Aug 23, 2002 7 min read

Labor Day weekend The teen pilgrimage begins at 8 p.m. in the prayer garden with a welcome and evening social with the Rev. Thomas Loya and Sister Celeste Strohmeyer.

Saturday, Aug. 31: Mystery of reconciliation is from 7:30 a.m. to noon at the retreat center patio confession area. A concelebrated Divine Liturgy with the Rev. Basil Hutsko as celebrant begins at 8 a.m. at the Shrine Altar. The Rev. Robert Oravetz will give the homily, “Mary Our Mother, Model of Peace.’ Matins will be at 10 a.m. at the shrine altar with the Rev. Jack Custer as celebrant.

A concelebrated Divine Liturgy will be held at noon at the Shrine Altar with the Rev. Leo Schlosser as celebrant. The Rev. Thomas Loya will give the homily “Peace I give to you … a peace that the world cannot give.’

The mystery of reconciliation (confession) will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. at the retreat center patio confession area.

An orientation for teens and young adults will take place in the prayer garden at 1 p.m. Moldeben for vocations with the Rev. Dennis Bogda as celebrant begins at 2 p.m. at the shrine altar. Teens and young adults will do cantoring.

The children’s pilgrimage takes place from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the children’s tent near the retreat center. There will be a Scripture lesson and activities: The Feast of the Protection of Mary and St. Paul’s Letter to the Colossians with the catechists of the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh. Sister Marion Dobos is coordinator.

An enrichment session is scheduled from 2 to 3 p.m. in the tent near the Lourdes Grotto. It’s called “Parenting From the Heart’ with Basilian associate Dr. Barbara Yastishock Lutz.

A teen pilgrimage is scheduled from 3 to 4 p.m. There will be a talk/dialogue in the prayer garden, lower level called “Peace in the Heart’ with the Rev. Thomas Loya and Sister Celeste Strohmeyer and a talk/dialogue in the prayer garden, upper level called “In Peace, let us pray to the Lord’ with the Rev. Jack Custer.

Beginning of the rosary with the Rev. Paul Edwards as leader is at 3 p.m. at the shrine altar, then to Gethsemane Grotto. Vespers is at 4 p.m. at the shrine altar with the Rev. Joseph Hutsko as celebrant with reception of Basilian associates. The procession to the Mount Macrina Cemetery from the retreat center begins at 6:15 p.m.

A Hierarchical Divine Liturgy with the Most Rev. John M. Kudrick, principal celebrant and homilist, at Mount Macrina Cemetery at 6:30 p.m. at Mount Macrina Cemetery. His homily is “For a Christian … peaceful end of our life, let us beseech the Lord.’ Panachida will be for the deceased Metropolitan archbishops, bishops, clergy, religious and laity of the Metropolia.

There is a candlelight procession at 7:45 p.m. from Mount Macrina Cemetery to the shrine altar at 7:45 p.m. and Akathist to the Mother of God at the shrine altar with the Rev. Robert Barter as celebrant.

Following the procession, there will be a teen/young adult social with volleyball and soccer until 11 p.m. in the prayer garden, race track.

Sunday, Sept. 1: Concelebrated Divine Liturgy begins at 7 a.m. at the retreat center with the Rev. Paul Edwards as celebrant. The homily is “That you may find peace in me…’ by the Rev. Thomas Wesdock. The mystery of reconciliation will be given from 7:30 a.m. to noon at the retreat center patio confession area. Matins is at 8 a.m. at the shrine altar with the Rev. Thomas Loya as celebrant.

A concelebrated Divine Liturgy (Slavonic) will begin at 9:15 a.m. at the shrine altar with the Most Rev. Andrew Pataki as celebrant and homilist. The homily is “That we may spend the rest of our life in peace and repentance, let us beseech the Lord.’

Beginning at 10 a.m. and continuing throughout the day is family and/or pastoral counseling sessions with Brother Thomas Somerfeld and Sister Seraphim Olsafsky in the upper prayer garden.

A concelebrated Divine Liturgy begins at 10:30 a.m. at the shrine altar with the Rev. Michael Hayduk as celebrant. The homily is “For an angel of peace … let us beseech the Lord’ with the Rev. Robert Barter.

From 12:30 to 5 p.m., the mystery of reconciliation (confessions) are offered in the retreat center patio confession area.

The children’s procession is at 1 p.m. from the retreat center to Mother of God shrine with Sister Elaine Kisinko and Sister Martha Elizabeth Moyta as coordinators. There will be a special blessing for youths and young adults at the Mother of God shrine. From 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. is the mystery of reconciliation (confession) for infirm, sick and physically challenged pilgrims at Mount Macrina Manor parking lot.

The children’s pilgrimage is from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the children’s tent near the retreat center with a Scripture lesson and activities “Psalm 91 – God our Protector and Akathist Hymn to the Mother of God. Cathechists of the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh will be there with Sister Marion Dobos as coordinator.

An enrichment session is from 2 to 3:30 p.m. called “parenting from the Heart” with Basilian associate Dr. Barbara Yastishock Lutz in the tent near the Lourdes Grotto. There is also a teen pilgrimage from 2 to 3:30 p.m. in the prayer garden lower level with a talk/dialogue called “Peace in the Home’ with the Rev. Thomas Loya and Sister Celeste Strohmeyer.

The young adult pilgrimage is from 2 to 3 p.m. in the prayer garden, upper level, with the talk/dialogue “Peace be with all’ by the Rev. Jack Custer.

Mystery of anointing for the infirm, sick and physically challenged pilgrims is at 2 p.m. in the monastery chapel with the Rev. Joseph Kapusnak and priests of the Metropolitan Province.

Teens will gather at 3:30 p.m. to process/carry icons and banner for the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at the retreat center. The procession to the Mother of God Shrine from the retreat center begins at 3:45 p.m. Concelebrated hierarchical Divine Liturgy is at 4 p.m. at the Mother of God Shrine with Metropolitan Archbishop Basil M. Schott, principal celebrant and homilist. His homily is “For peace from on high and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord.’ It will be broadcast over WEDO Radio AM 810. There is a recessional to the retreat center.

An enrichment session called “Bereavement’ at 6 p.m. in the tent near Lourdes Grotto. Conclusion of the rosary is at 6:30 p.m. at the shrine altar with the Rev. Christopher Burke. The procession to the Mother of God Shrine is at 7:45 p.m. from the retreat center.

Candlelight procession and moleben is at 8 p.m. from the Mother of God Shrine (beginning and ending) with the Metropolitan Archbishop Basil M. Schott as principal celebrant. Homily is “Preserve our bishops for your holy churches in peace…’ by the Very Rev. Archpriest John G. Petro. There is a recessional to the retreat center. A teen/young adult social follows the procession until 11 p.m. in the prayer garden.

Monday, Labor Day, Sept. 2: Mystery of reconciliation (confessions) in the retreat center patio confession area from 7 to 10 a.m. A concelebrated Divine Liturgy (Slavonic) with the Rev. Robert Karl as celebrant is at 7 a.m. at the shrine altar. The Rev. Paul Edwards will give the homily “Being an ambassador of God’s peace.’

Matins is at 8:30 a.m. at the shrine Altar with the Very Rev. Archpriest John G. Petro as celebrant. From 9 to 10 a.m., the mystery of reconciliation (confessions) for the infirm, sick and physically challenged pilgrims with blessing and anointing will take place in the Mount Macrina Manor parking lot.

The procession to the Mother of God Shrine from the retreat center begins at 9:45 a.m. with the concelebrated hierarchical Divine Liturgy at 10 a.m. with the Most Rev. William C. Skurla as principal celebrant and homilist. Homily is “Blessed are the peacemakers … they shall be called children of God.’

Sister Ruth Plante, provincial, will express words of gratitude. Metropolitan Archbishop Basil M. Scott will bestow the apostolic blessing. There will be a procession with the icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help from the Mother of God Shrine to the monastery and conclusion of the 68th annual pilgrimage.