Dear people, religious, and clergy, The journey through the Great Lenten Fast is begun. The six week period of fasting with the Liturgies of Saint Basil the Great, Liturgies for All Souls Saturdays, and the Liturgies of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts opens up our hearts and minds to our spiritual need for growth to be able to celebrate Holy and Great Week. Pope Francis reminds us during the Year of Mercy that we are called through works of mercy to go beyond the minimum of the Lenten prayers and services by serving the needs of our families, neighbors, and the poor and those imprisoned.

During the Year of Mercy, we are reminded of Jesus’ words that the Father desires mercy before sacrifices. All our Lenten devotions and fasting are meaningless if our hearts are not filled with love and mercy for others. Lenten prayer, together with being a servant to the needs of others, can lead us to holiness.

Jesus’ words were inspired by the prophets of Old Testament and the Book of Psalms. The prophets called the people of God to do more than the minimum required by the law. The prophetic message inspired from the Book of Psalms calls everyone to pray with a humble heart: Continue reading →

USC Bethany Ministry Welcomes Former Chaplain’s Presentation March 13 The Bethany Ministry of St. Gregory Church in Upper St. Clair, Pa. invites the public to join the St. Gregory parish family and pastor Father Valerian Michlik on Sunday, March 13 … Continue reading →

Archeparchy’s Newest Deacons to Serve Their Parishes in Pennsylvania, Texas Three pious men of the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh were ordained to the Holy Diaconate in January by Metropolitan Archbishop William C. Skurla in two separate ceremonies which took place 1,235 … Continue reading →

“When Pope Francis declared the Year of Consecrated Life, which ends on Feb. 2, 2016, the purpose was to have a renewed look at religious life, for Religious to Wake up the World, to be witnesses of a different way of doing things, of acting, of living. I do believe it has awakened people to Consecrated Life in a positive way, but also as something that has been taken for granted: thinking that priests and nuns would always be around.”

I am grateful to Archbishop William and honored to have been asked to speak on the topic “Family: the foundation of Consecrated Life,” and to share my personal confirmation of this statement. I have been a member of the Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate for 35 years, and my two brothers [Joseph and Basil] are priests of the Phoenix Eparchy and Parma Eparchy respectively.

I am the youngest of the four children born to Mary and Basil Hutsko, grew up in Whiting, Ind., parishioners of St. Mary’s Byzantine Church. My parents are deceased as well as my sister MaryAnn, who died at the young age of 30. We were the typical family: 2 boys, 2 girls, a mom whose occupation was homemaker, as she had to give up her court stenographer job when she married my Dad, who worked at Standard Oil. My parents worked diligently to instill in us the importance of being honest, hardworking, loyal and always to do our best. But more importantly, we – along with other Catholic families in our neighborhood – were reared with the values of Family and Church and they were the focus of how we lived our lives. Continue reading →

Annually hundreds of thousands of people make a pilgrimage to Washington, D.C. to speak up for the right to life of the defenseless, especially those in the sanctuaries of their mothers’ wombs. Part of this yearly pilgrimage is the ‘Vigil … Continue reading →

“In our parishes, communities, associations and movements, in a word, wherever there are Christians, everyone should find an oasis of mercy.” — Pope Francis, Misericordae Vultus 12 MUNHALL, PA — Officially opening the Jubilee Year of Mercy in the Archeparchy … Continue reading →

As Christians and Americans we give thanks that the United States has welcomed the hard journeys of millions, our families among them, who found here a new home. Let us do the same now, and so be true to our … Continue reading →