From Fr. Tom's Desk
From Fr Tom's Desk
Glory Be to Jesus Christ!
Dear Friends,
This letter is not from my desk, but while I’m sitting at the Oncology Department of Resurrection Hospital. I’m receiving my 7th Chemotherapy treatment. This marks the half-way point of my treatment.
At this moment, I wish to once more sincerely thank all of you for your prayers and well-wishes. I received a laboratory report today from my Oncologist. It seems that the treatment at this present time is successful – all systems are working well. I owe this all to the power of prayer – your prayers. All of this is under the watchful eye of God’s servant, Metropolitan Andrey.
According to the present schedule, my very last treatment should be on January 7th! What a day to end all of this - on the Feast of Theophany.There are some days of importance during the month of November. The first is Nov. 15 – the beginning Christmas time - our time of spiritual preparation to celebrate the Feast of the Nativity and Theophany. A time of reflection – What does the birth of Christ mean to me personally?Two good books for those who wish a more prayerful Christmas Fast are: 1) Daily Meditations For Christmas and Epiphany by Presbytera Emily Harakast and Fr. Anthony Coniaris; 2) The Winter Pascha by Fr. Thomas Hopko. Information as to purchase these books can be obtained in the parish office.
On November 12th, we remember St. Josephat, Apostle of Church Unity. On November 13th is a commemoration of a Saint not remembered on our church calendar but on the Church memorials of the United States and especially in Chircago, her name is St. Francis Xavier Cabrini.
She died in Chicago on December 22, 1917. She enjoyed the distinction of being the first “American Citizen Saint” of the Roman Catholic Church. I mention her because she was named “Patroness of Immigrants to the United States.” She was no meek and mild woman. Her nephew, who was a priest in Chicago described her as a very small woman with a very large pocket book. Although her English was not very good, this tiny nun was the terror of Chicago taxi cab drivers who would attempt to overcharge her. Cardinal Mundeline could wilt before her. Her mission was to new immigrants. She walked the streets of Chicago, New York, Nicaragua, Argentine, and Brazil. Her concern was to help new immigrants especially poor the poor, orphans, and the homeless. She built hospitals and orphanages.
Our Ukrainian Catholic communities have a great influx of new immigrants from Ukraine. I really am not too impressed and/or disappointed and feel that churches are not really helping the spiritual and physical needs of out new comers. The Bible calls on us to welcome “the stranger” into our midst. The “little nun” can be a model for us and our Ukrainian Catholic Church in America to reach out to our new comers – to the lonely, to those who feel unwanted, to those separated from loved ones in Ukraine.
On Thursday, November 27th, we will be celebrating Thanksgiving Day, so thank you all again for your prayers and support.
Fr. Tom
Important Quotation from my Journal Today:
“Life is not about age, but about the years we have left to us. It’s about aging and life. As E.M. Forster wrote, “we must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us” (The Gift of Years – How to Grow Old Gracefully, Joan Chittister.)
