Divine (Eucharistic) Liturgies:

For the most complete liturgical schedule please view the 'liturgical calendar' on our home page.

Saturdays at 5:00 pm. 

Thanks to the singing efforts of Michael Vargo this is now a Vespers with Divine Liturgy.  The majority of the Vespers part is sung in English.  The rest of the Liturgy is recited (in English); 

Matin 7:45 am and Divine Liturgey at 9:00 am. 

SPECIAL SUNDAY SCHEDULES:

Whatever Sunday it may be, when the Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon is occurring, there will be no Sunday Divine Services on that Sunday; the Saturday evening 5 pm Divine Liturgy remains unaffected by this.
 
Whatever Friday it may be, on the Friday before Pentecost Sunday, we serve a Parastas for the Departed in church or chapel at SIX pm.  Then on the following Saturday morning, there is a Divine Liturgy for the departed at 9:30 AM, also in church or chapel.
 
Whatever Sunday it may be, on the Feast of Pentecost (Gregorian calendar), we have ONE DIVINE LITURGY at 10:00 AM, thus there are no 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy and no 11:30 AM Divine Liturgy on that particular Sunday; also, circa 12:45 pm, there is a General Panikhida and Lesser Panikhidas with blessing of Crosses (i.e. new monuments) and graves at our St John’s Parish Cemetery in Baldwin, PA.   Thus, if you wish to come out to the cemetery on Memorial Day, you are most welcome to do so, but it is the date of Pentecost Sunday that determines when services for the departed are being held.


The Instruction for Applying the Liturgical Prescriptions of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches issued by the Congregation for the Eastern Catholic Churches at the Vatican on January 6, 1996, § 98, mandates the restoration of the public celebration of the Divine Office (especially Vespers and Matins) in parish churches, “so as not to deprive the faithful of a privileged source of prayer, nourished by treasures of authentic doctrine”.  In § 64, it states, “The Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches thus provides for the possibility, inspired by n. 15 of the Orientalium Ecclesiarum, to satisfy the precept of Sunday either by participating in the Divine Liturgy, or by taking part in the Divine Office.  Such a possibility emphasizes the im­por­tance of the Div­ine Office, and in a cert­ain way renders concretely possible its correct ce­le­bra­­tion, at the pro­per hours, and in such a way that the texts correspond fully to the time in which they are ce­lebrated,” while in § 96, it states, “The Divine Praises are each Church's school of prayer, in­struct­ing in the ancient way of glor­ifying God in Christ as one Bo­dy, in union with and by the exam­ple of its Head.” 

For the time being, we at St John’s on the South Side of Pittsburgh, are planning on serving Matins on most Sundays of the church year.  Please check each Sunday’s church bulletin or call our parish office to make sure.  Our sister parish on the North Side of Pittsburgh, St. George’s Ukrainian Catholic Church, usually serves Vespers on most Saturday evenings of the church year.  Please check their web site for their times and dates at http://saintgeorgepittsburgh.org

Also on most Sunday mornings OUTSIDE OF SUMMER:  Catechism Classes (Eastern Christian Formation) Please check each Sunday’s church bulletin or call the parish office to make sure.

Daily and Feast-Day services are sometimes held in the Chapel, rather than in the Church: Chapel entrance is located off of East Carson Street.Great Fast (Lent): in Chapel
Presanctified Divine Liturgy: 7:00 pm On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Holy Mystery of Confession
Saturdays: 4:00-4:30 PM & by appointment
Lenten Weekdays: before or after services

BAPTISMS Holy Mysteries (Sacraments) of Initia­tion are normally administered on the Sunday nearest to the 40th day after the birth of the child.  Please notify the par­ish rectory as soon as you are aware that you are ex­pect­ing a child. Sister Ann from the Diocesan Pastoral Min­i­stry Office will conduct special baptismal preparation ses­sions. These two sessions are for all expectant parents, the God­parents and grand-parents. Parents must be re­gis­ter­ed and active members of the parish. The two sessions will help you prepare FOR BIRTH and baptism of your child.  It is normal that a saint’s name be chosen for the child.  ELIGIBILITY FOR GODPARENT  -  One sponsor must be a practicing Cathotlic, attend Liturgy regularly, receive the Sa­cra­ments and fulfill all obligations and financial support to their parish, attested to by their pastor.

MARRIAGE Arrangements for the Holy Mystery of Crowning are to be made at least 9 to 6 months in advance of the date of marriage by contacting the parish rectory. Restating the obvious, clearly and loudly: under normal conditions, future Couples are expected to be active members of our parish for at least one year before the date of the marriage because the responsibility for marriage preparation takes place at the parish level. It is also required that you attend the PRE-CANA PROGRAM offered by the Office of Religious Education (ORE) for the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh which contributes towards the usual preparations that occur on the parish level. For the past ten years, the ORE has helped hundreds of couples prepare for the Mystery of Marriage by sponsoring lessons that address topics pertinent to their future Catholic Christian marital lifestyle. Session I – February 20, 2010 & Session II – March 20, 2010, both sessions beginning at 9:30 a.m. and ending at about 6:00 or 7:00 pm. The location for the Pre-Cana Program is the Byzantine Catholic Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, 210 Greentree Road, Munhall, PA 15120. To print a Pre-Cana Program Registration Form, Please go to Pre-Cana Form. You may also call the Office of Religious Education at 412-322-8773 for more information. Topics covered are: Eastern Spirituality & Traditions, Marriage Roles Today, Natural Family Planning, Worship in the Byzantine Church, Finances and The Theology of Crowning, Communication, etc. They average 10-15 couples and there is usually a different speaker for each topic. Registration for both lessons $125.00 paid by the couple. Our Parish is billed another $125.00 afterwards. Marriages at St John’s Parish will be celebrated only after all the normal spiritual requirements have been met to the Church’s satisfaction. So, do not or¬der church halls or send out your invitations until you are absolutely sure that you took care of the spiritual preparations!!! In fact, if the couple continues to choose to ignore them after being warned about this, then Father Pastor reserves the right to cancel the service even as late as 24 hours before the wedding

CREMATION Burial is the preferred and traditional Christian funeral practice.  Al­though highly discouraged, cremation is permitted for economic reasons, esp. if it is NOT done for anti-Christian reasons.  The cremation should occur after the funeral services are held in Church, since the presence of ash­es in church is strongly discouraged.  The ashes are to be bur­ied, with the pastor, or a delegated priest or deacon, performing the usual rite of interment.