“Repentance is the daughter of hope and the denial of despair. It is not despondency but eager expectation. It is not self-hatred but the affirmation of my true self as made in God’s image. To repent is to look, not downward at my own shortcomings, but upward at God’s love; not backward with self-reproach, but forward with trustfulness. It is to see, not what I have failed to be, but what by the grace of Christ I can yet become.” (Saint John Climacus)
 Our God is an awesome God full of grace, compassion, mercy and love. We have once again come to that annual special time of repentance and the journey of Great Lent. The above quotation articulates so clearly the Orthodox perspective of repentance which is all too often misunderstood or misinterpreted. Repentance is hopeful and positive, focusing on God’s grace and love rather than despondent and negative focusing on our limitations and shortcomings. Repentance (metanoia) is about redirecting our attitude in life away from self-sufficiency to God-dependency. It is about acknowledging our limitations and sins in honesty but looking upward with hope at God’s grace and love. Simply put, repentance (metanoia) helps us to redirect our focus of life to the one who gives us life – our Loving Lord.
Please join with Father Paul, Father Dino and me in taking advantage of the tools afforded us by our Lord and His Church to assist us in redirecting our focus away from ourselves and to God. Let’s utilize the “Three Legged Table” of Great Lent – FASTING, PRAYER and ALMSGIVING. Fasting helps us to discipline ourselves and say “NO” to ourselves. Through Prayer we say “YES” to God through private and corporate worship in love. Through almsgiving we say “YES” to God by loving “the least of His brothers and sisters”. In short we redirect our focus from ourselves through fasting and to God and others through prayer and almsgiving.
Finally, take advantage of the Sacrament of Repentance (Confession). This Sacrament is central to our Orthodox life in Christ. It involves humility, honesty and a willful desire to submit more to God. It is a sacrament of healing with a confessor called a “physician of souls”. Sin is the ailment. Forgiveness is the cure. Why not make a “spiritual” doctor appointment for confession this Great Lent? You and I need it. We need healing from the Great Physician of our souls and bodies through the ancient sacrament of His Church. May our Good and Merciful Lord be with you the reminder of this Lenten period. May we all have a blessed Holy Week and a glorious and life-giving Paschal celebration.
With our Lord’s Blessings, Fr. Lou

Dinner Tickets $30 Per Person; $15 age 12 and under
Schedule of Events: 5:00 Pan Orthodox Vespers
Memorial Service for Fr Dotson, Fr Hirsch, & Fr Lynch
5:45 Reception; 6:30 Dinner
To Purchase Tickets: visit www.iocc.org/denver or call the church office 303.773.3411

With the support of St. Catherine Philoptochos & Jr. /Sr. GOYA,
he will be collecting and providing supplies for the Homeless People of Denver

The items needed are listed below:
•Backpacks (new or gently used, dark colors preferred)
•Socks (white crew socks)
•Underwear (all sizes briefs and boxers)
•Hand towels or wash cloths
•Used clothes (long sleeved shirts, sweaters & sweatshirts in any size)
•Toiletries (deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shaving cream, disposable razors only)

Items may be brought to St. Catherine and placed in the bins provided in the Fellowship Hall and Narthex by

Monetary donations are also greatly appreciated and will be used to buy items listed above.

“Love the poor and through them you will find mercy.”
St. Isaac of Syria

If you have any questions, please contact the church office 303.773.3411

The Tragedy in Haiti

As of the writing of this article, the estimated death toll following the tragic earthquake in Haiti in mid-January is over 150,000. Millions and millions of dollars have been collected from the world community to offer aid to the services of the terrible event. In fact just under $3000 has been collected by our Parish and forwarded to the IOCC and our Archdiocese. I am certain significantly more money has been donated directly to IOCC and other relief agencies by you, our parishioners. A few hundred hygiene kits have been collected, packaged and shipped by our Philoptochos, Young Adults and OCF College Students. May our Lord grant eternal life to the innocents who have passed on and recovery to the hundreds of thousands of survivors.
One may ask, where God is in the midst of such an event? Does God cause such tragedies? Why does He allow innocent people to suffer and die? Our underlying premise as people of Faith is that in the midst of tragedies, God is with them and us. I refer you to Psalm 139 and Romans 8 as assurances of our Lord’s presence. Nevertheless, we live in an imperfect world where such epic events periodically happen, and God does allow them. Why there and not here? Why now and not at another time? Why the Haitians and not another nation? We really cannot answer these questions.
In any case as Christians, our hope is in the Lord now and in the afterlife. We therefore place, with love and compassion the souls of the departed ones of this earthquake in the compassionate hands of our Living Lord. We offer help to the best of our ability monetarily and otherwise for those suffering and for their recovery. We place them also, through prayers, in the hands of our Lord and Savior.
May God’s grace abide and be with all those who lost their lives, those suffering and the thousands of relief workers, now and for the months to come.

With our Lord’s blessings, Father Lou

Our Great Lent journey begins on Clean Monday, February 15, with our Annual Philoptochos Clean Monday Retreat. Pascha this year is celebrated on the same date, April 4, by ALL Christians – Glory to God!
We are invited once again to utilize the three legs of the Great Lenten table of PRAYER, FASTING and ALMSGIVING in order to help us reflect in introspection on our lives in relationship with our loving Lord and one another.
Below are listed Great Lent Services and Spiritual Growth Opportunities.

GREAT LENT SERVICES AND
SPIRITUAL GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES

February 21 – Assumption Cathedral, Denver
February 28 – Holy Transfiguration Cathedral, Denver
March 7 – St. Augustine, Denver
March 14 – St. Catherine, Greenwood Village
March 21 – St. Herman, Littleton
 Holy Week Services:
Palm Sunday, March 28 through Pascha Sunday, April 4
Please note:

Please join us for our annual Clean Monday Retreat

Monday, February 15, 2010 10:30 am. – 3:15pm

Sponsored by Saint Catherine Philoptochos
5555 South Yosemite Street
Greenwood Village, Colorado

Clean Monday Retreat Theme
Women of Faith: The Marys of the Church
Retreat Master: Father George Dokos, Proistamenos, Sts. Peter and Paul Greek Orthodox Church in Boulder, CO

Registration: $15 Includes lunch by Aspasia’s Catering

Please RSVP by February 7th, 2010!

Alina Buzdugan: alina@stcatherinechurch.org or
303-773-3411

Wednesday Night classes
Bible Study: Philippians – Taught by Fr. Lou
Book Study: Encountering Women of Faith – Edited by Kyriaki Fitzgerald) – Taught by Fr. Dino
Book Study: C. S. Lewis’ The Great Divorce – Taught by Staci Stech
Classes begin January, 13
Session I: January 13-February 10
Each of these classes will meet on January 13, 20, and 27. On February 3 and 10 these classes will meet to watch and study the film “The Island” (Ostrov). The time for the movie study class sessions will be 6:00-7:30pm.

Spiritual Journal
Self-paced reflection of your life with Christ.
Weekly journal topics provided to help guide you.
Reflect on the Gospels, your questions, and your personal journey to Christ.

The School of the Seventy
A self-directed adult Orthodox education program sponsored by St. Luke the Evangelist Orthodox Church in Palos Hills, IL.
Explore Orthodox topics at your own pace and to suit your own interests. Read books and listen to podcasts, then fill out a response sheet to earn credits through the School.
For information please see the website: www.70school.blogspot.com

He Came To Me

With our Lord’s blessings,
Fr. Lou
NATIVITY SERMON
BY ST. ISAAC THE SYRIAN (D. AD 700)

“This Christmas night bestowed peace on the whole world – let no one threaten; This is the night of the Most Gentle One – let no one be cruel; This is the night of the Humble One – let no one be proud. Now is the day of joy – let us not revenge; Now is the day of Good Will – let us not be mean. It is the Day of Peace – let us not be conquered by anger. Today the Bountiful impoverished Himself for our sake – so, rich ones, invite the poor to your table. Today we receive a Gift for which we did not ask – let us give alms to those who implore and beg us. This present Day cast open the heavenly doors to our prayers – let us open our door to those who ask our forgiveness. Today the DIVINE BEING took upon Himself the seal of our humanity in order for humanity to be decorated by the Seal of DIVINITY.”
The Clergy, Parish Council, Ministry Teams and Staff of Saint Catherine pray for a blessed Christmas Celebration for you and your family.

Admission $10
Includes Coffee & Greek Pastries
Greek Pastries Available for Purchase at Event

SCOBA Hierarchs Convene For Special Session

NEW YORK — A Special Session of the Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA) met on September 25, 2009 hosted by the Chairman of SCOBA, Archbishop Demetrios of America, at the headquarters of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America in Manhattan. The session was attended by the following Members of SCOBA: Archbishop Demetrios, Chairman (Greek Orthodox Archdiocese), Metropolitan Philip, Vice-Chairman (Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese), Metropolitan Christopher, Secretary (Serbian Orthodox Church), Archbishop Nicolae (Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese), Metropolitan Joseph (Bulgarian Orthodox Church), Metropolitan Jonah (Orthodox Church in America) Archbishop Antony (proxy, Ukrainian Orthodox Church) and Archpriest Alexander Abramov (Representation of the Moscow Patriarchate in the USA).
Also present were the General Secretary and members of the SCOBA Study and Planning Commission representing the SCOBA member Churches.

The entire discussion was focused on the documents related to the “Organization of Episcopal Assemblies” in the regions of the world that are outside the borders of the Autocephalous Churches. These Episcopal Assemblies have been authorized by the Fourth Pre-Conciliar Pan-Orthodox Conference which met at the Orthodox Center of Ecumenical Patriarchate in Chambésy, Switzerland from 6 – 13, June 2009. It was decided unanimously by the Hierarchs that the first such Episcopal Assembly shall be convened during Post-Pentecost Week of 2010, which will fall in the last week of May. The likely days of the Assembly will be May 26-27, 2010. There was also discussion as to the location of the Assembly, with a specific venue to be decided after investigation of locales and resources.

The Hierarchs also outlined an initial staging process, combining Hierarchs of SCOBA with sub-committees, which will formulate the outline of the form and agenda of the Assembly.

Health Reform

We have not seen a more controversial issue than health reform in our country for some time. It is the main topic of debate on many radio talk shows, Fox News and CNN. Those on either side of the debate, I believe would agree that the providing of quality and affordable health care to all within our country is one of her main responsibilities.
Allow me to focus on a different type of health reform – Spiritual Health Reform. How many times have we heard or perhaps even said ourselves, “...if you have your health you have everything.”? Our Lord and His Church throughout the centuries would of course confirm this through His compassion and countless healings of sickness, disease and ailments in His ministry and through His people. However, above these physical healings He places, of course, our spiritual health and well being. This is of no surprise for us in theory. In other words, even the most basic of Christians understand that our spiritual health, the health of our soul is of primary importance. Health of mind, body and soul are intricately woven together, but our primary focus is health of soul. In our Lord’s own words, “...do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is life not more than food and the body more than clothing…? But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all this shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:25, 33). Or remember Jesus’ healing of the paralytic man that was lowered down through the roof to Jesus by his friends? Upon seeing their faith Jesus said to the Paralytic, “son, your sins are forgiven.” The scribes and others with them upon hearing Jesus, complained that only God can forgive sins to which Jesus responded by healing the man to show that his sins were forgiven also and first showing the primacy of this dimension of health. (Mark 2:1-12)
In the midst of the great health reform debate that we find ourselves, why not take this opportunity to focus on your own spiritual health reform? Allow me to offer a few concrete suggestions:
1. Dedicate your life more fully to Christ. Accept His love for you (John 3:16), and love Him and your neighbor as yourself (Mt. 22:37-39). Daily think of concrete ways of loving God by loving others – a kind word here, a prayer there, a monetary offering to help over there, are a few suggestions.
2. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness (Mt. 6:33). Put God and His kingdom first in your daily life. Begin and end each day with a thanksgiving prayer. Read His word, the Bible, daily. It is like daily food or vitamins.
3. Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. (Mt. 4:17). To be a “holy one” (a-yi-os in Greek) means to be in the world but not of the world. Repentance is about walking in a different direction than worldly directions such as desiring fame, fortune, and being self-centered. Be God-centered and humble as you relate to others!
4. Forgive! If you forgive man their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not… either will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Matt. 6:14-15). We tend to justify ourselves when we have a conflict with another. That’s our pride—not humility talking. That’s the world’s way.
5. Be humble! Remember the Parable of the Publican and the Pharisee. “...everyone who exalts himself will be humbled and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
6. Take advantage of the Religious Education classes for the adult, the “School of the Seventy”, and the personal journaling questions offered weekly.
7. Participate in the Church – the sacramental presence of our Lord with His people.

I respectfully offer these suggestions with a sincere hope and prayer that they can help in reforming our spiritual health and wellbeing.

With our Lord’s blessing, Fr. Lou

Starting out our Mission Team experience in Seoul at the Metropolis was nice. We were there to help teach English at a camp hosted by the Church, and being at the Metropolis enabled us to get our lessons together. It also afforded us some time to see a little bit of the city. Most importantly, it was good to get to know His Eminence and Athanasia (who helped coordinate the entire camp).

Read the complete article

Brookline, Mass. The 2009 Annual Conference of Orthodox Christian Association of Medicine, Psychology, and Religion (OCAMPR) will focus on Care for the Severely Challenged Patient. Presentations at the conference will review the needs of patients with chronic illnesses and severe and persisting trauma from a pastoral, medical, and psychotherapeutic perspective. Speakers will include Deacon Nathanael Symeonides, Dr. Aaron Haney, Dr. Michael Christakis, and Presbytera Maryann Tonias. The conference will meet at the Holy Cross Seminary campus in Brookline, Mass., November 6-7, 2009, beginning at 7 p.m. Friday evening.

OCAMPR is an inter-jurisdictional network of Orthodox persons in helping and healing professions, endorsed by the Standing Conference of Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA). The conference will be prefaced by an open General Board Meeting on Friday November 6, at 1:30 pm at Holy Cross.

Over the two day conference, speakers focusing on medicine, psychology, and theology will offer talks on various dimensions of Care for the Severely Challenged Patient and discuss a sample case. Group discussions will invite reflections, questions, and comments from conferees. Resources on caregivers’ practical concerns from medicine, nursing, hospice, ethics, theology, law, counseling, chaplaincy, and clinical pastoral education will be available at the conference, and the Holy Cross bookstore will also offer resources.

Fr. Nathanael Symeonides is deacon to His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese. He is a native of Thessaloniki, Greece, and holds degrees from Hellenic College, Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, and Boston University. He is now completing a Master’s Degree in Public Health at Columbia University. Fr. Symeonides also serves as an adjunct instructor at St. Vladimir’s Seminary in New York. He has published several articles, principally on subjects pertaining to bioethics.

Dr. Aaron Haney was born and raised in Southern Indiana the son of a Wesleyan minister.  At the outset of the first Gulf War he withdrew from university and joined the Army. He served as an infantryman two years in Korea.  In 1996 he was chrismated into the Orthodox Church in Bloomington, Indiana. Soon thereafter he started medical school at Indiana University on an Army scholarship.  He finished his residency in psychiatry at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in 2006 and then spent three years at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, as a Medical Detachment Commander and clinician with a deployment to Iraq.  He now lives in Columbus, Ohio, with his wife Jennifer and son Elias. He works as a Consultation-Liaison Psychiatrist at Riverside Methodist Hospital.

Dr. Michael Christakis is a general internist with a practice at the Worcester (Massachusetts) VA Clinic, which is the largest community-based outpatient clinic of the Boston VA Healthcare System.  He teaches medical students and residents, is a Fellow in the American College of Physicians, went to medical school in Greece, and trained at Roger Williams Hospital of the Brown University internal medicine training program. His practice includes care for veterans from the various American wars, including an increasingly large number of veterans from the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Dr. Christakis has been in the VA for fifteen years, serving at various VA facilities in New England and in his current post in Worcester for seven years.

Presbytera Maryann Tonias is a native of Schenectady/Niskayuna, NY. She received her BSN from Russell Sage in Troy, NY and her MSN from the MGH Institute of Health Professions in Boston. She has worked as a nurse in rehabilitation, public health, and clinical practice and now works as a hospital educator at the VA in Bedford, Massachusetts. She converted to orthodoxy in 1986 at St. Sophia in Albany, NY. She now lives in Watertown, Massachusetts, with her husband, Fr. Demetrios Tonias, and their four children.

The Orthodox Christian Tradition emphasizes a holistic perspective concerning one’s life in Christ. OCAMPR works to cultivate interdisciplinary dialogue and programs in an effort to realize that holistic approach in human service. It is a pan-Orthodox organization for those who seek to better understand and experience the relationship between theology and the healing arts and sciences, so they may better offer their services in the light of Christ‘s truth and the Church‘s wisdom.

Throughout its over twenty year history, OCAMPR’s purpose has been to foster interdisciplinary dialogue and promote Christian fellowship among professionals in medicine, nursing, mental health, psychology, ethics, theology, Church ministry, chaplaincy, parish nursing, social services, prison and community ministries

OCAMPR hopes to continue contributing in faith-filled, collaborative ways to the spiritual sustenance and growth of helping and healing professionals who are dedicated to addressing the needs of our hurting world. The OCAMPR Executive Committee urges all persons who experience their Orthodox Christian faith as the center of their professional life and ministry to attend the November 6th open Board Meeting at 1:30 pm at Holy Cross. The meeting will help chart OCAMPR’s future, clarifying how our shared love for Christ and the holistic view of personhood and sacredness inherent in Orthodoxy might continue to unfold.

Conference registration fee is $75 for OCAMPR full members, $10 for student members, and $100 for non-members. Registration includes lunch on Saturday, but does not include housing. OCAMPR annual membership dues are $100 for full members and $25 for student members. For best value, become a new member to receive your conference registration at the reduced rate for full and student members.

Persons interested in this conference or in joining OCAMPR may find the registration form on the OCAMPR webpage at www.OCAMPR.org or may contact any of the conference planning committee members for more details: Very Rev. George Morelli, PhD, LMFT, at gmorelli@fdu.edu, Dr. John Demakis, MD, at jgd11@erols.com, Dr. Demetra Velisarios Jaquet, DMin., BCC., at deejaquet@aol.com, W. David Holden, LPC, LCAS at davidholden1@bellsouth.net, or Marion Avtges, BA, RN, at
metaxiaa@comcast.net .

Contact: PRESS OFFICE
Stavros Papagermanos
pressoffice@goarch.org

Protocol 63/09

To the Most Reverend Hierarchs, the Reverend Priests and Deacons, the Monks and Nuns, the Presidents and Members of the Parish Councils of the Greek Orthodox Communities, the Distinguished Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Day, Afternoon, and Church Schools, the Philoptochos Sisterhoods, the Youth, the Hellenic Organizations, and the entire Greek Orthodox Family in America.

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

We give thanks to God for the beginning of this Ecclesiastical New Year and for His abundant blessings, which fill our hearts with gratitude, deepen our faith, and strengthen our souls. The date of September 1 on our calendars marks the beginning of many things in our lives. For some, it presents the beginning of another academic year filled with worthy goals and challenges. For others, it is the return from summer vacation with refreshed bodies and minds, and renewed commitment to vocation and responsibilities. For those who work in agriculture, this date marks the beginning of the agrarian year and the tasks of planting, nurturing, and harvesting.

For Orthodox Christians, September 1 begins a new liturgical year in which we participate in the life of the Holy Church through Her divine services. September 1 is also the date that has been designated by our Holy Ecumenical Patriarchate as the Day for the Protection of our Natural Environment. For more than one reason, the joining of our observance of this Day with the beginning of the Ecclesiastical New Year, is significant, as it guides us in understanding the important relationship between our world created by God and our Orthodox Christian faith.

First, as human beings, it is within our world that we experience communion with God through our worship in the divine services of the Church. Our natural environment calls us to be in communion with God and with others. God brought the natural world into existence out of nothingness and He then created humankind within the natural environment for a harmonious coexistence and fellowship. While this harmony was interrupted through the sin and disobedience of man, our God, out of His great love for us, entered into His creation as flesh and blood in order to redeem us and all that is under the bondage of sin and death, restoring the harmonious fellowhip.

Second, through the liturgical life of the Church we are not only strenghthened in our journey of life but we also become aware of the great spiritual significance of our natural environment. This happens through the usage of purely material elements, as the bread and the wine, in the most holy Mystery of the Divine Eucharist which as the Body and Blood of Christ unites us with God Himself. Here, the spiritual and physical relationship is significant. We are both physical and spiritual beings, created for life, and blessed with the ability, unique only to human beings, to worship our Creator within a natural environment that not only provides for our basic physical needs, but also enables us to exprerience perfect communion with God.

Finally, our liturgical life and our life in the world cannot be considered as separate spheres of existence, but as one realm of living and relationship. In the services of the Church, we are called to liturgy, to a collective work as a people that will be our vocation for eternity. Within the Church, we strive for deeper communion with God, and we nurture our relationships of faith and love with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Our natural environment is also dependent upon our faith inspired work as a people, specifically as stewards of what God has created. We have been called to oversee and protect the natural environment. This requires cooperation with others in a spirit of love and fellowhsip. It also requires that we appreciate the impact of our actions and inactions, and that we cherish the beauty, function, and purpose of all that God has created, consistent with the manner by which we invoke His holy name in our worship of Him.

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

It is on this day of the inauguration of this Ecclesiastical New Year, it is at this time, that all of us are called to think seriously about what St. Paul said to the Corinthians: behold, now is the happily acceptable time, behold now is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2). Let us then, hear this apostolic saying as a call to an enhanced participation in the liturgical life of our Church, to a renewed relationship to our natural environment, and to a deeper understanding of the preciousness of the time given to us by our God and Creator.

With paternal love in Christ,

+ D E M E T R I O S
Archbishop of America

“Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God!”
Matthew 6:33

This September 1, 2009, marks the 25th time that our St. Catherine Parish has begun a new Ecclesiastical Year. With the overall theme of “Every Generation”, marking our Silver Anniversary as a Parish, we have chosen our Religious Education theme for the year: “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God.” (Matthew 6:33)
Please join Father Paul, Father Dino, Our Ministry Leader and me in beginning each day in prayer, thanking our Good Lord for His love, grace and Divine presence in our lives. Let us place one another in God’s care and protection. In a world that seems less and less focused on our Lord, let us endeavor to focus more and more upon Him.

• Begin and end each day in Thanksgiving for God’s love and grace
• Love God, love others, love yourself
• Be humble
• Forgive and ask for forgiveness
• Be compassionate, “rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn!” Romans 12:15
• Be kind
• Be patient with others and yourself
• Be peacemakers

With our Lord’s Blessings,

PLEASE BE ON TIME TO CHURCH! We are on time for ALL other things that are important in our lives. When we are late to Church, we are perhaps unintentionally, teaching our youth that worship is not as important as those “other things.”

Wednesday night classes begin September 9.
Session I: September 9 – October 14;
Fall Break: NO classes October 21, 28;
Session II: November 4 – December 16

WEDNESDAY FELLOWSHIP NIGHT will include:
5 pm Supplication Service
5:35 pm Dinner (Bring your own)
6-7 pm Adult Classes – see description below
Note: There is NO RELIGIOUS ED for children on Wednesdays this year. We will have baby sitting, Hope/Joy Activities, Youth Activities, GOYA Basketball.

As we approach the start of the New Ecclesiastical year and consider the theme of “Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God,” we each have an opportunity to participate in Adult Religious Education. Educational offerings emphasize flexibility and options so that each of us can participate throughout the year.

Options include:
Spiritual Journal: We will all be encouraged to keep our own Spiritual Journals to record our thoughts, questions, and observations in our own walks with Christ. Weekly topics related to the Gospels will be provided beginning in September. Also, the journal can be used as a means for your own reflection throughout the year.

School of the Seventy: A self-directed adult Orthodox education program sponsored by St. Luke the Evangelist Orthodox Church in Palos Hills, IL. This wonderful book and podcast program allows you to explore Orthodox topics at your own pace and to suit your own interests. For information please see the website: www.70school.blogspot.com

Introduction to Orthodoxy 1 and 2: Two six-week sessions based in the book Introducing the Orthodox Church by A. Coniaris. Taught by Fr. Lou and Fr. Dino.

Bible study of the Epistles: Two six-week sessions on the Epistles. Taught by Fr. Lou and Fr. Dino.(Session I – Galatians, Session II - Ephesians)

Book study: During the second six-week session (beginning Nov. 4), we will offer a study of The Screwtape Letters and The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis. Taught by Staci Stech.

We hope that with the variety of self-paced offerings and group classes, that each of us can find a way to participate in Adult Religious Education. Be on the lookout for information to come in the following weeks, and the “Fall Semester” beginning September 9.

http://www.goarch.org/news/observer

NEW YORK – The Seventh Inter-Orthodox Young Adult Retreat, will take place September 25-27, 2009 and will be held at Hellenic College/Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, Mass. This nation-wide retreat will welcome young adults from all jurisdictions. This year’s theme, God Created: From Created to Creators, will focus on Orthodoxy and the arts. His Grace Bishop Savas of Troas, the newly appointed Director of the Office of Church and Society, will be the keynote speaker.

The weekend will begin Friday with a Paraklesis service, icebreakers, and an evening of fellowship at the Hilton Boston Dedham Hotel. On Saturday morning, young adults will participate in morning prayers, workshops, and the keynote speech, all reflecting on the weekend theme of art, music, pop culture, and more. The day will continue with a campus tour, outdoor activities, and an evening barbeque and musicfest, co-hosted by the Hellenic College/Holy Cross Office of Admissions.

Retreat details, hotel information, and online registration are now available at www.youth.goarch.org. For additional questions, feel free to contact the Department of Youth and Young Adult Ministries at 646-519-6180. For more information about Hellenic College/Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, please visit www.hchc.edu.

GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA
8-10 East 79th St. New York, NY 10075-0106
Tel: (212) 570-3530 Fax: (212) 774-0237
Web: http://www.goarch.org – Email: communications@goarch.org

Contact: PRESS OFFICE
Stavros Papagermanos
pressoffice@goarch.org

As God Wills

My sisters, brother and I had the good fortune of growing up in the same town as my paternal grandparents. For the first ten years of my life or so, our maternal grandfather also lived in Cheyenne until his passing. If there is one phrase that I remember, perhaps above all others from my Yiayia and Papous, it was “Proto o Theos”, literally “First God” or “As God Wills”. Sentences would go something like this: “I will see you next summer, Proto O Theos”, or “Proto o Theos we will go fishing Saturday” or “I will fix you macaroni kapama (an incredible Greek tomato and meat sauce), “Proto o Theos”. You see my grandparents really took nothing for granted and realized that everything from the simple and apparently mundane to the complex in life is dependent upon God. From my grandparents to my parents and now to my siblings, the phrase “God willing” is a part of our regular vocabulary.
Indeed this is a part of our Orthodox Cultures. This, however, is not the case in our American – even Western European cultures. Even Christianity has often been negatively influenced to the point where “God-willing” is looked at negatively rather than positively. Please read what Mother Raphaela, the Abbess of Holy Myrrhbearers OCA Monastery in upstate New York recently said in her address to the graduates of Saint Vladimir Seminary: “…But we have a culture, even a Church culture where the phrase “as God wills” signifies a negative, fatalistic approach to life and who in their right mind would try to find that for any future?” She goes on to challenge the seminary graduates to live a life in personal relationship with God, so that His will be slowly but continually intertwined with their will, as they live a life of intimate relationship with Him and through Him with others.
If God’s will is to become our will it requires a commitment to relationship in love to God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God’s will is the beginning and the end, the Alpha and Omega. It is, however, not forced upon us. If God’s will is to become our will we must humbly choose to accept Him and then anything that He wills in our lives. “How we use this incredible portion of created time and space we call life, matters incredibly.” (Mother Raphaela, pg. 7) Our opportunity and responsibility is to use time and space – indeed our lives as opportunities for love, kindness, grace, forgiveness as reflections of the light of God’s glory in an alarmingly dark world.
As we enter the Fast Period of the Dormition of the Blessed Theotokos please join me in reflecting on God’s will in our daily lives. As we approach the end of the summer and the beginning of the New Ecclesiastical Year (September 1) please join me in a commitment of love to our Lord and God in Trinity and to one another. “Seek Ye first the Kingdom of God…” (Religious Ed. Theme for 2009-2010)
The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God the Father and the Communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

With our Lord’s blessings,
Fr. Lou

(Note: Quotations and references to Mother Raphaela are from Essay and Notes, Volume 15, No.1 Summer 2009, Holy Myrrhbearers Monastery, Otego, NY.)

“SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD”

The greatest sermon of all time, “The Sermon on the Mount” is recorded in Matthew, Chapters 5-7 and delivered by our Lord to His disciples and a great crowd of onlookers. In Chapter 6, verse 33 of this sermon, our Lord Jesus reminds us that the proper focus of life is on the Kingdom of God. When we focus on our Lord, everything else will fall into place.
At our Clergy/Laity and Philoptochos Congress in the Summer of 2008, His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios chose the theme, “Gather My People to My Home.” He then challenged all Parishes to endeavor to reach out and include all Orthodox and those interested in our Orthodox Faith. We therefore have made some changes outlined below in order to assist each of you in your faith commitment .

We look to begin our New Ecclesiastical year, September 1, with a renewed commitment of our lives to our Lord. “Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God”, is the theme of our Orthodox walk in general and this year in particular, our focus for Religious Education. For two years we have used an interactive teaching model for our early childhood and primary children that was taught on either Wednesday evenings or Sunday mornings. We have decided this year to once again have ALL of our Religious Education classes for children on Sunday mornings. We will continue our Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Curriculum for the Preschool and Kindergarten age group and augment our curriculum for older children.
There are several changes in the Sunday Schedule which are listed below:

8:15am – Orthros
9:20am – Doxology
9:30am – Divine Liturgy
10:35 -11:35am – Church School For Children (Leave after Holy Communion)
11:10 – Coffee Hour

Please note that the biggest change is not only going back to Sundays, but having Church School AFTER rather then before Divine Liturgy, and that Liturgy will begin at 9:30am all year round, rather than only in the summer months.
Please do your very best to get to Divine Liturgy at 9:30am with your children. We plan to have a short sermonette for them after the Gospel. The children with their teachers will be the first to receive Holy Communion and proceed directly to their classes at 10:35am. The adult sermon and extra services will happen at the end of the Liturgy after which adults will proceed to Coffee Hour and shortly thereafter classes will be dismissed.

Wednesday Fellowship Nights will not have religious education for children. We will, however, continue to have classes for adults (the schedule will be posted in August) and babysitting will be available. We are exploring other activities for children on Wednesday nights and GOYA will have Basketball practices in the fall.

We also look forward to beginning a 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-per-week Internet Radio Program in conjunction with OCN (Orthodox Christian Network). We intend to weekly highlight a Gospel reading and the life of a saint for the spiritual growth of our parishioners.

The Church School registration form is on page 5 (also available on our website); please send it back to the Church Office (Attn: Alina Buzdugan) by August 15. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me, Fr. Dino or Suzanne Magerko.
Let us begin this Ecclesiastical year “Seeking first the Kingdom of God.”

With our Lord’s Blessings,

Fr. Lou

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“Every Generation offers a hymn to Your burial
Oh Christ.” (Hymn – Holy Friday Lamentation Service)

Billions of Christians from “every generation” and all lands have sung this hymn from the Lamentations service of Holy Friday night with love to our Lord. Thousands of faithful parishioners of our beloved Saint Catherine parish have joined them in song for these past 25 years. From the auditorium Sanctuary at Slavens Elementary School to our beautiful Temple honoring the All-Wise Great Martyr Catherine of Alexandria, we sing praises to our Lord. We are Orthodox Christians from Greek, Russian, Serbian and other Slavic backgrounds. We are Romanians, Bulgarians, Middle-Easterners, Egyptians and Africans. We are Americans from Roman Catholic and various Christian traditions, from Judaism and other major faiths who have chosen to become one with the Ancient Apostolic Church. Those who sang in those first years as small children are now adults, many with faithful children of their own. We are young and old. We are diverse, yet one in love for and in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Let us therefore join together as one family in Christ to celebrate our Silver Anniversary of 25 Years. We remember in honor the 20 Founding Members, their families and all who were a part of the beginning, most living and some of blessed memory. We honor the past presidents and members of the Parish Council and Philoptochos. We honor our senior citizens and youth, our teachers, choir members, chanters, youth workers, volunteers in all ministry areas and staff, past and present. Finally, we honor our clergy. We thank our hierarchs, His Eminence Archbishop Iakovos and Bishop Kallistos of blessed memory, Bishop Anthimos and Metropolitan Isaiah who consecrated St. Catherine. We thank our founding pastor, Fr. Dean Talagan and Fathers Demetrius Nicoloudakis, Paul Fedec, Evan Armatas and Dino Sinos and their Presbyteres Argie, Despina, Gloria, Stacy and Rachel for their faithful leadership in ministry and support. We honor the memory of Deacons Christodoulos Vigil and Chris Zinis and Diakonissa Marguerite for their ministry and thank Diakonissa Claire for her ongoing service to the Lord.
On our celebration weekend of June 13-14, let us gather as one family, glorifying our Loving Lord Father, Son and Holy Spirit for His love and faithfulness.

SATURDAY, JUNE 13
• SAINT CATHERINE BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR CHILDREN: 10 am-12 noon with lunch, fun and games and Birthday Cake
• GREAT VESPERS AND PARISH MEMORIAL SERVICE: 5 pm presided over by His Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah with Visiting and Parish Clergy
• GRAND BANQUET: Cocktails 6pm, Dinner 7pm (Individual tickets $100)

SUNDAY, JUNE 14
• ORTHROS - 8:15 am
• HIERARCHICAL DIVINE LITURGY - 9:30 am
• PARISH CELEBRATION BRUNCH - immediately following Divine Liturgy (Love offering donation)

Please RSVP for each event to Church Office at 303-773-3411 or to Alina Buzdugan at alina@stcatherinechurch.org.

On behalf of Presbytera Marsha and our family I am so grateful to be your Pastor and thank our Good and Loving Lord for blessing us in this Ministry these past 12 years. Through the prayers of His most blessed Mother the Theotokos and our special protectress, St. Catherine the great Martyr, may our generation and all future generations be blessed and offer hymns to our Risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

In humility and with His Blessings, Fr. Lou

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Christ is Risen! So What?
(an article reprinted with some minor changes from a past Pascha Kandili message)

In the midst of the great annual journey of Great Lent, Holy Week and the eternally glorious event of our Lord’s death on the cross and life-giving Resurrection, it’s fair to say that the questions posed above often receive more attention and focus from the vast majority of people, perhaps even people within the Church. Whereas all of these questions are of importance, most of them pale in comparison to questions of life and death. And you see, “Christ is Risen!” is an exclamation of life – a conquering of death by Life. In the final analysis, living out our lives in love for God, our neighbor and our self, sets in motion a life with God today, tomorrow and for all eternity even after our death here.

Economic stability is important, temporarily. A good president is helpful in this world. Entertainment can help us recreate for a time. Is it not fair to say that we often spend much too much time, effort and energy on things that are in the final analysis not that important? I am not saying that they are not important. They just are not that important. But who is? God. God in Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God above us – the Father. God with us – the Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. God within us – The Life-giving Spirit.

We are in the season of seasons. Pascha has dawned, our Lord is risen! This is a cosmic, eternal event that happened historically. In our remembrance of it the cosmic reality is enlivened within us. “…O death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory? Christ is risen, and you are overthrown! Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen. Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice. Christ is Risen, and life reigns – Christ is Risen, and not one dead remains in the grave. For Christ, being raised from the dead, is become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. To Him be Glory and dominion unto ages of ages.” (St. John Chrysostom – Paschal Sermon).

Christ is risen! So what? So you and I and everyone who chooses to, may live with Him today, tomorrow, and for all eternity. Truly He is risen!

With our Lord’s Blessings,

On behalf of Fr. Paul, Fr. Dino, and our Parish Council I would like to thank everyone who worked so hard to make this Great Lent, Holy Week and Pascha such a blessed time. You all did a beautiful job for the glory of our Loving Lord.

God grant eternal rest to the soul of Dennis Mantas, who tragically lost his life in a fire at their home on April 23. We wish Maria, Jason, Michelle, Danny, Alexa and their entire extended family and friends God’s grace and strength at this most challenging time. Dennis was a very special part of our Parish and we will miss him greatly. May his love and generosity – and even humor – continue to be a part of our lives for generations to come, as a reflection of God’s love and grace!

Your Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah, Reverend Fathers, Honorable Judges, Fellow Speakers, Ladies and Gentlemen, Good Morning:

As you may have heard, this past February, the unemployment rate surged to 8.1% and it is quickly on the rise. If our economy continues to worsen, many will become impoverished, and for everyone else, it will become harder to assist the growing number of needy, particularly when our own monetary status is uncertain. However limited our savings may become though; we still need to donate as much as we are capable. Why? Because it is by giving in the most spiritual way, that we learn to part with our possessions and focus more upon God. “Then,” as St. John Chrysostom says, “if we cut off this passion, we shall destroy the other limbs of evil as well… and nothing will prevent us from dwelling on earth as it is in heaven” (Coniaris 80).
The process of giving is not an easy one. According to the Jewish philosopher and Torah scholar, Maimonides, there are eight distinct levels of charity. Let us evaluate our motivation for giving and how we can progress to the highest form. As my trumpet teacher always repeats, “It is not where we are at any one moment, but in what direction we are headed.” The first level of charity starts with giving begrudgingly. The second stage is giving less than you should, but doing so cheerfully. Does either one of these describe us yet? Giving because one is asked to, and giving before one is asked to, constitute the third and fourth levels of charity. One example of these is the societal standard that the wealthy are greedy if they do not give to the poor. (Quote) “All will bear you ill-will as they see your body decked out, but your soul neglected.” (71) St. John Chrysostom. My favorite example of such a moral obligation is the responsibility of a parent. They are the rich ones in the family and are thus responsible for taking care of the poor – otherwise known as children. It does not seem possible that a parent could deny their children money, food, or shelter and likewise, it should not seem possible to deny the poor those things which help them be successful in their lives, since we are all members in God’s family. The fifth through seventh levels of giving are best defined by Jesus as recorded in Matthew 6:3-4 “…when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret.”
According to Maimonides, all seven of these stages lead to the most beneficial and significant form of giving, where one is enabling the recipient to become self-reliant. Such was the case when I was able to participate in a program called “Operation Christmas” through my Boy Scout troop. The aim of the program was to help a local family in need. This family consists of three children and the grandmother who takes care of them. To give you an idea of their situation, the grandmother drives a bus for the school district, did not have her own car, and was not even expecting to provide a traditional Christmas celebration for these children at all. Through this program, however, each Boy Scout helped to contribute something that would make this Christmas very special for the family. The Scouts provided everything from a Christmas feast to festive decorations and gifts. The final contribution though, was a car for the grandmother so that she could continue working for her family and for herself. Even though, at this stage, the giver is not normally recognized for his time, talent, or treasure, it will be the most rewarding because he knows that he has positively affected someone long-term. Giving, in this highest of forms, puts money and wealth in perspective by helping us see how much good it can do for others. St. John Chrysostom writes, “...those who are satisfied with what they have, and pleased with their own possessions… even if they are the poorest of all, should be considered the richest of all” (Chrysostom 40).
No matter where our starting point is today, the eight stages of charity, according to Maimonides, will help guide us away from our desires for possessions and toward a life focused upon God. With this in mind, continual alms giving to the poor, in good times and difficult times, will allow us to live our lives on earth as it is in heaven.

Thank you.

How is Your Wedding Garment?

“I see Your bridal chamber adorned, O my Savior, and I have no wedding garment, that I may enter therein; O Giver of Light, make radiant the vesture of my soul, and save me.” Hymn of the Holy Week Services of the Bridegroom

Within the Church, another special day is coming, with excitement of its own. In a few short weeks, the Church and all of her members are invited to participate in the annual “Day of Days”, the Resurrection of our Lord. She, the bride, and all her members are invited to spiritually unite with the Bridegroom, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Neither He nor she is decked out in the finest of clothes. The final fittings are not for outer garments, but rather for radiant souls. The Bridegroom is clothed in the extreme humility of His purple robe of mockery, a crown of thorns and the open wounds from the stripes of scourging. Carrying His cross of Golgotha, He invites you and me, as members of His Church, to be His Bride. But to do this we too must don the garment of extreme humility; submitting our lives to Him in order that His light may dawn within us; making radiant the “vesture” of our souls; a union of the Divine and the human then occurs which “no man can tear asunder”.

God’s great love for us is fulfilled in the death and glorious resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Through His incredible act of humility in becoming man, dying on the cross and resurrecting in glory, He is with us. Likewise, it takes humility from us to be with Him. May we glorify our loving Lord for His great humility and submit our lives to Him, dying more to sin in our lives and living anew with Him in His life-giving resurrection. Have a glorious Pascha.
With our Lord’s blessings,

Fr. Lou

(NOTE: The Holy week services of Palm Sunday evening, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, are the Matins Service of the Bridegroom. The parables of The Ten Virgins (Mt. 25:1-13) and Wedding feast (Mt. 22:2-15), provide the theme: preparedness to meet the Bridegroom. Metaphorically, our Lord Jesus is the Bridegroom and the Church (the faithful), is the Bride. The Icon of the Bridegroom placed in the center of the solea during these services, depicts our Lord after He has been beaten, a crown of thorns placed upon His head, and adorned with the robe of mockery, just prior to His crucifixion. Preparedness with repentance in righteousness lies in attempting to match our Lord’s humility and turning our soul to Him. Thus, humility is the proper garment in order for us to enter into our Lord’s wedding feast.)

INGREDIENTS:
1 can coconut milk (I like to use Light)
1 tsp. green curry paste (you can find this at King Soopers – it’s in a little jar)
oil (peanut oil for authentic flavor, otherwise anything will do like olive oil)
peanut butter (optional)
1tsp.-1Tbsp. brown sugar (add desired amount to taste)
Basil
Salt
Pepper
Ginger
Tofu / Chicken / Shrimp / Beef/ or add nothing (whatever you’d like)
Asian stir-fry style vegetables (you can use a frozen mix, or fresh – like snow peas, baby corn, red & yellow bell pepper, broccoli, mushrooms, etc.).

DIRECTIONS:
In a wok over medium heat, add coconut milk, curry paste, and oil and stir continuously to blend. Add peanut butter if you so choose and brown sugar. Season as desired. Then add your main ingredient and let it cook in the curry sauce. If it’s tofu, you may want to brown your tofu separately first. If you’re using chicken or beef, cook until all pink is gone in the meat. Add vegetables last. If you’re using frozen, you can just put them in their frozen state and let them thaw as they cook. When done, spoon curry mixture over rice.

I hope this turns out well for you – again, you just kinda have to play with the flavors until you get what you want. If you want spicy, add more curry paste. If you want sweet, go for more peanut butter and brown sugar.

Peel/cut potatoes and fry with onions & garlic until golden brown. Add water, and rest ingredients. Simmer until the potatoes are tender and sauce thickens & season with salt/pepper/parsley & oregano.

1 tsp salt or another slightly course type
11/2 T olive oil
1 C long-grain rice
1 md. Onion, chopped (about 1/2 C)
1 green or red bell pepper, chopped (about 1 C)
1 Clove of garlic, minced
115-oz can of black beans, undrained
1/2 C chicken broth
1 T red wine vinegar
2 bay leaves
1/2 t freshly ground black pepper
1/4 t ground cumin

In md. Saucepan combine 2C of water with 1 t of salt and 1 t of olive oil. Bring to boil. Stir in rice and cover (I tend to follow the cooking instructions on whatever rice I buy). Cook for 20 minutes.

Heat remaining oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute garlic, onion and pepper until softened, about 5 min. Add broth, beans, vinegar, bay leaves, pepper, cumin and salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove bay leaves and serve over rice.

Spice Mixture

1/2 tsp fennel seeds, coarsely ground with a mortar and pestle
1 tsp salt
2 tsp water or more as needed
2/3 cup fresh or frozen peas
1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 475. Spray roasting pan with non-stick cooking spray and add onion, potatoes and cauliflower. Drizzle with oil and mix to coat. Add spice seasoning, fennel and salt. Toss to coat spices. Drizzle water over vegetable. Cover pan with foil and place in oven, cook for 30 minutes. Take of foil and stir vegetables, place back in oven uncovered for 25 minutes. Add peas and cook for 3-5 minutes. Remove from oven, drizzle lemon juice and serve.

We like to eat this dish with Indian scented Basmati rice or with Lentil Rice Pilaf (Near East brand – prepackaged).

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

DIRECTIONS

Mix together in a large skillet until heated through.

Combine vegetable broth, diced potato, celery, green onions, parsley, thyme and sage in large 6 qt sauce pan. Simmer over medium heat until potato is tender (about 20 min). Add V8 juice and elbow pasta. Simmer until pasta is tender, stirring to prevent pasta from sticking on bottom of pan (about 10 min).
Season to taste with garlic salt and pepper.

Dice eggplant and sprinkle with lemon juice and a generous amount of salt
Drain eggplant in colander for about 20 minutes
Rinse thoroughly and squeeze out all moisture with paper towels
Heat oil in large frying pan
Add onion and saute´ until transparent. Add celery and pepper and cook for 10 minutes
Add eggplant and cook until golden. Add tomato sauce, olives, parsley, sugar and vinegar
Season with salt, pepper and garlic. Simmer, stirring frequently, for 20-30 minutes
Serve with toasted French bread, rice or pasta

2 eggplants about 2 pounds total, stemmed and cut into ½ inch slices
Salt and pepper
3 red onions
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded and quartered
½ cup chopped fresh basil
¼-1/2 cup chopped fresh mint (to your taste)
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp dried red pepper flakes
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 pound dry farfalle or rotini pasta

Optional: (which I always do!!)

1 zucchini sliced
Portobello mushroom slices

Lay eggplants slices on a baking sheet and liberally sprinkle both sides with salt; let sit for 15 to 20 minutes (this draws out excess moisture along with any bitterness the eggplant may have). Wipe off the salt and pat dry.

Preheat grill or broiler. Grill/Broil eggplant, onion, (zucchini and mushroom) slices until just tender, turning occasionally. Let cool slightly and coarsely chop them. Grill red pepper skin towards heat until skin becomes charred. Put the peppers in a plastic bag for 10 minutes. Take them from the bag and peel off and discard skin. Coarsely chop the peppers.

Combine the eggplant, onion,( zucchini and mushroom) pepper, basil, mint, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a large bowl and toss to mix. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil and balsamic vinegar and pour over the vegetables. Toss to coat them well and season to taste with salt and pepper. Let stand at least one hour.

Just before serving, bring a large pot of water to boil and add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain well and toss pasta with grilled vegetables and herb mixture.

Makes 6 servings. (I usually halve the recipe because it makes a lot!)

2 Tablespoons Olive oil
1 ½ cups chopped onion
1 green pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 red or yellow pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp oregano
½ tsp dried basil
Dash of cayenne pepper
2 cans (14 ounces each) vegetable broth
1 can (28 ounces) stewed tomatoes
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed, and drained
1 can (15 ounces) kidney bean, rinsed, and drained
1 can (15 ounces) white cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
½ cup chopped fresh parsley

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, and garlic, and sauté until slightly softened about 5 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, oregano, basil, and cayenne and cook 2 minutes longer, stirring constantly to evenly coat the vegetables with the spices. Stir in the broth, tomatoes, mustard, Worcestershire and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer 20 minutes. Add the beans and parsley and cook until the beans are heated through, about 10 minutes longer.

1 Med. Onion
2 Med. Green Zucchini
2 Med. Yellow Zucchini
1 Tbs. chili powder
2 Tbs. sugar
æ tsp. salt
1/8-1/4 tsp. cayenne
2 – 28 oz. cans organic fire roasted crushed tomatoes
2 – 15-19 oz. cans organic pinto beans
2 – 15-16 oz. cans organic black beans
1 – 4 oz. can chopped mild green chilies
2 C. fresh or frozen organic corn kernels

Chop onion and cut zucchini (lengthwise into quarters) into _ inch thick slices. In 5 qt. Saucepan over medium heat, add olive oil and cook onion until tender. Add zucchini, chili powder, sugar, salt and cayenne and cook 1-2 mins.

Add crushed tomatoes, pinto and black beans with their liquid, green chilies with their liquid and corn over high heat until boiling.
Reduce heat to med./low; simmer, uncovered 20-30 mins. I like to make this the day before so the flavors can really come together.

This can be served over brown rice or whole grain noodles. It’s also great with broiled crusty bread topped with olive oil and garlic salt. Enjoy!
Makes 10 -12 servings.

1 pound Morningstar Farms Crumbles
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
28 ounces Italian-style tomatoes, canned
1 can tomato sauce
1 can corn
1/4 teaspoon pepper
7 ounces pasta (abc), cooked
1/4 cup parmesan cheese or imitation parmesan
1 cup mozzarella cheese or imitation shreds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large pan, sauté crumbles, add onion powder, garlic powder, pepper and salt to taste, cook until brown

3. Stir in tomatoes, sauce, Italian seasoning and corn.

4. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.

5. Stir pasta and parmesan cheese into mixture. Pour mixture into a greased casserole dish.

6. Sprinkle top with cheese. Bake 30 minutes

Combine chickpeas, tahini, olive oil and lemon juice in a bowl (food processor if you have). Whip until smooth and creamy, pausing to add a bit of the juice from garbonzo beans to make creamy. Continue until it is the proper consistency – Not too runny. (May not need all of the juice). Add garlic, salt, cumin and pepper to taste and process to blend. Taste and correct seasoning, if necessary.
Put in plastic container, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Cut Pita Bread in Equal Triangle and spread on Hummus

1 ½ cup all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup orange juice
½ cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1 tablespoon white or cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Orange Glaze

½ cup powdered sugar
1 ½ tablespoons orange juice
Whisk together powdered sugar and orange juice until smooth. Pour over cooled cake.

*Recipe is easily doubled to bake in a 9X13. Don’t forget to double the glaze when you double the cake.

2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
3 cup water
4 cup vegetable broth
1 Tbsp dried oregano or basil
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
½ lb cut carrots
1 can navy beans
1 can whole tomatoes
½ cup orzo

Heat oil in soup pan, add onion and garlic; sautee 5 minutes or until tender. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Add orzo; cook uncovered over medium heat an additional 10 minutes, serve.

Good with zucchini added in the last five minutes. Or serve with helping of fresh spinach on top. Also good with tortellini instead of orzo.

Tip: For 5,6, or 7 quart cookers double all ingredients.

Revisions:

Use vegetable oil vs. olive oil

add 1 regular can tomato sauce (15 oz)

1 can beer (any type) instead of wine

1 small can green chilies

2 cans Rotele tomatoes w/chilies

I omit the oregano

Sautée the onions and garlic in vegetable oil. Add the beer to all when in crock pot, Use 1 can pinto beans 1 can kidney beans. If too spicy, omit the can of chilies. Increase the corn to 2 cups

Ingredients:
Whole wheat berries (Sunflower market, Whole Food, Middle Eastern Stores)
Kalamata Olives
Marinated Artichoke Hearts
Pasely
Capers
Diced red & green peppers
lemon / lime juice
cucumber
tomatoes
Carrots
lettuce/mixed greens
Scallions
vinegar
garlic

Preparation ahead of time:
Soak the wheat berries overnight. Maybe a cup or so, covered with water.
Drain. Boil/ simmer with berries just covered, for 2 hours. Drain again.

This is the point where you can keep the boiled wheat in a closed container in your fridge
for however long you feel comfortable, to use in making the salad later.

To make the salad:Variation #1
Add the following ingredients to the boiled wheat, diced or chopped:
kalamata olives, marinated artichoke hearts,parsely, capers (these are salty so easy on the salt seasoning),diced red & green peppers, cucumber, tomatoes, scallions. You can add anything to this, even grate in some carrots.
When you serve, add some lettuce or mixed greens if you like to.

Make the dressing from a little bit of vinegar, garlic, lemon/lime juice and whatever seasoning you like.

To make the salad:Variation #2
Another version of a boiled wheat salad is very different
Boil the wheat as per step 1 & 2 above.
Add chopped dates, sliced bananas (sprinkled with lemon juice) and drizzle on some honey,
add some walnuts or pecans. My original version included yogurt mixed in, but you can leave the yogurt out for lent. Add the bananas last, otherwise they get mushy and brown.

“If God is for us, who can be against us?”(Rom. 8:31)

In Christ,

Fr. Lou

Kali Tessarakosti! Have a blessed Great Lent!

Lord, Have Mercy on Me a Sinner

“It is not the self-critical who reveals his humility (for does
not everyone have somehow to put up with himself?).
Rather it is the one who continues to love the person who
has criticized him.” St. John Climacus
Sunday, February 8, marks the beginning of the
Triodion in our Orthodox Church. It consists of the four
pre-Lenten Sundays, Great Lent and Holy Week with a general
theme of repentance. You may recognize the title of
this article as the words of the publican or tax collector
from the biblical parable of the “Publican and the Pharisee”
(Lk. 18:9-14). Coincidentally, this is the first passage of the
Triodion period with a focus on humility, helping us to begin
this period of repentance. The publican stands at the
back of the Temple, too ashamed of his life of fraudulent
behavior to enter any further, lowers his head and beats his
chest and recites the words, “Lord, have mercy on me a sinner.”
We are told that indeed the Lord hears his prayers
rather than the Pharisee’s who, standing at the front of the
temple thanks God for making him so special – better then
others even than the publican. The parable ends with the
immortal words, “…everyone who exalts himself will be
humbled, and he whom humbles himself will be exalted.”
(Lk. 18:14)
Humility indeed is the key to repentance which
opens the gates into the presence of God. We may understand
that self-critique and self-knowledge are essential for
humility. St. John Climacus, or St. John of the Ladder,
takes us into an even deeper understanding of humility with
the quotation above. When we are criticized by others,
whether justified or not in our minds, our tendency is to get
on the defensive. We may in our mind logically try to refute
the criticism thus justifying our action. Or we may say to
ourselves or others, “Who is this person to judge me? Why
don’t they look at their own life? And by the way, they do
this or that wrong”. Our tendency when we are criticized or
judged is to in turn become their critic or judge and often,
because of hurt or anger, at even a greater degree than
the original criticism laid at our feet. Needless to say, the
cycle can continue on and on in relationships with criticism
heightening from one to another unless the cycle is
broken. The “Hatfield and McCoy” phenomenon is an
example. How many times have we heard of relationships
broken, of people, families or perhaps even whole
cultures divided because of this cycle? St. John’s tool to
break this cycle is love for others in humility. It sounds
simple enough, but in truth at times it seems all but impossible.
But remember, “All things are possible with
God.” (Mt. 19:26)
God’s creation of us and love for us help to define
us. We are not perfect, yet God still loves us in the
midst of that imperfection. Understanding our own frailties
allows us to sympathize with the frailties of others.
Therefore, when others judge, or criticize us it is either
because of our own limitations or because of the limitation
of others, or perhaps a combination of the two. In
any case this is not what defines us – our limitations,
those of others or ours together. Rather it is God’s love
for us and His grace within us that defines us. In humility
and thanksgiving we may therefore love others and
ourselves because God loves us – even though we are
not perfect.
As we prepare in the pre-Lenten Sundays to embark
upon the annual Journey of Great Lent, let’s do so
in humility with the publican’s words, “Lord, have
mercy upon me, a sinner.” (Lk. 18:13)
With our Lord’s Blessings, Fr Lou

“Every Generation” Glorifies Our Loving Lord