Update on Christminster Monastery

Forgive what a long interval I've had in updates. One of the side effects is news items have fallen through the cracks. However, as I've not seen this posted anywhere else, at all, I'll pass this one one:

This blog reported on Hieromonk James M. Deschene's decision to move to Canada, with the help of several would-be Antiochian Western Rite faithful. Dom James Deschene, who founded Christminster Monastery in Rhode Island and will re-found it outside Toronto, reports he had a safe and profitable trip to Canada, where he celebrated the Western Rite Liturgy of St. Gregory for a group of people including Reader Polycarp Sherwood.

We wish them all, and a long and spiritually profitable relationship.

Frederica Talks (Positively) About the Western Rite

Kh. Frederica Mathewes-Green is hardly a stranger to those interested in the Western Rite. In the past, she has had some not-so-supportive comments on the topic, notably in one of her books. That's why I was so pleased to hear the August 16 podcast of her program "Frederica Here and Now" on Ancient Faith Radio. In the podcast, she interviewed Kh. Helen (Nancy) Waggener of Holy Trinity AWRV and Kh. Rebecca (Becky) Alford of St. Gregory the Great AWRV at the Parish Life Conference. Incidentally, the chanting in the background is Fr. John W. Fenton (and, I believe, two of his daughters), and - without the least offense to anyone else in the recording - absolutely steals the show with its simplistic beauty.

What a well-produced and inspiring broadcast, not least because it shows how those who were once averse to the Western Rite change their minds the more they observe the AWRV's praxis and the way her faithful work out their salvation in Christ.

Listen to the audio here.

(Hat tip: Fr. Alban Waggener)