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VESPERS / CONFESSION: Saturdays / Eve of Feast Days 6:30 PM 3RD AND 6TH HOURS: Sundays 9:00 AM DIVINE LITURGY: Sundays 9:30 AM Weekday Feast Days 10:00 AM

www.stvlads.com

PASTOR: Rt. Rev. Fr. Taras Krochak 403-241-7742 / 403-264-3437 ASSOCIATE PASTOR: Rev. Fr. Timothy Chrapko 403-453-5407 / 403-264-3437 PARISH COUNCIL PRESIDENT: Joan Popowich 403-932-7724 / 403-264-3437 CULTURAL CENTRE: Michele Faryna 403-264-3437 / 403-264-3437

УКРАЇНСЬКА ПРАВОСЛАВНА

ГРОМАДА СВ. ВОЛОДИМИРА

404 Meredith Rd. N.E. Calgary, AB

T2E 5A6

ST. VLADIMIR’S UKRAINIAN ORTHODOX

CONGREGATION 404 Meredith Rd. N.E.

Calgary, AB T2E 5A6

SUNDAY, MARCH 12, 2017

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Т. 24. – Ч. 27 — V. 24. – N. 27

12-ГО БЕРЕЗНЯ, 2017 Р.Б.

2-ГА НЕДІЛЯ СВЯТОГО ВЕЛИКОГО ПОСТУ

(СВ. ГРИГОРІЯ ПАЛАМИ, АРХИЄПИСКО-

ПА ФЕССАЛОНСЬКОГО; І СОБОР УСІХ ПРЕПОДОБНИХ ОТЦІВ КИЄВО-

ПЕЧЕРСЬКИХ. ГОЛОС 5. АПОСТОЛ: ЄВР. 1:10-2:3 [ЗАЧАЛО 304] І ЄВР.

7:26-8:2 [ЗАЧАЛО 318]. ЄВАНГЕЛІЯ: МК. 2:1-12 [ЗАЧАЛО 7] І ІН. 10:9-16

[ЗАЧАЛО 36].)

СВ. ВЕЛИКИЙ ПІСТ — ДОЗВОЛЯЄТЬСЯ ВИНО І ОЛІЯ

Тропар Воскресний – Голос 5: Співбезпочаткове Слово Отцю і Духові, від Діви народжений на спасіння наше, оспівуймо, вірні, і поклонімося, бо Він благозволив тілом зійти на Хрест і смерть перетерпіти, і воскресити померлих слав-ним Воскресінням Своїм.

Тропар Св. Григорію – Голос 8: Православ’я світильниче, опоро і учите-лю Церкви, ченців красо, богословів оборонче непереможний, Григорію Чу-дотворче, Солунська похвало, проповід-ниче благодати, молися повсякчасно за спасіння душ наших.

Слава Отцю, і Сину, і Святому Духо-ві.

Кондак Св. Григорію – Голос 8: Священний і Божественний орган пре-мудрости, і ясну трубу богослов’я, однос-тайно прославляємо тебе, – Григорію Богопроповідниче. Ти ж, отче, як розум, що стоїть перед Найвищим Розумом, до Нього розум наш направ, щоб ми взива-ли: Радуйся, проповідниче благодати.

І нині, і повсякчас, і на віки віків. Амінь.

Кондак Неділі – Голос 4: Нині

SUNDAY, MARCH 12, 2017

2ND SUNDAY OF THE HOLY GREAT FAST

(ST. GREGORY PALAMAS, ARCHBISHOP OF THESSALONICA ; AND THE SYNAXIS OF ALL THE VENERABLE FATHERS OF THE KYIVAN CAVES. TONE 5. EPISTLE: HEB. 1:10-2:3

[BEGINNING 304] & HEB. 7:26-8:2 [BEGINNING 318]. GOSPEL: MK. 2:1-12

[BEGINNING 7] & JN. 10:9-16 [BEGINNING 36].)

THE HOLY GREAT FAST — WINE AND OIL ALLOWED

Tropar of the Resurrection – Tone 5: Let us, the faithful, praise and worship the Word, Co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit, born for our salvation of the Vir-gin; for in His Good will He was lifted up on the Cross in the flesh to suffer death and to raise the dead by His glorious Resurrection.

Tropar to St. Gregory – Tone 8: Light of Orthodoxy, support and teacher of the Church, glory of monks and invincible champion of theologians, O Gregory the Wonderworker, pride of Thessaloniki and preacher of grace: pray without ceasing for the salvation of our souls.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

Kondak to St. Gregory – Tone 8: Holy and Divine organ of wisdom and joy-ful trumpet of theology, we chant your praises in harmony, divinely-inspired Greg-ory. But as a mind standing before the Greatest Mind, guide our mind to Him, O Father that we may call out: Rejoice, preacher of grace.

Both now, and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Kondak of the Sunday – Tone 4: The

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час доброчинности настав, при дверях суд, встаньмо в пості, принесімо сльо-зи розчулення з милостинями, взива-ючи: Гріхів маємо більше, як піску морського, але прости, Сотворителю всіх, щоб і нам прийняти нетлінні він-ці.

Прокимен – Голос 5: Ти, Господи, збережеш нас і захистиш нас від роду цього і повік.

Стих: Спаси мене, Господи, бо не стало праведного.

Прокимен – Голос 1: Уста мої про-мовлятимуть премудрість, і повчання серця мого – розум.

(Євр. 1:10-2:3) Браття! Ти, Господи, землю колись заклав, а небо то чин Твоїх рук. Загинуть вони, а Ти будеш стояти, всі вони, як той одяг, постаріють. Як одежу, їх зміниш, і минуться вони, а Ти завжди Той Самий, і роки Твої не закінчаться! Ко-му з Анголів Він промовив коли: Сядь пра-воруч Мене, доки не покладу Я Твоїх воро-гів підніжком ногам Твоїм! Чи не всі вони духи служебні, що їх посилають на службу для тих, хто має спасіння вспадкувати? Через це подобає нам більше вважати на почуте, щоб ми не відпали коли. Коли бо те слово, що сказали його Анголи, було пе-вне, а всякий переступ та непослух прийн-яли справедливу заплату, то як ми втече-мо, коли ми не дбали про таке велике спа-сіння? Воно проповідувалося спочатку від Господа, ствердилося нам через тих, хто почув Його.

(Євр. 7:26-8:2) Браття! Отакий бо потрібний нам Первосвященик: святий, незлобивий, невинний, відлучений від грішників, що вищий над небеса, що потреби не має щодня, як ті первосвя-щеники, перше приносити жертви за власні гріхи, а потому за людські гріхи, бо Він це раз назавжди вчинив, приніс-ши Самого Себе. Закон бо людей ста-

time for good deeds has come today, judge-ment is at the doors, let us rise in fasting, offering tears of compunction with almsgiv-ing, calling out: We have more sins than the sands of the sea, but forgive us, O Creator-of-All, that we may also receive incorruptible crowns.

Prokeimen – Tone 5: You, O Lord, shall protect us and preserve us from this generation and forever.

Verse: O Lord, save me, for there is no longer any that are righteous.

Prokeimen – Tone 1: My lips shall speak wisdom, and the teachings of my heart understanding.

(Heb. 1:10-2:3) Brethren! You, O Lord, did found the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of Your hands; they will perish, but You remain; they will all grow old like a garment, like a mantle You will roll them up, and they will be changed. But You are the same, and Your years will never end. But to what angel has he ever said: Sit at my right hand, till I make Your enemies a stool for Your feet? Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation? Therefore we must pay the closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For if the message declared by angels was valid and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great sal-vation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard him.

(Heb. 7:26-8:2) Brethren! For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, unstained, separated from sinners, exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; he did this once for all when he offered up himself. In-deed, the law appoints men in their weak-

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вить первосвящениками, що немочі ма-ють, але слово клятви, що воно за Зако-ном, ставить Сина, Який досконалий на-віки! Головна ж річ у тому, про що я го-ворю: маємо Первосвященика, що засів на небесах, по правиці престолу велич-ности, що Він Священнослужитель свя-тині й правдивої скинії, що її збудував був Господь, а не людина.

Алилуя – Голос 5: Милості Твої Господи, повік оспівуватиму, з роду в рід оповім істину Твою уста-ми моїми.

Стих: Бо Ти сказав: Повік збудується милість, на небесах утвердиться Істина Твоя.

Алилуя – Голос 2: Уста праведного виголошують мудрість і язик його про-мовлятиме присуд.

(Mk. 2:1-12) Коли ж Він по кількох днях прийшов знов до Капернауму, то чутка пішла, що Він удома. І зібралось багато, аж вони не вміщалися навіть при дверях. А Він їм виголошував сло-во. І прийшли ось до Нього, несучи роз-слабленого, якого несли четверо. А що через народ до Нього наблизитися не могли, то стелю розкрили, де Він був, і пробравши, звісили ложе, що на ньому лежав розслаблений. А Ісус, віру їхню побачивши, каже розслабленому: Від-пускаються, сину, гріхи тобі! Там же си-діли дехто з книжників, і в серцях своїх думали: Чого Він говорить отак? Знева-жає Він Бога. Хто може прощати гріхи, окрім Бога Самого? І зараз Ісус відчув Духом Своїм, що вони так міркують со-бі, і сказав їм: Що таке ви в серцях своїх думаєте? Що легше: сказати розслабле-ному: Гріхи відпускаються тобі, чи ска-зати: Уставай, візьми ложе своє та й хо-ди? Але щоб ви знали, що Син Людсь-кий має владу прощати гріхи на землі, каже розслабленому: Тобі Я наказую: Уставай, візьми ложе своє, та й іди у

ness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, ap-points a Son who has been made perfect for ever. Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the sanctu-ary and the true tent which is set up not by man but by the Lord.

Alleluia – Tone 5: I will sing of Your mercies forever, O Lord; I will proclaim Your truth with my lips from generation unto generation.

Verse: For You proclaimed: Mercy will be established forever, Your Truth will be confirmed in the heavens.

Alleluia – Tone 2: The lips of the righteous proclaim wisdom and his tongue shall speak of judgement.

((Mk. 2:1-12) And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room for them, not even about the door; and he was preaching the word to them. And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and when they had made an open-ing, they let down the pallet on which the para-lytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic: My son, your sins are for-given. Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts: Why does this man speak thus? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone? And immedi-ately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them: Why do you question thus in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic: Your sins are forgiven, or to say: Rise, take up your pallet and walk? But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins -- he said to the paralytic -- I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home.

ПОРЯДОК БОГОСЛУЖІНЬ

Святий Великий Піст — 27-го лютого до 16-го квітня.

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свій дім! І той устав, і негайно взяв ло-же, і вийшов перед усіма, так що всі ди-вувались і славили Бога, й казали: Ні-коли такого не бачили ми!

(Ін. 10:9-16) Я двері: коли через Мене хто ввійде, спасеться, і той ввійде та вийде, і пасовисько знайде. Злодій тільки на те закрадається, щоб красти й убивати та ни-щити. Я прийшов, щоб ви мали життя, і подостатком щоб мали. Я Пастир Добрий! Пастир добрий кладе життя власне за вів-ці. А наймит, і той, хто не вівчар, кому вів-ці не свої, коли бачить, що вовк наближа-ється, то кидає вівці й тікає, а вовк їх хапає й полошить. А наймит утікає тому, що він наймит, і не дбає про вівці. Я Пастир Доб-рий, і знаю Своїх, і Свої Мене знають. Як Отець Мене знає, так і Я Отця знаю, і влас-не життя Я за вівці кладу. Також маю Я інших овець, які не з цієї кошари, Я пови-нен і їх припровадити. І Мій голос почу-ють вони, і буде отара одна й Один Пас-тир!

Замість Достойно: Тобою раду-ється, Благодатная, всякая твар, ан-гельський Собор і людський рід, освя-чений храме і раю словесний, дівства похвало. Від Тебе Бог воплотився і Дитям став, Предвічний Бог наш. Бо лоно Твоє Престолом учинив і утробу Твою просторішою небес сотворив. Тобою, Благодатная, радується всякая твар; слава Тобі!

П р и ч а с н и к и: Х в а л і т е Г о с -п о д а з н е б е с , х в а л і т е Й о г о в о в и ш н і х .

В пам’ять вічну буде праведник, лихої слави він не убоїться. Алилуя, Алилуя, Алилуя.

And he rose, and immediately took up the pal-let and went out before them all; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying: We never saw anything like this!

(Jn. 10:9-16) I am the door; if any one enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hireling and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hireling and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd!

Instead of “It is Truly Worthy”: All creation rejoices in You, О Full of Grace, the assembly of angels and the human race; the sanctified temple and spiritual paradise, the glory of virgins. God was in-carnate of You and became a Child – our God before the ages. He made Your body into а throne, and Your womb more spa-cious than the heavens. All of creation re-joices in You, О Full of Grace; glory to You!

Communion Verses: Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the high-est.

The righteous shall be in everlasting re-membrance; he shall not fear evil acclaim. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Неділя, 12-го березня - Постова Вечірня - в нашій церкві - 6:30 вечора. П’ятниця, 17-го березня - Св. Літургія Ранішосвячених Дарів - 6:30 вечора. Субота, 18-го березня - Поминальна Св. Літургія - 10:00 год. рано. Субота, 18-го березня - Вечірня й Сповідь - 6:30 вечора. Неділя, 19-го березня - Св. Літургія - 9:30 рано. Неділя, 19-го березня - Постова Вечірня - 6:30 вечора в церкві OCA Св. Петра Алеута (1802 - 33 Ave. SW). П’ятниця, 24-го березня - Св. Літургія Ранішосвячених Дарів - 6:30 вечора. Субота, 25-го березня - Поминальна Св. Літургія - 10:00 год. рано. Субота, 25-го березня - Вечірня й Сповідь - 6:30 вечора. Неділя, 26-го березня - Св. Літургія - 9:30 рано. Неділя, 26-го березня - Постова Вечірня - 6:30 вечора в сербській церкві (16025 - 243rd Avenue E., De Winton). Середа, 29-го березня - Утреня з Поклонами - БОГОСЛУЖІННЯ НЕ БУДЕ.. П’ятниця, 31-го березня - Св. Літургія Ранішосвячених Дарів - 6:30 вечора.

ОГОЛОШЕНЬ

ШЕВЧЕНКІВСЬКИЙ КОНЦЕРТ: Калґарський Відділ Конґресу Українців Канади сер-дечно запрошує Вас на Концерт Тараса Шевченка, який відбудеться в неділю 12-го бе-резня о 3-тій годині пополудні в громадській залі Української Католицької Церкви Успення (704 – 6th Street NE).

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ПРИМІТКА ЩОДО СВ. ПРИЧАСТЯ – Св. Православна Церква розуміє Причастя, як повну спільність у духовному житті, приналежність до одного віросповідання, і що можуть приймати Св. Причастя тільки ті, хто є членами Православної Церкви, і які належно підготували себе до цього через молитву, піст і нещодавню Сповідь. Після отримання Святого Причастя, ми повинні залишатися в церкві до завер-шення Літургії. Наше спілкування починається після того, як ми поцілуємо Хрест і отримаємо просфору (Антидор - яку можуть брати усі присутні). Якщо у вас є питання, щодо вищої примітки, або якщо ви хотіли б стати членом Православної Церкви, будь ласка, звертайтеся до о. Тараса або о. Тимофія.

ПОСТОВА ВЕЧІРНЯ: Наша громада буде гостити свою Постову Вечірню в

неділю 12-го березня (сьогодні) о год. 6:30 вечором. З приємністю повідом-

ляємо Вас, що Його Преосвященство, Преосвященніший Єпископ Іларіон, очолить цю Вечірню. Священики та вірні з усіх інших православних церков

міста Калґарі візьмуть участь у цій Вечірні. Ласкаво просимо, щоб усі члени

і прихильники нашої громади взяли якнайчислену участь у цій Вечірні!

DIVINE SERVICES

The Holy Great Fast Begins — February 27 to April 16. Sunday, March 12 - Lenten Vesper Service - at our church - 6:30 PM. Friday, March 17 - Divine Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts - 6:30 PM. Saturday, March 18 - Memorial Divine Liturgy - 10:00 AM. Saturday, March 18 - Vespers and Confession - 6:30 PM. Sunday, March 19 - Divine Liturgy - 9:30 AM. Sunday, March 19 - Lenten Vesper Service - 6:30 PM. at St. Peter the Aleut OCA church (1802-33rd Ave SW). Friday, March 24 - Divine Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts - 6:30 PM. Saturday, March 25 - Memorial Divine Liturgy - 10:00 AM. Saturday, March 25 - Vespers and Confession - 6:30 PM. Sunday, March 26 - Divine Liturgy - 9:30 AM. Sunday, March 26 - Lenten Vesper Service - 6:30 PM. at the Serbian Church (16025 - 243rd Avenue E., De Winton). Wednesday, March 29 - Matins and Service of Prostrations - NO DIVINE SERVICE. Friday, March 31- Divine Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts - 6:30 PM.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

FR. TIMOTHY IS SERVING IN RED DEER TODAY.

PASCHAL CHARITY: This year St. Vladimir's Ukrainian Orthodox Congregation will again be assisting the less fortunate of our local community as well as in Ukraine through your Paschal Charity donations. As we approach the glorious Feast of Feasts of the Bright Resur-rection of our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ, let us remember those less fortunate than we are. A sincere thank you and appreciation is extended to every generous donor and supporter of this blessed project!

A GREAT LENTEN VESPER SERVICE will be served at our church on SUNDAY March 12 (today), 2017 at 6:30 pm. As usual we will be hosting a reception after this service. We are requesting our Parishioners to supply one of their favorite Lenten Dishes for this reception. We require Casseroles or hot dishes, veggie trays, fruit trays, shrimp trays, hors d’oeuvres, variety of pickles. We ask that you bring it ready to serve. Please contact Theresa Klepak @ 403 238-0480 or Ethel Tacey @ 403 934-4688 to confirm what you are able to provide.

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LENTEN VESPERS: Our congregation will host its Lenten Vespers Service on Sunday,

March 12 (today) at 6:30 p.m. It is our pleasure to inform you that His Grace, the Right Reverend Bishop Ilarion, will be the celebrant for this Vesper Service. Priests

and faithful of all the other Orthodox Churches of Calgary will also participate in this

Vesper Service. Being good hosts, we sincerely encourage all of our congregation

members and adherents to participate in this special Vesper Service!

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED for Sunday, March 12, 2017 – Setup, Preparation, and Clean-up. Please call Theresa @ 403 238 0480 or Ethel @ 403 934 4688 as to your availability.

MUSEUM SALES TABLE: The Ukrainian Museum of Canada – Calgary Collection will fea-ture a display table in the main hall today, following Divine Liturgy as well as after the Len-ten Vesper Service & Pot-Luck Reception. Available for sale will be a selection of wall cross-es – some hand carved from the Carpathian Mountains, icons, Easter eggs in various tech-niques, Easter cards and handcrafted beaded jewelry from various areas in Ukraine. Many items will be one of a kind only.

TARAS SHEVCHENKO CONCERT: The Calgary Branch of the Ukrainian Canadian Con-gress cordially invites you to the Annual Taras Shevchenko Concert which will take place on Sunday March 12 beginning at 3:00 pm at the Assumption Ukrainian Catholic Parish Hall (704 – 6th Street NE).

FROM THE UKRAINIAN CANADIAN CONGRESS (CALGARY): “Bitter Harvest”, a newly released film about the Holodomor is showing at the Eau Claire Cineplex downtown until Thursday March 16.

SADOCHOK REGISTRATIONS: Sadochok will be accepting 2017-2018 registration start-ing on March 1, 2017 for St. Vladimir parish members. The 2017-2018 term will run from September 6, 2017 to June 28, 2018. If you wish to be a part of the 2017-2018 term please contact director@ukrainianpreschool.ca We will be opening up registration to new families starting March 15.

MEN’S ORTHODOX RETREAT – You are invited to participate in the 14th An-nual Men’s Orthodox Retreat in Caro-line, AB – March 31 to April 2. This year the retreat is facilitated by Archi-mandrite Philip Speranza on the topic of “Our Purpose as Orthodox Christians”. All ages of men are welcome. Please vis-i t o u r w e b s i t e a t www.orthodoxcalgary.ca/mensretreat for registration materials and more in-formation or talk to Sdn. Ihor, Glen Tacey, or Dan Zukiwsky about the re-treat.

FROM THE UKRAINIAN MUSEUM OF CANADA (CALGARY COLLECTION): The Calgary Collection, UWC, invites you to share a showing of historical and new pysanky in this exhibit "The Spirit

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SUNDAY COFFEE HOUR

The following people have graciously vol-unteered to be our hosts and volunteers for Coffee Hour for:

March 5 – Lydia Scratch & Christie Te-terenko

March 12 – Lorraine Alford & Lori Chomik

March 19 – Marlene Mysak & Lesia Woloschuk

March 26 – Dawn Conner, Daniel and Tara Remenda & Mark Remenda

We sincerely thank our Coffee Hour hosts and volunteers for providing us with this ex-pression of congregational hospitality and the opportunity for extended Christian fel-lowship! God bless you for your generosity and hospitality!

of the Pysanka". Beautifully written pysanky by the late Cester Kuc and eggs from Eastern Europe are featured. We are open on Tuesdays as well as Sundays on request.

DEEPEST SYMPATHIES ARE EXTENDED TO: To the family of Mary Copot upon her re-cent repose. May the Merciful Lord ease your sorrow and grant His newly reposed servant Mary Memory Eternal – Вічна Пам’ять!

SINCEREST GREETINGS ARE EXTENDED TO: Laudie Collins , Easton May and Pat Slusar-chuk who recently celebrated their birthdays. May the Lord bless them with good health and grant them Many Years – На Многі Літа!

WHY SHOULD I CONFESS MY SINS TO A PRIEST? by Father John Dresko

Great Lent is now upon us. It is a time for what Fr. Alexander Schmemann (of blessed memory) called "bright sadness." It is a time, above all, for reflection and movement back to God. Sin, in literal translation, means "missing the mark." Not being where we should be. Where we should be, but are not, is in communion with God. So, for practical purposes, sin is separation from God. And, by defini-tion, separation from God is death--because life can only exist where God is present.

Great Lent is the time when we try to reverse the effects of sin in our lives. We are, since sin came

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A NOTE REGARDING COMMUNION – The Holy Orthodox Church understands Communion to mean that we have all things in common, sharing an identical Faith, and only those who are members of the Orthodox Church and who have prepared themselves through prayer, fasting and recent confession may participate in Holy Communion. Following reception of Holy Communion, we should stay in the church until the conclusion of the Liturgy. Our fellowship begins after we venerate the Cross and receive the Blessed Bread (Antidoron - of which all may partake). If you have questions concerning the above, or if you would like to become a member of the Or-thodox Church, please feel free to speak with Fr. Taras or Fr. Timothy.

into the world with the very first person created by God, "consumers," filling ourselves with everything. Food, possessions, material wealth, sexual adventures, various and sundry substances (not just drugs, but alcohol, etc.) all become simply "ways" to satisfy our urges. During Great Lent, we fast in order to restore the proper understanding and balance between our desires and the basic necessities that God provides for our nurture. Food is denied not because it is bad, but because we only need a little. Food is restored to its proper place.

Prayer, both personal and corporate, is also important during the lenten season. Hunger that grows with our fast should be transformed by prayer into a hunger not for food, but for God Himself, who is the Bread of Life and the Fountain of Holiness. Fasting without prayer is like the man who had the unclean spirit and cleaned it out, but left his heart empty, so seven spirits even MORE unclean than the first pos-sessed him.

But the most personal and difficult aspect of our effort is the journey to the Sacrament of Confession. Confession of our sins is basic and necessary. But Confession in Orthodox Tradition has always been face-to-face -- a hard journey!

Many people outside our faith wonder why we simply do not confess our sins in private "to God." The answer is very simple -- God already "knows" about our sins. Confession is a gift from God that allows us to not only confess our sins, but to receive the assurance of God's forgiveness and the spiritu-al guidance that we need to help us overcome these sins.

Confession is a three-step process. First, we must recognize our sins. As we get "holier," we see better and better how truly awful our life is, how truly estranged we are from God. Second, we must tru-ly be sorry for the sins, and one of the true tests of our sorrow is the ability to confess those sins to an-other human being. We can be so prideful that we refuse to confess our sins because we are worried about what someone else might think about us. Finally, once our pride is defeated and the sin con-fessed, we must try to repent, overcome the sin and live a truly sinless life. Of course, the effort is in the struggle, since we cannot actually avoid acts of sin. But why should we confess to the priest?

Sin is, as we have said, separation. First of all, sin separates us from God. Sin keeps us from being who God intends us to be. The communion with God that was given on the first day of creation is frac-tured by sin, and eternal life can only be granted when that fracture is healed.

Confession to the priest overcomes and heals this because the priest is the sacramental presence of Christ in the Church. When someone confesses to the priest, he is confessing to God Himself, thereby healing the fracture which has occurred when someone sins. Our proper and intended relationship with God is restored when we confess to the priest.

Sin separates us from the Church. When we raise the consecrated bread off the paten just before Communion, the priest says "Holy things for the holy." No one is "sinless" when they receive the Holy Gifts, but when we progress beyond the "daily sins" or accumulate so many of them that our soul is bur-dened, we must confess them to restore our relationship with the Church. Our communion with the Church is fractured by sin, and healing can only take place when we bring our sin to the Head of the

(Con�nued from page 9)

(Con�nued on page 12)

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Church -- who is Christ. The priest is the sacramental presence of Christ in the Church, and to restore unity with the Church, we confess to him.

Sin separates us from each other. Nowhere is the lack of communion between us and God that hap-pens because of sin shown better than in how estranged we are from each other. Sin destroys my rela-tionship with the "other," and Christ Himself says that we can only know and love God when we know and love each other. So many of our sins are selfish, denying not ourselves, but the other.

We must confess our sins and repent of them to restore our relationship with the "other." In the early Church that was very simply done -- you stood up in the midst of the church community and confessed your sin, thereby healing that relationship with others. When problems with that system arose, the priest began to stand in the place of the community. So we also confess our sins to the priest because he is a man, created and fallible just like everyone else -- standing in the place of everyone else.

When these three "healings" take place -- between me and God, between me and the Church, be-tween me and everyone else -- then true healing begins, with the long struggle to overcome our sins and "be perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect." (Source: http://www.holy-trinity.org/)

(Con�nued from page 10)

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UKRAINIAN WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF CANADA - UWAC

Ethel Tacey - President

Tel: 403-264-3437 Tel: 403-264-3437

St. Vladimir’s Ukrainian Orthodox CHURCH SCHOOL

Joanna Calkins - Director

Tel: 403-278-0822 Tel: 403-264-3437

UKRAINIAN SELF RELIANCE ASSOCIATION OF CANADA - TYC

Michael Zubkow - President

Tel: 403-246-1609 Tel: 403-264-3437

UKRAINIAN MUSEUM OF CANADA Calgary Collection

Zennovia Haydey

Tel: 403-238-3071 Tel: 403-264-3437

St Vladimir’s Ukrainian Orthodox CHURCH CHOIR

Greg Syrnick

Tel: 403-461-9771 Tel: 403-264-3437

St. Vladimir’s Ukrainian Orthodox LIBRARY & ARCHIVES

Tel: 403-264-3437

SADOCHOK (Ukrainian Preschool) Ages 3-5

Tasha Drynych & Joanne Inkster

Tel: 403-863-2428 Tel: 403-277-8600

St Vladimir’s Ukrainian Orthodox SATURDAY UKRAINIAN SCHOOL – РІДНА ШКОЛА

Director - Marta Sudyk

Tel: 403-217-3506 Tel: 403-264-3437

St. Vladimir’s Ukrainian Orthodox SENIORS’ GOLDEN AGE CLUB

Laudie Collins - President

Tel: 403-284-3788 Tel: 403-264-3437

St Vladimir’s Ukrainian Orthodox ORTHODOX RESOURCE CENTRE

Annie Kulmacz

Tel: 403-264-3437 Tel: 403-264-3437

St Vladimir’s Ukrainian Orthodox CULTURAL CENTRE

Michele Faryna - Administrator

Tel: 403-264-3437 Fax: 403-264-3438

ORDER OF ST. ANDREW

Paul Amiot - President

Tel: 403-257-5778 Tel: 403-264-3437