CHRONOLOGY SECTION 2023

 *Date, Time, Summary

*EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING, January 10, 2020, 4pm, St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church.

*Thursday, January 30, 2020, 6:30pm, Regular Meeting, Antonine Village, Assisted Living Facility, Thursday evening Prayer of the Epiphany Season, Food - Lebanese hors d'oeuvres, tour of the facility.

*Saturday, March 21, 2020, Morning reflection on the Jesus Prayer, Father Rogich, postponed due to Covid - 19 virus and Governor of Ohio’s restrictions on large group meetings.

*Sunday, April 26, 2020 - SSJC (Y-W) Chapter Twentieth Anniversary Banquet postponed until further notice due to Covid - 19 virus and Governor DeWine’s restrictions on large group meetings.

*During the months of March - May, the Executive Board and members of the local Chapter  have been communicating by phone, text, emails, etc. We hope to plan some events for the Summer and Fall of 2020???

Unfortunately due to the Pandemic, our SSJC (Y-W) Chapter had to postpone and cancel  most of our events in 2020. Hopefully 2021 will be better! We are planning new events (on Zoom and hopefully in person)!!!

November 10, 2020 - "The Books of Maccabees and the Historyof the Hasmonean Conflict" on Zoom by Dr. Malka Simkovich. 6:30 - 8:30 pm. Sponsored and hosted (via Zoom) by Thomas Batten.

*The Executive Board has been periodically meeting via Zoom throughout 2020 into 2021. Hosted (via Zoom) by Thomas Batten.

Tuesday, January 30 SSJC (Y-W) meeting at the Franciscan Shrine of Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted in Youngstown. The topic was “The Franciscans and the East” and speakers were Fr. Vit Fiala, OFM and Lori Demiduk, OFS. They both gave great talks! Fr. Vit led us in Evening Prayer and served us some very delicious homemade soup on a very cold evening. Maybe he will share the recipe?! Franciscan hospitality is always a gift from God. Thank you!

Sunday, March 11 Both Rich Mattiussi and Ray Nakley represented our local chapter by being invited by the Majetich family to attend Great Lenten Vespers at their church. We enjoyed a delicious Lenten Dinner and heard a presentation by Fr. Aleksa Pavichevich on “Great Lent and Fasting” at Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox Church in Youngstown. We made contact with the pastor, Fr. Bosko Stojanovic, who was most gracious to host our SSJC (Y-W) Chapter for Meeting on May 8! Thank you for your hospitality!

Sunday, March 25 Great Lenten Vespers and Dinner at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Youngstown. Several of our members attended a very beautiful prayer service, an excellent reflection by Presbytera Melanie on the Annunciation, generous hospitality, and great fellowship. Thank you Fr. DiStefano, Presbytera, Socrates Kolitsos, and parishioners of St. Nicholas!

Monday, April 30 SSJC (Pittsburgh) Spring 2018 Event at 7:00 pm at St. Anthony Chapel located at 1704 Harpster St., Pittsburgh, PA. St. Anthony’s chapel on Pittsburgh’s north side is home to thousands of relics of the saints and has been designated a Historical Landmark by the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation. This is the perfect venue to discuss the common heritage of the saints and their relics in both the eastern and western church with presentations from both the perspectives with discussion and questions encouraged. Western devotion to the saints and their relics spread in the Roman Catholic community. The extensive collection at this Pittsburgh landmark provides both the example and the spiritual and prayer focus of these practices. The eastern churches also devoted to the examples of the saints have used relics in liturgical practice like the Antimension in Byzantine Liturgy and seen them as sources of miracles throughout the ages. The Society of St. John Chrysostom promotes understanding of Eastern Christian Churches and promotes Christian unity of east and west while providing material support to Eastern Christian churches. SSJC (Pittsburgh) events have three main sections lasting two hours: • Opening Prayer Service: Vespers • Main Topic Presentation and Discussion • SSJC Business and Discussion on Next Steps, Operations, and Future Events Feel free to email suggestions to Steve Puluka (steve@puluka.com) or volunteer to help with the spring 2018 event or with planning the next event. More information on St. Anthony’s Chapel Relic Collection can be found online at: saintanthonychapel.org/relics-2 More information about the SSJC Pittsburgh Chapter can be found online at:puluka.com/home/society-of-saint-john-chrysostom-pittsburgh

Tuesday, May 8 SSJC (Y-W) meeting at Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox Church in Youngstown. The host pastor is Fr. Bosko Stojanovic who gave a brief tour of the church along with Fr. Sava from the neighboring Serbian Church in Austintown. A brief Business meetingfollowed with some refreshments and Fr Bosko spoke on the topic of “St. Sava and the Serbian Orthodox Church”. Q &A sessionfollowed.

Monday, June 4 SSJC (Pittsburgh) meeting at SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary in Pittsburgh. A number of members from the SSJC (Y-W) Chapter attendended this meeting. A Prayer service in the Chapel was led by our very own Fr. Dan Rohan, SSJC (Y-W) Chapter President. Fr. David Fisher (Maronite) spoke on the topics of “Comparing and Contrasting Purgatory of the Latin/Roman Tradition with the Eastern Tradition of Final Theosis” and “Pneumatology (Theology of the Holy Spirit) in the Liturgical Theology and Practice of Catholicism and Orthodoxy”. Q & A followed with an in-depth discussion! Thank you to SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary Staff and Steve Puluka for hosting this meeting.

Tuesday, June 5 SSJC (Y-W) meeting at St. Maron Maronite Catholic Church in Youngstown. A Prayer Service in the Maronite Tradition was led by Chorbishop Spinosa in the church. Fr. David Fisher (Maronite) spoke on the topics of “The History of the Filioque Problem” and “How Western Scholasticism Changed the Theological and Philosophical Approach Inherited from the Fathers of the Church.” Host Pastor: Chorbishop Kail. Excellent Mediteranean Food was provided to all participants. The meeting lasted way past 10pm and people stuck around! THANK YOU Fr. Fisher for spending so much time with us and Chorbishop Kail for all your hospitality !

Summer Executive Committee Meetings Friday, June 29 (Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul) at St. Maron’s Maronite Catholic Church, 2:30-4:30 pm. Friday, July 27 at St. Mark’s Antiochian Orthodox Church, 2:30-4:30 pm Friday, August 24 at St. Mark’s Antiochian Orthodox Church, 3:30-5:00 pm *After each meeting, the Executive Committee and Members were invited to go to the weekly Friday Fish Dinner served at Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox Church on the west side of Youngstown for a social and discussion. Great food and conversations!

Sunday, September 30, 2018. A Moderated Panel discussion under the direction of Dr. Richard Mattiussi took place at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in downtown Youngstown. Students from Cardinal Mooney, YSU and other schools and churches took part in a delightful discussion on the following theme: “Young People and the Church Today: To be or not to be involved? Why? Why not? A lively discussion continued to around 9:20 pm! Thank you Fr. Joe DiStrafno, (host pastor) for your prayers and wholehearted support, Presbytera Melanie, Socrates Kolitsos and parishoners for the delicious food and hospitality!

Tuesday, November 13, 2018 (Feast of St. John Chrysostom – eastern calendar) Fr. Ken Bachofsky was kind enough to contact Mother Marina at St. Mary and St. John the Beloved Coptic Orthodox Monastery for Nuns in Warren, Ohio for a general SSJC (Y-W) Meeting. We were kindly greeted by Mother Marina and the other nuns as we entered the monastery for a brief prayer service in the chapel led by Fr. Mina Essak. Then we assembled in the community room for a Power Point Presentation on “The Holy Family and the Flight into Egypt” by Fr. Essak. After the presentation a Q & A period followed. We had a very brief Business Meeting, comments from some of our members, and then refreshments. Thank you Mother Marina and the other nuns for hosting us!

Saturday, December 8, 2018. SSJC Pittsburgh meeting at SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary in Pittsburgh. 10 AM – 12 N. Fr. Radu Bordeianu, Ph.D. will speak on "Spiritual Fatherhood and Parish Ministries."

Friday, December 28, 2018. SSJC (Y-W) Chapter Elections, Brief Business Meeting and CHRISTMAS SOCIAL!