tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239563742011-07-07T21:39:19.778-05:00"When I shall be sanctified in you, I will gather you out of all countries. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness, and a new spirit will I give you." - Office for Reconciliation of a Church.Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comBlogger381100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956374.post-90083156573692450982009-07-08T22:26:00.003-05:002010-12-12T14:14:30.583-06:00

A belated notice - copies of the Shorter Saint Colman Prayer Book can be ordered through the following:UK and Europe:St. Eanswythe Monastery MissionAUS/NZ Oceania & Asia: St. Dyfan Monastery MissionUS and Canada: St. Brendan Orthodox Study Society

Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956374.post-7280478807973429242008-11-08T17:58:00.000-06:002008-11-08T18:03:45.642-06:00

BEING CHRISTIAN IN A WESTERN DEMOCRACYFr. Ilya GorskyIn the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.Our first and foremost concern is our salvation. We are on this earth to seek out God, to love Him, and to do all in our power to be like Him. The holy Scriptures stress this again and again. In [the Gospel of] Matthew our Lord says, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His

Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956374.post-54408567060944267262008-11-08T16:28:00.000-06:002008-11-08T16:29:39.165-06:00

This season of four weeks' preparation for the feast of the Saviour's Nativity, while ancient as an observance, has also been a variable one. In some periods it has been a season of celebration and joy and in others a time of penance and sobriety. Even today we find these mixed notes in the Advent Liturgy. For example, at Matins the triumphant hymn of the Te Deum is omitted, and at Mass we do not

Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956374.post-39315195791210578922007-03-25T00:20:00.000-05:002007-03-25T00:29:48.705-05:00

[Ed. note - apologies for this being a week late. I was still recovering and was unable to post. I hope to make a post about our Simnel Cake from last week on the Editor's Personal Blog - http://orthodox-okie.blogspot.com ]-------------------------------------------- From Saint Petroc Monastery, Cascades, Tasmania."LENT IVThis Sunday, “Mid-Lent Sunday” has, from very ancient times, also been

Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956374.post-1158265056938539842006-09-14T15:15:00.000-05:002006-09-14T15:26:41.026-05:00

Another new post from the Abbot's Study of Christ the Saviour Monastery (ROCOR), Providence, Rhode Island, USA. See more at Christminster.org-------------------------------------------------A LIGHT FROM THE EAST by Fr. James (Deschene)As the long night of official atheism wanes in the former Soviet Union, we who live in the West cannot help but wonder what will stand revealed in the new dawn of

Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956374.post-1158259908663210282006-09-14T13:47:00.000-05:002006-09-14T15:30:57.693-05:00

[Ed. - original post from Subdeacon Benjamin of the AWRV.]----------------------------------AN ORTHODOX MONASTIC RESPONSE TO ISLAM by Fr. James (Deschene)Several generations ago, in what seemed then to be an unlikely possibility, the writer Hilaire Belloc predicted that the greatest challenge to Christianity in the coming decades would be the rise of Islam in the west. What then was oddly

Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956374.post-1150776445799308602006-06-19T23:05:00.000-05:002006-06-19T23:07:25.813-05:00

Sermon from Saint Petroc MonasteryFr. Hieromonk Michael--------------------------------------------------------------------------Today begins the longest season of the Church’s year: Trinity-tide, which lasts until the end of November, almost a full month of Sundays. Today as a special matter however, we celebrate the revelation of the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. God, we are told repeatedly

Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956374.post-1148469064581944062006-05-24T06:05:00.000-05:002006-05-24T06:13:23.460-05:00

On the Art of Monastic Lectio DivinaFr. James M. Deschene--------------------------------        One of the most important spiritual disciplines set forth by St. Benedict in his Holy Rule for monks is that of lectio divina - so vital a part of the daily discipline that he sets aside at least four hours of the daily schedule for it. As the monastic life sets a pattern for all Orthodox Christians

Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956374.post-1147480442972345782006-05-12T19:33:00.001-05:002008-11-08T15:49:00.499-06:00

From Dom James, Prior of Christ the Savior Monastery, ROCOR. ------------------------------Novena Prayer to St. John Maximovitch for the Restoration of Western Orthodoxy O Lord Jesus Christ, who hast called the simple and humble to carry the light of the Gospel into the world; and, in these latter days, hast raised up thy holy servant Saint John (Maximovitch) to foster and bless the mission and

Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956374.post-1147480342237216052006-05-12T19:31:00.000-05:002006-05-12T19:32:22.240-05:00

The following was forwarded to me, and is the work of Fr. John R. Shaw of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad. -------There is a difference in the "range of meaning" between the Russian word "khram" and the English word "temple": In Russian, "khram" means basically the same thing as "tserkov'". Indeed in the pre-Nikonian Slavonic texts, "tserkov" is more common than "khram", even in places where

Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956374.post-1147480175143172762006-05-12T19:28:00.000-05:002006-05-14T19:37:17.643-05:00

23 August 2005, 10:14Union of Orthodox Citizens appeals to Alexy II to break all relations with the Vatican and start missionary work in Europe and AmericaMoscow, August 23, Interfax - As the Uniates have become more active in Ukraine the Orthodox public have appealed to Patriarch Alexy of Moscow and All Russia to end all relations with the Roman Catholic Church and begin missionary work in

Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956374.post-1145456264869349082006-04-19T09:09:00.000-05:002006-11-25T01:41:59.266-06:00

'WHO FEARS OUR UNITY?' By Aleksander Bogatyrev:April 3, 2006[Unauthorized translation. Nicholas A. Ohotin] Ed. - Thanks to Fr. Michael who brought this to our attention.-----------------------------------------------It is not very difficult to guess who does not desire the unification of the Moscow Patriarchate and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.Only a few years ago, one could

Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956374.post-1145306133170956222006-04-17T15:33:00.000-05:002006-04-18T04:09:34.013-05:00

From Saint Petroc Monastery, Fr. Michael-----------------------------------Today, we pray in the last Collects that God would quicken our understanding that we may believe in the eternal life that He has given us. That is, that our understanding of this gift may be enlivened. The whole purpose of Christ was our life - our eternal life. Life in this sense exclusively means life with God.

Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956374.post-1145305882770989882006-04-17T15:23:00.000-05:002006-04-18T02:01:30.853-05:00

I'm posting this one in case anyone wants to plan a trip to Rhode Island (for those who have vacation accrued, are retired, etc.) This is from the May/June 2000 edition of Christminster Chronicles, Dom James writes:------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MONASTERY RELICSThe monastery counts among its most precious possessions a number of holy relics. On the

Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956374.post-1145305083576225172006-04-17T14:59:00.000-05:002006-04-17T15:18:03.596-05:00

From Saint Petroc Monastery, Fr. Michael -----------------------------------Palm Sunday is the great triumphal arch of the Christian year, through which we follow our Lord and Saviour into the week of His suffering, degradation and death. Palm Sunday seems to be a bittersweet day of hope. Hope to be bitterly dashed on the hard rocks of the religious authorities of the day and the people that

Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956374.post-1145128929212092772006-04-15T14:18:00.000-05:002006-04-15T14:22:09.226-05:00

'What Does Canonical Communion Mean for Us?' by Protopriest Nikolai Artemoff from 'The Official Website of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia'.-------------------------------------------------The participants of the IV All-Diaspora Council are charged with examining two main questions: the mission and service of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia today,

Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956374.post-1144802798045448342006-04-11T19:40:00.000-05:002006-04-15T14:17:10.833-05:00

(Lecture by Protopriest Nicholas Karypov delivered at the 13th Conference of the Diocese of Sydney, Australia and New Zealand, held at SS Peter and Paul Cathedral in December 2001) - From 'The Official Website of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia.' -------------------------------------------------------What do I mean by "ecclesiastical culture?" First of all: the

Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956374.post-1144169702435777322006-04-04T11:54:00.000-05:002006-04-05T20:34:03.886-05:00

REALISM, REUNION AND ROMEFr. James (Deschene)Recently an Anglican priest (Fr. David Stokes) converted to Roman Catholicism, prompting Fr. James to write to the local newspaper that printed his letter. Another reader answered him; here is Fr. James' reply:----------------------------------------------------------------------Dr. Fritz WenischDepartment of PhilosophyUniversity of Rhode Island

Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956374.post-1144123727461237652006-04-03T23:08:00.000-05:002006-04-03T23:08:47.463-05:00

Fr. Michael, Saint Petroc Magazine, Vol. III, No. 2, July 2000--------------------------------------------------Western Rite Orthodoxy is undoubtedly part and parcel of the One Holy Orthodox Catholic Church. We are inextricably bound up in Orthodoxy. We cannot and will not be disentangled from Orthodoxy. But, where are we going?Western Rite Orthodoxy is a child of great promise within the

Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956374.post-1144123685690723272006-04-03T23:07:00.000-05:002006-04-03T23:08:05.716-05:00

Fr. David Tillman, Saint Petroc Magazine, Vol. III, No. 3, September, 2000. (Reprinted from AGAIN MAGAZINE, Volume 21, Number 1 - Winter 1999)--------------------------------------------------------------"Our merciful Lord says, Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and

Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956374.post-1143952674796666942006-04-01T22:37:00.000-06:002006-04-01T23:52:57.960-06:00

Fr. Michael, Saint Petroc Magazine, Vol. III, No. 3, September, 2000.--------------------------------------------------------From time to time, I am invited to attend conferences of "theologians" for the apparent purpose of discussing some aspect or other of the history or thought of Christianity.Such conferences are overwhelmingly people by academics who are called theologians. They are very

Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956374.post-1143619331377081582006-03-29T02:01:00.000-06:002006-03-30T08:44:09.090-06:00

Fr. Michael, Saint Petroc Magazine, Vol. III, No. 2, July 2000.----------------------------------------------------Popularly, the martyrdom of Saint Alban is placed within the persecution of Diocletian (AD 286-303 and at the latter end.) It seems unlikely however that Diocletian's persecution extended to Roman Britain.Many historians are of the opinion that Alban's martyrdom belongs to the

Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956374.post-1143619263233665602006-03-29T02:00:00.000-06:002007-02-22T12:41:50.246-06:00

Fr. James, Vol. III, No. 4, December, 2000.-----------------------------------Some sixteen months ago [Ed. see above date], the reception of Dr. Justin Noble as an oblate-postulant of Christ the Saviour Monastery here in Rhode Island raised a familiar round of questions as to the history, role, status and obligations of a monastic oblate. As a fifteen-hundred-year-old tradition, the state of

Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956374.post-1143528781580811112006-03-28T00:52:00.000-06:002006-03-28T13:53:05.850-06:00

Fr. Michael, Saint Petroc Magazine, Vol. III, No. 4, December 2000. First in the series 'Western Rite Orthodoxy'. --------------------------------------------------------The purpose of this series of articles is not to be a detailed, scholarly exposition of the Church in the British Isles, century by century for the first thousand years of Christianity. It is rather to move fairly quickly via a

Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956374.post-1143528721291684942006-03-28T00:51:00.000-06:002006-03-28T00:52:01.303-06:00

Fr. Michael, Saint Petroc Magazine, Vol. III, No. 2, July, 2000--------------------------------------------------Looking around the world, it occurs to me that in Western Rite Orthodoxy generally, we need a period of solid consolidation, while still building new parishes wherever possible. We need strength. We need to put ourselves in a position where we are visibly here to stay. We need to put

Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956374.post-1143440651676967712006-03-27T00:23:00.000-06:002006-03-27T00:24:11.696-06:00

Fr. Michael, Saint Petroc Journal, Vol. III, No. 3, September, 2000.-------------------------------------------------------C.S. Lewis once observed that the primary task of the church a century ago, was to edify and enhance the faith of those born to the faith; whereas now the task is primarily one of instructing and converting infidels and unbelievers. To the extent that this is true, it is true

Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956374.post-1143133933251258402006-03-23T11:11:00.000-06:002006-03-26T21:24:39.290-06:00

Fr. Michael, Saint Petroc Magazine, Vol. II, No. 3, October 1999.-----------------------------------------------------The test of doctrinal continuity and Succession can be applied to the Church in the British Isles of the first millennium - one which it met, and with it applied in its time. It was part and parcel of The Church, having the full doctrinal and tactile Succession of the Apostles at

Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956374.post-1143133859024986592006-03-23T11:10:00.000-06:002006-03-23T11:10:59.043-06:00

Father James (Deschene), Saint Petroc Magazine, Vol. III, No. 1, February 2000.------------------------------------------------------------------One of the ironies of the present millennial madness through which we are passing (how quickly it remains to be seen) is the aspect of a predominantly non-Christian (or post-Christian, as it styles itself) culture making history as reckoned by the

Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956374.post-1142914460198604862006-03-20T22:08:00.000-06:002006-03-20T22:14:36.066-06:00

Fr. James M. Deschene, 1992------------------------As the long night of official atheism wanes in the former Soviet Union, we who live in the West cannot help but wonder what will stand revealed in the new dawn of freedom for the Orthodox Faith. Our hopes, great as they may be, will surely pale before the gracious reality God will work out, if the phoenix of the persecuted Church rises, renewed

Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956374.post-1142831953268687042006-03-19T23:18:00.000-06:002006-03-19T23:19:13.276-06:00

Fr. Michael, Saint Petroc Magazine, Vol. III, No. 1, February 2000. -------------------------------------------------------Let God Arise and Let His enemies be scattered! The Truth will prevail, and perhaps sooner than later, but has it happened yet? Progress yes, but has the Truth prevailed among us?It never seems to happen, people have a hard time admitting, at least in their lifetimes, to

Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956374.post-1142708144650328002006-03-18T12:55:00.000-06:002006-03-18T12:55:44.680-06:00

Fr. Michael, Saint Petroc Magazine, Vol. III, No. 4, December, 2000.--------------------------------------------------------We are nothing if we are not about spreading the Truth of Christ, the whole Truth of Christ.This includes being unwilling to pass over the problem of what The Church is, and what is not The Church.That said however, our purpose is to bring people to The Church, for there,

Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956374.post-1142708065437004942006-03-18T12:54:00.000-06:002006-03-18T12:54:25.440-06:00

by Fr. John Chagnon, Saint Petroc Magazine, Vol. III, No. 2, July 2000.----------------------------------------------------------A point that I think enquirers need to keep in mind is that Western Rite people often get challenged regarding their Orthodoxy, simply because they are Western Rite. We often answer such criticism with an appeal to the authority of our bishops because within Orthodoxy

Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956374.post-1142639252959750642006-03-17T17:27:00.000-06:002006-03-27T20:53:15.246-06:00

Fr. Michael, Saint Petroc Magazine, Vol. II, No. 3, October 1999.-----------------------------------------------------Our attitude to Apostolic Succession is very important to understanding the position of over three hundred million Orthodox Christians today, (and by the way, well over a billion Christians have clergy who claim Apostolic Succession). Someone once asked me: "who cares about

Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956374.post-1142638021748211402006-03-17T17:23:00.000-06:002006-03-17T17:27:01.756-06:00

Almighty Father, Son and Sacred Spirit, Eternal,Ever-blessed, gracious God,to me, the least of all the sanctified, to me,Allow that I may keep a door in Paradise;That I may keep ere the smallest door,The further door,The darkest door,The coldest door,The least-used door,The stiffest door,Is so it be but in Thy house, O GodIf so it be that I can see Thy GloryEven afar and hear Thy voice, O Godand

Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956374.post-1142622249511640422006-03-17T12:21:00.000-06:002006-03-17T13:04:09.566-06:00

Father Michael, Saint Petroc Magazine, Vol. III No. 2, July 2000.-----------------------------------------------------Recently I have had occasion to speak to many people who want to know how to build Orthodoxy. What must we do, how do we attract people, they ask.My answer to them is usually the same: In the first place don't worry about it. Pray about it, but don't worry. Worry is a sign of a

Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956374.post-1142567836920180452006-03-16T21:54:00.000-06:002006-03-20T15:15:22.720-06:00

Orthodox America, Issue 88, Vol IX, No.8, March, 1989-------------------------------------------------------Within the first five minutes of any casual social conversation with many non-Orthodox clergymen, the question is sure to crop up: “Do you think my orders are valid?” To avoid offense and controversy, since the matter is a touchy one among most of the sects claiming any kind of historic

Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956374.post-1142463961192608322006-03-15T16:50:00.000-06:002006-03-15T17:08:13.130-06:00

From the Abbot's Study: "On Missing Church"Fr. JamesThe fecundity of the Orthodox mind is nowhere more evident than in the rich variety of excuses and reasons it can invent for not attending Sunday Liturgy. After two decades of being Orthodox, I am still taken aback by those who find it seemingly easy to excuse their absence from Mass on Sundays or feasts, or from Saturday or feast-day

Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956374.post-1142460168120917912006-03-15T15:40:00.000-06:002006-05-31T02:58:53.826-05:00

Published in The Lion, February/March 2006 Vol. CXXXI, No. 2-3------------------------------------------------------The practice of planting a new Western Rite Orthodox parish is not like the practice of planting a new ethnic parish. For example, planting a German Lutheran parish in a town that has 1,000 Germans of Lutheran persuasion is just a matter of herding them into a gymnasium and serving

Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.com