June 11th, 2022

Christ is among us!   He is and will be!

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

As we celebrate the feast of the Descent of the Holy Spirit this week and the revelation of the Most Holy Trinity, we also come to the end of another school year and the beginning of summer (and heat). Although this will mean many of us will be travelling or receiving guests, some of us will not travel far. Parish life will continue although perhaps in a more relaxed form. There are a number of announcements as we begin this season.

The Saturday evening Liturgy (6pm) was originally a way of offering a distanced and masked Liturgy for our parishioners at risk. Since that Liturgy is no longer well attended and also because our Byzantine tradition does not have a Saturday vigil, the Saturday evening service will be Great Vespers at 4pm. There will no longer be a 6pm Vigil Divine Liturgy. For those of you who are concerned about your well being and health, I will give Communion after Great Vespers to those who desire to receive. Participation in Great Vespers does fulfill your Sunday obligation. Please note that on the liturgical schedule when it lists “Reader Vespers”, that means that a priest will not preside and so on those Saturdays, there will be no communion.

Fr. Elias is visiting his family from June 8-17. He can be reached by email and mobile if needed for anything.

What a privilege to announce to all parishioners and friends of St. Basil the Great Parish, that by the grace of God, one of our very own, Fr. Deacon Brian Norrell, will be ordained to the Holy Priesthood for the service of the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh.  After an extensive preparation and a move to Pennsylvania with Diakonissa Missy, his Eminence, Metropolitan William, has called Fr. Deacon Brian to be ordained a priest.  For our parish, this is an honor and great blessing. One of our very own has been called to serve as a deacon and now priest. We at St. Basil’s also have the honor of witnessing for the first time at our Church, the ordination of a priest, our very own Fr. Deacon Brian.  On Sunday, July 17, his Eminence Metropolitan William will ordain Fr. Deacon Brian to the Holy Priesthood at the 10am Hierarchical Divine Liturgy.  With great joy we look forward to Fr. Deacon Brian’s ordination!  Please mark your calendars and especially bring your children so that we all as a parish family may witness to God’s grace poured out upon Fr. Deacon Brian. Axios! He is worthy!

If you are interested in the diaconate, please speak with Fr. Elias. Next summer a new cycle of diaconal studies will begin. The admissions process is now open. Men who are discerning a call to the diaconate in service to the Church are encouraged to apply. Deadline for registration is July 1, 2022. Classes for the first year of the 4 year program will be held June 18-July 1, 2023 at the Byzantine Catholic Seminary in Pittsburgh. A two week residency is required each year. Please contact Fr. Elias for a registration form and if you have any questions, at [email protected] or 713-256-8953 (mobile).

Fr. Elias is offering an iconography workshop at St. Basil’s. This class will be held on June 20-25, from 9:30am to 5:30pm. Doors open at 9:00am for prayer, talk, discussion, personal assistance and reflection, with group instruction beginning at 10am. All steps will be demonstrated, no artistic experience is necessary. We will paint the Icon of the Mother of God from the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, known as “Salus Populi Romani”. This ancient 7th century icon, once thought to be painted by the Evangelist St. Luke, is much beloved by the people of Rome. It is before this icon that Pope Francis prays before and after every apostolic journey. 

The cost is $200/ $100 children and students (includes icon boards and all painting materials, brushes, etc). There are scholarships available and discounts upon request. Beginners as well as advanced artists are welcome. The deadline for registration is June 16. For further information please email Fr. Elias at [email protected].  The class size is limited and registration is on a first come basis.

The Fast of the Holy Apostles, Peter and Paul, begins on Monday, June 13 (ending on June 28). This simple fasting period, preparing us to celebrate the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, consists of abstinence from meat on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. We are encouraged to amp up our fasting as we can, considering our family life and work. Be realistic in your commitment to this fasting season. As with every fasting season, we integrate into our fasting also acts of kindness and generosity as well as prayer.

From Angela Wynn (St. Basil’s Homeschool Co-op):  All moms and children are welcome to the ByziKids co-op this summer.  We have activities and catechesis for all ages.  If you are interested in attending or joining please text Angela Wynn at 817-937-2839 to join the GroupMe.  We will meet in the summer the following dates in the Parish Hall with lunch after.

• June 17th at 10am: Happy Birthday to the Church & All Saints Party!
• July 15th at 10am
• August 19th at 10am

One final note, please remember to be welcoming to visitors and help them to find a seat or use the book, answer their questions and make them feel comfortable. Also welcome them to the social after the Divine Liturgy. These little seemingly insignificant gestures can have a profound impact on those who visit St. Basil’s.

Please also keep a watchful eye on your children, especially outside. All children should be supervised by an adult at all times. This is firstly about the safety and well being of our children who are such a wonderful blessing to our parish. Some recent damage to the social hall AC as well as a broken window of the rectory, seem to have been caused by play and although the damage can be repaired, those are potentially dangerous situations for our children. We adults all have a role in watching our children so that they continue to be safe, happy and healthy at St. Basil’s.

I wish you all a blessed Fast of the Holy Apostles and a safe and healthy summer!

Fr. Elias