Orthodox Benedictine Monastery Receives Favorable Media Coverage

I'm very late in posting this, but I'm thrilled to see Christminster Monastery in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, is receiving yet more positive coverage. Reporter Paul Wilson of The Hamilton Spectator recently went inside that holy house and came out with more good news. Below is the article, which appeared in that newspaper on April 3, 2009. It is reprinted here with the author's permission. Christminster is a Benedictine Monastery within the Orthodox Church (ROCOR), which celebrates the Mass of St. Gregory.

Cannon Street's spiritual haven
From coffee shop to reflective monastery
Paul Wilson
The Hamilton Spectator
April 3, 2009

Monasteries are in short supply these days, but three out-of-country monks have now found peace, quiet and prayer nine times a day at a new haven on Cannon Street East.

These monks don't mind if you stop by. Somebody did visit on behalf of an online review site called Mystery Worshippers. The guest complains about "a spate of sirens" during the service. But on comfort, he reports "it was probably the best pew I've ever experienced."

And how did the service make him feel? "Ecstatic and, dare I say, a little envious of Orthodox Christians."

So I'm off to Mass, on that struggling stretch of Cannon, just west of Wentworth, at Steven.

For many years there was a coffee shop here, plus a hairdresser and an auto glass company.

But now the corner has been claimed by the new religious settlement. There's fresh brick on the buildings. The sign by the oak double doors, royal blue and gold, declares this to be Our Lady of Glastonbury Orthodox Church. The sign by the steel door beside it, with the image of a robed monk, says Christminster. That's the monastery.

It's 5 p.m. and a service is under way. There usually is.

There's room here for about 30, but today there are five of us. It is a quiet service. Yes, you can hear the traffic, but somehow it seems a long way away.

The man at the front in the black habit -- with the generous profile of Friar Tuck -- is not in a hurry. There are long, quiet pauses. He sings, chants. And then it is over.

There are individual bedside prayers at 5 each morning. More prayers, held in the church, are at 6:15 a.m., 7 a.m., 8:45 a.m., 9:15 a.m., 11:45 a.m., 5 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 8:15 p.m.

A lot of prayer. "It's a monastery," says Father James Deschene, abbot of Christminster. "That's what we do."

Pray much, talk little. There is the Great Silence, which begins after the 8:15 evening service. Meals are consumed in silence, though there may be something on the CD player -- classical music or James Earl Jones reading the New Testament.

"We don't want just idle chatter," Father James says. "We feed the mind." Yet he is a man of considerable humour and, when it's OK to do so, quite the talker.

He is 66, grew up in Rhode Island, went to a Roman Catholic seminary for four years.

But later he saw the light. "I explored, and Orthodoxy won. I found truth, the real and original church as it was meant to be, no fiddling with the teachings."

The church has small monasteries in Florida and Tasmania. And there was one in Providence, R.I., just Father James and Father Joseph in a little house, no room to grow.

Enter a local man of means, Bob Sherwood, who runs an operation called the White Rabbit Treatment Homes, owns property on Cannon and has a passion for Orthodox religion.

He came to know of the cramped conditions in Rhode Island and offered to renovate the property here for the monks. He would charge no rent.

He spent $200,000 fixing the place up, because, he says, "it seemed the right thing to do."

Last spring, Fathers James and Joseph moved in. They were joined by Father Michael, a convert from California.

Father James says there is still much about Hamilton unknown to him, though he has been to the Black Forest, the Royal Botanical Gardens, the Farmers' Market.

He often goes to Fortinos or Food Basics in his habit and black Crocs. The robe doesn't create a stir.

"I imagine you could wear pretty much anything in Hamilton," he says. "That's not true back in Rhode Island."...

The neighbours have not been hostile...The occasional person has come for a retreat of up to a week, discovering life minus the chatter, the iPod, the TV.

"I'm sure most people would think this doesn't make much sense," Father James says. "But God is real. Our lives are being wasted if He's not."

Their lives are not wasted. Their holy lives are examples for us all, and their holy intercessions open the ears of Heaven to our pleas delayed by our coldness of heart.

Please, never cease to pray for us.

This article and the accompanying photographs appear with the author's permission.

Met. JONAH's Speech to the Anglican Church in North America

Oops; I didn't realize I had not posted this when it first surfaced the week of the speech! Old age is catching up with me...In all, a very well-done and uplifting speech, which does not mention any necessity of adopting Eastern Orthodox liturgical forms.



The viewer may find it interesting that, at 39 minutes into the speech, he is applauded for critiquing the Anglican tradition -- by Anglicans.

(Hat Tip: Byzantine, Texas)

Met. JONAH Renews St. Tikhon's Dialogue with Anglicans

Met. JONAH presents an icon of St. Tikhon (Bellavin) to the ACNA assembly this morning.

As I noted yesterday, Met. JONAH of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) spoke to the inaugural assembly of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) this morning (10:30 CDT/8:30 PDT). One observer described his speech as nothing less than "a 'barn burner' complete with numerous standing ovations and cries of agreement." He recorded that Met. JONAH:

reopened a dialogue with this Anglican group. With arms open he hopes to pick up where St. Tikhon left off. He gave an historical account of how the Episcopalians forced the dialogue to end by their actions and listed off (in "truth in love" and in a way "sure to offend some of you") about those things that they would have to do to if they wished to share the chalice. Most of you can guess what he listed: removal of the filioque, a rejection of Calvinism, no female ordinations, no gay marriage, and an extensive scholastic discussion about what unites and divides the two groups. In October at Nashotah House the OCA and the ACNA will meet to begin this dialogue. It is being billed as a picking up where the talks broke down and as such Metropolitan Jonah presented an icon of St. Tikhon to Archbishop-elect [Robert] Duncan. (Emphasis added.)

Note: adoption of the Byzantine Rite, the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom/Basil, was not among the conditions.

Met. JONAH intends to take St. Tikhon's move to reunite Anglicans with the Holy Orthodox Church serioulsy. Even the ACNA's press release says, "This significant gesture represents the possibility of full communion being exchanged between the churches." It adds that the metropolitan's message "focused on unity but did not fail to address areas of contrasting beliefs between the two churches. Though united in upholding the authority of the Bible and uniqueness of Jesus Christ, the Orthodox Church and Anglican Church in North America have differing opinions on matters such as the ordination of women and other doctrinal issues. Despite this, the Metropolitan told the audience that 'our arms are open wide.'"

Following his 45-minute speech, Met. JONAH presented the assembly with an icon of St. Tikhon (Bellavin). The conscious invocation of St. Tikhon is most significant. St. Tikhon had been approached by a group of Anglicans while he was bishop of North America, and as ruling prelate asked the mother church in Russia about the possibility of allowing them to use some form of the Book of Common Prayer. Although the Episcopalians withdrew before the Russian church sent observations intended to "serve in the negotiations as materials for the determination in detail of the conditions on which Anglicans disposed to Orthodoxy can be received," St. Tikhon clearly and undeniably acted to bring former Anglicans into a Western Rite within the Orthodox Church while retaining some form of the BCP.

Today, Met. JONAH followed in his foosteps. May he bring about the goal for which St. Tikhon longed.

The Next Western Rite?

Here's an interesting news item: an Orthodox metropolitan has been invited to deliver a keynote address to a group of conservative Anglicans in the formative stages of "a new denomination." News reports described the formation of the Provincial Assembly of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA):

After years of preparation, evangelical, orthodox and traditionalist Anglicans from across North America, many of them recently departed from the Episcopal Church, will meet in Texas this week to formally launch the new denomination. ACNA unites eight Anglican groups under a single Archbishop and positions itself as an alternative to the U.S. Episcopal Church within the global Anglican Communion.

It is fascinating whom they wanted to hear from:

Ecumenical speakers including Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church in California and Metropolitan Jonah of the Orthodox Church in America will offer keynote addresses.

In fact, Met. JONAH will speak later today at 10:30 a.m. to noon CDT. It appears you can watch his speech live here.

His Eminence certainly makes an interesting contrast with Rick Warren. (Warren is author of The Purpose Driven Life and a favorite of the ACNA's evangelical members.) Despite boasts of their alleged death, there are yet a number of Anglo-Catholics who rejoice that, in their view, the ACNA constitution affirms "the Seven Ecumenical Councils" and its "Canons recognize that we embrace the faith 'once for all delivered to the saints' of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic church." They may not know they are seeking the Western Rite of the Orthodox Church, but they are.

And Met. JONAH surely knows.

As a former Episcopalian, His Eminence has personal insight into their views. It is also significant that just this April Met. JONAH acknowledged, "It doesn't matter if we Eastern Rite or Western Rite, doesn't matter the language in the service is...we are one indigenous Church." This is in accordance with the views of some Russian New-Martyrs, St. Tikhon (Bellavin), St. Nicholas of Japan, St. Raphael of Brooklyn — and even of the OCA's own founding hierarch.

One can hardly say this meeting will result in new waves of Western Rite Orthodox, though it cannot hurt. As I have noted, Anglicans are largely impervious to moving anywhere, no matter the difficulties, and there are many places easier to enter than Orthodoxy, much less the Western Rite of Orthodoxy.

It is good this meeting of traditionally minded Christians did not go wtihout an Orthodox voice. Perhaps as the speech commends their step of faith away from apostasy, it will show them the limitations of the ACNA: it has essentially restored a slightly more conservative status quo of 1979. In addition to being a big tent church open equally to "Puritans and papists" (to paraphrase Fr. Alban Waggener), fully one-quarter of its dioceses allow women's ordination to the priesthood. The ACNA's Anglo-Catholics write its constitution will not force priestesses upon any diocese, and parishes will retain their property rights...but the fact remains: this is not the faith of their fathers. That can be found only in the Holy Catholic, Apostolic, and Orthodox Church. Lord willing, this will prove a first step to that destination.

The 140th Anniversary of Dr. J.J. Overbeck's Conversion Remembered

According to the Dean of the ROCOR Cathedral in Chiswick, London, today is the 140th anniversary of the conversion of Dr. J.J. (Julian Joseph) Overbeck, the instigator of the modern Western Rite Orthodox movement. Today, his home church is remembering his historical contributions. Fr. Nicholas Savchenko wrote:

Next Sunday there will be a 140th anniversary of doctor Overback [sic.] conversion to Orthodoxy as it is said in our parish registration book (21 June 1869). I'll be making a speach after Liturgy about him. His book was translated to Russian and Holy Synod and Pobedonostsev supported him. He was a member of our parish untill 1905 when he died and his wife and children were members too.

fr. Nikolay

Incidentally, Pobedonostsev was no small supporter and "had connections," as they say. Overbeck pressed for a Western liturgy that resembled that of the Roman Catholic (and, more to the point, Old Catholic) churches of his day, with only the modifications he deemed necessary to bring that living tradition into line with Orthodox theology and practice -- and his plan received widespread support, including that of multiple patriarchates including (temporarily) the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. Although his attempts to woo the Union of Utrecht failed, the Orthodox Church accepted the concept of a revived Western Rite, specifically one that began by taking the Roman Mass as its starting point.

The idea of Western Orthodoxy did not come to fruition in his lifetime, but it is unlikely it would have come about at all without his actions, all of which began with his conversion to the Orthodox Church 140 years ago today. Our most profound thanks to Fr. Nikolay and the rest for the remembrance. (Hat tip: Hieromonk Michael, for forwarding it.)

Below are links for further reading about Dr. Overbeck:

Dr. J.J. Overbeck and His Scheme for the Reestablishment of the Orthodox Church in the West by David F. Ambramtsov.

Catholic Orthodoxy and Anglo-Catholicism, by J.J. Overbeck (1866)

A Plain View of the Claims of the Orthodox Church as Opposed to All Other Christian Denominations by J.J. Overbeck, D.D. (1881)

OCA's Met. JONAH Acknowledges the Western Rite

Some of you may be following the back-and-forth between the Ecumenical Patriarchate and North American Orthodox hierarchs; a representative of the Phanar invited all churches of the "diaspora" to "submit" to Constantinople, and His Eminence Metropolitan JONAH, Primate of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), responded by citing the role of the Russian Orthodox Church in North American Orthodoxy. Others can focus on the political aspects of this tug-of-war (and have), but we must not pass over another passage of His Eminence's sermon last Sunday. Met. JONAH spoke at St. Seraphim Orthodox Cathedral in Dallas on April 5, 2009, where he said:

We are a single community of Orthodox Christians, and we are the local Church in Dallas, the local Church in Northeast Texas. It doesn't matter that we have all these various administrative jurisdictions, ultimately, because we gather together as one Body, to pray with one mind and one heart, to celebrate the same Eucharist, to come to the same chalice. It doesn't matter if we Eastern Rite or Western Rite, doesn't matter the language in the service is, but...we are one Church. We are one local Church, and I might add, we are one indigenous Church. (Emphasis added.)

That is, Met. JONAH specifically affirmed the authenticity of Western Rite Orthodoxy. More specifically, members of the Antiochian Western Rite Vicariate in northeast Texas were in attendance at this sermon. Thus, the head of the OCA said the Western Rite as presently practiced within the AWRV is Orthodox and a part of the indigenous Orthodox Church in North America.

This is significant, since some in the OCA may be ignorant of or antipathetic toward the Western Rite (and these are hardly mutually exclusive). However, affirming the Western Rite and specifically the approach of the AWRV is in keeping with the views — not only of some Russian New-Martyrs, St. Tikhon (Bellavin), St. Nicholas of Japan, and St. Raphael of Brooklyn — but of the OCA's own founding hierarch. Abp. Platon (Rozhdestvensky), who would go on to found the Metropolia, said to a group of Western Christians in 1911: "When we agree concerning dogmas, there will be no need to speak of rites. They will not prevent us from being one in Christ and having the same belief in Christ."

As I noted when he was ordained, Met. JONAH is a former Episcopalian, and may have some understanding of Western prayer and spirituality. Whatever his personal experience, he has made clear in his remarks that the Western Rite has a future in his vision of a unified Orthodox Church in North America, as it did in the original under the Russian Church. You can hear the whole sermon here:

Pan - Orthodox Sermon by His Beatitude Metropolitan Jonah @ Yahoo! Video

(Hat tip: Dom James for calling attention to the speech, and Rod Dreher for running the full text)

New Western Rite Mission in Maryland: St. John the Baptist

We told you years ago that more Charismatic Episcopal Churches stood ready to join the Western Rite of the Orthodox Church. Since then, many have followed. The Antiochian Archdiocese has announced that, it's official: within two months of the last group of former CEC becoming Western Rite Orthodox catechumens, another church has joined the fold:

St. John the Baptist Mission began as a small mission in the Charismatic Episcopal Church (called Lamb of God Church) on Christmas Eve, 2005 under the pastoral leadership of Fr. James K. Hamrick, a CEC priest and a former United Methodist pastor. The congregation, made up mostly of former Methodists, found a historic chapel for lease in Lewistown, Maryland, just north of Frederick, Maryland, an hour west of Baltimore and an hour northwest of D.C. The chapel, originally built in 1833 as a Methodist Church, has been home for the congregation since.

In August 2006, Fr. James met Fr. Gregory McGregor, an Orthodox priest in southeastern Virginia, which prompted Fr. James to begin examining the claims of Orthodoxy. Two years later, in the summer of 2008, the congregation's bishop retired, causing the people to search in earnest for where God was leading them next. Fr. James and the people of Lamb of God Church examined a number of continuing Anglican groups, but only with limited enthusiasm. Finally, at a clericus gathering in Towson, Maryland on September 17, 2008, Fr. James heard a compelling presentation given by Fr. Patrick Cardine and Fr. Alban Waggoner on the Orthodox Church. Father James presented the congregation with this invitation to consider the Orthodox Church, and in short order the people began to discern that the Holy Orthodox Church was where God was indeed directing them. At the request of Fr. James, Bishop THOMAS visited the congregation in October 2008 in order to answer questions and to encourage the people as they discerned their call. With strong consensus among the people, Lamb of God Church officially became a catechumenate mission of the Orthodox Church on November 30, 2008, with Fr. Patrick Cardine and Fr. Nicholas Alford as the assigned catechists.

In coming into Holy Orthodoxy, the people requested a new name for their mission to represent a whole new beginning, but since St. John the Baptist had been their patron saint, they requested to bear his name. Metropolitan PHILIP agreed and the new mission became St. John the Baptist. God willing, on April 11th (Lazarus Saturday), nearly 30 people will be chrismated by Fr. Nicholas Alford at St. Gregory the Great Orthodox Church in Washington, DC. (See Update Below!) Saint John the Baptist will become a Western Rite mission, and until Fr. James is ordained a priest in the Orthodox Church, Fr. Peter Jacobsen, a retired Western Rite priest from New York, will be serving the mission

What an inspiring story of faith, with a search for truth lasting many years finally about to be realized.

The season of Lent traditionally has been a time of completing the catechumenate. Lenten fasting had its historic origins in the faithful fasting in solidarity with those about to be illumined, born again, through the Sacrament/Mystery of Baptism. As we are all praying and fasting together, please, as the Byzantine services of this time ask, "Let us the faithful pray for the catechumens." God bless them all, richly rewarding their faithfulness with His mercy.

Update: A reader e-mails that Fr. Nicholas Alford just alerted them of a new location for the chrismation service, to allow more people to attend:

With Metropolitan PHILIP's blessing we are moving the service of Chrismation for the people of St. John the Baptist Mission to Ss. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church, 10620 River Rd, Potomac, MD. The service will be on Friday evening, April 10, beginning with Vespers at 7PM. . . . The Chrismations will follow Vespers and then the Liturgy for the feast of St. Leo will be celebrated.

Thank you. Whatever the proximate location, God will unite all of you to His Mystical Body, the Church. God bless you!

New Western Rite Mission in Muleshoe, Texas

From Antiochian.org. (Forgive how long it's taken me to post here, or how long it's been between posts here.):

On Sunday February 8th, 2009, Fr. Michael Keiser trekked out to the plains of West Texas and received 41 people as catechumens into the Holy Orthodox Church.

St. Clement Church in Muleshoe, Texas, began in September 1997 as a small group doing the Office of evening prayer on Wednesday nights and was affiliated with the Charismatic Episcopal Church. Fr. Sergio Leal was ordained to the diaconate in April 1998 and began serving a Deacon's Mass. In November of the same year was ordained to the priesthood. In April 2000, St. Clement purchased a church building where they currently worship.

In 2006, the Diocese of the South Central along with other dioceses, separated from the Charismatic Episcopal Church and formed another communion.

After much prayer and dialogue with others who have walked a similar path, it was decided that it was time to come home. The people of St. Clement would like to express their gratitude to Metropolitan PHILIP, Bishop BASIL and the whole Vicariate for making a way. To God be the glory!

I have to echo the last line, on behalf of the new faithful and the Western Rite: "To God be the glory!"

St. Andrew Western Rite Church in Oklahoma City's New Home (And More)

A new picture of the interior of St. Andrew Orthodox Church (Western Rite).

Fr. Mark Wallace of St. Andrew Orthodox Church, a member of the Antiochian Western Rite Vicariate, has posted a number of photographs of the church's new location. Fr. Wallace writes, "On Christmas Eve, 2008, the congregation of St. Andrew Orthodox Church was blessed to begin services in its own rented space at 6444 N.W. Expressway in Oklahoma City."Congratulations and Godspeed to St. Andrew's, Fr. Mark Wallace, and all its faithful!

The site has also added a Daily Lectionary. (The church celebrates the Liturgy of St. Tikhon.) Finally, you can read or listen to Fr. Wallace's sermons (and you should). Enjoy.

Update: Ooops! I changed the title to reflect the correct church name, St. Andrew, not "St. Mark." I had a rare Freudian slip, or I may well have had a prophecy about its priest. It was none other than Fr. Mark Wallace who pointed out my error. (Blushing.)

A New Vicar General for the Antiochian Western Rite Vicariate

Those in the Western Rite Vicariate have known for six months or more, but I see it has finally been announced publicly: After 37 years of service, the Very Rev. Fr. Paul Schneirla, Archpriest, has retired as Vicar General of the Antiochian Western Rite Vicariate. His resignation takes place effective at the first of the year, at which time the Very Rev. Fr. Edward Hughes, Archpriest, will become Vicar General. Fr. Hughes is pastor of St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Lawrence, Massachusetts, and has been a long-time member of the Western Rite Commission. Fr. Hughes spent many years evangelizing on behalf of the Western Rite, training new priests through the St. George Institute, and instructing Western Rite students in the House of Studies component of St. Stephen's Course. He is also an expert on the Byzantine Rite (a real liturgical expert; the kind with a degree) and multilingual, attributes that serve him well as the chairman of the Antiochian Department of Liturgics and Translations. Just Sunday, this blog posted a series of photographs of Fr. Hughes celebrating the Western Rite Mass of St. Gregory (although photos do justice neither to his chanting nor to his teaching abilities). The Vicariate has been left in good hands, indeed.

Fr. Paul Schneirla remains as vigorous as ever in his ninth decade of life. His efforts led to the creation of the Western Rite Vicariate and Patriarch ALEXANDER III's 1958 decree allowing the Western Rite to be celebrated throughout the Patriarchate of Antioch. Within three years, Alexander Turner brought his group into the Antiochian Archdiocese as its first Vicar General, with Fr. Schneirla following him. As dear as it is to his heart, the Western Rite is not Fr. Schneirla's only accomplishment. Indeed, SCOBA recognized Fr. Schneirla's extraordinary efforts on behalf of North American Orthodoxy one year ago tomorrow. But no award could adequately convey the thanks all friends of the Western Rite owe to him.

Our prayers are with both; we hope rather their more effectual prayers will be offered on our behalf. Ad multos annos to them both.

Two New Western Rite Ordinations

The Newly Ordained Servants of God
Bp. ANTOUN Ordains Dn. Christopher Nerreau to the Priesthood	Fr. Nerreau and Fr. Kenneth DeVoie, with Bp. ANTOUN

We send our heartfelt best wishes to the newest Western Rite Orthodox priests ordained in the Antiochian Western Rite Vicariate. Two ordinations, to the diaconate and the priesthood, took place this weekend. As I reported two weeks ago, the former Charismatic Episcopal Church priest Fr. Ken DeVoie and the former CEC deacon Chris Nerreau were scheduled to be ordained to the diaconate on Friday, November 21, and to the priesthood on Saturday, November 22, at St. George Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral in Worcester, Massachusetts. Fr. Kenneth will care for Emmanuel Orthodox Church in Warren, Massachusetts; and Fr. Christopher will tend St. Stephen's Orthodox Church in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Their ordinations come a little more than one month after the members of their churches, numbering more than 100 souls, were chrismated into the Holy Orthodox Church on October 18. You can see pictures of the chrismation service here.

We all send our best wishes to the Rev. Father Kenneth M. DeVoie and the Rev. Father Christopher Nerreau. Axios! Mustahek! They are worthy! May God grant them both a long and fruitful ministry.

Two New Western Rite Missions in Massachusetts

On Saturday, October 18, the Antiochian Western Rite Vicariate received two new missions into the fold: Emmanuel Orthodox Church in Warren, Massachusetts; and St. Stephen's Orthodox Church in Springfield, Massachusetts.

More than 100 faithful from the two churches were chrismated at Emmanuel Orthodox Church on that date, while other members who could not attend were scheduled to be chrismated later. The Very Reverend Fathers Edward Hughes and Michael Keiser presided at the combined service, which lasted 2.5 hours. Both Emmanuel and St. Stephen's were formerly part of the Charismatic Episcopal Church and have been in formation for approximately a year. Both parishes will celebrate the Liturgy of St. Gregory. Please click on the pictures below to see them full-size. (Story continues below.)

Chrismation Service of Emmanuel and St. Stephen Orthodox Churches, Oct. 18, 2008
A Side View of the Church, During the Service	More of the Congregation
The Very Rev. Fr. Edward Hughes	Entering the Kingdom of Heaven
The Very Rev. Fr. Michael Keiser	The Seal of the Gift of the Holy Spirit
Except Ye Become as a Little Child	(Some of) the Newly Chrismated Servants of God

The former CEC priest Fr. Ken DeVoie and the former CEC deacon Chris Nerreau will be ordained to the diaconate on Friday, November 21, and to the priesthood on Saturday, November 22, at St. George Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Ad multos annos to all their flock, and our prayers for their impending ordinations!

(I had this information quite some time ago but wanted to make sure I could post the pictures correctly...and it took me forever. Mea culpa! I hope the new impending ordinands will forgive me. Maybe after November 22, I can receive formal absolution?)

Update: OK, let's see if the pictures work now....

A Report on the Ground

Although this blog often reports on news and developments within the Western Rite, it is sometimes nice back up and read a few words from someone simply describe his or her experience worshiping according to the Western Rite. (See, for instance, this Mystery Worshipper review of Christminster Monastery.) For that reason, I was happy to find these words from an Orthodox blogger, who is not Western Rite, commenting on her experience in an Antiochian Western Rite Vicariate parish. Here are her words:

Which Jurisdiction has maintained the purist, and thus most beneficial rite? The first Orthodox Church I visited was a western rite Antiochian Church. During that service I had a deeply mystical experience that will keep me Orthodox forever, so they are “Orthodox enough” for me.

Thanks be to God He touched this blogger in his canonical Western Rite service. We wish her well. May He always hold her in His hands.

A ROCOR WRITE Ordination

I have received word that Metropolitan HILARION received Hiermonk Cuthbert (Pierce) of Holy Cross Hermitage in Jacksonville, Florida, into the into the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia by the rite of cheirothesia. The reception took place at the parish in Palm Coast, Florida, on September 29.

Fr. David (as he will now be known) is also charged with caring for Hieromonk Augustine Whitfield, who is in retirement in the area.

Video: Constructing a Western Rite Altar

The folks at St. Andrew Antiochian Orthodox Church (Western Rite Vicariate) in Oklahoma City have posted an edifying video on their multimedia page: the construction of their altar. According to the website:

Subdeacon John Dutcher and his wife Nila, of St. Elijah Antiochian Orthodox Church, constructed the new altar for St. Andrew Church. They put together this video of the construction.

It is a beautiful altar, a work of art.

I rejoice in posting images of work, building, or renovation of Western Rite churches for reasons I wrote about here : they are constructive in the most literal sense of the word. May God reward Subdeacon Dutcher for his work.

Godspeed to our good friend Fr. Mark Wallace, his family, and all his parishoners as they gather around this altar to partake of the Body and Blood of Christ.

(See the whole video here.)

Update: Fr. Mark Wallace sent us this note.

Thank you for posting this video!

FYI - Subdeacon John Dutcher fell asleep in the Lord on 8 August, 2008. You can learn more about him by visiting their family blog at www.dutcherfamily.blogspot.com.

As of this posting, the community of St. Andrew has yet to celebrate its first Mass on this altar. We are still worshiping in the chapel of St. Elijah's. Currently, we are in negotiations to lease some commercial space for our congregation. As we progress towards that goal, I will keep you informed.

May Godspeed your negotiations, Fr. Wallace. I did not realize Subdeacon John Dutcher fell asleep in the Lord. May he rest in peace, and may God be with all those dear to him. This video now serves another purpose: it documents one of the good deeds that preceded him in Heaven.

Unearthing Orthodox Scotland

Archeologists are analyzing a dig of Portmahomack, a pre-Schism monastery in Scotland possibly founded by St. Columba. The British media has reported a number of their surprised findings, including the realization that the Picts were not exactly vicious savages:

A study of one the most important archaeological discoveries in Scotland for 30 years, a Pictish monastery at Portmahomack on the Tarbat peninsula in Easter Ross, has found that they were capable of great art, learning and the use of complex architectural principles.

The monastery – an enclosure centred on a church thought to have housed about 150 monks and workers – was similar to St Columba's religious centre at Iona and there is evidence they would have made gospel books similar to the Book of Kells and religious artefacts such as chalices to supply numerous "daughter monasteries".

And, in a discovery described as "astonishing, mind-blowing" by architectural historians, it appears that the people who built the monastery did so using the proportions of "the Golden Section", or "Divine Proportion" as it became known during the Renaissance hundreds of years later. This ratio of dimensions, 1.618 to one, appears in nature, such as in the spiral of seashells, and the faces of people considered beautiful, such as Marilyn Monroe. It can be seen in Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, the Alhambra palace of Granada in Spain, the Acropolis in Athens and the Egyptian Pyramids, but was thought to have been too advanced for the Picts.

Martin Carver, Archeology professor at York University, adds, "They were the most extraordinary artists....Even the Anglo-Saxons didn't do stone-carving as well as the Picts did...The most important piece had a Latin inscription. That's as common as muck in the Mediterranean, but extremely rare in Scotland."

The story continues:

The monastery at Portmahomack suffered a major fire in the ninth century and several stone sculptures were smashed, suggesting it was sacked by an invading force, likely to be Vikings intent on expanding their territories in northern Scotland. The site continued to be occupied but at this point evidence of a monastic settlement disappears.

So, sculptures were an Orthodox part of the Pictish Church and the pagan Viking iconoclasts did the work of Satan by smashing them.

Carver adds, "Portmahomack got burnt down pretty definitively round about 820. The idea is they were under new masters. It could be the Norse or the Men of Moray, MacBeth and his family. I think Portmahomack was captured by the Men of Moray. The Norse wanted it badly but they didn't get it. There is no Norse material there. There was no more vellum-making and sculpture and it stopped being a monastery. In the ninth to 11th centuries, they are making metal work, but that's the real Dark Age."

Portmahomack: Monastery of the Picts is published by Edinburgh University Press.

A highly interesting report.

(Hat tip: Way of the Fathers)

Mystery Worshipper: Oratory of Our Lady of Glastonbury/Christminster Monastery

For those who can't be at a Western Orthodox church this morning, here is a visitor's account of worshiping at the Oratory of Our Lady of Glastonbury on Holy Saturday. The oratory is the chapel of Christ the Savior Monastery ("Christminster") a Benedictine monastery under the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia and headed by Dom James M. Deschene. It is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Oratory of Our Lady of Glastonbury, at Christ the Savior Monastery, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Mystery Worshipper: LQ.
The church: Oratory of Our Lady of Glastonbury, at Christ the Savior Monastery, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Denomination: Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia.
The building: The monastery, of which the oratory is the monastic chapel, is also known as Christminster. It is a single plain brick building on a residential lot. It is extremely small, and there are no grounds around it to speak of. There are separate entrances for the oratory and the monastic residence itself. The left entrance leads into the bookroom and the chapel. The chapel is small, and looks like it could seat about 30 people in the pews. It features a small, traditionally-appointed chancel with an eastward facing altar and an ambo. The bookroom features publications of the Lancelot Andrewes Press, the publishing arm of the Fellowship of Saint Dunstan, a non-profit organisation for the advancement of historic Christian orthodoxy.
The church: The Oratory is a Benedictine Western Rite Orthodox chapel. The monastic community consists of two professed brothers and is primarily contemplative, but has an oblate programme for Orthodox Christians called to participate in the monastic life in a Western Rite context, but not called to religious profession as such. On the day of my visit, the small congregation appeared to be made up entirely of converts from Roman Catholicism and Anglicanism.
The neighbourhood: The monastery sits on Cannon Street East, a long, rather seedy thoroughfare comprised mainly of car dealerships, service stations, and sad-looking duplexes. I walked from number one to number 390 (the monastery) without passing a single Tim Hortons coffee franchise – surely this is wilderness according to the Canadian definition.
The cast: The Rt Revd Dom James M. Deschene, Abbot, was the celebrant.
The date & time: Saturday, 26 April 2008, 7.30pm.

What was the name of the service?
The Great Vigil and First Mass of Easter, with the Office of Lauds and the Sacrament of Confirmation.

How full was the building?
There were nine of us in the intimate nave. I had a pew to myself.

Did anyone welcome you personally?
Everyone welcomed me personally, including a young married couple who were being received into the Orthodox Church that night.

Was your pew comfortable?
It was possibly the best pew I’ve ever experienced. However, there were great stretches where it was not used, which tested the strength of my legs.

How would you describe the pre-service atmosphere?
It was very friendly and there was a real sense of fellowship. We waited in the bookroom while Dom James finished hearing confessions. Everyone present took time to introduce themselves to me, solicit (kindly) information about me, and in a couple of cases, tell the stories of their journey to Orthodoxy. I made it clear that I was Anglican, not Orthodox, yet was not made to feel the liberal Anglican bogeyman. Then Dom James came in and I introduced myself to him. It turns out that we have a mutual friend! Dom James invited me, and everyone else, to read one or two lessons since the twelve Old Testament prophecies outnumbered the congregation. I inquired about receiving communion and was told that I was welcome to receive a blessing.

What were the exact opening words of the service?
"Let us pray."

What books did the congregation use during the service?
A homemade leaflet entitled "Holy Saturday" contained almost everything I needed to know. At a couple of points, I needed to refer to the Orthodox Missal, which contains the Western Rite liturgy, of which there were copies in the pews.

What musical instruments were played?
None at all. The plainsong of the service and the two hymns were hauntingly sung a cappella.

Did anything distract you?
The lectern from which the prophecies were read was at the rear of the chapel, and it was tempting to turn my head to hear the source of the voices (that is, when I wasn’t reading myself). There was a spate of sirens at one point which could very clearly be heard from outside. I made a mental note to take a cab back to the bus terminal that night.

Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or what?
Christminster’s website explains that their liturgy is similar to what one would have found in a Roman Catholic or Anglo-Catholic parish before the Second Vatican Council. That about sums it up. It was not a "spiky" experience, given the intimacy of the occasion, but it was certainly formal and reverent. The service began in the bookroom with the blessing of the new fire, and continued with a procession into the chapel, followed by the longest version of the Exsultet I have ever heard. The prophecies were read, the litany of the saints sung, and the sacrament of confirmation administered. We renewed our baptismal vows, were sprinkled, and then sang a psalm before the mass proper began. Parts of the liturgy were sung that I have never heard sung before: the prayer known as the Secret that precedes the eucharistic prayer; the "Lord, I am not worthy" prayer before communion; and so on. There was the occasional use of Latin, including a congregational Regina Caeli to plainsong. The service ended with lauds, which consisted of a single psalm with antiphon and the Benedictus.

Exactly how long was the sermon?
5 minutes.

On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
8 – Dom James spoke with a very comforting tone.

In a nutshell, what was the sermon about?
He welcomed the confirmands and assured us that our sins had been defeated by Christ.

Which part of the service was like being in heaven?
The joy and trust of the two people being confirmed into the Orthodox faith.

And which part was like being in... er... the other place?
The saddest manifestation of our Christian faith is the fact that we cannot all join as one around the altar of the Lord. I long for the day when that will be possible, as I imagine all Christians do. Meanwhile, I must say that my irregular status was handled with acute pastoral panache.

What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?
Not a chance. We all began to "lighten it up" after the Lauds had concluded, but were reminded that the house custom was to "take it outside." And so we retired back to the bookroom for further conversation and the repast.

How would you describe the after-service coffee?
There was a very respectable-looking spread of fruits, cheeses, cakes and cookies – but nothing to drink! As I was ready to leave, a discussion about whether to make coffee or tea was, erm, brewing. I thanked everyone and called my cab. I would have liked to stay and bask in the afterglow, but the liturgy had gone on for over three hours and I had to catch the last bus home or risk being stranded in a strange city. I handed a monk an envelope containing a donation and my Mystery Worship calling card, and promised to return. Settled in the back seat of my cab, I made a mental note to purchase a copy of Ritual Notes for myself.

How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
7 – While I wouldn’t seek membership in the congregation, I would gladly attend vespers and benediction there every Sunday if I lived in Hamilton.

Did the service make you feel glad to be a Christian?
Ecstatic – and even, dare I say, a little envious of Orthodox Christians.

What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time?
The solemnity and joy with which a gathering of two or three can proclaim the Lord’s death and resurrection until he comes.

All-in-all, this looks like a very positive impression. Nothing could be done about the only real complaint, that he could not receive the Eucharist, and this person yet left "ecstatic" with the sober joy of the Latin tradition. He did not immediately seek to join the Orthodox Church...but not all instantly do. This is a wonderful report about the leadership, and laity, of Our Lady of Glastonbury Oratory. Deo gratias et soli Deo gloria. Thanks to a Canadian reader for sending this our way!

Audio: A "New" Ex-CEC Member on "True Convergence"

It had been nearly eight months since its last update, so I wondered if it had died out, but thankfully the "True Convergence" podcast has come roaring back to life. You can now hear: True Convergence Episode #6, recorded two weeks ago. The new episode features the testimony of Noel Gnotti, a former member of the Charismatic Episcopal Church, now a member of St. Anthony's Orthodox Church in San Diego, California. Also on this episode is Fr. Patrick Cardine, of St. Patrick Antiochian Orthodox Church (Western Rite) in Warrenton, Virginia, a longtime friend of the newly chrismated Noel. We also hear from Matt Cuthberton of St. John the Theologian Orthodox Church in San Juan Capistrano, CA. (Matt has just opened the Byzantine chant site: chantbootcamp.com.)

As with all the previous episodes, this is well worth listening to, especially for CEC members, charismatics, or evangelicals considering the Orthodox Church. (You can get a a run-down of earlier shows here.) Noel's words about being a "professional Christian" are touching (and convicting). The guests also discuss such topics as:

• Developing a less "casual" view of truth;
• The Convergence Movement's hidden pitfalls: syncretism and self-deception;
• The deep theological content of Orthodox services;
• How charismatic "revelations" are commonplace in Orthodoxy;
• True Convergence occurs within the Orthodox Church;
• What holds us back from pursuing truth; and
  
• Satisfying spiritual hunger.
  

You can download all the episodes here.

From the Mailbag: Western Rite Missions in England?

Q: Your Western Orthodoxy blog shows in its entry for July 16 a clergyman censing the congregation at a ROCOR Western-Rite liturgy in London.

On the assumption that the London in question is London the capital of the UK rather than London, Ontario, Canada, I should be interested to know if WR liturgies are a regular occurrence in London and who organises them.

I am an Anglican with a long-standing interest in Orthodoxy and who is needless to say unhappy with what is going on in Anglicanism at the moment.

I assume that you are the author of the blog, if not please congratulate him from me on splendid piece of work.

A: Thank you for your kind words about my poor, unofficial blog. The liturgy was, indeed, held in the UK rather than Ontario (although there is a ROCOR monastery not far from London, Ontario, as well). The celebrant of the Mass in London, Fr. Michael of St. Petroc Monastery, recently addressed the issue of Western Rite missions in Great Britain. Here's what he wrote:

In the aftermath of the Church of England's General Synod decision to go right ahead with bishopesses, and of the shambles that Rowan Williams has managed to make of Lambeth, it is timely to say out loud to Church of England laity, that there is an alternative to the pseudo-leadership of the papacy. The Pope is neither the only nor the best way for members of the Church of England to go!! How many Church of England people realise that the Western Rite was first authorised for Orthodox use specifically IN ENGLAND over a hundred and thirty years ago (just after the Primus of Scotland had visited Russia and discussed unity with Church authorities there - and reported his conversations to the Convocation of Canterbury)? How many realise that services extracted from the Book of Common Prayer were authorised for adaption for Orthodox use over a hundred years ago? How many realise that there have been Orthodox Benedictine monasteries for over sixty years? That the Church of England non-Jurors discussed joining with Orthodoxy in the eighteenth century? Or that the first Anglican parish joined Orthodoxy over thirty years ago? Embryo Western Rite parishes/missions can be formed immediately in England (or Scotland or Wales) and seek immediate Orthodox oversight while they prepare themselves for formal reception. A Western Rite Orthodox Prayer Book already exists - it is just a matter of them making contact with us.

Missions in the UK are dear to Father's heart. He is always searching for those who wish to live out their Orthodox theology in an approved Western liturgical form.

You can contact Fr. Michael here. You can also reach him through the St. Petroc Monastery website or through his online discussion site, Ely Forum.

Thank you for contacting me. I pray your correspondence is a fruitful one, and Godspeed to you on your journey home.

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!