1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity
3. catholicism

HOLY CROSS
CROSS
ROADS
Beloved Members and Friends of Holy Cross,
Christ is risen! CristoV Anesth!
The brilliance of Pascha and the glorious re-birth of Spring
has shone upon us once again. We rejoice and carry the Light of
Christ in our hearts as we continue to celebrate and contemplate
the incomprehensible works done by our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ for our salvation. On the Sundays following the Resurrection of Christ, the Church directs our attention towards the importance of baptism; being “born-again” in Christ. The theme of
water is introduced into the readings. Beginning with the Sunday
of the Paralytic, the Samaritan Woman, and the Blind Man, all of
these texts involve water. The “living water” that Jesus describes
to the Samaritan woman is an image of the Holy Spirit, satisfying
our spiritual thirst and giving us abundant and eternal life. “For
with You is the Fountain of Life and in Your Light we shall see
Light.” (Doxology Prayer) Jesus is the Light of the world, as we
confessed at Pascha. Jesus, the “Living Water” alone can quench
our spiritual thirst and allow “rivers of flowing water”, that is His
divine love, to come into our hearts. For those who seek Christ,
they will never thirst again, they will not desire or even want anything else, only Him.
(continued…)
MAY 2015
Ladies and Gentlemen!!!
Please join us for a fun, laughter-filled evening on Saturday, May
16 This is live entertainment and Ellen’s first-ever Pittsburgh performance! Please bring your spouse, a date, a friend or a group for a
memorable evening. Please contact Denise Raftis at 412 956-4492
or [email protected] for reservations. Event tickets will be sold
on Sundays at coffee hour.
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Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church
123 Gilkeson Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15228
Crossroads, published monthly Volume 15 Issue 5
Under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of the
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and His Eminence Metropolitan SAVAS of Pittsburgh
The mission of Holy Cross is to keep and proclaim, pure and undefiled, the Orthodox Christian faith and
traditions in conformity with the doctrine, canons, worship, discipline and customs of the Church.
Fr. Michael Kallaur, Economos
Fr. Daniel Korba, Presbyter
Dn. Frank Dickos, Deacon
Nena Jovonovich, Secretary
Office Telephone:
(412) 833-3355
FAX Telephone:
(412) 833-3357
Community Center Phone:(412) 854-6001
Rentals (Mary Kay Tomasits): (412) 831-2525
Office Hours Monday-Friday 9 am - 5 pm
Services: Summer hours from Me-
***Makarias (funeral luncheons) are
now to be arranged through one of our
caterers. Please call the church office.
8:30am Orthros/9:30am Divine Liturgy
morial Day to Labor Day
Sundays 8:15am Orthros
9:30 am Divine Liturgy
Mondays 6:30pm Compline
7:15 pm Bible Study
Weekdays
Saturdays
Vespers 5:00 pm (as scheduled)
Organizations & Committees
See monthly calendar for all services.
Church School Marica Mitsos
(724) 745-2299
Jennifer Liokareas
Philoptochos
Philoptochos
Membership
Elaine Sofis
Connie Carahalis
(412) 344-7046
(412) 561-4783
Circle of
Angels
Carol Halkias
Christine Peters
(412) 276-5002
(724) 693-9290
Garden of Love Stacie Metrose
Didra Kirschner
(412) 833-5164
(412) 561-2892
Greek School
Dena Yamalis
(412) 343-8355
Junior Dance
Chrysanthe Panos (412) 276-0801
Senior Dance
Dimitri Pantzoulas
(412) 494-7430
Choir
Lia Christulides
(412) 561-2070
First Steps
Denise Sokos
(412) 257-1610
JOY
Sophia Tambouratzis
Danna Kontos
(412) 341-3205
(412) 563-2902
YAL
John Giovanis
(412) 448-3030
GOYA
Denise Melis
(412) 341-9264
Golden Club
JoAnna Asvestas
(412) 519-0403
Bookstore
Mary Portellos
Carol Halkias
(724) 941-8699
(412) 276-5002
House Committee
Dennis Kusturiss
(412) 854-4369
Building Comm.
John Conomos
(412) 831-7997
Sts. Mary &
Martha
Adrienne Dickos
(412) 833-4980
2015
Parish Council
Konrad Mayr, President
Ted Sofis, Vice President
Thea Martin, Fin. Secretary
Chris Pfanstiel, Treasurer
Duane Ferencz, Secretary
Joanna Asvestas
Bryan Elderkin
Ponny Jahn
Peter Landis
Stephanie Kladakis Myers
John Orfanopoulos
Manuel Politis
John Popovich
George Sokos
Cathy Terasavage
MAY 2015
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On the third Sunday after Pascha, we commemorate the
paralytic who was healed by the Lord. The commemoration of this
event happened during the Hebrew fifty days; the time between
Passover (Pascha) and Pentecost (the giving of the Law by Moses).
Christ entered Jerusalem during this time of the Jewish festival and
went to the Sheep Gate called the Sheep’s Pool. Built by King Solomon, this pool was covered by a dome that was supported by five
sets of pillars, thus creating five porches. It was called the Sheep’s
Pool because the sacrificial lambs were washed there before they
were offered in the Temple. An angel of the Lord came down at a
certain time and stirred the water, and the first person to step into
the water after it had been stirred received healing from whatever
ailment he had. The five porches were crowded with a multitude
of sick as they awaited the moving of the water. Christ found a
man who had been a paralytic for thirty-eight years and who did
not have anyone to help him into the water. From this fact we can
learn how great a virtue it is to wait patiently. Since God was to
grant baptism, the cleanser of all sins, He desired to work this particular miracle through the use of water that it would be easier to
accept the mystery of Baptism. Christ came to the paralytic and
asked him if he wanted to be healed? The man did not ask for
help, but replied that he had “no man to help him into the water.”
Jesus commands him, “Take up your bed and walk!” Immediately,
the paralytic was made well and he picked up his bed and carried
it on his shoulder and began to walk home. It was the Sabbath
day, the Jews did not allow him to carry his bed due to the rabbinical regulations. The paralytic explained that the man who healed
him told him to do so. The paralytic did not know it was Jesus.
Christ later found the man in the Temple and said to him, “Behold
you have been made well. Sin no more lest a worse thing come
upon you.” (John 5:14) The Lord showed through these words that
the illness of paralysis that had befallen the man was due to his
sins. NOT all sicknesses are due to sin, but to the weakness of our
nature, gluttony, and our trifling deeds. When the paralytic understood that Jesus had made him well, he reported it to the Jews. The
Jews were infuriated by this and sought to kill Jesus, because he
had broken the Sabbath. Then Jesus spoke many things and
showed that it is right to do good on the Sabbath and that He is the
One who stated that the Sabbath should be honored and that He is
equal with the Father and even as the Father works, so does He.
The five porticoes full of infirm men symbolize that the Hebrew race was infirm in its five senses; sight, touch, taste, hearing,
and smell. These were the illnesses of the sons of Israel. They
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were not pure in their sight, for they beheld the miracles of Christ
and disregarded them. They had not taste for being thankful, for
they ate the manna in the wilderness and desired meat. They did
not have a whole sense of smell, for instead of the fragrance of the
Master, they longed for the stench of the devil. Their hearing was
tainted for they listened to the whistlings of the serpents and disregarded the teachings of the prophets. Their sense of touch was
useless, for they called their idols gods and rejected the Living
God. (Taken from the Romanian Pentecostarian)
These three miracles, the Paralytic, the Samaritan woman,
and the Blind-man all happened during the fifty days of the Jewish
festival between Pascha and Pentecost. They are all recorded in the
Gospel of St. John and remind us of the importance of Holy Baptism. Certainly after the Resurrection of our Lord there was an explosion of Faith! The courage of the disciples and their desire to
bare witness to the Gospel of Salvation was palpable. The joy and
excitement of the disciples as described in the book of Acts continues to energize and motivate us to greet one another with the glorious exclamation, “Christ is Risen!” “Truly the Lord is Risen!” For
over 2,000 years (think about that), we have received this “Good
News”, this medicine of Faith and Joy and it should permeate in
the deepest recesses of our souls and illumine all our senses. The
world is lost without Christ! May we bring His Light to all who
seek it!
May our Risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ continue to illumine and shine His grace upon us!
With love and prayers,
Fr. Michael
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Inspirational presentation on her own iconography by Diane Hoenig
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Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church
43rd Annual Food Festival
June 10-13, 2015
Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church in Mt. Lebanon will be hosting its 43 rd Annual Food Festival on June 10-13, 2015. We thank you for your past support
and encourage you to participate in making this year's Food Festival Ad Book a
success. We plan on hosting thousands of guests at this year's festival to share
our culture and our faith! Your generous donation will help support this endeavor, allow you to promote your business or cause, as well as support the
mission of Holy Cross!
Please indicate the level of sponsorship and complete the requested information
below. You may include camera ready art and ad copy by attaching with your
remittance. The deadline for placing an advertisement or personal message in
the Food Festival Ad Book is Friday, May 8, 2015.
Should you have any questions, please contact:
Philip Yamalis (412) 606-0092 - [email protected]
-orChronis Manolis (412) 612-8129 - [email protected]
THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY AND SUPPORT!
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Sts. Mary & Martha 2014-2015 Schedule
Theme: The Orthodox Family:
A Dwelling of Christ and A Witness to the Gospel
May 26 ~ Family Beyond the Grave: The Cloud of Witnesses
Speaker: Fr. Michael Kallaur ~ Hostess: Pres. Eleni Kallaur
Food Fair Chairpersons
Much help is needed at the food fair food lines. Lunch time duties are
11:15 - 3:00 and dinner food line duties are 4:15 -9:00. Please contact a
chairperson to donate your time. June 10, 11, 12, 13 are the dates. If you
cannot commit to a full shift, please let the chairperson know what times are
convenient for you, for example, 11:30-1:30PM or 6:00-9:00PM Any time
is appreciated!
Wednesday, June 10 Lunch - Aliki Andrews 412 833-4596
Wednesday, June 10 Dinner- Georgia Burkhart 724 260-5052
Thursday, June 11 Lunch- Terpsie Katsafanas 412 831-2248
Thursday, June 11 Dinner- Elaine Sofis 412 344-7046
Friday, June 12 Lunch- Sophea Chapas 412 221- 8258
Friday, June 12 Dinner- Elaine Sofis 412 344-7046
Saturday, June 13 Lunch- Cynthia Kostelnik 412 833-9423
Saturday June 13 Dinner- Elaine Sofis 412 344-7046
Help is needed in the prep room to prepare salads, pan dolmathes, prepare
gyro sauce June 10-13. Please call Adrienne Dickos at 412 833-4980
We are also looking for strong men and women to carry food pans from
the kitchen to the food lines for lunch and dinner, June 10-June 13. Please
contact Elaine Sofis 412 344-7046 to give your name.
TAKE-OUT at the food fair also needs volunteers. Take-out is Wednesday, June 10, Thursday, June 11, Friday, June 12 Hours are 11:30AM7:00PM Please call Marsha Taylor 412 884-4863 and commit to a shift.
I am hoping that every able parishioner can donate a few hours to helping in
some aspect of our much anticipated food fair.
Elaine Sofis, Philoptochos President and Food Line Chairperson
Dena Yamalis needs volunteers for pastries at the
June 10-13 Food Fair. Please contact her at
[email protected] or 412 343-8355
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A Paschal People ~April 13, 2015 by Abbot Tryphon P
in
Complaining bears the fruit of bitterness
Instead of complaining, do something about your complaints. Make a difference in your life, and the lives of those
around you, by keeping focused on making a difference. If there is
reason to complain, change your complaint into a positive action
that changes your perspective. Complainers never change a thing
by their constant negativity, other than make those around them
want to take a cab to the other side of town. Complaining seems
to many like such a little sin, and nothing to be worried about. Yet
the impact of a complaining heart is spiritually ruinous, for when
we complain we bear bitter fruits that destroy our peace and the
peace of those around us.
When we refuse to fill our lives with complaints, we live
our lives knowing that opposing the evil that is the root of our
complaints, means we preserve our inner peace. Some live as
though avoiding complaining will make everything worse, for by
doing so they ignore the reality of negative things. Yet when we
complain, we are returning evil for evil, and giving the fallen spirits the very thing they thrive upon.
Complaining never changes a thing, but only strengthens
the power of the evil that is the very basis of our complaints.
When we face every bad situation with a positive response, we
empower the heart to good, by diminishing the power of negativity. By keeping a positive mindset, the sin of complaining is banished from our life, and everyone around us is bathed in a healing
and healthy setting.
Most of the world is stuck in Good Friday, but we are a Paschal people, living in the Resurrection. The Elder (now Saint)
Paisios of Athos, said, “A positive thought is worth more than a
Vigil service on Mount Athos”.
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
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Holy Highlights May 2015
(Information for Church School Families)
Important Dates:
May 3rd- Teacher Appreciation Lunch and End of the Year Meeting
May 10th – Mother’s Day
May 17th – Last Day of Church School
May 21st – Feast of the Ascension
May 24th- Memorial Day Weekend
(Catechetical Liturgy)
May 31st - Pentecost
‘M’ is the Million
Things She Gave Me
By Father Lawrence Farley
Readers of my vintage (and historians) will recognize the above
title as the first line in the song
extolling motherhood, with each
letter in the word “mother” standing for a particular maternal attribute. (‘O’ means only that she’s
growing old; ‘T’ is for the tears
she shed to save me, etc.
etc.) The song was popularized
by Eddy Arnold. My own biological mother was a woman of
faith and love, and I will not speak of her here. But I do want to speak of
my ‘other’ mother and yours: the most-holy Mother of God, the spiritual
mother of all who confess the Name of her divine Son. And as the Eddy
Arnold song does for his biological mother, I would like to extol the
Mother of God for the million things that we receive through her prayers.
Protestants have always pointed out in their polemics that the
Mother of God (or “Mary”; they resist calling her the Mother of God,
even though they acknowledge Jesus as God and Mary as His Mother) is
not much mentioned in the New Testament. This is true; she is not. But
what they take as evidence of her unimportance, I take as evidence of her
greatness and her humility. She is not much present in the pages of the
New Testament because she chooses to be not much present. That is,
from the day of the wedding of Cana in Galilee when she uttered the
words to those present, “Whatever He says to you, do it”, she was content to vanish behind her Son. That is, as her Son’s first and best disciple, she recognized that it was not all about her. It was about Him. She
remained in the background, keeping all that she saw in her heart
(compare Lk. 2:51). We see this in the picture of the seminal Jerusalem
10
church offered in Acts 1:14: here St. Luke gives a list of those present in
the upper room, awaiting the day of Pentecost. It included the Twelve,
“the women, Mary the mother of Jesus, and His brothers”. Note that she
does not even come at the head of the list, but in the middle of everyone
else. It is as if she is intent upon disappearing into her Son and His body,
the church. It is this kenoticism, this self-emptying, that is the source of
her greatness—and of the original incarnation of her Son (see Phil. 2:511). The Lord promised that those who humbled themselves would be
exalted, and she led the way in her kenotic humility.
Anyway, Eddy Arnold could sing; I cannot. But I can write, and therefore I offer this poem about my Mother. Through her prayers and the
tears she shed to save us all, may we all reach the Kingdom of her divine
Son.
Three Songs: a Triptych of Love
I: The baby was crying (as all babies do), tiny lungs tearing the still air
of a Bethlehem midnight, inconsolable, wracked with gas or indigestion
or some secret knowledge of Herod’s hooves approaching to paint the
little town red with the spilled blood of prophecy. His mother was singing softly over His tears, a gentle Hebrew lullaby to drown out the frantic
wailing. Joseph was packing the last pan on the donkey, dream-born fears
speeding his fingers as they prepared for their flight. The young
mother’s song was having no effect whatsoever, but still she bent over
Him and whispered the melody like a family incantation, and prayed, and
prayed, and the sweet notes lingered long in the air like a supplication:
the Mother of God, singing to her Son.
II: The afternoon sky was black as midnight as she knelt at the foot of
death and cradled in her arms the nail torn corpse. The blood from His
scourged back stained her sleeves as she rocked back and forth, back and
forth, shrieking like a mad woman, wailing out the grief of the world,
inconsolable, wracked with a sword thrust that pierced her heart. The
sounds she made were unintelligible, but still she kept wailing, still the
sound poured from her lips, like blood from an open wound. The terrible
sound hammered the hearts of all who heard, and men clamped their
hands over their ears to stop the endless lament the Mother of God, singing to her Son.
III: In the high halls, an endless multitude offers hymns to Christ enthroned, crying out with full throats, and the sound drowns earthly sorrows like a mighty flood. One song ascends above the others, humbling
the descant of the cherubim and the seraphim, its victorious notes lingering long over the whole assembly like a pillar of fire. The song is wild as
the winds of Pentecost, a hurricane of joy, an ecstatic storm of exultation,
tearing and melting and breaking the heart, and all who stand before the
throne fall silent as they drink it in, and listen, and wonder, and
weep, and pray that it will never stop: the Mother of God, singing to her
Son. (http://oca.org/reflections/fr.-lawrence-farley/m-is-the-million-things-she-gave-me)
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The Ascetic Lives of Mothers
~by Annalisa Boyd
I heard it said once that motherhood is a type of asceticism. Like
the ascetics, mothers find themselves in a situation that requires
their utter devotion, self-denial, daily emotional exercises, facing
extreme challenges, and much prayer. I have read about the lives of
many saints who became brides of Christ and lived as monastics.
The idea of being able to spend sustained time in prayer or the reading of the Holy Scriptures made me wonder how on earth a lay person—a mother—could possibly contend with this world and reach
that heavenly finish line Saint Paul talks about.
After expressing this concern to the Mother Abbess of a monastery, I was relieved when she responded with this quote.
___Friday Night Social Event Snacks……..…$250.00
___Concession Stand…………….…….$200.00
You greatly delude yourself and err, if you think that one thing is
___Friday Night
Paper the
Products………….…..$75.00
Breakfast
Food……………$250.00
demanded
from
layman and another ___Sunday
from the
monk;
since the
difference
between them is in that whether
one is married or not,
___Friday Night Beverage……..………..…...$125.00
___Sunday Paper Products….…………$75.00
while in everything else they have the same responsibilities. . . .
___Saturday
Eventrise
Snacks…….……..$250.00
Beverage………………….$125.00
Because
allNight
must
to the same height;___Sunday
and what
has turned the
world
upside
down
is
that
we
think
only
the
monk
must live rigor___Saturday Night Paper Products…….……..$75.00
___Coffee Supplies…….………………$125.00
ously, while the rest are allowed to live a life of indolence.
___Saturday Night Beverage…………...…...$125.00
___Bottled water for all Players………$125.00
—Saint
John Chrysostom
When we accept a little child (or bigger one) in His name, we are
accepting the ascetic life of motherhood. The “rules” of motherhood
include the two commandments Christ gave: “The first of all the
commandments is: 'And you shall love the Lord your God with all
your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your
strength.' This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is
this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other
commandment greater than these" (Mark 12:29–31).
How do we apply these commandments to the mothering of our
children? Consider the virtues taught by the Church and how they
apply to your own life. These are spiritual habits we can pursue at
any time. They are tools to help us as we endeavor to “work out our
salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12), both for the salvation of our own souls and so that we may be light-bearers for our
children as we help them walk along the way. Each “rule” is given
with the understanding that you will seek out the guidance of your
own spiritual advisor, the person who knows you and your life and
family situation, for the specific ways to walk forward in Christ.
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The Virtues
Humility
Humility is the weapon used against pride. It is thinking of others
before yourself. You might be thinking, “Wait, I’m a mom. I’m always thinking of others before myself!” I agree. We do spend a lot
of time thinking of our children and providing for them day in and
day out. Humility is tied in with the virtue of happiness. When
Christ endured the cross, it was “for the joy set before Him”(from
Heb. 12:2). Letting our joy be evident as we serve in our homes or
in our churches shows our children the blessing that comes from
service.
Liberality
Liberality is living generously; it serves as a weapon against greed.
Give freely to others when it is within your power to do so, without any expectation of getting something in return. This includes
giving to the homeless, friends, enemies, neighbors, and those in
our own families.
Chastity
Chastity is a weapon against lust; it isn’t only for virgins. Chastity
is purity of heart, mind, and body. This means being mindful of
what we watch, read, listen to, and say. We don’t want to hide our
heads in the sand or make some alternate reality for our children,
but we do want them to understand the world around them in a
loving and godly context.
Mildness
Mildness is used to fight wrath and anger. It consists of kindness, gentleness, and calm in word and action. Whether you have
one child or many children, home can become a chaotic place.
Mildness is closely related to temperance and humility because
it requires a lot of self-control and humility to address the myriad of issues each home faces with kindness, gentleness, and
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calm. Of course there will be those days you are tempted to
lock yourself in the closet and curl up in the fetal position, but
the God of the universe is there on those days, too. As we seek
the Lord, through prayer and the observance of the sacraments,
we can be the calm in our homes. His power is that big!
Temperance
Temperance is a weapon against gluttony. Practicing selfcontrol, moderation, and restraint as a mother sets a good example to your children in how they should approach life. These
lessons are taught each church year through the observation
and celebration of the fasts and feasts. Learning to celebrate
without gorging ourselves helps us to appreciate the sacrifice
of the fast and embrace the blessing of the feast.
Happiness
Happiness protects us from envy. There is a time for great rejoicing and a time for sorrow. For Christians, even the times of
sorrow are tempered with joy, because we know this world is
temporary and we press on toward the world to come. We can
help our children embrace happiness by being, well, happy. We
can be happy because we are thankful to the Lord for all His
blessings, for our family and for how He provides for us. We
can also be happy for how He provides for others. The Bible
tells us to rejoice in the Lord always. Because of His great sacrifice for us, we can truly rejoice even in the midst of trials.
Diligence
We use diligence to fight against sloth or laziness. Diligence is
doing any task (work/chore/job/responsibility) until it is completed to the very best of our ability. Of course, as mothers, we
have times when emergencies come up and plans must change,
but if we strive to set the example of managing our time well
so we can be diligent in our responsibilities, we will find it
time well spent.
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A few years ago I had the rare opportunity to visit a monastery. This was my first visit to a monastery and I was nervous. Reading about the lives of the saints, the monastics, made
me wonder if I would feel discontent with my life after spending time there, longing for the a focused life of prayer and service to Christ.
Standing in the newly built church I was drawn to the icon
of the Annunciation. There was Mary in the presence of the
Archangel Gabriel willingly accepting the call to be the mother
of Christ! She was called and her response made it possible for
mankind to be saved! At that moment I realized that my responsibility as a Christian wife and mother was to be an imitator of the Theotokos. Of course I would not be called upon to
bear the God of all creation, but, I realized, I had been called
upon to be mother to the children the Lord had blessed me
with and He daily awaits my answer. Will I surrender my will
and follow Him as our own Blessed Mother did?
Each of us, mother or not, has a calling to embrace the life
Christ has called us to. We are not forced to submit or coerced
into obedience. We are presented with a question. We are
each asked if we will follow Him. He leaves the answer to us.
Annalisa Boyd has been married to her wonderful husband for
21 years. Together they have 8 children, through birth and
adoption, and have fostered 31 (so far). This is a partial excerpt from Annalisa’s prayer book for mothers The Ascetic
Lives of Mothers from Ancient Faith Publishing. It includes
daily prayers, preparation for confession, a focus on the virtues, quotes from the church fathers as well as topical prayers
from the heart of one mother to another. Some of the virtues
have been modified to accommodate this article.
Please use [email protected] for
ALL church related emails, announcements
for weekly and monthly bulletins, etc.
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55 Maxims of the Christian Life ~Fr. Thomas Hopko
Asked to come up with a simple and concise list of the essence of our Life in Christ as we
struggle on the path towards salvation, he came up with these 55 maxims.
1 Be always with Christ and trust
God in everything.
2
Pray as you can, not as you think
you must.
3
Have a keepable rule of prayer
done by discipline.
4
Say the Lord's Prayer several
times each day.
5
Repeat a short prayer when your
mind is not occupied.
6
Make some prostrations when
you pray.
7
Eat good foods in moderation
and fast on fasting days.
8
Practice silence, inner and outer.
9
Sit in silence 20 to 30 minutes
each day.
10 Do acts of mercy in secret.
11 Go to liturgical services regularly.
12 Go to confession and holy communion regularly.
13 Do not engage intrusive thoughts
and feelings.
14 Reveal all your thoughts and feelings to a trusted person regularly.
15 Read the scriptures regularly.
16 Read good books, a little at a
time.
17 Cultivate communion with the
saints.
18 Be an ordinary person, one of the
human race.
19 Be polite with everyone, first of
all family members.
20 Maintain cleanliness and order in
your home.
21 Have a healthy, wholesome
hobby.
22 Exercise regularly.
23 Live a day, even a part of a day,
at a time.
24 Be totally honest, first of all with
yourself.
25 Be faithful in little things.
26 Do your work, then forget it.
27 Do the most difficult and painful
things first.
28 Face reality.
16
29 Be grateful.
30 Be cheerful.
31 Be simple, hidden, quiet and
small.
32 Never bring attention to yourself.
33 Listen when people talk to you.
34 Be awake and attentive, fully present where you are.
35 Think and talk about things no
more than necessary.
36 Speak simply, clearly, firmly, directly.
37 Flee imagination, fantasy, analysis, figuring things out.
38 Flee carnal, sexual things at their
first appearance.
39 Don't complain, grumble, murmur
or whine.
40 Don't seek or expect pity or praise.
41 Don't compare yourself with anyone.
42 Don't judge anyone for anything.
43 Don't try to convince anyone of
anything.
44 Don't defend or justify yourself.
45 Be defined and bound by God, not
people.
46 Accept criticism gracefully and
test it carefully.
47 Give advice only when asked or
when it is your duty.
48 Do nothing for people that they
can and should do for themselves.
49 Have a daily schedule of activities,
avoiding whim and caprice.
50 Be merciful with yourself and others.
51 Have no expectations except to be
fiercely tempted to your last breath.
52 Focus exclusively on God and
light, and never on darkness, temptation and sin.
53 Endure the trial of yourself and
your faults serenely, under God's
mercy.
54 When you fall, get up immediately
and start over.
55 Get help when you need it, without
fear or shame.
Memory Eternal!
+Protopresbyter Thomas Hopko, 76, dean
emeritus of St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary,
Crestwood, NY, and
noted Orthodox Christian priest, theologian, preacher, and speaker, fell asleep in
the Lord March 18, 2015.
Father Thomas was the beloved husband of Matushka Anne [Schmemann]
Hopko. They were married on June 9,
1963. Together, Fr. Thomas and Anne are
the parents of five children, sixteen grandchildren, and three great- grandchildren.
Thomas John Hopko was born in Endicott, NY on March 28, 1939, third child
and only son of John J. Hopko and Anna
[Zapotocky] Hopko. He was baptized and
raised in St. Mary’s Carpatho -Russian Orthodox Greek-Catholic Church, and educated
in Endicott public schools, graduating
from Union-Endicott High School in 1956.
Father Thomas graduated from Fordham University in 1960 with a bachelor’s
degree in Russian studies. He graduated
with a theological degree from St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in
1963, from Duquesne University with a
master’s degree in philosophy in 1969,
and he earned his doctorate degree in theology from Fordham University in 1982.
Ordained to the Holy Priesthood in
1963, Fr. Thomas served the following
parishes as pastor: St John the Baptist
Church, Warren, OH (1963–68); St Gregory the Theologian Church, Wappingers
Falls, NY (1968–78); and St Nicholas
Church, Jamaica Estates, NY (1978–83).
Fr. Thomas was honored with the clerical
rank of Archpriest in 1970 and rank of
Protopresbyter in 1995.
Beginning in 1968, Fr. Thomas began
his long service to St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary. Over the years,
Fr. Thomas held the following positions:
Lecturer in Doctrine and Pastoral Theology, 1968–72; Assistant Professor of Dogmatic Theology, 1972–83; Associate Professor of Dogmatic Theology, 1983–91;
Professor of Dogmatic Theology, 1991–
92; Dean, Rector of Three Hierarchs
Chapel, and Professor of Dogmatic Theology, 1992–2002.
"Father Tom's deanship was unique in
two notable ways," remarked Theodore
Bazil, senior advisor to Advancement at
the seminary. "He was the first nonEuropean, U.S.-born Dean of St. Vladimir's, and he also steered the seminary
through one of the most successful capital
campaigns ever." During his years of
priestly ministry, Fr. Thomas authored
numerous books and articles. Most well
known of these publications is The Orthodox Faith: An Elementary Handbook on
the Orthodox Church. A prolific speaker
and preacher, he spoke at conferences,
retreats, public lectures, and Church gatherings of all kinds, many of which were
recorded. Father Thomas performed
countless duties on behalf of the Orthodox
Church in America, including representing the Church at intra-Orthodox gatherings and ecumenical meetings.
Upon retirement, Fr. Thomas & Anne
moved to Ellwood City, PA, where they
lived near the Orthodox Monastery of the
Transfiguration, and Fr. Thomas began a
new ministry: internet-based Orthodox
Christian radio talks. Since 2008, Fr. Thomas has produced well over 400 podcasts
for Ancient Faith Radio.
Father Thomas exercised untiring and loving pastoral care on behalf many who sought
him out for spiritual guidance. His greatest
desire was that every person would respond to
these words of Jesus Christ: “Come to me, all
who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give
you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
Father Thomas is survived by his wife,
Matushka Anne and their five children:
Archpriest John Hopko and his wife
Macrina, of Terryville, CT; Juliana and
husband Gregory Thetford, of Ellwood
City, PA; Catherine and husband Raymond Mandell, of Clearfield, PA; Mary
and husband Archpriest Nicholas Solak,
of East Stroudsburg, PA; and Alexandra
and husband Joseph Sedor, of Ellicott
City, MD. He is also survived by two
sisters, Mary Ann Macko, of Endwell,
NY, and Barbara McPherson, of Sayre,
PA, and Frostproof, FL. Additionally, Fr.
Thomas is survived by sixteen grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, as
well as many, many other dear relatives,
colleagues, and friends.
17
Holy Cross
Sun
Mon
Tue
Please visit our website at: www.holycrosspgh.org
for details on announcements and updates on church calendar.
3
8:45 am Orthros
10am Divine Liturgy
Food Fair Cooking
10 Mother’s
Day
8:45 am Orthros
10am Divine Liturgy
4
5
6:30 pm Paraclesis/
Bible Study
7pm Philoptochos Meeting
11
12
Food Fair Cooking
10am Parent Group
6:30 pm Paraclesis/
Bible Study
17
18
8:45 am Orthros
10am Divine Liturgy
10am Golden Club
Food Fair Cooking
6:30 pm Paraclesis/
Bible Study
24
8:15 am Orthros
9:30am Divine Liturgy
Food Fair Cooking
25 Memorial Day
31
PENTECOST
8:15 am Orthros
9:30am Divine Liturgy
Food Fair Cooking
18
19
9-11am Jefferson Cemetery
Noon-2pm Mt. Lebanon
Cemetery
26
7pm Sts Mary & Martha
May 2015
Wed
6
Thu
7
Fri
1
2
GOYA Volleyball
@ Canonsburg
5pm Vespers
8
9
4:30pm Greek School
6:30-8:30pm Greek Dance
5pm Vespers
14
13
15
8:30 am Orthros
9:30am Div.Liturgy
16
7:30pm Philoptochos
Comedy Night with
Ellen Karis
4:30pm Greek School
6:30-8:30pm Greek Dance
20 Apodosis of
Pascha
Sat
21 Ascension
8:30 am Orthros
9:30am Div.Liturgy
22
23
5pm Vespers
4:30pm Greek School
6:30-8:30pm Greek Dance
27
28
29
30
4:30pm Greek School
6:30-8:30pm Greek Dance
Dance
Archdiocese Council—San Francisco, CA
19
Holy Cross Philoptochos - May News Letter
Holy Cross Philoptochos - May News Letter
Twenty six members and three guests attended our meeting on April 14, 2015. We
now have 123 members!
Diane Hoenig gave an inspiring presentation on Iconography at our meeting. We thank
her for her time to teach us about the writing of Icons.
The Syrian Relief Dinner at Holy Cross on March 29 and sponsored by Philoptochos
was well attended with 425 present. Philoptochos hopes to sponsor the event again
next year with a date to be determined.
Popi Hagelios reported that $2805 was profited by the Easter bread sales.
Thank you to our great chefs and volunteers who made the Philoptochos Palm Sunday
Luncheon a success. The food was fabulous and the help from the GOYANS and adults
at set-up, serving and clean-up is much appreciated. $1190 was netted.
Thank you to all who donated cookies, candies and money for the Circle of Angels
Easter gift baskets. Thank you to Carol Halkias and her group of volunteers who visit
the homebound and nursing homes with smiling faces!
Dianne Babb and Andrea Milinkovic are the new representatives from Holy Cross for
FOCUS. Diane requested $500 to help in the blessings in a backpack program which
supplies children with food for the weekend. $6 is spent per child to fill a backpack
with food for a weekend. Food Drives will continue in the spring and autumn and a
back to school drive for other essentials ( toothpaste, shampoo,etc) in September.
Elections of the new board and officers will be held at the next meeting on May 5, 2015.
Members were mailed a slate in April.
Philoptochos and All Saints Philoptochos are planning a fabulous May 16 evening
event with New York Greek -American comedian Ellen Karis performing at Holy
Cross Community Center. Domenica Merante and Denise Raftis will co-chair the event
with committee Elena Peters, Heidi Chakos, Dena Yamalis and Elaine Sofis. Open bar,
appetizers and desserts at 7:30PM- 8:30PM and Ellen’s performance at 8:30PM. The
cost is $60. Contact Denise Raftis at 412 956-4492 or [email protected] for tickets.
Please bring your spouse, a date, friends, or a group for a fun time! Tickets will be sold
at coffee hours on May 3 and 10.
We will continue to embroider names onto the Philoptochos tablecloth for $10.
The Philoptochos Philanthropy Award will be given to a senior at Mt. Lebanon on May
13 and at Holy Cross on June 7 at Graduate Sunday.
Food Fair cooking continues on Sunday, May 3, Moussaka, 11,17, 24 and 31. Please
volunteer your time!
Please volunteer your time at the June 10-13 food fair and contact a chairperson listed in
the Cross Roads. Set-up will be on Monday and Tuesday, June 8&9.
Philoptochos is purchasing a new stove in the main kitchen at a cost of up to $5000.
The old stove will be moved to the old kitchen.
Philoptochos will purchase two tables of eight for the August 2 nd Monastery fundraiser
at St. Nicholas Cathedral at a cost of $1600.
If you are a member of Philoptochos and did not provide your email address and would
like to receive reminders and information, please call 412 344-7046 or
[email protected] We are a great organization and hope you consider joining and
becoming involved! Contact Connie Carahalis at 412 561-4783 or Dora Zezulewicz at
[email protected] to become a member. Membership is open to ALL the ladies and gentlemen of our parish. Your participation would be gratifying and greatly
appreciated!
20
Future Philoptochos and Orthodox Events,
Meetings in 2015, May 5, June 2, September 1, October to be determined.
Food fair Cooking in May, Sunday, May 3, Moussaka, Monday, May 11 Dessert,
Sundays, 17, 24, Desserts , May 31, Lamb
Saturday, May 16, evening event at Holy Cross with Greek American comedian
Ellen Karis performing, $60 Open Bar, Appetizers and desserts, 7:30PM, Performance at 8:30PM, Contact Denise Raftis 412 956-4492 or [email protected]
Please bring your spouse, a date, a friend or a group! Purchase tickets at coffee
hours on May 3 and 10.
Wednesday-Saturday, June 10-13, Holy Cross Food Fair, 11:30AM-9:00PM, setup, June 8&9
Sunday, August, 2nd at the St. Nicholas Cathedral, Fund-Raising Benefit for the
Monastery, $100
Monday, October 5, Michael Megaludis Memorial Golf Outing
Wednesday-Friday, October 7, 8, 9, Autumn Food Fair
Tuesday, November 3, 7PM Membership Social
Tuesday, December 1, 6:30PM, Christmas Party at the Le Mont
Much is planned. Please share your time and talents with us.
I will send reminders via-email and hope to see you at ALL of our events! PLEASE
consider joining Philoptochos!
Elaine Sofis
Philoptochos President
Congratulations to Damon and Carol Halkias, Metropolis of Pittsburgh, St.
Photios Honorees. Damon and Carol were recognized for their many outstanding volunteer works but especially recognized for their dedication to
the Youth Programs. Axi!
June 2, 2015 Philoptochos speaker , Jamie Holmes and Meeting - Save the Date
Please join us at 7:00PM on Tuesday, June 2, 2015 to hear the founder of Jamie’s Dream
Team, Jamie Holmes, inform us of her mission to lift the spirits of those suffering from
serious illness, injury and disability. Our meeting should commence about 7:15PM. I
hope that you can attend and hear this inspirational speaker! This is open to the Holy
Cross community!
Elaine Sofis, Philoptochos President
Circle of Angels thanks all who donated
baked goods, candy or money for the outreach to our homebound parishioners! Thank you so much!
21
Golden Club Members: Please join us on Tuesday, May 19, for
a tour of the Sabika headquarters located in Robinson (with our
very own Parish Council President and owner, Konrad
Mayr). Following our tour, we will make a stop at the Central
Diner for lunch and fellowship. Please meet in the Church parking lot at 10:00 a.m. for travel by van. RSVP to Rene (412) 8313142 or Cynthia (412) 833-9423 to reserve a seat. If not a member, please consider joining the Golden Club. We are always
looking for new members, young and old, men and women!
GOYA making sandwiches for the homeless during Holy Week
22
PASCHA 2015 at Holy Cross
23
Metropolis St. Photios Awardees
Damon & Carol Halkias
Damon and Carol Halkias are native born to the Pittsburgh
area. Together they dedicated their lives to Christ and the Church in
many capacities: singing in the youth choirs (both for their parish and
the regional choir), volunteering to do inner city Youth work, and
later as missionaries doing Project Mexico.
For their parish of Holy Cross, they served in many capacities:
Carol as a Sunday School Teacher for many decades, and Damon as
Parish Council member, President for multiple terms. Both of them
help yearly at the Food Festival. Carol also served in helping to start
the T.H.E.O.S. school, being the main secretary and receptionist for
the entirety of the school’s existence.
They are most known for their Diocese Youth Office work.
Under the direction of then Bishop Maximos, Damon became the first
full-time paid Youth Director for any Diocese in the Archdiocese.
Damon and Carol resurrected the Diocese Summer Camp program,
started a relationship with Camp Nazareth, and grew the program
from one week to as many as five weeks - including up to three weekend Fall and Spring Retreats per season during their time in the Youth
Office. They fortified their work by creating the Youth Commission,
adding an Acolyte Program, Christianizing the basketball tournaments, running YAL Retreats, encouraging YAL chapters (which
hosted the 1989 National YAL Conference), supporting and strengthening the OCF Chapters in the greater Pittsburgh area and throughout
the Diocese.
Through their efforts in the Youth Programs, clergy were ordained, missionaries were sent, monastics were tonsured, servants for
the church were developed, and leaders of the church were trained. In
addition, countless marriages found their beginnings through these
programs. Damon & Carol Halkias truly exemplify the meaning of
the words "servant leadership."
24
Holy Cross Awardees
John Hoenig
Pam Lagios
Metropolis Awardees
Damon & Carol
Halkias
Metropolis
St.
Photios
Awards
25
26
27
Pascha 2015
The urns of lilies by the altar are given in loving memory
by the family of William B. and Ponny Conomos,
and by the Gidas Family in loving memory of Peter S. Gidas.
Wreath for the Nymphios Icon:
In loving memory of parents Ann and George Sweda from daughters Joan & Margaret Sweda
Twelve candles for the Great & Holy Thursday: Nick & Georgia Burkhart for the health of their family
Three candles for procession with the crucified one (Stavromeno) Great & Holy Thursday:
David and Chryssa Schulz for the health of their family
Wreath for the Holy Cross on Great & Holy Thursday: In memory of loved ones from Helen Chakeres
Crown of Thorns (Stefani) for Holy Thursday:
In loving memory of parents Thomas & Mary Savas and brother Billy from Ann Savas
Rose Petals for the First Resurrection Service & Epitaphion Services: For the health of the Krakora family
Rosewater for Great & Holy Friday: George and Maria Fitsioris for the health of their family
Winding Sheet: Gene and Barb Milton for the health of their family
Resurrection icon: from Yamalis Family in memory of Stefanos & Georgia Vlahos and Vince P. Yamalis
Pascha Candle for the Clergy: In loving memory of Sophia Manolis from the Manolis family
Olive oil for Altar Perpetual Light for use throughout the year: Anonymous for health of loved ones Communion wine: Despina Xenakis for health of family and in memory of loved ones
Lilies are donated in loving memory of:
Dr. Thomas and Mrs. Niki Birris from Kathy & Tom Frommeyer
Harry Pappas from his wife Olga Pappas
Sophia Manolis from the Manolis Family
Nicholas and Joanne Petrakos from Chronis, Diane and Joanne Manolis
Tom & Jane Kouris from her sister Athena Kazalas and her nephew George
Angelo & Angeliki Tsourekis from Harry, Genia, Katie & Alex Andrews
Harry & Joan Andrews from Harry, Genia, Katie & Alex Andrews
Anthony Xenakis from his wife Despina Xenakis
John Kazalas from Annette Kazalas & family
Nicholas G. Kazalas from his wife Athena and son George
Cula Melis from her children and grandchildren
Louis Melis from his children and grandchildren
Eugenia Manganas from John and Chris Liokareas & family
Harry Sappas from wife Elaine Sappas
Nick, Angie and George Manolios from Louis Manolios and Maria Slifer
28
Sunday, May 3rd after Liturgy:
Monday, May 11:
Sunday, May 17 after Liturgy:
Pastitsio
Desserts
Moussaka
~ Sacraments ~
Baptisms
11/29 ~ Seraphina Maria Tristano, daughter of Joseph and Larissa
(Melnyk) Tristano. Godparent is Chrysia Melnyk Repasky.
12/6 ~Francesca Rose Tripodes, daughter of Nicholas and Maria
(Anetakis) Tripodes. Godparents are Steve and Rebekah Krakora.
12/27 ~ Evan Peter Sklavos, son of Peter and Martha (Milton) Sklavos. Godparents are Damon and Elaina Lavdas.
1/10 ~ John Nicholas Koutoufaris, son of Constantine and Trisha
(Tessari) Koutoufaris. Godparet is Emilie Liadis.
1/11 ~ Kyle Michael Garner, son of Robert and Melissa (Smith) Garner. Godparent is Eugenia Grekis.
4/4 ~ Nickolas Joseph Mahramas, son of Aaron and Kathleen
(Purpura) Mahramas. Godparent is Demetrios Mahramas.
Funerals
Mary I. Bardakos, 58 on January 19 at St. Nicholas, Oakland
Penelope Karidis, 89, January 23 at Holy Trinity, N. Hills
Christina Koutsouflakis, 89 on February 7 at Holy Cross
Angie Portellos, 84 on March 3 at Holy Cross
William Hart, 90, on March 14 at Holy Cross
Katina Karavas, 100, March 27 at Holy Cross
Frieda Coussoule, 93, March 31, Annunciation, Dover, NH
Persefony Danielides, 78, March 31, St. George, Port Richey, FL
(mother of Demetria Pappas)
George Gatsiopoulos, 87, April 1 at Holy Trinity, North Hills
George Karakis, 72, April 25, St.Thomas Orthodox Church, Fairlawn, OH
(brother of Jim Karakis)
29
Holy Friday with Procession
30
Holy Friday
with Procession
31
32
Please sign up for
coffee hour online at:
www.holycrosspgh.org
WHIRL’s Women in Business 2015:
Meet 99 Prominent Pittsburgh Entrepreneurs
April 21, 2015
By Andrea Bosco
Photographs by Catherine Palladino + Ben Petchel
It’s been a groundbreaking year for women in business in Western Pennsylvania. From small business owners to corporate executives, we’re honored to
present to you 99 exceptional entrepreneurs! All nominated by colleagues,
friends, and peers, these lively ladies had the opportunity to mingle at our
Women in Business event, held at the Omni William Penn Hotel. The high energy in the room was contagious as the women shared stories, mutual networks, and support for one another. As relationships formed organically, we
witnessed our mission of making connections come to life! Meet these deserving leaders below, and read about how they got their start, the best part about
being a woman in business in our community, and their sage advice. Congratulations to our Class of 2015 for rising to the top of their industries!
Three Holy Cross women were selected:
Rachel Gogos
BrandiD
Rania Harris
Rania’s Catering
Vasso Paliouras
Lending Hearts
33
2015 Orthodox Christian
Vacation Church School at Holy Cross
Bring you children to learn God’s word at V.C.S. !
VCS is dedicated to teaching our young children about Orthodox
Christianity in a fun and exciting atmosphere. It is an extension of
the Sunday School experience hat can greatly enhance a child’s
sense of belonging to the church, while providing our children with
an opportunity to make lifelong friends in the church community.
Activities include daily skits illustrating lesson, brief classroom instruction, religious music lessons, hands-on crafts relating to lesson, recreation time, snack & social time.
This year’s theme is:
Parables
Monday, July 27, 2015 ~ Friday, July 31, 2015
9:00 am ~12:00 Noon
*Monday, July 27, children should arrive at 8:30 am
Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church,
123 Gilkeson Road, Mt. Lebanon, PA 15228
If you have questions, or in case of emergency during VCS,
call (412) 833-3355
Welcoming all children age 3 years through entering 8th grade
High School students, parents, interested adults needed to volunteer
Nominal registration fee of $12 per student is due by June 30th
$17 if received by July 15th, $22 if received after July 15th
Please register early so we can adequately prepare snacks, crafts, etc.!
Make checks payable to Holy Cross VCS
34
Orthodox Christian Vacation Church School
at Holy Cross
2015 Registration Form ~ Please print.
Child’s First & Last Name
Age on
July 27
Grade
Entering
Fall 2015
Allergy information
(Food, Medicine, Other)
Parent’s Name(s):
Home Phone:
Address:
Church Parish you belong to:
Mother's Cell Phone/Work Phone:
Father's Cell Phone/Work Phone:
Email address:
Emergency information, OTHER THAN parents
1st Emergency Contact: Name___________________Phone___________
2nd Emergency Contact: Name__________________Phone____________
Parental Consent:___________________________________________
I give my child(ren) listed above permission to participate in the Vacation
Church School held July 27 through July 31, 2015. I understand that my
child(ren) will be responsible for obeying the rules and regulations of VCS as
enforced by the directors, teachers, and staff. I hereby release Holy Cross
church, its VCS teachers and staff from liability for the safety and/or conduct of my child(ren). I also give permission for emergency medical care to
be administered to my child(ren) if necessary.
Signature of Parent__________________________________Date__________
For administrative use:
Date Received ______Amt Recd/Check #____Amt Recd/Cash____
35
Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church
123 Gilkeson Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15228
Return Service Requested
Non-Profit
Organization
U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit No. 2412
Pittsburgh, PA