I am pleased to announce the celebration of the Feast of Our Lady of the Life-Giving Font and St. George at Camp Nazareth on Friday, April 28th. Resurrection Matins will be served at 9 am at the Sts. Cyril and Methodios Camp Church, with the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at 10 am, with a procession around the church. A paschal meal will be served in the Dining Hall afterwards.

JOHNSTOWN, PA - The quality control system of the accounting firm of David Brenner, CPA, of Cranberry Township, PA which has provided annual independent audits of our diocesan finances for nearly twenty years was reviewed last fall by Diefenbach, Delio, Kearney and DeDionisio, Certified Public Accountants, of Erie, Pennsylvania. The purpose of this review system, established by the Peer Review Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), is to determine whether an accounting and auditing firm has adopted and put into practice procedures that "provide it with reasonable assurance of conforming with professional standards as established by the AICPA.

Truly, as the Apostle Paul says, "the Kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit!" As we commence upon this season of the Fast, we push ourselves to a stricter discipline of fasting. We struggle to maintain a more intense observance of the various Lenten Services. But all of our observances are designed by the Church and the Holy Fathers to achieve one end - to bring us to a heightened awareness of our faith, or as we say in the Divine Liturgy, "progress in life, faith and spiritual consciousness" (second prayer of the Faithful).

JOHNSTOWN, PA - With the blessing from His Eminence, Metropolitan Nicholas, a Spring Family weekend has been scheduled at Chestnut Grove Resort located in Swiftwater, PA in the Pocono's, 15 miles from Stroudsburg. There are many activities for families, including paddle boats, bicycling, fishing, indoor and outdoor pools, volleyball, Treasure Hunts, bonfire and Karaoke sing-a-longs. There is also a great golf course located nearby for golf enthusiasts. The cost would be $250 per couple for the weekend and includes two breakfasts and two dinners. For each child under 14 it is an additional $25 per day, between 14 and 20 an additional $30 per day, over age 20 it is an additional $40 per day. The date will be Friday thru Sunday, May 5-7. Interested please call Fr. Luke Mihaly at (203) 748-0671. Website address is www.chestnutgrove.com

The National Right to Life March will be held on Monday, January 23, 2006 in our nation's capital. It will be the 33rd March, since the Supreme Court legislated a new law in the land in 1973, legalizing abortion on demand. Once again, I urge you to fervently support the Pro-Life cause in prayer, in service and in donations to local Pro-Life offices. I especially urge you to participate in the March for Life. Plan to ride one of the many hundreds of buses that are traveling there. Or come yourself. The cause is worth all the toil and sacrifice. It is worth participating in the March in the snow and the cold. It is worth walking with thousands of other marchers.

Today, we have followed the Shepherds under the wings of Angels. Today, we have seen the Star, and we have traveled with the Wise Men. Today, we have searched in the habitations of the City, and we have found the Family of God in a Cave. The Prince of Heaven, the Son of God, has embraced human nature in the roots of the earth, amidst the common beasts of the field. Born of God the Father to the young Virgin Mary, and fostered by the elderly and righteous Joseph, Jesus Christ shines with royal majesty - not from a palace, but from a place occupied by the likes of you and me.

CONSTANTINOPLE - After a long, three year absence, His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas was finally able to make a much desired pilgrimage to the Holy Mother and Great Church of Christ, the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. Accompanied by the present writer, His Eminence journeyed over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend to the Queen of Cities, Constantinople, in order to participate in the celebrations attending the Patronal Feastday of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the feast of the Holy First-Called Apostle Saint Andrew, the founder and protector of See of Constantinople.

JOHNSTOWN, PA - The Diocesan Chancery is pleased to announce that the current total for theDiocesan Hurricane Katrina Relief Appeal is $62,696.24.

JOHNSTOWN, PA - His Eminence, Metropolitan Nicholas announced his plans for the institution of the Diocesan Apostolate for Youth Ministry. In a letter sent to all diocesan parishes, dated October 5, 2005, His Eminence, as promised in his address at last month's National ACRY Convention, further outlined his vision and goals of the apostolate. Underscoring His conviction that such a youth ministry be a major diocesan priority, His Eminence has announced his appointment of several diocesan priests to assist him with this important new diocesan ministry and the commencement of their work in early November.

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