July 19, 2020

Protocol No. 29/2020

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Dear Reverend Fathers and Faithful Laity of our God-Protected Diocese,

Today I write with a sense of great sadness, disgust, anger, determination, faith, and urgency.  

On July 10, 2020 Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan formally converted The Great Cathedral of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople (present day Istanbul) into a mosque. Built in 537 AD during the reign of Emperor Justinian, for more than a millennium Hagia Sophia served as a place of rich spiritual and cultural inspiration for all. If you have ever been inside this World Heritage Site (I have visited it a couple of times) you know the awesomeness of this architectural wonder.   

In 1453 when the Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II conquered Constantinople, the Great Church of Christianity was converted into a mosque.  Later however, in 1934, it was converted into a museum by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey.  Transforming Hagia Sophia into a museum opened it up to all people of all faiths and not the property of any one religion. Over 3 million people visited each year. Read more...

July 16,, 2020

Protocol No. 28/2020

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Dear Reverend Clergy and Faithful Laity of our God-Protected Diocese,

I am writing today to update you on several items as we continue to be challenged with the effects of the Coronavirus on our Church and its activities.  Many of our people have become ill due to the virus and several (too many of course) have succumbed to it and have fallen asleep in the Lord. May their memories be eternal!  The Diocese has continued to distribute an updated list of the sick, the dead, and those who provide care such as healthcare professionals and support staff, along with first responders and so many others. Let us continue to pray for all of our brothers and sisters.

We have tried diligently to follow the advice and pronouncements of local, state and federal government officials in thirteen states and a province in Canada.  It has een very challenging and difficult as we have negotiated our way through the situation, some would say “the mess”.  We reluctantly closed the doors of the Church to the public for several weeks, including Holy Week.  Eventually we opened up again with just a few parishioners attending services at first and gradually increasing the numbers as allowed.  Read more...

JOHNSTOWN, PA - [Diocesan Chancery] -- With profound sadness the Diocesan Chancery announces that +Very Rev. Fr. Michael Psenechnuk fell asleep in the Lord on Saturday, June 6, 2020 at Roosevelt Care Center, Edison, NJ.

Fr Michael was born on August 26, 1943 in Perth Amboy, NJ, the only child of the late John and Mary (Hayducko) Psenechnuk. He attended Perth Amboy school, graduating in 1961. He then entered Christ the Saviour Orthodox Seminary in Johnstown, PA, graduating in 1966 with a Licentiate in Theology degree. He also attended St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary in NY, receiving a Divinity degree. He married the former Barbara Kralick on November 23, 1969 in her home parish of St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Elizabeth, NJ. Read more...

JOHNSTOWN, PA -- [Diocesan Chancery] -  Camp Nazareth will be offering our campers a 2020 Summer Camp Experience in lieu of being able to be in-person at Camp.  The Summer Camp Experience will offer each camper a personalized care package delivered to their home, the opportunity to get together online with their Camp Family and Friends, the ability to engage in “live” groups discussions and cabin time with their fellow campers, attend services, enjoy crafts and games, hear stories and sermons, watch videos, learn about our Faith, and much more. 

Just like a Summer Week AT Camp, the online 2020 CN Summer Camp Experience will have a variety of activities, will be full of surprises, and will be full of both faith in Christ and fun in Christ!  The Experience for our campers will help them remember why their connection with Christ and with each other is so important. Read more...

JOHNSTOWN, PA - Plans are underway for the Annual Altar Boy Retreat which will take place from Monday evening, June 29th until Wednesday, July 1st, 2020. As we are all aware, the Covid-19 pandemic has brought about many changes to the things that we are used to. The Altar Boy Retreat is one of those. The Retreat will be virtual this year, on Facebook and Zoom and perhaps other platforms. However, this is the still a time for our faithful Altar Servers to join other Altar Boys from all over our Diocese for fun and fellowship. Read more...