JOHNSTOWN, PA --[Diocesan Chancery] -- With the blessing of His Eminence, Metropolitan Gregory, we wish to inform you that the Eastern, Central and Western Regional Diocesan Retreats have been cancelled due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. In regards to the Eastern Regional Retreat, if any reservations have been made with payment, a full refund will be issued.

March 12, 2020

Protocol No. 7/2020

God is with us!

Dear Reverend Clergy and Faithful Laity of the Diocese,

I am writing to you today with a sense of urgency, as we confront the new Covid-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic that is potentially affecting not only our physical and spiritual health but also our way of life in the United States of America.  If you have turned on the television, listened to the radio, or followed the announcements on your phones for the last three weeks or so, you would think that the world is coming to an end.  Local public and private schools are shutting down for several weeks.  Professional sports leagues are suspending their schedules.  Colleges and universities are closing down their on campus activities and doing everything on-line for the remainder of the spring semester.  Even the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball March Madness Tournaments have been cancelled.  What will we do for the next three weeks without our madness?  How about going to Church and observing Great Lent in a more meaningful way.

MERCER, PA [Camp Nazareth] -- The Young Adult Retreat scheduled for this coming weekend, March 13-15, 2020 at Camp Nazareth, has been cancelled due to concerns regarding the Coronavirus.  

However, the Host Committee would still like to offer an “Online Retreat” on Saturday, 3/14, featuring a keynote session by Fr. Sergius Halvorsen, who was scheduled to speak at the Retreat, as well as a Q and A Session with His Eminence Metropolitan Gregory of Nyssa, Fr. Sergius and Fr. Stephen Loposky.

Please find below the times and details of the Keynote and Q and A Session.  The same link is good for all day. We will be using “Zoom” – a video conferencing provider.

JOHNSTOWN, PA -- With the setting of the sun and the celebration of Forgiveness Vespers this evening, the season of The Great Fast has been ushered in throughout our God-Saved Diocese and the entire Orthodox Church.

This Holy Season, as His Eminence, Metropolitan Gregory has reminded us in his Lenten  Archpastoral Letter,  is a time for increased "... self-examination, reflection and confession.... Great Lent is not just about what we eat, but more importantly how we live."

To assist the faithful in making the most of this holy season, additional resources have been added to our Diocesan Website.

My beloved Faithful Clergy and Laity of our God-Protected Diocese:

As we begin Holy and Great Lent this year on March 2nd, I want to share with you a few thoughts so that we may journey through this reflective period and arrive at the Great Feast of Feasts, Pascha to receive the Resurrected Christ.

We are reminded that there can be no true fast, no genuine repentance, no reconciliation with God, unless we at the same time reconcile with one another. In this holiest period of the ecclesiastical year, we should honestly examine our relationships with our families, our parish families, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and the Church in general.

JOHNSTOWN, PA -- The public schedule of His Eminence, Metropolitan Gregory of Nyssa for March 2020 has been released by the Diocesan Chancery.

JOHNSTOWN, PA – (Diocesan Chancery) – His Eminence, Metropolitan Gregory represented His All-Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew the weekend of January 24 – 27, 2020, during an archpastoral visit to Havana, Cuba. Metropolitan Gregory joined His Eminence, Metropolitan Athenagoras, The Primate of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Mexico, Central America, Colombia, Venezuela, and the Caribbean Islands for the celebration of the 15th Anniversary of the Consecration of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral and the re-establishment of the Orthodox Church in Cuba.

PHOENIX, AZ -- On Wednesday and Thursday, January 22-23, 2020, the Jurisdictional Orthodox Youth Directors in North America held their annual face-to-face meeting in Phoenix, Arizona. Each year the National Youth Directors meet prior to the Orthodox Youth and Camp Workers Conference (YCC) which is an event they’ve been sponsoring and hosting for 19 years. The Conference gathers together Youth and Camp Workers from all jurisdictions across North America for 2 days of learning, networking and connecting in the ministry of Orthodox youth formation. The YCC was held this year in Phoenix at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church and gathered together the National Youth Directors, parish youth workers, camp directors, camp counselors, church school teachers, and others for the two-day Conference.

JOHNSTOWN, PA [Diocesan Chancery] His Eminence, Metropolitan Gregory will lead the annual OCF retreat at the College of William & Mary and St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Williamsburg, VA on the weekend of February 14 - 16, 2020. The theme is "Love... Actually: from Eros to Agape." Diocesan College Students studying at William and Mary and surrounding Colleges are cordially invited and urged to be in attendance.

(Johnstown, PA) With the start of Great Lent 2020, our Diocese will also start a new ministry for families: SPF50.

Orthodox Christian families face many challenges.  Engaging children with their faith both in church and at home and helping parents keep Christ as Head of their household present ongoing difficulties. Far too often, what is experienced at church on Sundays is not brought back into the home. When that disconnect remains, as youth leave home to begin a new life on their own, they will often leave the Church behind as well.

In the search for answers to help families, the best solution may be the simplest one.

JOHNSTOWN, PA -- The public schedule of His Eminence, Metropolitan Gregory of Nyssa for February 2020 has been released by the Diocesan Chancery.

JOHNSTOWN, PA - The Diocesan Chancery is pleased to announce the schedule of the annual Diocesan Lenten Retreats, which are sponsored by the ACRY for the upcoming Lenten Season. These retreats are open to everyone and contain special programming for youth and adults of all ages. Metropolitan Gregory and Archbishop Daniel of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA, along with other talented clergy of the Diocese will offer insightful and inspiring presentations designed to encourage and challenge the faithful to stay focused on the spiritual life as they continue their Lenten Journey to Pascha.

Central Region: Saturday March 28, 2020 at St. Nicholas Church, Homestead, PA from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm (EST)

Eastern Region: Saturday April 4, 2020 at St Francis Center For Renewal, Bethlehem, PA from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm (EST)

Western Region: Saturday April 4, 2020 at St Alexis Church, Battleground, IN at 12 pm (CST)

JOHNSTOWN, PA - [Diocesan Chancery] -- With profound sadness the Diocesan Chancery announces that +Rev. Fr. Michael Shuster, the pastor of Holy Trinity Orthodox Church in Spring Hill, Florida, reposed in the Lord today, January 21, 2020. 

Funeral arrangements are as follows:

Saturday, January 25th    Vesting of Father Michael, and Panachida by Very Rev. Michael Miklos and Florida Deanery Clergy.

Sunday, January 26th       4:00 – 7:00 PM   Visitation at Holy Trinity Church, Spring Hill, FL with Parastas at 7PM by theFlorida Deanery Clergy.

Monday, January 27th     9:00 – 10 AM    Visitation at Holy Trinity Church followed by the Priestly Funeral Service,  Protopresbyter Frank P. Miloro, Celebrant, assisted by Florida Deanery Clergy.

JOHNSTOWN, PA -- The schedule of His Eminence, Metropolitan Gregory of Nyssa for January 2020 has been released by the Diocesan Chancery.

JOHNSTOWN, PA - [Diocesan Chancery] -- With profound sadness the Diocesan Chancery announces that +George Hatalowich, the father of Pani Natalie Zias, reposed in the Lord on Thursday, January 9, 2020. 

Born January 20, 1927 in Monessen, he was the son of the late Michael and Anna Kohut Hatalowich.  Mr. Hatalowich was a member of St. John Orthodox Church, Memphis, TN and was a veteran of World War II where he served in the US Army.

He is survived by his children Michael (Donna) Hatalowich of Mt. Pleasant, George M. Hatalowich of Red Bank, NJ, Natalie (Rev. Fr. Jeff) Zias of St. Clair, PA, Karalie (Rodney) Vargo of Hernando, MS;

JOHNSTOWN, PA - [Diocesan Chancery] -- With profound sadness the Diocesan Chancery announces that Elizabeth (Betty) Beck, the mother of Pani Carol Paproski, reposed in the Lord on Tuesday December, 31, 2019. 

Betty was a very active parishioner of the Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church in New Britain and a member of its Protection of the Theotokos Sisterhood, participating in various church fundraisers throughout the years. Betty enjoyed sewing and arts and crafts. Above all, she loved spending time with her family and being involved in her grandchildrens’ sporting events. She will be dearly missed by all who knew her.

JOHNSTOWN [Christ the Saviour Cathedral] -- The Divine Services of Nativity and Theophany of our Lord at Christ the Saviour Cathedral will be live-streamed on the internet.

The broadcast schedule is as follows:

Nativity Eve: Great Compline - Monday January 6, 2020 - 8:00 pm

Hierarchical Divine Liturgy - Monday January 6, 2020 - 9:00 pm

Our Diocesan Sobor took place in October 2019 in Johnstown and an article about it has come and gone in The Church Messenger. Our Diocese has moved onto other things. Our parishes have celebrated Christmas and Theophany. However, we wanted to share with you at least one part of the Diocesan Sobor that continues to have an impact at Camp Nazareth.

Before the Diocesan Sobor, the Camp decided to put together a Wish List for 2020; simply a list of needed items with a price tag on each.