Reports from a Diocesan Conference

Good, though late, news to report from the Parish Life Conference for the Diocese of Charleston, Oakland, and the Mid-Atlantic. This year's PLC was held at St. George Cathedral in Charleston, West Virginia. As I wrote at the time, Bp. THOMAS gave his hierarchical blessing for a Western Rite Vespers to be celebrated on July 4.

Orthodox clergy of the diocese have told me that, after the service, several cradle Orthodox who had been nurtured by the Byzantine Rite, came up to them afterward to tell them, "Thank you for that beautiful service and chant!" Another said, with tears in her eyes, "I felt God's presence." This were only two of many such comments.

The more we know one another, not only will we come together on a human level of understanding, but we experience the vertical communion of the saints made real whenever Christ's Church gathers in worship.

Our thanks, again, to Bp. THOMAS for allowing this, and to all those who supported or celebrated it. And for those lay men and women, dear to God, who experienced the immanence of the Divine in this Western Rite Orthodox worship, thanks be to God!