Resources for the Great Fast

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Hello dear ones, 

As we begin the Great Fast today, we'd like to share a couple of resources you might find helpful. 

"Living With Christ: Great Lent at Home" is a booklet from the Melkite Greek-Catholic Eparchy of Newton that has reflections for every day from Clean Monday to Lazarus Saturday. 

We'd also like to share these upcoming webinars from God With Us Online: 

• A series of talks on the Jesus Prayer by Fr. Maximos, heiromonk of Holy Resurrection Monastery in St. Nazianz, Wisconsin, begins on Monday, March 7th. 
• Additionally, on March 28th, our very own Mother Natalia is giving a talk with her spiritual father Fr. Michael O'Loughlin for God With Us Online. The title of their talk is "Entertaining Angels: The Ascetical Practice of Hospitality."

We hope that these resources will enrich your experience of the Great Fast this year, and that you'll be able to be immersed in the beauty of this season in your parishes and homes.

Pray with us for peace, through the intercession of the Ukrainian saints

We are praying earnestly for our family and friends (and all people) in Ukraine! We are also praying for the people of Russia, especially those who have been detained for protesting war, and for the conversion of leaders. Please join us in prayer and fasting, through the intercession of all the saints of Ukraine, especially Mother Theodora's patron, Blessed Theodore Romzha, and Mother Iliana's ancestors who died for their faith in the last century under communism.

Here is a prayer we found:

Ukraine is a land of martyrs and saints. As the world turns to war and destruction, we call on these holy men and women to stand with the Prince of Peace and pray for us.

Blessed Vasil Velischkovsky and the other 27 ‘new martyrs of Ukraine,’ pray for us.

St. Volodymyr, pray for us.

St. Olga, pray for us.

St. Anthony of the Caves, pray for us.

St. Josaphat, pray for us.

Sts. Cyril and Methodius, pray for us.

Our Lady, venerated as Mother of God at Zarvanytsia, the “Place of Disruption,” pray for us.

Rise up, O Lord! Do not let mortals prevail;

    let the nations be judged before you.

Put them in fear, O Lord;

    let the nations know that they are only human. (Psalm 9:19-20)

We fly to Your patronage, O Virgin Mother of God. Despise not our prayers in our needs, but deliver us from all dangers, since you alone are pure and blessed.

O most glorious Ever-Virgin Mary, the Mother of Christ our God, accept our prayers and present them to Your Son and our God, that for the sake of You, He enlighten and save our souls.

(Kathleen N. Hattrup - John Burger - published on 02/24/22)

Our Winter Newsletter is Finally Published!

 

Our winter newsletter is finally published! It features the life profession of Mother Natalia and Mother Petra, their reflections, reflections about the profession from each of the other members of the community, some photo highlights from 2021, and a recap of our Bridegroom's Banquet. We hope you are blessed by all of our reflections and photos! 

The Publican, the Pharisee, and the Snow Pile

We got a couple feet of snow three weeks ago, and it's kept snowing since. As the snow pile in our parking lot kept growing and growing, our dokimos couldn't help making a meme. 

We hope everyone had a blessed feast of the Encounter of Our Lord with Simeon and Anna, and we're looking ahead to tomorrow, the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee. May we embrace repentance with our lives like the publican and not be so concerned about appearances (as this meme communicates in a silly way).