Nativity of the Mother of God
Ukrainian Catholic Church

Streaming Video Recent Homilies Bulletin News Mask Policy

MASKS: As you have probably read, the Governor has ordered the use of masks, face coverings or shields for all people who are inside buildings open to the public. So I ask you all to please be wearing this type of protection when you come to church. Those under the age of 5 do not need to wear masks, and those who have good medical or other reasons for not wearing a mask are also exempt.

The cantors, Fr. Deacon and I are exempt during the Liturgy. Please bring your own mask, but we do have some here for those who need them.

I understand this is not pleasant for anyone, but I ask that you consider the welfare of your fellow parishioners as the virus continues to spread in Oregon. It is certainly a better thing to cover our mouths than to risk having the churches locked down again. However, as I have thought and prayed about this the past few days, I think we can do even better.

I suggest that we wear our masks in a spirit of penance for our sins and for the sins of our nation, and we offer this as a sacrifice to the Lord, especially when we put them on as we gather together to pray—to make this specific intention to the Lord. The priest and deacon say certain prayers when putting on vestments. Let us also have a prayerful intention when putting on the mask for worship.

This is not a great sacrifice, but it is still a sacrifice. As we offer this small penance to the Lord, let us specifically be aware of the words that come out of our mouths in sin, and ask His help to convert them to words of sincere worship, expressions of gratitude and Christian encouragement to others, especially those most in need. Let our masks even become a reminder that our first thought should not be about a virus, but about the Divine Physician, the Healer of Bodies and Souls.

And perhaps we can also hold to this thought: "If we can do it for Costco, we can do it for Christ." Thank you for your continued cooperation and your faithfulness!

HOLODOMOR: The 4th Sunday of November is the time for prayers for the repose of the souls of the victims of the Artificial Famine in Ukraine. (see the short piece below,) We will serve the Panachida after the 9:00 a.m. Liturgy on Sunday.

The “Holodomor” or “Famine” is the name given to the artificial famine caused by the policies of Josef Stalin and the Soviet Union, primarily in Ukraine, 1932-1933. Although some other ethnic groups also suffered, the overwhelming majority of those who died were Ukrainian. Figures listed by Ukraine estimate that between 7 to 10 million people died, although others say the number is closer to 4 million. At that time this tragedy was hidden from the eyes of the rest of the world, as the communist government kept foreign reporters out of the country, only allowing those who would report favorably on all things Soviet. The scale of suffering is difficult to imagine:

"Survival was a moral as well as a physical struggle. A woman doctor wrote to a friend in June 1933 that she had not yet become a cannibal, but was "not sure that I shall not be one by the time my letter reaches you." The good people died first. Those who refused to steal or to prostitute themselves died. Those who gave food to others died. Those who refused to eat corpses died. Those who refused to kill their fellow man died. Parents who resisted cannibalism died before their children did." (“Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin” Timothy Snyder)

Here is a link to a 3 minute video by the Kyiv Post:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5dwzNvNI34

Here is an article written about one of our parishioners, now asleep in Christ, Nadia Barrett's mother, and her experience during the famine, which appeared in the Register-Guard, Oct. 28, 1983.

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