Joy filled St. Andrew's Ukrainian Catholic Church on November 21, 2012, the Feast of the Entrance of the Mother of God into the Temple, as Sister Teresa Anne Marie Loscocco professed her solemn perpetual vows and became a contemplative nun in the Sacred Heart Monastery of the Order of the Sisters of St. Basil the Great.

His Excellency Bishop Paul Chomnycky, OSBM, Eparch of Stamford, Connecticut, celebrated the Divine Liturgy and officiated at the Profession Ceremony. Concelebrating with Bishop Paul were Very Rev. Yaroslav Kostyk, pastor of St. Andrew's Church, Very Rev. Philip Sandrick, OSBM, Provincial Superior of the Basilian Fathers, Rev. John Lundberg of Middletown, NY, and Rev. Robert Moreno, pastor of Sister Teresa's home parish, St. Basil Ukrainian Catholic Church in Lancaster, New York. The responses for the Divine Liturgy and Profession Ceremony were beautifully sung by Mr. Yuri Snihur, the cantor at St. Andrew's Church.

Sisters of the Order of St. Basil the Great from New York, a visiting Basilian Sister from Poland, family members, close friends and parishioners were among the approximately 50 people who attended the celebration.

The Profession Ceremony began with the singing of the Troparia of the Holy Spirit and of the Embrace of the Father, followed by questions and admonitions from Bishop Paul regarding the vows which Sister Teresa was about to profess. With her hand on the holy Gospel Book, Sister Teresa professed her perpetual vows of chastity, poverty and obedience before the Lord in the open Tabernacle. Bishop Paul then blessed and gave to Sister Teresa seven items, each symbolizing an aspect of the monastic life she had just perpetually embraced: the Constitution of the Order (keeping the commandments and Rule), black veil (humility, obedience), mantle (garment of salvation, armor of truth), rosary and chotki (spiritual sword, the word of God), pectoral cross (resemblance to Jesus in bearing sufferings), ring (fidelity to Christ and union with Sisters) and candle (light to the world by a chaste and virtuous life). The ceremony concluded with the singing of the Beatitudes.

Bishop Paul delivered a beautiful and inspiring homily on the similarity between Sister Teresa and the Mary of the day's Gospel who did what was countercultural and sat at the feet of Jesus, as well as the similarity between Sister Teresa and the Mother of God, both of whom were led into the temple by family and friends to begin a life of fidelity and perseverance amid the joys and sorrows of life.

Following the Divine Liturgy, the pastor of St. Andrew's and his family hosted a reception in the parish hall. Afterwards, friends and family visited the Nuns at Sacred Heart Monastery, and Rev. Robert Moreno celebrated a panakhyda (requiem service) for Sister Teresa's parents and the deceased Nuns of the Monastery.

Bishop Paul Chomnycky, OSBM, made his annual visit to our Sacred Heart Monastery in Middletown, NY, on Saturday, June 4, in honor of his upcoming feast day and 5-year anniversary as our Eparch. At our invitation, his Excellency celebrated the Divine Liturgy in our monastery chapel. He delivered a beautiful homily on the Ascension of Christ, in which he highlighted the "marriage of heaven and earth" which our Lord accomplished in his Ascension into heaven. After the Divine Liturgy, His Excellency enjoyed brunch with us and with parishioners who had attended the Divine Liturgy.

We, the Nuns of St. Basil are the contemplative branch of the Sisters of the Order of St. Basil the Great. In our Eastern monastic life of prayer and sacrifice, we celebrate all Hours of the Divine Praises daily. Through this communal divine worship, as well as through daily Eucharist, personal prayer, solitude, silence, monastic stability and consecrated service, we seek to dwell continuously in the presence of God and so call down blessings upon the people of God.