O Holy Apostle Philip,
Intercede with the merciful God
That He may grant our souls forgiveness of sins.
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory for ever! + Slava Isusu Christu! Slava i vo viki
My Dear Friends,
Today’s Gospel has us reflecting on the call of Christ to Peter and Andrew, Christ will walk a little further and call the Sons of Zebedee: James and John. What is striking is that they immediately followed Christ. Those more cynical note that they only left a rickety fishing boat and a few nets… But what counts is that they left all that they had! They left all to follow Jesus who began to preach the Kingdom and heal souls and bodies of all their infirmities – this is at least the last verse of today’s Gospel.
What we can take from this scene is the prompt following and the generosity of these four Apostles. We should also remember that we are still called to follow Christ and thereby sow the seeds of the kingdom. Not all of us are wonderworkers able to heal souls and bodies which is actually the primary work of God, but we can follow as they did. We can always be part of the Lord’s workers through our prayers for those around us and sowing the Kingdom doing good works that others seeing those works will come to glorify our Heavenly Father.
This invitation is especially well timed as we celebrate our Golden Jubilee. The work carries on and we have much to be thankful for and, much to pray for, that through our witness we may bring others to the knowledge of the Father through our lives of faith, hope, charity and joy.
News of the parish: We celebrated our Jubilee in a discreet way: given the obstacles which Covid 19 placed in the way, we were able to celebrate fifty years of Christ among us and in our parish. We were blessed with the visit of Fr Francis Murin and his wife and family. The celebration was not without its snags as the caterer herself had her premises burnt down by arsonists last Sunday morning. I am grateful for her efforts and we should all pray that she recover from her great loss.
I am also grateful for those who put things together behind the scenes. I am especially grateful to a benefactor who provided us with wine for our celebration which like the feast of Cana brought us all together with joy and wonder at the work of Christ over the past 50 years.
As we move forward let us keep doing the good and asking for God’s blessings upon us as we follow Christ. Let us ask the grace to abandon those things which do not lead us to Christ and like the Apostles to follow Him as He reveals His Goodness to us.
Eternal Memory: After Liturgy today we will sing a panachida for Fr Brian Escobedo. All the priests of the Eparchy are still in shock. We saw him at our Clergy gathering last week and toasted him his anniversary of ordination with best wishes for his retirement. (July 1st). He flew home on the Friday and was found dead on the Saturday. Please pray for his wife Pani Janet.
News of my own health: I received a message from the oncologist that he had received my blood work and looked at the results from full body scans. There remains another biopsy on Wednesday morning which will take place if my Covid test taken on Saturday is negative. So far, there is no real change in blood counts and nothing new per the body scans. This would indicate that the tumors are hardly growing which would permit me time before a treatment may start. The final biopsy (Wednesday) will give the specialist options for my meeting with him on 6/30. Therefore I think I can safely say that there will not be an immediate start to treatment.
My Father Abbot will be at a Liturgical Seminar from June 29 until July 2nd, at Menlo Park making a presentation. Speakers include some Cardinals including Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop Cordelione and even an Orthodox Bishop. Since Father Abbot will be in town I will drive to Menlo Park and pay him my respects and present him with the treatment plan which the oncologist will put forward at our June 30 meeting.
Given that at present, the blood work and scans show that there is no need to rush, I plan to honor a commitment I made at my Abbot’s request to preach a retreat in Maryland and visit my other brother monks in Oklahoma on my way across the country. In my absence Fr James Graham will celebrate Sunday Liturgy. This will be mid-July and my last scheduled trip until maybe November.
Please note that there is daily Liturgy every day this week at 6.30 am ADDIITIONALLY, on Friday June 24th we will sing an Akathist to Our Blessed Mother as our share in a global relay for priests which in Roman Churches normally is a Rosary.
June 23rd 5.30 pm we will celebrate a Vesperal Liturgy for those unable to attend early Liturgies in honor of St John the Baptizer.
- Last Sunday’s collection amounted to $. May the Good Lord reward you your generosity.
- Sunday Hospitality: please sign up and cover hospitality.
- Prayer requests. Please pray for peace in the world. Many Ukrainian friends have reached out and asked for prayers. Fr. Brian Escobedo (recently deceased), Fr. Michael, Fr. Marcus, Fr. Chris, Fr. Randall, Fr. Michal, Fr. Patrik, Sr. Patricia, Margaret, Gary and Ingrid, Margaret, Slawomir and Oceana, Darlene, Becky, Alexis, Marion, Curtis, Ronald, Jeannine, Taylor, Lorrie, Frances, Alex, Leroy, Michael, Thomas, Carol, Michael, Jennifer, John, Elizabeth, Judy, Ruth, Dimitri, Christie, Viktoria, Emily, Margaret, Patricia. Nadezda, Dan, Doug. Murin family, Aisha, Faustyna, John, Maia, Najwa, Nadia, Fabin, Nazmin, Deacon Dave, Gene Ford, Barbara, Trish, Fr. Christopher.
- Liturgical schedule
| Jun 19 Sunday | 8:30 a.m. Confessions. 9:30 AM Divine Liturgy | 2nd Sunday after Pentecost. Father’s Day | Tone 1 Cantor Amy Reader Victor |
| Jun 20 Monday | 6:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy | St Methodius, Bishop Martyr | |
| Jun 21 Tues | 6:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy | St Julian, Martyr | |
| Jun 22 Weds | 6:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy | St Eusebius, Bishop Martyr | |
| Jun 23 Thurs | 6:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy 5:30 p.m. Vigil Divine Liturgy | St Agrippina, Martyr | |
| Jun 24 Friday | 5:45 a.m. Akathist followed by Divine Liturgy at about 6:30 a.m. | Nativity of St John the Baptist | |
| Jun 25 Saturday | 6:30 Divine Liturgy | St Febronia, Venerable Martyr | |
| Jun 26 Sunday | 8:30 a.m. Confessions 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy | 3rd Sunday after Pentecost | Tone 2 Cantor Amy Reader Richard |
For Confession, please call Fr. Christopher for an appointment, or come 30 minutes before or after scheduled services. If you desire Spiritual Direction then please see Fr Andrews for an appointment during the week so as to allow everyone an opportunity on Sundays for Confessions. Please consider those traveling from long distances.
St. Philip the Apostle Byzantine Catholic Church 