St. Basil of Ostrog Serbian Orthodox Church

UPCOMING EVENTS,
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Blessings are Gifts
FROM God.
Stewardship is our Gift
TO God. WE
CANNOT OUTGIVE GOD!
Stewardship is a legacy
of personal support to
maintain a church for
today and tomorrow.
STEWARDSHIP FORMS
FOR 2015 ARE AVAILABLE
**********************************
Stewardship Reflection
Seventh Sunday of Pentecost
I recently read my morning Scriptures and reflected on an article discussing aspects of worship. In
the Orthodox faith, we
attend the Divine Liturgy
on a weekly basis as a
community and are expected to worship God
privately each and every
day of our lives. This includes our daily prayers, thanksgiving, almsgiving, gratitude - many
ways we can praise and thank God for all that
He has provided.
This then led to a reflection on my life as a
Steward - this isn't a commitment that is completed weekly, or when a collection tray is
passed or once a year at a festival we volunteer
for. This is a commitment that must be exercised daily as well. When we thank God for all
that He provides us, His only expectation is
that we be good and faithful Stewards with
what He has entrusted to us. Each function of
our daily life should focus on our Time, Talents and Treasures and how we are using them.
SERBIAN ORTHODOX UNITY AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH
IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM
TROPARION OF THE RESURRECTION - Tone 6:
Angelic Hosts were above Thy tomb, and they that guarded Thee
became as dead. And Mary stood by the grave seeking Thine
immaculate Body. Thou didst despoil hades and wast not tempted
by it. Thou didst meet the Virgin and didst grant us life. O Thou
Who didst rise from the dead, O Lord, glory be to Thee.
TROPARION OF THE HOLY FATHERS - Tone 8:
Most glorious art Thou, O Christ our God, Who hast established
our fathers upon the earth as beacons, and hast thereby guided us
all to the true Faith! O greatly Compassionate One, glory be to
Thee!
TROPARION OF ST. BASIL OF OSTROG - Tone 4:
From your youth you gave yourself entirely to the Lord, remaining
in prayer, labor and fasting, O God-bearing Father. Because you
were an example of virtues and good works to your flock, seeing
your good work, God established you as a pastor and good hierarch
of His Church. And after your repose, He kept your body incorrupt,
O Holy Basil. Therefore, with boldness pray to Christ God to save
our souls.
Kontakion of the Resurrection - Tone 6:
Having by His life-bestowing hand raised up all the dead out of
the dark abysses, Christ God, the Giver of Life, hath bestowed
the resurrection upon the fallen human race; for he is the Savior
of all, the Resurrection, and the Life, and the God of all.
GLORY… Kontakion of The Holy Fathers - Tone 8:
The preaching of the apostles and the dogmas of the fathers sealed
the one Faith of the Church; and clad in the robe of Truth woven
of theology from on high, it setteth aright and glorifieth the great
mercy of piety.
BOTH NOW… Kontakion to Theotokos - Tone 6:
O protection of Christians that cannot be put to shame/, O mediation
unto the Creator unfailing/, disdain not the suppliant voices of sinners/, but be thou quick, O good one, to help us who in faith cry unto thee/; hasten to intercession and speed thou to make supplication//,
thou who dost ever protect, O Theotokos, them that honor thee.
St. Basil of Ostrog Serbian Orthodox Church
27450 N. Bradley Rd . Mettawa – Lake Forest , Illinois 60045 –5104
Email: (office@stbasilchurch.org) www.stbasilchurch.org
Parish Priest: V. Rev. Stavrophor Djuro Krosnjar - frkrosnjar@gmail.com (847) 477-1531 cell
Trustee Co-Chairman: Michael Kosanovich
Circle of Serbian Sisters: Richelle Ar andjelovic
Choir Director: Nada Savatic
Coordinators: Church School: Vasilija Vojcanin; Folklore: Slobodanka Vr anjes
St. Varnava Men’s Club: Vladimir Rokvic; Bookstore: Diana Potkonjak and Paul Saniuk
Facilities Contact: Matija Peyakovic and Nikola Gabr ic; Weekly Email: Zor an Mihajlovic
Serbian School: Jelena Visnjevac, Svjetlana Masic and Dunja Vla
St. Basil of Ostrog
Serbian Orthodox Church
27450 N. Bradley Rd, Mettawa - Lake Forest, IL. 60045-5104
V. Rev. Stavrophor Djuro Krosnjar Home (847) 680-1117 Cell (847) 477-1531 H. Fax (847) 680-1127
frkrosnjar@gmail.com - Church Phone (847) 247-0077 - Church FX (847) 247-0088
7th Sunday after Pentecost
Venerable Sisoes the Great;
Sunday of the Holy Fathers of
first 6 Ecumenical Councils;
Tone 6:
Epistle:
Rom. (15, 1-7)
Gospel:
Mt. (9, 27-35)
Saturday and Pre-Feast
Vespers 5:00 P.M.
~Next Sunday~
Divine Liturgy at 10:00 A.M.
A time to obey… A time to resist… (celebr. July 24)
The story of the GREAT MARTYR EUPHEMIA is a story of choices.
She was born in Chalcedon in the third century – a time when Christians were still facing terrible persecution from the pagan Romans. Her
parents were wealthy aristocrats; her father Philophronus was also a
senator. However, they were “something” else: they secretly devout
Christians, and they did their best to foster a love for the Lord within
their daughter. Euphemia could have lived a life of luxury and still
practiced her Christian faith quietly. Instead, she chose to vocally express her beliefs, even though she understood that by speaking out, her
life would be in danger.
Euphemia’s faith was put to the ultimate test when the provincial governor Priscus came to Chalcedon to celebrate a pagan festival. Some 49 Christians, led by Euohemia, refused to attend. When the angry Priscus discovered this insubordination, he had them
brought before him and demanded to know why they had disobeyed his imperial command.
Without hesitation, Euphemia spoke up: “Both the Emperor’s commands and yours must be
obeyed if they are not contrary to the god of heaven. If they are, not only must they not be
obeyed, they must be resisted.”
Furious with this defiant response, Priscus ordered the dissenters to all be tortured for 19
days. Euphemia was the target of the most brutal cruelties. First, she was tied to a wheel. Then
she was thrown into a fiery furnace. Surviving these ordeals, Euphemia was thrown into a pit
filled with poisonous snakes. After making the sign of the Cross, she remained unharmed! Finally, St. Euphemia suffered martyrdom after being severely mauled by wild beats. Her remains
rest in the famous Church of St. George in Constantinople.
ST. BASIL OF OSTROG SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
EYE ON SCRIPTURE
We then who are strong ought
to bear with the scruples of the
weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please
his neighbor for his good, leading to edification. For even
Christ did not please Himself;
but as it is written, ‘the reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me’. For
whatever things were written
before were written for our
learning, that we through the
patience and comfort of the
Scriptures might have hope.
Now may the God of patience
and comfort grant you to be
like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus…
Rom. (15, 1-5)
Orthodox Study Bible
The mature in faith, with whom
Paul theologically identifies,
are here called strong and are
exhorted to be patient, regarding the scruples of the weak.
Christ is the supreme example
of sacrificing personal rights
and not pleasing Himself. Ap.
Paul addresses Jewish and Gentile Christians on their cultural
differences regarding foods and
festivals. Both are exhorted to
mutual acceptance, just as both
are accepted by Christ for the
glory of God.
The Old Testament had foreseen the unity of
faith and joy of believing Jews and
Gentiles joined in
Christ…
www.serbiancathedral.org
ST. BASIL OF OSTROG SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
Introduction: Saints
and Non-Saints
canonization is premature,
saints or will necessarily ever
be venerated as saints. It would even if icons (with or without
be a great error to venerate as a haloes) are painted, books and
articles written and talks given
saint one who was not, but, on
Practising Orthodox Chrisin honor of the particular
the
other
hand,
it
would
be
no
tians are aware of several holy
‘hero’.
less
an
error
to
deny
holiness
men and women, often elders
A good example of one who
to
one
who
was
holy.
W
hat
are
or eldresses, from different
has been canonized and whose
the
signs
of
holiness
we
should
Orthodox lands, who are
veneration has spread around
thought by many to be saints. look for?
the world is St. Nicholas of
Indeed, the question is often
Zhicha, also called St NichoUnanimity
of
Veneration
raised: ‘Why have they not
las of Ochrid and, in Russian,
over Time and Space
been canonized yet?’ These
St Nicholas the Serb. Another
First of all, we should look for
figures include, for example,
popular veneration, or ‘glorify- example is St John of Shangfrom Greece: Fr. Paisios of
cation’, which is universal, last- hai, also called St John of
Athos and Fr. Porphyrios;
Shanghai and Western Europe,
ing and accepted by all. This
from Romania: Fr. Cleopa
meets the criteria of catholicity, or St. John of Shanghai and
and Fr. Arsenie (Boca); from
San Francisco and, by yet othRussia: Fr . J ohn (Kr estian- eloquently expressed by the
ers, St. John the Wonderworkfifth-century Church Father,
kin) and Fr. Nikolai (GuriaSt. Vincent of Lerins, that we er. The mere fact that these
nov). However, some figures
believe what has been believed saints have so many titles
from the Diaspora are also
shows the universality of their
‘everywhere, always and by
sometimes mentioned… And
all’. In other words, we should veneration. The fact that their
there are several other less
writings and sermons (an exmake sure that our veneration
well-known figures, both in
ternal criterion of their holithe Diaspora and in Orthodox for a particular person is
ness) have
not
purely
countries, who are also spobeen
local,
ken of as possible saints. It
or
Veneration
of
a
saint
is
not
anywhere
near
must be said that some of the
the worship of God, neither is it the same
less well-known figures are
as secular ‘hero-worship’ with its
relatively controversial, even
‘personality cults’ and ‘legacies’, as, for
divisive and some of them are
example, among Catholic orders, from the
honored only by tiny groups
Franciscans to the Jesuits and Opus Dei,
of initiates.
with their private saints. Even the very
We should not be surprised
words ‘hero’ and ‘legacy’ are purely
by any of this. We only have
secular.
to recall the history of some
transonly
recently canonized saints. We
lated into
short-term,
recall St. Xenia of St Petersmany languages,
or is accepted only
burg. It took nearly two hunespecially into ‘Orthodox lanby a small band of ‘initiates’,
dred years for her canonizaguages’, is another clear sign.
wherever they may live. In the
tion to take place. It took
Of contemporary non-canonilast case, there is always the
nearly seventy tears to canozed, (now canonized) this
primitive but all too common,
nize St. Seraphim of Sarov
seems to be true of Elder Paisicultist
danger
of
self-flattery:
and over fifty to canonize
os the Athonite.
‘We
knew
a
saint,
therefore
we
St. John of Kronstadt and
are
also
saints,
or
at
least
we
twenty-five years, a generaConclusion: Other Signs
tion, for St. Nectarios of Pen- are far above the level of the
We should also be aware of
rabble who do not venerate
tapolis to be r ecognized, and
him’.
other external criteria for caneven then he was maligned,
Thus, we can think of one
onization which are also very
as he was in his lifetime. As
whose
veneration
is
limited
to
important. These may include
regards St. Nicholas of Zhicha (still maligned by some), one particular locality. We can the incorruption of relics, for
think of another who reposed
example, in the case of St John
St. John of Shanghai (maligned in his own lifetime and only a few years ago amid great of Shanghai. However, this is
secular publicity, but who is
not compulsory. Cases of mufor some time after) and St.
now very much forgotten. And mmification can occur. The
Justin of Chelije (also mafinally, we can think of one
relics of St. Nectarios of Penligned by some until very retapolis crumbled to dust. Ancently), canonization also took whose veneration stretches to
between one and two genera- many countries, but is accepted other external criterion is miraonly among tiny, modernistic,
cles. However, it is important
tions and the processes were
highly intellectual and esoteric that miracles should not connot without controversy.
groups in various countries.
sist of only dreams and cirHowever, this does not
cumstances that could be intermean that the bishops, elders, Veneration must be universal,
lasting and shared by many dif- preted as ‘coincidental’. Miraeldresses, monks and nuns
cles must always be clear, obwho are often put forward for ferent sorts and conditions of
people. If all these three condi- jective signs, not subject to
canonization by some are all
tions are not met, any talk of
personal and private interpretation. These too are often deluded and self-flattering: ‘I had a
special revelation from a
saint, therefore I am a saint’.
We should be careful of
groups who appear to place the
veneration of their ‘hero’ above God. This was the case with
some who were called ‘Johannites’, who ‘venerated’ St.
John of Kronstadt even before
his repose. Certain others seem
to have had a kind of ‘heroworship’ for St. Nectarios of
Pentapolis. Let us be clear.
Veneration of a saint is not
anywhere near the worship of
God, neither is it the same as
secular ‘hero-worship’ with its
‘personality cults’ and ‘legacies’, as, for example, among
Catholic orders, from the Franciscans to the Jesuits and Opus
Dei, with their private saints.
Even the very words ‘hero’ and
‘legacy’ are purely secular. We
belong to Christ, not to Paul or
Apollo or Cephas (I Cor 1, 12).
We follow the legacy of Christ
and of no man, for every man
is a sinner. Here we should be
aware of those cultists who
‘attribute’ certain sayings to
elders, things which they probably never said. We are thinking of those who would disturb
the memory of Elder Paisios.
We will not discuss here who
of these elders and bishops we
think might one day be canonized. It is hardly for us even to
have an opinion on such a matter. It is vital to understand that
human-beings do not make
saints. God makes saints, r evealing them and proclaiming
them through His Church with
Her common mind, the consensus and communion of the
saints. Therefore, if we should,
for some reason, be anxious to
venerate a reposed elder or
bishop as a saint, let us wait for
signs from God and let us obey
the Church. God, and not man,
makes saints. God r eveals His
saints to His Church at the right
time, when we need their spiritual support and witness. Just
as the Church is not ours, neither are the saints, for they are
a free gift given to us by God
for our edification.
Archpriest Andrew Phillips
MARRIAGE
BANNS (I)
St. Basil Church
Folklore Trip to
St. Louis
Church Serbfest
GORAN
MAMIC,
son of
+Borko and
Bozica
(Konjikusic)
Mamic, of Riverwoods, IL
and JETNORA ZANUNJA,
daughter of Agim and
Departing Sat. Aug 1 and
Luljeta (Veisllari) Zanunja,
returning Monday, Aug.
of Riverwoods, IL will get
3rd. Extra bus seats availamarried on August 15, 2015 ble for anyone who would
at HRSO Cathedral
like to make the trip for
in Chicago, IL.
$50 roundtrip. Hotel about
If there are any impediments $114 with pool and free hot
to this marriage please ad- breakfast. See Slobodanka
Vranjes if interested. Join
vise the parish priest.
the fun visiting others!
SUNDAY
LUNCHES
With our Chef Jelica
Available weekly for
food and fellowship.
Lord, visit
Thy servants
in their
suffering,
and grant
them grace
and strength to bear their
sickness with which they
are afflicted; heal and save
them:
Sister ANGELINA;
Milica BILBIJA;
Milorad BLAGOJEVIC;
Zivota BLAZIC;
Stevan BOGOJEVIC;
Aleksandar BURMEISTER;
David CASTALDO;
Petar COKIC;
Milan DAVORIJA;
Danilo DEJANOVICH;
DRONDIC;
Join us following Dusan
Svetomir DUPOR;
Divine Liturgy
Ivan GAVRILOVIC;
Roxanne GETZ;
Adults $7.00
Aleksandar GLISOVIC;
Children $4.00
Daniela GOMEZ;
Radoslav IVANOVIC;
Dobrila KNEZEVIC;
Jadranka KOPAC;
Branko KOSANOVIC;
George KOVAC;
Platinum Sponsors $1,000 +
Ivan/Lesia KOSTIC;
Tents, Entertainment, Coolers, etc.
Mara KOVACEVIC;
Gold Sponsors $500 - $ 999
Ray/Laura KULMALA;
Grilling Supplies, Equipment Rental… Cathy LALICH;
Silver Sponsors $251 - $ 499
Slavojka MILESIC;
Whole lambs, pigs; Beverages: soft
Milka/Milan MILICEVIC;
drinks, water, beer, specialty brands...
Ron MITROVICH;
General Sponsors $101 - $250
Dragica MRKALJ;
Grilled meats, farm fresh corn...
Suzana NEDIC;
Donations up to $100
Boro NEDINIC:
Desserts, Food (chicken, sarma), paper Marija NIKOLICH;
supplies (plates, forks, knives…)
Daliborka OPACIC;
Djuro/Jelena OPSENICA;
Mladen PECANAC;
Natalija PETROVIC:
Bonnie POPOVIC;
July 26, 2015 - KSS Midyear meeting.
Aleksandra RALEVICH;
All the sisters are invited.
Jessica SELOUNTOS;
George SINNOKRAK;
August 2, 2015– Sunday, St. Elijah
Nikola SREJOVIC;
Feast Day—Holy Liturgy 10AM
Simonida STIPANOVIC;
August 14-28, 2015 Dor mition Lent
Nikola STOKOVIC;
Zika SUBARIC;
August 19—Wednesday, Tr ansfigur ation of our Lor d—Holy Liturgy 10AM
Angie/Aco TERZIC;
August 28– Friday, Dor mition of the Theotokos—Holy Liturgy 10AM
Fr. Rastko TRBUHOVIC
Jovan VOJCANIN;
Petar ZIVANOVIC;
metr. JOVAN (Vraniskovski)
Be a “Taste of Serbia” Sponsor
With your:
Talents,
Time, or
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Dates to Remember: