As participation in the National Catechetical Contest “The Church - family for Romanians in the World”, St. John Cassian Parish of San Antonio, Texas has signed a collaboration act with the Butoiu de Sus Parish, in Dambovita County, Romania. St. John Cassian Parish has embraced this project with much joy in this year dedicated to the Pastoral care of Romanians living abroad.
The two parishes signed the collaboration act. Rev Fr. Valentin Ilies, from St. John Cassian Parish signed the act in the presence of His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the Americas, Archdeacon Mihail Buca and Protopsaltis Andrei Benes. Through the help of Archdeacon Mihail, Rev. Fr. Stefan Nica form the Butoiu de Sus Parish, sent to St. John Cassian parish a handmade wooden board representing the collaboration between the two parishes.
Last Saturday took place the first Zoom meeting between the two parishes. The children had the opportunity to meet and introduce themselves. The children from the St. John Cassian Parish sang in Romanian “Cuvine-se cu adevarat” and recited Our Father in English. The children from the Butoiu de Sus Parish prepared also a small artistic program. They sang a traditional Romanian song and recited poems in Romanian.
With help from Archdeacon Mihail Buca, who recently visited the Parish in San Antonio for the celebration of their Patron Saint, the children from Romania sent to the children in US traditional “martisoare,” bookmarks, diplomas and small figurines dressed in traditional Romanian clothes.
Both parishes decided to continue their collaboration in the project “The Church - family for Romanians in the World,” establishing the basis of a social and philanthropic collaboration. The children from St. John Cassian Parish proposed to create different handmade objects to be sold in the Parish. The sum raised will be sent to the parish in Romania to help a family in need from that parish.
The children had created several objects: they made and painted wooden cross, later fixed them in clay and decorated them with black, red and purple ribbon, have decorated wooden eggs and flowers, then painted them with Easter motifs, cut and glued, have created religious postcards, and also small little Easter rabbits from paper.
Their day ended with lunch and the first rehearsal of the Parish Children Choir with Fr. Valentin Ilies and Protopsaltis Andrei Benes.
March 16, 2021
Adina Pasnicu
Vice President of the Parish Council
Coordinator of Parish Sunday School
San Antonio, Texas
