From TV-Novosti. … [Read more...]
Quote from Alexander Solzhenitsyn
November 11, 2009 6:04 PM
“In keeping silent about evil, in burying it so deep within us that no sign of it appears on the surface, we are implanting it, and it will rise up a thousand-fold in the future." … [Read more...]
OCL Fall Annual Meeting Calls for Reasonable and Prayerful Involvement of Clergy, Laity and Hierarchy in the process of Creating a Unified Orthodox Church in North America
November 11, 2009 4:17 PM
Press Release Orthodox Christian Laity November 7, 2009 Contact: George Matsoukas – 877-585-0245 The end result of the 22nd Annual Meeting of Orthodox Christian Laity held at Ligonier, PA , October 28-31, 2009, including board meeting and program meeting, is that the work of creating a Unified Orthodox Christian Church in North America requires the time, talent and skills of hierarchy, clergy and laity. OCL is enthusiastic about helping all Orthodox Christians throughout North America know that the process is underway. It encourages discussion at the parish, clergy brotherhood and diocesan levels. It challenges the clergy and laity to become informed about all dimensions of the process. Creating a unifed North American Church which respects our history as a multicultural church with over 2,000 parishes will require the skills and input of theologians (lay and clerical), geographers, research personnel, merger professionals, attorneys, accountants, teachers and … [Read more...]
More reflections on the OCL conference
November 2, 2009 11:18 AM
Fr. Peter-Michael Preble offers more thoughts on the recent OCL conference. Fr. Peter writes: The first point, and I said this in my sermon yesterday, is that I believe the American Orthodox Church is on the cusp of greatness. I think we are standing in the door way of a new something (I can't seem to find the right word) -- generation maybe, era perhaps, explosion...not really sure. I say this because we have some great young leaders emerging in the church. People like Metropolitan Jonah, Fr. Justin Matthews of FOCUS North America and others are injecting new excitement and energy into the American Church. We are at the threshold of becoming a truly American Church and not just a small immigrant community. I am reminded of the history of the Roman Catholic Church in Boston. The signs used to read "Irish Need Not Apply" Then the church came into her own. The Roman Church under the leadership of visionaries like Richard Cushing of Boston. Cardinal Cushing had a vision for … [Read more...]
Moscow Patriarchate reports on Chambesy meeting
June 30, 2009 6:27 AM
The Moscow Patriarchate has released a statement, in English, on the work of the all-Orthodox pre-conciliar meeting in Chambesy, Switzerland, earlier this month. The patriarchate explains how "episcopal assemblies" are to be constituted. Text follows: The 4th Pan-Orthodox Pre-Council Conference, which took place at the Patriarchate of Constantinople’s Orthodox Center in Chambesy near Geneva, completed its work on 12 June 2009. The delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church led by Archpriest Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s department for external church relations, included Archbishop Mark of Berlin, Germany and Great Britain, Russian Church Outside Russia, Archpriest Nikolay Balashov, DECR vice-chairman, and Mr. A. Churyakov, an interpreter. The conference was chaired by Metropolitan John of Pergamon. Metropolitan Jeremiah of Switzerland, Patriarchate of Constantinople, acted as its secretary. It was attended by delegations of the Patriarchates … [Read more...]
Videos of St. Vladimir Seminary Symposium on Unity Available
June 27, 2009 8:00 PM
St. Andrew House has posted the videos of "Orthodoxy: Past, Present and FUTURE" held at St. Vladimir Seminary on June 18-20, 2009 on their website. Below is the final presentation consisting of summations, and questions and answers. … [Read more...]
The Road to Unity. From Vision to Action: Orthodox Christianity in America
June 20, 2009 7:53 PM
Orthodox Christian Laity Continuing EducationLearning and Growing in Understanding Orthodox Christianity in America The Road to UnityFrom Vision to Action: Orthodox Christianity in America October 29-31, 2009Antiochian Village Ligonier, PA American Orthodox Christianity is already unified in doctrine and fellowship but we are not unified as jurisdictions. Orthodox Christianity can flourish in America and our Orthodox faith can give much to our nation in return. Join us this fall to examine what we can do to foster unity in America The Road to Unity is blessed by Met. Philip, Met. Jonah, and Met. Christopher. Keynote will be delivered by Met. Jonah. Other hierarchs attending include Abp. Nathaniel of Detroit and Bp. Thomas of Charleston, and the list is growing. Topics: Orthodox Unity at Work and In Service; Unity Efforts Past and Present; The Orthodox Church of America Tomorrow; Orthodoxy and American Culture; Youth; Orthodox Communication; The Great and Holy … [Read more...]
Metropolitan Jonah: on the occasion of the great feast of the Lord’s Pascha, 2009
April 17, 2009 10:27 AM
Archpastoral Message of His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, on the occasion of the great feast of the Lord's Pascha, 2009 Posted 04/13 Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen! To the Very Reverend and Reverend Clergy, Monastics, and Faithful of The Orthodox Church in America Dearly Beloved in Christ, Beloved, let us greet one another with Paschal Joy, and exchange the kiss of peace. Let us feast soberly, that our joy may be full. Let us not stuff ourselves to satiety with feasting, nor indulge our passions to insensibility. Most of all, let us not give ourselves over to the darkness of the fallen world from which we have sought to purify ourselves, lack of forgiveness, anger and judgment, bitterness and hatred. … [Read more...]
Met. Kirill named Patriarch of Russian Orthodox Church
January 27, 2009 8:24 PM
Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad has been elected head of the Russian Orthodox Church. He will become the 16th Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. The International Herald Tribune described him as "an articulate critic of declining moral values in the modern world who has been actively involved in the ecumenical movement and [has] called for the Russian Orthodox Church to step up its outreach in secular society ... " Novosti said the 62-year-old Metropolitan "received 508 votes, and the second candidate, Metropolitan Kliment of Kaluga and Borovsk - 169 votes. A total of 700 ballots were cast in the vote, with 23 recognized as invalid." He is expected to be enthroned on Sunday and his term of office is lifelong. The Moscow Times highlighted Metropolitan Kirill's ecumenical work, noting that he is "an experienced diplomat who has been the church's point man in often-difficult negotiations with other churches, prompting speculation that he might take steps to improve … [Read more...]