1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity
3. catholicism

CHURCH GAZETTE ~ NOVEMBER 2014
Albanian Orthodox Archdiocese in America
SS Peter and Paul Albanian Orthodox Church ~www.sspeterpaulphila.org
9230 Old Bustleton Avenue ~ Philadelphia, PA 19115 ~ Church Phone: 215-676-3311
Pastor Interim: Father Gregory Dudash ~ Phone: 484-552-8079 ~ Email: [email protected]
THIS IS CHRISTMAS JOY
To know that I am a thought in God’s mind, no
matter how insignificant I may be, even if I am the
most abandoned of beings, someone no one thinks
of.
Today, when we think of Christmas gifts, let all
those who feel abandoned and alone, all those who
are outcasts, all those who feel they are nothing, let
them say “I know that I am a thought in God’s
mind.”
“What shall we offer you, O Christ?
Who for our sake appeared on earth as a human?
Every creature made by you offers you thanksgiving.
The angels offer you a hymn, The heavens, a star,
The magi, gifts, the shepherds, their wonder,
The earth, its cave, the wilderness, a manger,
Would that my voice reach the imprisoned like a
ray of light, of Christmas hope. May the sick, the
elderly in the home for the aged, the hospital patients, you that live in poverty and suffer injustice,
And we offer to you, a Virgin Mother.”
Remember God’s eternal purpose has thought of all
of you. He loves you, and like Mary, He incarnates
that thought in His womb.
CHRIST IS BORN!!!
GLORIFY HIM!!!
(Vesper Hymn)
Oscar Romero, Martyred Archbishop of El Salvador
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
For Confessions or Consultation please schedule an appointment with Father
Dudash. Father Dudash may be reached at 484-552-8079 or
by email: [email protected].
THANK YOU!
GOD GRANT FATHER STEPHEN AND PRIFTERESHA MARGOT SINIARI MANY MANY YEARS!!!
"Get off the cross! We need the wood!"
There are few people walking the earth who are both
mystical and practical, compassionate and pure. Father
Stephen is one of the few, a man among men. I do not
speak in a personality cult sense or without evidence. I
had the good fortune to work with Father Stephen in the
Covenant House Homeless Shelter, as well to be under
his guidance in the parish and at the altar. Everywhere he
has given hope and tangible help to everyone, including
what some of us might call the "lowest of the low". He
has provided this hope and help without taking a
reward! He does not stay to eat at dinners on his
behalf nor does he accept honorary invitations that important people usually collect. "We are all beggars helping
others find a piece of bread." What's more, he has given
people opportunities to learn and do things in cases where
others would not have trusted or respected them. How
many times has the altar been crowded with children
running, jumping, and screaming while Father Stephen
calmly and laughingly gives them jobs opening
curtains, carrying icons, and learning to light candles. I
remember him advising young homeless men in Covenant
Thank You Father Stephen
Father Stephen is very wise,
His love for everyone is no disguise.
A man so holy and so kind,
he will never fall behind.
A priest with the biggest heart,
Dear Father Stephen,
First, and foremost I want to say thank you- for everything! As a fifteen-year-old girl I slowly come to realization that the most important person in my life, has
been you. Father Stephen you are my spiritual father,
and my role model. I look up to you through my tough
times and find an example within the love you spread
among all of us. From the day you baptized me till
now, I will always love you and will always learn to
love everyone else. You didn’t make me forget my
roots, and my heritage, which I am thankful for. Before Bishop Saba came to America, I spent ten years
in that Church. Everyone is my family and I always
House "If you don't look for a job in the morning but prefer instead to sleep in with your girlfriend, she won't be
your girlfriend for long because you won't have any money." Some people might think this a strange message from
a priest, who might have chosen to lecture on morality,
but Father Stephen always had a gift for speaking to people where they're at, not where we want them to
be. . . And what about his quote from the monks, "Let
your mind be in Hell, but do not despair!" Our greatest
enemy is despair. Father Stephen, in all that he says
and does, gives us the hope that we can endure and
rise again. Even in his own "death" experience,
Father reassured us that we may continue to strive,
though all seems lost. I might add that he is not a "liberal"
or an optimist. He is always faithful to church tradition
and realistic, moreover. Therefore, his sermons are mostly about facing death. "Be of good cheer, little children,
for it is your father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom." Luke 12:32. Not only has Father helped us in life,
but he has prepared us too for the world that is to
come. For those of us who have known him, he will always be with us in Christ.
By Stuart Barenbaum
I will miss him when we are apart.
So inspiring and so humble,
he always helps me when I stumble.
Father Stephen, thank you.
The church will never forget you.
By Lydia
enjoyed the prayers, and hymns we sung togetherwhether it was in English, Georgian, Albanian, Greek
or Russian. I appreciate the memories you have placed
in all of our hearts- including the Georgian Community. You helped us stand on our feet! We wouldn’t be
where we are today if it wasn’t for the Saint Peter and
Paul Albanian Church. You are a blessing and a gift
from God. Father Stephen you may be retiring, but in
my heart and soul you will never be replaced by anyone.
With great love, Anna and Gurami
MESSAGE FROM FATHER GREGORY DUDASH
FATHER STEPHEN SINIARIS’ RETIREMENT
Fr. Stephen Sinari will be retiring on the 28th of December and he and Margot will be moving to their
retirement home in Florida. Fr. Stephen is an exceptional priest and a unique personality. His 16 years at
SS Peter and Paul have left an indelible mark on SS
Peter and Paul.
THANK YOU FATHER STEPHEN!
Whatever we are as a parish and whatever we will be
as a parish, we owe gratitude to those who have gone
before us. In particular, we are very grateful to Father Stephen and Margot for the devoted wonderful
16 years they have given to the parish.
GOODBYE FESTIVITIES
We will have a Happy Retirement Luncheon for Fr.
Stephen and Margot on Sunday, December 21 following Liturgy. Please join us!
Many Years to Father Stephen and
Priftesha Margot!
PARISH TRANSITION
We will be in an interim period as we await the assignment of another pastor. Our first priority is to
continue all the good things that SS. Peter and Paul is
and that which makes us who we are. We will carry
on the very good work of Fr. Stephen.
THE PARISH NEWSLETTER
All of us have greatly benefitted from the wonderful
work of Maria Starr in producing our really great
parish newsletter. Maria has decided to step down
and Allan Heller will be our next editor. Allan’s email
is [email protected]. Any items for the newsletter should be sent to him or Fr. Gregory at
[email protected].
ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
CONFERENCE.
Antiochian Village. December 27-30 http://
www.ocf.net/college-conference. Each year during
Christmas Break, OCF’s College Conferences host
hundreds of college students from across North
America for four days of fellowship, prayer, and exposure to reputable Orthodox speakers.
ADVENT
Advent is the time of preparation for the Feast of the
Nativity of Christ. The Church requires us to fast
and to use the time to prepare for the celebration.
WELCOME FR. GREGORY DUDASH
Fr. Gregory Dudash and Linda have been attached to
SS Peter and Paul for some 12+ years. We are happy
to have him as interim pastor until a replacement pastor can be found. He has helped the parish during Fr.
Stephen’s illness last year and at those times when Fr.
Stephen was away.
+Margot Craig, mother of Priftesha Margot Siniari, fell asleep in the Lord on November 3 at the age of 83. She was born in Pirmasens, Germany, and worked many
years as a nurse’s aide until her retirement. Margot’s greatest love was her family:
her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren were her pride and joy. At SS
Peter & Paul, Margot “held court” at the coffee hour table following Divine Liturgy. A consummate storyteller, Margot would regale the table with many humorous
tales, especially of her life in Germany. Margot loved to laugh and had a truly delightful chuckle. No matter how she felt, she was always pleasant and charming, in
good spirits, with a smile on her face and a story on her lips. Margot truly enjoyed
being with the folks of SS Peter & Paul, whom she lovingly called her “peeps”.
Without exception, Margot was a wonderful and amazing lady, and will always be
cherished, lovingly remembered and greatly missed by family, friends and parishioners.
May Margot’s Memory Be Eternal!
PARISHIONER’S CORNER
“Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.” (Psalm 133:1)
A Very Happy Birthday is wished to the following parishioners and friends who
are celebrating December Birthdays: Fr Dn Perry Angelos, Donna Bacon, Marge
Costa, Christina Murianka, Jeanette Napier, Tatyana Nilova, Edna Quirias, Eurania Quirias, Hope Vrato.
May God grant them all many, many years!
“Hospitality...the greatest of virtues. It draws the grace of the Holy Spirit towards us. In every stranger's face,
my child, I see Christ himself.” Elder Amphilochios Makris
Volunteers Needed to Sponsor and Clean Up after Coffee Hour - Remember, coffee hour is for fellowship,
and the food doesn't have to be elaborate. Enlist a couple of friends and please pick a Sunday. List of available
dates for the months of November and December are posted by the entrance of our Church Hall. Thank you!
Nativity Greeting Cards - Suggested Donation: $24 per box of 16 or $1.50 each.
All proceeds benefit our Pastoral Care Fund. Cards are available through our Church
Store. Please contact Donna Bacon at 267.250.0520, or email her at: [email protected] for more information.
Let Us Keep Them In Our Prayers…
Please continue to pray for: Gregory Vrato, Sr., Matthew Murianka, Joyce Dorsey, Thimi Daka, Sophie
Bacon, Joe Bacon, Eteri Okropiridze, Mary Ann Clark, Alexandra Pana, Nicholas Desloges, Martha
Murianka, Anthony Sarris, Jeannie Rifkin, Nick Zeo, His Eminence Archbishop Nikon, Eurania (Elaine)
Quirias, Lester Speero, Lester Paul Speero, Sandy Speero, Andi Steffa, Allan Heller, Katherine Halkedis,
Linda Vesho, Fr. Stephen Siniari, Yorgi, Jim Bachelor, George Fkiaras, Patriarch Ilya, Father Elias,
Mother Aemiliane and Sacred Sisterhood of Saint Nina, Semele Heller, Joseph Speero.
God knows the names and ages of all who need His Love and Mercy...
IMPORTANT Icon Pledges - 2015 Icon Pledge will be taking place after the Divine Liturgy on
Sunday, February 8th. Please do your best to be current on your Icon Pledges for 2014 by 12/31.
As we head into 2015 please start returning icons to the parish so we can make necessary preparations for our next Icon Pledge Drive. We are grateful for your support!!!
Please Note - in November issue of our Gazette we published a section on Stewardship Pledging Giving Back to God. It is important to point out that this section was printed solely for informational
and educational purposes. If you have any questions/feedback/suggestions please let any of our Church
Council members know. Lets talk about it!
IMPORTANT UPCOMING LITURGICAL DATES AND TIMES:
December 21 - Divine Liturgy - 10:00 AM
December 25 - Christmas, Nativity of Our Lord Divine Liturgy - 10:00AM
December 28 - Divine Liturgy - 10:00AM
December 31 - Feast of Circumcision; Civil New Year - Vesperal Liturgy - 7PM
January 5 - Theophany, Great Blessing of Water - Vesperal Liturgy - 7PM
January 11 - Lesser Blessing of Water - Divine Liturgy - 10:00AM
SUNDAY SCHOOL CORNER
Fr. Stephen,
We wanted to extend out heartfelt thank you for all that you have done for the Sunday School
and the children. You have always shown a great love for all the children in our parish and have
done so much for us. You will be missed more than you can know. You and your family will be in
our thoughts and prayers.
The Sunday School Teachers and Children
Dear Father,
There are so many things that you have done for us that it would take an eternity to name them all. You have always
been there for anyone who needs you. I could always count on you to listen. You never cut people short. In your eyes
everyone is equal rich, poor, old, young, they were all the same to you. You are understanding, people flocked to you
with their problems and left with a smile on their face. I remember one time a woman came to you with tears running
down her face and left with a smile ear to ear. All of the little kids love you. You are the only priest I know who treats the
little kids with as much respect as the adults. There will
never be another priest like you and you will be deeply missed.
by RJ
Who is He?
He is…
kind & trustworthy
He wonders… what the world will be like in the
future
He hears…
the cries of the helpless, and answers them
He sees…
the faces of the many people who
adore him
He wants…
everyone to have a great and fulfilled life
He is…
genuine and compassionate
He pretends… not to see the evil in the world
He feels…
our pain when we are hurt
He touches… our hearts whenever he speaks
He worries… when we are sick or ill
F orgiving
S o dependable
He is…
intelligent and holy
A mazing
T rustworthy
He…
understands…our feelings
and thoughts
T houghtful
E veryone loves him
He says…
that everyone can change if they
are willing
H ard working
P atient
He dreams…
of a better world and a better
community
E very thought of his is
wise
H umble
He tries…
to help everyone in need
R emarkable
He hopes…
that his message will make an impact
(Have you guessed him yet?)
He is…
E verytime I see him, he
makes me laugh
N ever judges
by Charlotte
Fr. Stephen
By Georgia
WE WILL MISS YOU FATHER STEPHEN!!!
Father Stephen
A better man could not be
found
But you are so humble, you
may write this poem off as
“humor".
Compassionate and Dependable, truly Every one
you love.
You are Forever a member
of our family, a friend to all,
Generous and loving.
Honest and humble, leaving
a lasting
Impression on our hearts.
Just how special you are,
you'll never
Know and the Love we have
for you is
More than I can say.
No one has inspired me
more.
You’ve Offered us more than
we could ever give you. Passionate in everything you do.
On a never-ending
Quest to help others.
Remarkable and intelligent.
Someone who never
puts yourself first.
Thoughtful, genuine,
and Understanding.
Someone who neVer
fails to smile, or to
make others smile too.
Where ever you are,
we'll always have you
in our hearts, eXactly
as we know
You will keep us in
yours.
You are an amaZing
person and I will
make it my personal
mission to follow in
your footsteps.
Father Stephen from A to Z
A humble man with a heart too
Big for his body.
Compassionate in every way and in every
Deed he has ever done.
Ecstatic with a big personality, and
Funny but still very humble.
God always comes first to him and
He tries to keep everyone happy.
I look up to him in every aspect and he does his
Job with great care and intelligence.
Kind in everything he has ever done and more
Loving than any of us could ever fathom.
Myself as well as everyone in the parish never feels
Neglected by him,
Or hurt by any of his words.
By Elizabeth
Passionate for his religion and never
Quarrels with the people around him.
Reliable if I ever have any problems.
Sometimes, I look up to him and
Try to be like him, because he is
Understanding in any situation, and is
Very humble with everything he does in this
World, because he always made the parish alive
and
eXtrordinary, so I will miss Father Stephen dearly.
You could tell him anything, and he was always
quite
Zany, but loving and caring for all.
By Sophia
Dear Father Steven,
Through your many years of being a priest, you have loved us all
with your kind and warming
heart and have inspired us to do
more- and think more. Compassion and care are two qualities
you possess and kindly express
to this church and its people.
Your words are but the gift of
wisdom you carry that teach us
about life and its mysteries. You
are an amazing person, and one
that has always been humble and
mightily generous. Your strength
has led you through harsh journeys, as it has always kept your
soul everlasting. Father, you are
quite a religious man who has
always shared a close connection
with God and believed in the
sanctity of Mother Mary and the
beloved saints and angels. Your
heart is warm and pure, and you
have always been forgiving of
others- and that is what makes
you beautiful. Now that you will
leave to enjoy your further years,
I will miss you terribly, for you
have always loved me and
brought bright energy and
laughter to share with me, and of
course the other church members.
However, you will always remain
in my heart and I will always
look back at fond memories of
your lovely and understanding
character. After all, you made the
church a delightfully fun and
interesting place. I love you very
much, Father Steven, and you
will always belong in my heart
and my mother's, for you are a
special man, and you have been
touching and ever so amazing in
being a priest for many years.
Whenever I was young, you
would always embrace me with
love and respect, and I would
always be joyous to see you! I
hope you live on in happiness
and peace, and be in a good
place forever. I love you very
much, Father Steven, as I say
again out of love, and I will always remember you as a wonderful priest, and man, of goodness and friendship.
With much love,
Isabella
PLEASE
COME BACK
FOR VISITS
and HUGS!
Father Stephen,
I wish I would be there and say happy retirement to Father Stephen, with you and all other good people. Father
Stephen is the most important person in my life. When I was there, Father Stephen was like a father (we called
him as Steve :) Wrong but lovely pronunciation for him) He protected us, he shared his precious time with us.
We’ve played table ice hockey and he always won :) He introduced us Philadelphia Cheese Steak, Banana Split.
He talked us his precious childhood memories. He is like 'the person who I always want to be and who I always
want to be near'. He was the symbol of justice and honesty. Through his aid, I am trying to do my best for other
people who need help. In brief, he means so much for me, but I can say these simple words for the memory book.
''Father Stephen, You were a miracle for me. God sent you to show me how I can touch people, help people, and
be a kind person. Thank you for your time, patience, kindness, helpfulness, humanity and THANK YOU FOR
ALL BEAUTIFUL MEMORIES THAT WE SHARED. One day I will beat you in the table ice hockey :)”
Pınar from Turkey
BEING WITH GOD’S
PEOPLE
“Lo, I am with you always, even
unto the end of the
age.” (Matthew 28:20)
One characteristic of a follower
of Christ such as Fr. Stephen is
that he doesn’t miss much, if
anything, of what is going
around him. Getting to liturgy
on time has always been a challenge for me (and wife, Tish,
God bless her), so more than
once we’ve taken a place in the
pew after liturgy has begun. No
matter. Since I’ve been tonsured
a reader, Fr. Stephen wants me
behind the altar no matter how
late I arrive or how many men
and boys may already be there.
I’ve had the feeling that this is
how it will be when Christ calls
me at the end of my life. Time
to leave whatever idle task I’m
engaged in, wake up and get
moving. Now. No more pews
for me!
And of course Fr. Stephen misses even less of what goes on
around the altar. During the few
prayers before the invocation of
the Holy Spirit he calls out the
name of each one present from,
for instance, Deacon Gregory to
Reader Stuart to the youngest
boy there. Everyone is given
something to do, great and small.
I will miss Father’s mini-sermons
where he gathers everyone
around the bench to the right of
the altar, asks questions, especially of the boys, and shares
some insights, some of which
often appear in the upcoming
sermon.
necessary. Father made it clear
that serving God’s people also
means supporting whomever
succeeds him as the parish
priest. He had all the boys nod
their heads. I could stand to repeat this question and answer,
everyday.
But don’t think he loses track of
what is going on with the choir
and parishioners in the pews.
Always aware of the point that
has been reached in the liturgy,
Father will poke his head out the
altar door, giving the next command, such as “Otche Nash” to
keep the liturgy moving. In a
word, Fr. Stephen is a virtuoso,
always with an eye the people in
his care.
I imagine Fr. Stephen is known
for his unusual way of doing
things, for which he always has
good, if not always obvious, reasons. Recently when I greeted
him at the altar, I bowed my
head to kiss his hand, as is customary between layman and
priest. Not with Father. He
bowed his head to kiss my hand!
Moral of the story for me:
Christ’s humility comes before
everything, for everybody. So
we bowed and clasped hands
mutually. Bowing has always
been part of what makes Orthodox liturgy special to me, and Fr.
Stephen embodies the spirit behind it as it were.
So this past Sunday, there were
2 mini-sermons, In one of them,
Fr. Stephen told the boys, and
us, to never hit anybody, especially girls, if they hit us, but instead to take their hands in ours
and urge them to stop. Later,
Father was telling the boys that
things would be done differently
after his departure, to which one
of the little fellows came out
with, “I quit!” This led Father
to ask, “So, why are we here?”
Nobody gave the exact answer
he wanted, so he offered it: “To
serve God’s people,” indicating
all of the parishioners in the
church. He had each boy repeat
the answer, more than once if
Let us be thankful, then, that the
Merciful God, after giving Fr.
Stephen a foretaste of the life to
come, allowed him to be with
His people for a little while
longer. Let us take Father’s example to heart, and cause him to
be proud of his children, to our
benefit and the glory of God.
Written By Mark Klus
F orgiving
S teady
A pproachable
T rustworthy
T houghtful
E xcellent Priest
We will miss you Father
Stephen!!!
H onest
P uts himself last
We love you very much,
E ndearing
H ardworking
R eligious
E nergetic
N ever judges poor
Sarah and Noah
GEMS FROM FATHER STEPHEN THAT WE NEVER WANT TO FORGET…
“Ontology before Theology; Relationship before Rubric; Love before Logic; Experience before Explanation.”
“I am just one beggar teaching another where to find bread, kid!”
“Get off the cross - we need the wood!”
“Loneliness is an existential lie.”
“Bobbing and weaving…”
“I’m not ok. You’re not ok. But that’s ok.”
“Let you mind stay in hell, but do not despair!”
“Pray God saves you in a way you don’t understand so you don’t get in the way.”
“Remember to always be kind and patient.”
“I never saw a U-Haul
truck at a funeral.”
“Love and forgive, love and forgive, love and forgive.”
“We don’t even know how much we don’t know.”
“People think God is waiting behind a bush to accuse
them of unknown sins; what about the good works we
have done and forgotten? That is what God remembers.”
“Everything springs from silence, including prayer
and good works.”
“Wholeness is the opposite of laziness.”
“God is not looking to condemn you, He is looking for any reason, any little good thing you do, to save you.”
“We are related to both Mother Theresa and Jeffery Daumer.”
“I am a behavioralist. I look at people’s behavior.”
“Listen to your wife, unless she asks for something immoral or illegal.”
“I like to understand before I’m understood.”
“What’s in that Maria head of yours today?”
“Fasting is exercising your spiritual muscle.”
“Soul is to a body as women are to the world.”
“In the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I love God with my head, my heart, and all my
strength.” (While making the sign of the Cross)
“It was through our mothers that the Faith is transmitted.”
***
“God knows the truth.”
Dear Father,
It was the summer of 2011; we came to USA from
Turkey with an exchange program and had so
many troubles in the beginning. I would never
know how I am going to be thankful for those bad
days. Now, I believe that everything happens for
a reason. I am thankful to God that he made us
meet.
You are the best thing that ever happened in my
life. I remember the day I met you very vividly.
It’s like yesterday to me. You came from Atlantic
City to Vineland with your own car to pick us up
from the house that we took shelter in.
I remember the man who waved his hands to us
with a friendly and trusty huge smile. You were
wearing your sunglasses and Covenant House
shirt. It was a sunny and beautiful day that I will
never forget in my lifetime.
I do not know how to thank a man who changes
someone’s life that much…I have a lot to say, a lot
to thank you for! I want to thank for those best
three months that we had in the USA with you. I
want to thank for the sandwiches that we shared,
songs that we sang together, roads that we drove
together! You made me learn that sharing is the
best thing in the world…
If someone would ask me that have I ever met an
angel in the world, I would give your name with
no doubt! I believe in angels…
You made my world brighter Father. I call you
FATHER deep in my heart!
Now, I have tears in my eyes, I remember how
hard it was to say you goodbye!
My biggest wish in the world is to see you again.
I believe that God hears us. I believe that I will
see you again someday somehow and at that day I
will have this tears because of happiness.
My prayers are with you…
Missing you so much!
Ekin from Turkey
WE WILL MISS YOU, OUR DEAR FATHER STEPHEN!!! MANY YEARS!!!