of our retired Bishop, Most Rev. Robert Moskal.

Our new & improved website is coming along, day by day. Check back often to see additions.

There are a few upcoming dates & announcements to note:

The Catholic Daughters of the Americas invite ladies to join their organization. They meet at St. Patrick's parish in McKeesport every 2nd Monday of the month at the CCD bldg. from 12-3pm, Sept.-June. Call Betts for more information: 412-754-1515

SAVE THE DATE! Saturday, Sept. 19 is the 3-Church Yard Sale from 8am-12:30pm. Due to amazing success and popular demand, we're teaming up again with our neighbors, Holy Family Polish National Catholic and Hungarian Reformed church for another community Yard Sale. Food & drink will be on sale at all 3 churches, and vendor tables are available for $10. Clean out your closets, attics & garages and bring your new/gently-used toys, books, tapes/cds, clothing, furniture, jewelry, household items, knick-knacks, decorations, craft items, tools, etc. Items may be brought to the rectory starting Sunday Aug. 30. All goods must be in working/clean condition to be accepted. Please spread the word! We look forward to seeing you there in Sept!

Pyrohy season is about to start. Get your finger muscles warmed up for some major pinching! There is only 1 type sold at this point and that's traditional potato with cheese, for $7 a dozen. If you get them by 5pm they're still warm, and we dare you not to snack on one before you get home. Stop by our next sale and pick up a delicious dozen or two or three or four.... Look for the big sign outside our church and visit our webpage for the schedule! We kindly request you call your order in 1-2 days in advance to ensure quantity. Thank you for your generous support!

News for the Week of 7/19

2009-07-17T14:21:00.000-04:00

Hi! Welcome to our new parish blog! Here you can read about all the news for St. John's in McKeesport. There will be other links through the website for accessing news for Sts. Peter & Paul in Wilmerding and St. Demetrius in Jeannette, too.

Check here for the latest happenings in our parish and things like prayer requests, community events, and upcoming parish projects. If you have news you would like to see posted, please send us an email (stjohnsmckeesport@gmail.com), and we can add it here!