Você está na página 1de 16

Winter 2001

In This Issue
Volume 6, Number 3

The Official Publication of the


Diocese of the West of the
Orthodox Church in America
From His Grace.............................................................1
Diocese of the West
650 Micheltorena Street An Interview with Bishop KALLISTOS (Ware)............2
Los Angeles, CA 90026
Martha and Mary House Opens in San Diego..............4
Publisher
His Grace Bishop TIKHON
Phoenix Celebrates an Anniversary...............................5
Bishop of San Francisco and
the Diocese of the West Diocese Gathers for Annual Assembly..........................6
650 Micheltorena Street
Los Angeles, CA 90026-3612 Annual Teen Retreat Held in Las Vegas........................7
Phone: (323)666-4977
Fax: (323)913-0316
A Pilgrimage to the Holy Land......................................8
Address all stories, editorial
comments and circulation to: Diary of a Russian Priest:
Editor-in-Chief A Review of Fr. Alexander Schmemann’s Diary........................9
Priest Eric George Tosi
5400 Annie Oakley Drive News from Around the Diocese.....................................9
Las Vegas, NV 89120
Phone: (702)898-4800
Fax: (702)898-0303 From the Fathers: St. John Chrysostom....................13
Email: marsaba@aol.com

The Orthodox Vision is published three times


a year by the Diocese of the West. It is free to
all parish members and outreach within the
Diocese. Subscriptions outside the Diocese
is available for $10 per year in the United
States and $15 per year in Canada. WWW.OCADOW.ORG
The articles contained herein do not neces- For the latest information on the Diocese of the West
sarily reflect the views or policies of the Dio- Information on all parishes, institutions and departments
cese or the editors. The advertisements con-
Archived issues of The Orthodox Vision
tained herein are not necessarily endorsed
by the Diocese or Editorial Staff. Complete letters of instruction from His Grace
And much, much more
The Orthodox Vision

From His Grace Bishop TIKHON


I am writing in the last month of 2001 and therefore reflecting on have been accorded it in the
what the coming year may bring and how the Diocese of the West, new situation caused by
with all its clergy, monastics, laity, parishes, monasteries, institu- the autocephaly, has not
tions may be affected by and how it should be prepared for events yet been accorded it. Com-
which God’s Economy may include in the coming year, 2002. ing back to the historic pol-
ity of the other autonomous
God willing, an All-American Council of the Orthodox Church in and autocephalous
America will take place in Orlando, Florida, in the coming summer. Churches, none of them has
Most Orthodox Churches, that is, autocephalous and autonomous held regularly scheduled
Churches, do not have any regularly scheduled convocations or Councils on the one hand,
congresses. They are a phenomenon that appeared in the early years or convocations/con-
of the last century, in, mainly two places: Russia and America. Actu- gresses on the other. Coun-
ally, the All-Russian Church Council in the second decade of that cils, such as the Ecumeni-
20th century was unique, and another such Council has never again cal and Local Councils, whose acts constitute the holy Canons of
taken place in Russia. At the 1917 All-Russian Council, every dio- our Church, were Councils of hierarchs or, exceptionally, their repre-
cese, (but no parishes at all) ecclesiastical order, and institution was sentatives, and they were convoked on a strictly ad hoc basis. The
represented by one or more representatives/delegates. The Council basis structure of all the Churches has been diocesan, except where
provided for the subsequent convocation of Diocesan Assemblies, the head of State, the so-called “powers-that-be” actively extended
and at such assemblies not only the ecclesiastical orders and dioc- his (or her) authority into the administration of the Church. The
esan institutions were represented by delegates/representatives, unity of dioceses into one Church was and is effected by the meet-
but individual parishes were, as well. The groundwork for such di- ing of diocesan hierarchs in council.
ocesan assemblies had been prepared to a certain extent by some
Hierarchs that served here in America, especially Saint Tikhon, and The All-Russian Council is rightly respected, even revered, by all
one sees in the subsequent diocesan assemblies in the Russian who love Christ’s Church. It was, by any known standard, a “provi-
Church and here in our Orthodox Church in America (as prescribed dential” (but unique) Council of a Church: its ad hoc basis was
quite canonically in our Statute), the results of that preparation as basically the necessity to restore a canonical administration in the
well as the actual fruits of the All-Russian Council. absence of autocratic resistance and interference that had prevented
and superseded the same. Many of the spiritual leaders and teach-
It was perhaps providential that such a canonical and, at the same time, ers in our American Church have rightly lauded that Council and
sturdy structure had been attained for the American diocese, enabling put it forward as a model. I agree with this, as does the entire Holy
it to survive and even grow in the uniquely troubled and sometimes Synod, especially His Beatitude. But as yet another “All-American
anti-canonical situation and polities that invaded the country after the Council” approaches, I believe it is time for all who have anything to
Bolshevik revolution in Russia. During the subsequent history of the do with that Council, and our parish representatives especially, to
American diocese, headed by a Metropolitan, rudimentary sub-dioc- recognize that the model on which our All-American Councils is
esan structures, themselves called “dioceses”, and with individual based was not a congress of congregations, was not an authority
Hierarchs named to direct them began to appear. However, no real over-lapping and sovereign, relative to the basic organization of
diocesan structures appeared at all, and every parish in the diocese, the Church, which is the Diocese: no, at the All-Russian Council it
called the Metropolia, related to the Metropolitan and his chancery as was the dioceses that were represented, not the parishes. (Further,
to a Diocesan Hierarch and his chancery. Periodic assemblies of this while dioceses elected their representatives proportionately, there
diocese took place: since the diocesan boundaries were continental, was no incorrect limitation on the ability of Deacons to be represen-
its assemblies were called “All-American.” tatives of the estate of Clergy. At the Great Entrance, the Bishop or
Priest says clearly to the Deacon, “Thy Hiero-diaconia, may the
It was only when, with little, if any, advance preparation for the Lord God remember in His kingdom…”)
event, the Church of Russia granted autocephaly to that Diocese by
a Tomos, that serious attention was given to the configuring of the It is time for our Orthodox Church in America, in all its councils, to
rudimentary sub-diocesan structures as real canonical dioceses, clearly embody its God-given nature as an Autocephalous Church,
and one or two All-American Councils addressed that configuration and not, still, as an overseas diocese of a foreign Autocephalous
process. Thus at one time the Metropolitan Council, still acting like Church. That means the All-American Councils must not be Super-
a Diocesan Council empowered by the Diocesan Bishop (but who diocesan assemblies that may duplicate (or tempt and empower
was now the First-Hierarch of an autocephalous Church) even de- dioceses to abdicate) the proper work of dioceses.
cided that all dioceses should have the same departments as the
“national Church” (a term once current), thus seeming to sanctify I urge Parish Councils and Rectors to counsel their elected repre-
what would be later treated with such horror: “unnecessary admin- sentatives to the All-American Councils on these matters. Almost
istrative duplication.” every concern in our Church life may be addressed by a proper
approach to the Canons. Some of the problems connected with the
It is my conviction that the necessary amount of attention to the Central Annual Assessment may be traced to anomalies in our overall
changes in that semi-sacred document, “The Statute”, that should administrative/canonical structure.

1
The Orthodox Vision

An Interview with Bishop KALLISTOS (Ware)


By The Orthodox Vision
Bishop KALLISTOS (Ware) graciously gave this interview on Sep- And now they are quite numerous, though, of course, only a small
tember 14, 2001 in Las Vegas, Nevada while He was visiting St. proportion of the whole. When I was ordained Priest, in the Greek
Paul’s. He had led a two-day retreat for all the Orthodox in the Diocese, which was in the 1960’s, I was the first non-Greek to be so
region. ordained. Now about a third of our clergy are non-Greek. If you
look at the total members of clergy as well, about one-third elected
TOV: Your Grace, I thank You for granting us this interview. to join Orthodox at a mature age.
Firstly, how does Your Grace think the Church has changed from
the time that you first discovered the Orthodox Church until now? I always think here, in the States, you are about two generations
ahead of us sociologically and demographically. When I came to
BK: I had been in contact with the Orthodox Church in England the States in 1959 for the first time, that was when I first heard
during the 1950’s and none of the Orthodox parishes in Britain used English used during the liturgical services – I’d never heard that
English in their services. Almost all the parishes were full of until then. But even over here, when I came to your services, there
immigrants...first generation. Therefore, the immigrant outlook pre- was a great deal of English being used. I should record that there
vailed because they were still thinking in terms of going back to were many years after 1959 when it was still about half-and-half –
their own countries. It used to be when they gathered enough half in Greek, half in English. So, even over here, what I have seen is
money, they then would go back to Greece or Cypress. There were a move towards the use of the vernacular and increasing number of
very few English Orthodox. The first change I have seen in Europe Western people who’ve come to the Orthodox Church. So by and
has been this. Yet, we still have in many of our parishes among the large I have seen in my lifetime, in the past 45 years, the emergence
older members, a daunting influence of the immigrants. But, we are of a local Church. Not through immigrants expecting to go home,
now moving into the situation of a generation born and brought up but through people who, in many cases, had grandparents or great-
in Britain and, we are therefore, beginning to use English. When I grandparents who had lived in the West. And for them they may
joined the Orthodox Church, there were very few English converts. not have a loyalty, like the older Greeks do, to their Mother country.
2
The Orthodox Vision

And that I find healthy. feeling that the Russian Church is in some ways, today, a highly
conservative church. Many of its spokesmen are strongly anti-
So what I have seen is that culturally there has been big develop- Western, with the exception of certain outstanding figures; the pre-
ment forward, towards local Churches in the West. But canonically, vailing atmosphere is hostile to ecumenism. Now, the Russians of
the development has been very uneven. Yes, the Russian Constantinople are not altogether happy with Russia today. What
autocephaly has become more established and is now the Orthodox I see of Russians in Paris, especially through the converts, is that
Church in America. But, we are still a long way in America, and even they have a tradition of open worship and taking what is best in
further in Europe, from forming united local Churches. But what I Western culture. And what they lack in there continues out here.
notice over here in the States, is increasingly diverse, and often
they will have people from many different nationalities, and they will That is not to say that in the Church Outside of Russia, I hope there
tend to think of themselves as Orthodox without that ethnic loyalty will be a reform. It will be very interesting to see now who will be the
for the parish. So this, I think, is a healthy sign. new metropolitan, now that Vitaly has retired. I do not say that it will
be a union, but I would hope that there would be some discussion.
Therefore, I have witnessed in some ways considerable develop- So, I would hope that the problem of the Russian jurisdictions would
ment towards a united local Churches. I am bound to feel disap- fairly resolve itself. And that would apply to the different jurisdic-
pointment that the progress has not been great in Britain. We do tions of Romanians and Bulgarians so that it would make sense
not even have joint Episcopal meetings such as SCOBA. We have gradually if that could be sorted out. I don’t think we are ready for
an unreal sense of jurisdiction, and though there has been a growth, it. That may be an odd thing to say; we’ve been preparing for it for
there is a long way to go. many decades, and in fact, there are things that have been done in the
last ten years. But I do not think it is yet the moment of opportunity.
TOV: What would you say would be the basic challenges that
the Church faces today? Unification among the Orthodox in the Western world will not come,
I think, from above, through some diocesan resolution, a ready-
BK: Certainly, there’s the problem that I have just mentioned. made solution thought up by a great and holy thinker. It will come
We have a common faith; we have Eucharistic communion; but from below. When the time comes, when our local parishes and our
there are more problems between certain groups. But we are not one bishops in the West really want to be one, they will push that for-
as a larger organization. And this undoubtedly is diminished by the ward. And it will come because the Orthodox people have an over-
fact that we Orthodox, in proportion to our numbers, do not have whelming desire here, in America, or in another country, an over-
the influence we ought to have in American society. That is true so whelming desire for union. Then, I think, it will come. And as long
vastly in England. So that’s the first problem – to express our united as it is not on the grass-roots level as a real desire for close unifica-
faith, sacraments, as a visible structure. tion, then all the discussions at the top-level remain rather theoreti-
cal. So I believe it will have to come mainly from below. However, I
I also see a huge problem in retaining our young people. Changes would be glad if it was more open up at the top.
are very great in England, moving from the infant generation to the Cont. on p. 10
first generation of Orthodox born and brought up in England, but
they have lost a great many. And in Britain, moreover, church atten-
dance is at a very low level; here in America it is a lot higher. There-
fore, Orthodox children will get very little support from their envi-
ronment. They will not meet other children, save on rare occasions,
who have any church. Even the new waves of immigrants, who are
very grateful for the Church, have been influenced. How many of
those are in Church on a given Sunday? So, I think we have great
challenge in keeping our young people in an age of secularism.

TOV: Do you see the relationships between the different Ortho-


dox Churches improving?

BK: Well obviously the fall of communism has opened a great


many doors, though as yet we have not taken full advantage of that.
But the fact that, to take first the Russian Church, it can no longer be
said that the Russian Church is being infiltrated and to some extent
controlled by the state. Yet, the effects of communism may still
continue, but the Russian Church is now free. So that raises a
question in that should not the Russians in France or in
Constantinople, go back to Moscow? But that question would ap-
ply, clearly, to the Russian Orthodox Church outside Russia. Now
as regards the Constantinople Russians, in France, there are discus-
sions. There are mutual beliefs. And obviously there is normal
communion. But, they are not all united as one Church, but diamet-
ric for the moment under the Russian Orthodox Church. There is a
3
The Orthodox Vision

with God and with their aborted children - now among the martyred
Martha and Mary House: Saints in Heaven - heals the deep wound in their heart and soul. It
enables pregnant moms to freely love the living child in their womb.
Loving & Serving God in Our Neighborhood
By Sarah Elisabet Oftedal Abortion Survivors Anonymous - founded in San Diego in 1988 -
have met in weekly Twelve Step sessions at Saint John of Damascus
Orthodox Church in Poway since 1995, and now meets at the Martha
and Mary House. From the beginning Bishop TIKHON and our
parish priest, Father Alexander Federoff, encouraged the work. The
Martha and Mary House as an institution is just in its infancy - but
has ‘been long in gestation’, as one of our prayer partners put it.
The vision has been a prayer project in the parish of Saint John of
Damascus for several years. Friends in other OCA parishes, other
Orthodox jurisdictions, Roman Catholics and Protestants in San Di-
ego and across the country and abroad have prayed with us - and
for God’s mercy and protection of those at greatest risk in our cul-
ture of death; the unborn and the elderly.

In 1997 an inheritance and a couple of generous donations made it


possible to set aside money for a down-payment on a house. But the
particulars of the house eluded us. Who would live there? How
would we go about it? It seemed all we could do was pray, state our
willingness to serve, and try to wait on the Lord in patience.

Then, in the fall of 2000, Tobey Wilbert, one of our active elderly
parishioners - who had no children or relatives to support her -
broke a shoulder and was moved to a facility where she was neither
happy nor of much use. She bore it patiently, saying: “God must
have a purpose, but I pray He will get me out of there some day.”
One Sunday Father Alexander asked, “Have you thought any more
about the Martha and Mary House?” Frankly, we hadn’t. “Maybe
you should,” he added. Over coffee several people, some new to the
parish, said: “Count me in.” And so we began our search for a
suitable house. In California as many as six unrelated adults - (re-
lated children are allowed in addition) - may live together in a single-
family residence without requiring a special use permit. We hoped to
By the grace of God (and stamped with the Seal of the Secretary of find a house near the Church, where one of us would live as house
State of California) Martha and Mary House was incorporated as a mother, Tobey would be ‘grandmother’, leaving room for four ex-
non-profit Religious Institution in the Orthodox Church of America, pectant mothers - one or more of them possibly with a child.
the Diocese of the West on November 21. 2001.
In April 2001 the first organizational meeting was held at St. John’s,
Our stated purpose is to be a witness of the historic Orthodox Chris- and in July an interim Board of Directors drafted Articles of Incorpo-
tian Faith - in obedience to the command of Our Lord Jesus Christ, ration - to be approved by Bishop TIKHON. On the Board were
to worship God and to love and serve Him in our neighbor accord- Father Alexander Federoff, Bill Moision (interim Chairman), Suzanne
ing to the Holy Scriptures and the Tradition of the Holy Orthodox Yingst, Linda Kedroff and Sarah Elisabet Oftedal from Saint John of
Church. That is, of course, the common purpose of all Orthodox Damascus, Inga Eanes from Saint Nicholas, OCA, in San Diego,
Christians. In the Martha and Mary House, our specific obedience John Mark Matthews from Saint Anthony the Great Antiochian
is to be a place where mature Orthodox women - related to a parish Orthodox Church in La Jolla, and Linda Sacco from Saint Gregory of
and sharing a simple rule of prayer - may provide spiritual, emo- Nyssa Greek Orthodox Church in El Cajon. Bishop TIKHON and
tional and practical ‘mothering’ and ‘grandmothering’ of younger Father Alexander Federoff, as Diocesan Bishop and local Parish
women in crisis post-abortion or pregnant at risk of aborting - re- Priest will be ex officio members of the permanent Board.
gardless of religious and social background. We offer shelter and
support during the pregnancy, and after the birth of their babies, as Tobey needed to move out of her facility in September - and in
they face the difficult choice of parenting or placing their child in an August we found our ‘perfect house’ - an older, four bedroom, two
adoptive Christian family. and a half bath home on a third acre in a quiet Escondido neighbor-
hood - 15 minutes from Saint John’s. The housemother (Sarah Elisabet
We give priority to pregnant abortion survivors in need of shelter Oftedal) moved in September 8. Tobey’s furniture arrived on the
and offer a program of reconciliation and grief work for women (and tenth. She herself was in hospital, having suffered a stroke. Word
men) who have suffered the loss of children by choice. Reconciling went out to parishes in San Diego - Orthodox, Roman Catholic and

4
The Orthodox Vision

Protestant: Martha and Mary House needed furniture. Three months


later we marvel at how beautifully God has furnished the house with
items from different donors. A few things wanting are sure to come.
God knows what we need and when, and the overflow is filling our
garage for a giant sale!

The bedrooms for our pregnant moms each have a unique character.
A family furnished and named one room for Saint Anna, the mother
of the Theotokos. Then there is the Saint Mary of Egypt room, and
the Saint Elizabeth New Martyr room. Our Abortion Survivor Group
meets weekly around a table donated by one of them in the library/
prayer room. They call it the Saint Mary room, while the kitchen, of
course, is the Saint Martha room. .

Why name the house for Martha and Mary, the sisters of Lazarus of
Bethany? Theirs was a house of prayer, hospitality and charity where On Sunday, September 16, 2001, the ground breaking took place
Jesus often was guest. We pray that He will be our guest as we seek for the new Sts Peter & Paul Cultural Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
to love Him in all that come to Martha and Mary House. Archimandrite Gabriel, the rector, is shown taking the first shovel
of dirt. It is their hope and prayer to have the blessing of the
The life and work of New Martyr, Grand Duchess Elizabeth, also Pascha baskets inthe new hall in 2002.
inspire us. She founded the Martha and Mary Convent in Moscow
in 1909 to minister to the sick, the suffering and the poor. In her Rule
for the convent, Abbess Elizabeth wrote: “We realize that it is nec-
essary to base all doing of spiritual works on gratitude to the Lord,
in so far as He permits us to serve Him through our neighbor...We
should not count how many souls we have saved or how many
people we have helped. We must rise above this suffering world to
heaven and rejoice with the angels over one soul that is saved, over
one cup of cold water given in the name of Christ. Everything must
be done prayerfully for God and not for the glory of men... we hear
from the Divine Teacher: ‘Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of
the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me.’”(Matt.
25:40)

Relics of Saint Elizabeth New Martyr are in the altar at the Church of
Saint John of Damascus in Poway. We ask her prayers and those of Phoenix Parish Celebrates 50 Years
Saints Martha and Mary for the work of Martha and Mary House.
The need is great. We network with Crisis Pregnancy Centers and On November 9th & 10th Sts. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church in
Adoption Agencies, and with ZOE for Life, an Orthodox group based Phoenix, Arizona hosted a celebration to commemorate 50 years of
in Ohio, who brings together prospective adoptive families with Parish service. Founded in 1951 by the late Archimandrite Peter
birth mothers who want to place their children in Orthodox homes. Zaychenko, this Parish has been the only OCA presence in Arizona
Abortion Survivors are referred to us by therapists and treatment until the arrival of new missions in the recent years.
centers nation wide. We counsel by phone and correspondence.
Our current ASA group comes from a weekend seminar for post On Friday, November 9th Vespers was served to open the weekend
abortion healing and reconciliation in the Roman Catholic Diocese festivities. We were truly blessed with the presence of our Diocesan
of San Diego. The Association for Life of San Diego, a largely Prot- Hierarch, His Grace Bishop TIKHON along with Protopresbyter
estant group, has invited us to join them as the first Orthodox ‘pres- Rodian Kondratick, Chancellor of the OCA and Archpriest David
ence’. We pray to be a witness of the historic Orthodox Faith among Brum, secretary to His Beatitude, Metropolitan THEODOSIUS.
fellow Christians who know little about the unchanged Traditions
of the Holy Orthodox Church. On Saturday morning, November 10th, the Hierarchical Divine Lit-
urgy was served by Bishop TIKHON, concelebrated by
The work of Martha and Mary House will be shaped by the needs Archdiocesan and local clergy. At the morning Service, Joseph
of those who come to us. Please join us in praying for them, and for Sprinkle of our Parish was tonsured a Reader, also His Grace pre-
us. We would love to hear from you. Let us know if we can serve you, sented two Grammatas, and blessed the corner stone to be placed in
and if you want to join us in countering the tragic choices of abor- the new Parish community center, presently under construction.
tion with loving options of life. Write us, at P.O. Box 1680,
Escondido, CA 92033 - or call (760) 741-7050. May God grant us An Evening banquet and celebration was held at the Pointe Hilton
all to serve Him in our neighbor in faith and love. Resort in North Phoenix. Glory to God for all these many years and
all good gifts from above!

5
The Orthodox Vision

have mercy” and “Christ is Risen” which is our ultimate affirmation


Diocese Holds Assembly in San Francisco of life after tragedies.

The Diocese of the West of the Orthodox Church in America held its The Chancellor of the Diocese, Fr. Rodion Kondratick was also in
annual assembly on October 11 to 12 at Holy Trinity Cathedral in attendance. He was able to address the Diocese on issues of work
San Francisco, California. Over 50 clergy, 45 lay delegates and 13 within the Orthodox Church in America as well as the relations with
observers gathered for the annual two day meeting to assist His other Orthodox Churches. There was much discussion on the re-
Grace TIKHON in charting the next year for the Diocese. And what cent proclamation of the Antiochian Archdiocese on autonomy as
has become the wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit for the Diocese; well as other issues of world Orthodoxy. Fr. Kondratick also re-
peace and cooperation characterized the assembly. counted the activities of the OCA during the recent tragedy in New
York and Washington.
A highlight of this year’s assembly was the presence of His Grace
KALLISTOS (Ware), who addressed the Diocese at the dinner held The deans from the Diocese were able to report on the state of the
at Fort Mason Officer Club on Thursday evening. His Grace talked deaneries and the different department heads on the work of their
about his journey to Orthodoxy and the role of the Church in the life departments. Mary Caetta reported on the status of finances in the
of a Christian. He also made himself available for many questions Diocese, which are quite strong. In fact, the Diocese was now in a
about his writings and world Orthodoxy. This was a wonderful position to be able to place funds into different projects. The new
opportunity for the faithful who gathered to meet with the esteemed budget was discussed and approved.
hierarch and teacher from England.
A special presentation was made by Sarah Elisabet Oftedal on the
His Grace TIKHON opened the first session with an expression of new Diocesan institution in San Diego, the Martha and Mary House.
thankfulness to God for the assembly and the wonderful work being This house will be for “at risk” mothers in order to give them an
done in the Diocese. He recounted the remarkable growth that the alternative to abortions. It will also serve to help abortion survivors
Diocese has seen since he first came here as a deacon in 1972. His in their recovery. It will be funded by private donations.
Grace remembered the situation in the Diocese then and how we
have changed not only in terms of growth but also in the Diocese’s The assembly closed with elections. Fr. John Armstrong, Fr. David
spiritual life. He specially thanked the former chancellor, Bishop Lowell, Mary Caetta and John Della Monica were elected to the
NIKOLAI, for his hard work and dedication and asked that we keep Diocesan Council. Fr. Lawrence Margitich and Katherine Vitko were
the new bishop in Alaska in our prayers. Bishop TIKHON also elected to the Metropolitan Council. Fr. Michael Regan, Subdeacon
announced to the Diocese that he will not be naming a new chancel- Johann Morse and Andre Perez were elected to be auditors. Next
lor for a least a year. His Grace also informed the gathered about year’s assembly was set to be in Denver, Colorado.
news from around the Diocese including new clergy. His Grace also
warned the Diocese that while we have focused on missionary Many thanks must be given to Fr. Viktor Sokolov and Fr. David
growth, we are not to forget the charitable and catechetical aspects Lowell and the faithful of Holy Trinity Cathedral for all of the hard
of the Church. work in preparing the assembly. The hierarchical services, the won-
derful fellowship and the dedicated work of the parish have helped
His Grace finished by reminding the Diocese of the two cataclysmic in bringing together the Diocese with the spirit of Christ in the
events this year. The first was the medical leave of His Beatitude midst. As His Grace TIKHON said in his opening remarks, “Be-
THEODOSIUS. Thankfully, His Beatitude is back and strong. The hold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell to-
second was the tragic terrorist events of September 11. His Grace gether in unity.” (Psalm 133:1)
reminded the Diocese that the response to this is appropriately “Lord

6
The Orthodox Vision

Diocesan Teens Gather for Retreat


Teens from across the Diocese gathered again for their annual re-
treat from October 26 to 28. The retreat was again held at St. Paul
the Apostle Orthodox Church in Las Vegas, Nevada. This year over
25 were teens in attendance. Reflecting the wide spread Diocese,
they came from California to Colorado.

This year’s retreat was led by Fr. Eric George Tosi, the rector of St.
Paul’s, and concentrated on the theme “Facing the World.” It was
a practical subject that spoke to the many issues that teens face,
especially when confronted with life outside of the parish. Since
many of the teens were preparing to go to college in the next few
years, the retreat spoke to these challenges.

The topics covered dealt mostly with ethical issues that seem to
daily arise in their lives. There was also much talk about the role of
the Church and dealing with those of different backgrounds and
faith. Overwhelmingly, the teens felt the best session was when
they were divided into groups and each group was given a specific
scenario. Then the group together had to formulate a response and
present it to the others. These scenarios ranged from dealing with David Fabula came in from Delta, Colorado to help with the retreat as
the media to issues of morality. Most dealt with responding to did Matushka Suzanne Senyo from Los Angeles. And not to forget
peer pressure and other daily questions that happen when relating the people from St. Paul’s who helped in so many ways.
to different people. Each group’s answer was then discussed in the
light of Orthodoxy. This retreat has become a tradition in the Diocese with many of the
teens participating yearly. So there is a chance to be reacquainted
Of course, there was not all talk. There was time to spent in fellow- with old friends and make some new ones. This forges lifelong
ship, in prayer and to ask questions about life in general. Daily friendships among teens throughout the entire Diocese. It also
services were held in the church and all had an opportunity to just allows the teens to meet fellow Orthodox from very diverse commu-
“be together.” There was also plenty of exercise with sports and a nities. So it is hoped that more teens will participate in next year’s
hike in the beautiful Red Rock Canyon outside of Las Vegas. retreat and it continues to be a source of fellowship, education and
fun. The retreat will again be at St. Paul’s in Las Vegas next Fall!
Many thanks goes to those who helped organize the event. Nadine
Wood was instrumental in putting the retreat together. Deacon

Annual Mission Deanery Retreat


February 25 to February 27
at
Life-Giving Spring Retreat Center
Boulder City, Nevada

This year’s speakers are Fr. John


Chakos and Fr. Rodian Kondratick

Cost is $135

For more information, contact Fr. Ian MacKinnon at (530)758-2255

Make checks payable to Mission Board, c/o Fr. Michael


Regan 331 Danbury Circle, Vacaville, CA 95687-3365

7
The Orthodox Vision

The Way of the Pilgrim: The third day of our journey took us to Jericho were we visited the
Monastery of St. Gerasimos the Jordanite, where Joseph and Mary
A Holy Land Pilgrimage from an Orthodox Perspective stopped before entering Egypt. It was also here that the communion
Sponsored by St. John the Baptist Orthodox Church Mary of Egypt received was consecrated.
Post Falls, Idaho
The next day we were in Jerusalem where we visited the Mount of
Olives, the Chapel of the Ascension, the Garden of Gethsemane and
the Monastery of Mary Magdalene. After lunch we visited the Tomb
of the Theotokos. In Bethany we stopped at the home of Martha and
Mary. We finished our day with a visit to the Basilica of the Nativity.

On our fifth day we went into the Old City of Jerusalem. There we
visited the Western Wall, also known as the Wailing Wall. Then on
to the Pool of Bethesda, the site where Jesus healed the paralytic.
We saw the Monastery of Sts. Joachim and Anna, the site where
Mary was born. A very moving and emotional visit was made to
King Herod’s Pretorium where Christ was condemned and the Pit of
Imprisonment which brought tears to most of the pilgrims. Next was
a tour down the Via Dolorosa and then to the Dormition Abbey.

The following day was Saturday, a day of rest, but that night we
prepared to celebrate the Divine Liturgy at the Holy Sepulcher within
the Church of the Resurrection. We arrived at 11:00 PM and upon
entering, first venerating the stone upon which they placed our
Lord’s body for anointing and wrapping in its burial cloth. We then
had the opportunity to venerate our Lord’s tomb.

At midnight the Divine Liturgy began with a procession of the six


Bishops who were to celebrate the Liturgy. Five of the Bishops were
from the Ukraine and Romania; the sixth was the autonomous Greek
Bishop from Sinai. There were many local priests and hundreds of
visitors also in attendance. Communion was offered by one of the
Bishops to all who were prepared. The Liturgy ended at 3:30 AM.
On February 5th, 2000 a group of thirty-four Orthodox Christians As we left to return to our hotel we were filled with awe having
from Idaho, Alaska, Pennsylvania, California, Ohio, Washington participated in such a beautiful, emotional and spiritual Liturgy.
and Oregon gathered together to experience a pilgrimage through
the Holy Lands. Our flight took us from Chicago to Tel Aviv where We arrived at our hotel at 4:00 AM. only to get up at 7:00 AM. to
we met Fr. Parthenios, our guide and Abbot of Holy Cross Monas- leave for our two-day trip to Egypt and St. Catherine’s Monastery in
tery in Jerusalem. Our journey would enable us to visit some of the Sinai. The journey gave us a wonderful opportunity to see the phe-
most spiritual and beautiful sites of the Holy Lands, from the Mount nomenal scenery along the way. We had the opportunity to stop at
of the Beatitudes in Tiberius to St. Catherine’s Monastery in Egypt. Masada and the Dead Sea before crossing into Egypt. We attended
Vespers at St. Catherine’s that evening with the only light provided
Our first day of the pilgrimage began with a visit to the Mount of the by the many candles placed around the Church. The following morn-
Beatitudes, which sits high overlooking the Sea of Galilee. This ing at 4:30 AM we attended Matins and Divine Liturgy. After the
Church is built over the site at which Jesus was to have recited the Divine Liturgy, we venerated the incorrupt hand and skull of the
Beatitudes to the Apostles. From there, our next stop was to the beloved martyr of God, St. Catherine. Each pilgrim was presented a
Mount of Tabgha where Christ performed the miracle of the loaves ring reminiscent of the one St. Catherine received from our Lord.
and fish. After entering each site, the priests would read the corre-
sponding Scripture. They also blessed bread that had traveled with We departed the Shalom hotel the following morning at 4:00 a.m. on
us from the United States. We spent the rest of the day visiting the our way to Tel Aviv and the Ben Gurion airport for our trip home. We
town of Capernaum and a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee. We had all experienced a truly wonderful and spiritually uplifting pil-
were also blessed with water from the Jordan. grimage, one that will remain with us forever.

The next day, we visited Mount Tabor, the site of the Transfigura- A two tape video of this entire pilgrimage in now available It has been profes-
sionally edited with narration and liturgical music to present to you a beauti-
tion. From there we went to Cana in Galilee where in the Church
ful Journey through the Holy Lands. All sites in this article are included as well
there still stands two of the original six stone water jars used for the as many others. The cost of this set is $45.00 plus $5.00 for postage and
miracle. From Cana we traveled on to Nazareth and the Church of the handling To place an order, mail check or money order, payable to St. John’s
Annunciation. Orthodox Church Mail too: Charles J. Garbinski 715 Dundee Drive, Post
Falls, ID. 83854-8886 For additional information (208) 777-2666 or email
cbgarbin@aol.com
8
The Orthodox Vision
and by which they are rendered convincingly real.
Diary of a Russian priest
By Carol Zaleski Schmemann seems to have sensed that he would not have long to
live; at age 52, he is already reminiscing. Childhood memories flood in:

By a coincidence that must strike a chord in the hearts of all who “This morning, I remembered . . . walking from home to school and
long for Christian unity, Easter Sunday falls on the same day this eagerly anticipating how, in four hours, I would go to the cathe-
year for Christians of both East and West. It’s a good time to be dral on the rue Daru, to the Akathist to the Virgin Mary. I remem-
reading The Journals of Father Alexander Schmemann, the Ortho- ber everything: the light; the trees, just beginning to open young,
dox theologian who died in 1983 at the age of 62. green leaves; children’s cries and laughter in the little square.”

Schmemann was dean of St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Semi- Schmemann recalls Paris school days when he would walk down a
nary in Crestwood, New York, and a leading light in the renewal of “noisy, proletarian rue Legendre, slip into the Roman Catholic
Orthodox faith and worship. He was pastor to Russia through his Church of St. Charles of Monceau where there was always a silent
Radio Liberty broadcasts and to America through his roles as priest, mass being said, and then step back into the street with the knowl-
professor, author and spiritual counselor. It was Schmemann to whom edge of this hidden Presence.” The effect was to make the every-
Alexander Solzhenitsyn turned for guidance when he arrived in the day world more vivid and real, as if the light of the liturgy had spilled
West, and Schmemann who, more than any other Orthodox church- over onto the street: “Everything became alive, intriguing: every
man, communicated to the Christian West the liturgical spirit of the storefront window, the face of every person I met.”
Christian East while conveying to his own church all that was best We have an absolute need, Schmemann believed, to enjoy “in this
in the 20th-century liturgical movement. world the experience of the other world”—in particular, to experi-
ence the kingdom of God in its sacrament, the Eucharist. “The church
Urbane, literary, personally charismatic, Schmemann seems to have has been established in this world in order to celebrate the Eucha-
felt completely himself only in the midst of his loving family, at the rist,” Schmemann writes; at the same time, he insists that “the church
lectern and at the altar. He was never at home in partisan squabbles, has no purpose, no ‘religious life’ separate from the world.”
and often found himself caught between opposing camps. Tradi-
tionalists charged him with selling out Orthodoxy in the name of This organic sense of the whole worshiping church, dwelling simul-
ecumenism and renewal, while liberals were put off by his fidelity to taneously in heaven and on earth, was the original vision of the
the time-honored disciplines of his church (his objection to the ordi- liturgical movement before it split into warring factions. In
nation of women, skepticism about spiritual novelties and moral Schmemann’s liturgical writings, we get a glimpse of an alternate
sadness over homosexuality and abortion). This is just the sort of universe in which the liturgical movement has managed to stay
person—internally consistent, yet ideologically unclassifiable—who more completely faithful to its origins. But while the Christian West
makes us wish to know more about his inner life. may have been taken in by a cult of novelty and this-worldliness,
the Christian East, in Schmemann’s experience, faces its own temp-
And that is what the journals give us—the rare glimpse of a priest tations: fixation on the past, false pride “that we have kept and are
and scholar who is also husband, father and grandfather, sitting guarding it all,” narrow-mindedness and “a kind of unctuous sweet-
down at his writing desk to re-create for himself and his readers the ness.”
climate of his mental and spiritual life, the memories, affective states,
images and sensory associations with which his opinions are clothed Cont. on p. 12
News From Around the Diocese Priest-in-Charge of the Helena Orthodox Mission. And, in addition to his
other duties at the St. Anthony Mission in Bozeman, Montana, the Priest
Effective August 1, 2001, a Mission of the Diocese of the West is officially Peter Tobias is appointed to assist Fr. Joseph in serving at the Helena Mission
erected in Poulsbo, Washington. The mission is under the heavenly protec- according to Fr. Joseph’s scheduling. The local contact person for the mission
tion of the Holy New Martyr, Grand Duchess Elizabeth. Archpriest Vadim is Robert Holter, 666 North Rodney, Helena MT 69601 and the local phone
Pogrebniak, Dean of St. Spiridon Cathedral, Seattle, is appointed Priest-in- is (406)443-3627. The mission is now meeting at the Borromeo Chapel of
Charge of the mission. The local contact person for the mission is Terry Carrol College, 1601 N. Benton, Helena.
Benish, PO Box 5, Suquamish, WA 98392 and the local phone is (360)598-
6630. The mission is now meeting at the St. Peter Roman Catholic Church, Effective November 10, 2001, Joseph Sprinkle is tonsured a reader by His
Suquamish. Grace TIKHON. Reader Joseph is assigned to Sts. Peter and Paul Church in
Phoenix, Arizona.
Effective August 2, 2001, Archpriest Eugene Tarris, who was retired from all
duties and responsibilities at the St. Herman Church, Littleton, CO, and at- Effective November 22, 2001, the Deacon Paul Erickson of St. Paul Ortho-
tached to the Holy Transfiguration Cathedral, Denver, has been blessed by His dox Church in Las Vegas, Nevada is blessed to wear the Doubled Orarion while
Grace TIKHON and appointed to serve as the Associate Pastor to Archpriest serving.
Joseph Hirsch, who is the Dean of that Cathedral. This is in response to the
need for increase missionary outreach, especially with respect to the growing Effective December 1, 2001, the All Saints of North America Mission in Salt
community of new Russian-Americans in Denver. Lake City, Utah is closed. All property is transferred to the Mission Deanery,
Diocese of the West.
Effective September 15, 2001, Priest John Armstrong, in addition to his
other responsibilities, was appointed Chairman of the Department of Educa- Effective December 1, 2001, Priest Paul Schellbach is released from his
tion, Diocese of the West, Orthodox Church in America. appointment and assignment at All Saints of North America Mission, Salt
Lake City, Utah, is appointed and assigned as Rector of the Saint George
Effective October 1, 2001, a mission of Diocese of the West is officially Church, Hesperia, CA. In addition to his other duties at St. George Church, Fr.
erected in Helena, Montana. The Priest Joseph O’Brien, in addition to his Paul is appointed Priest-in-Charge of St. Peter the Aleut Mission, Lake Havasu
duties at St. Nicholas of South Canaan Church, Billings, Montana, is appointed City, Arizona.

9
The Orthodox Vision

Bishop KALLISTOS balance that is traditional without being fanatical.


Continued from p. 3
TOV: Why did you write The Orthodox Church, and did you
expect that it would become such a standard for Orthodox?
TOV: Your Grace, what is your view on the differences that seem BK: Why do people write books? [Chuckling.] Usually, to be
to be getting more acute between the different Patriarchs and the quite frank, because they need the money. Now, I think it’s a very
threat of possible mutual excommunications between Moscow and true point. Shakespeare needed the money for writing his plays,
Constantinople? and “Man does not live by bread alone,” but he needs bread. Well,
that’s the spirit. In this case, I was asked to write that book. Some-
BK: I am certainly deeply disturbed by the present tensions body gave my name to Penguin Books; Penguin Books were and are
between Constantinople and Moscow over Ukraine. The unity was a general publisher of popular works, and the publisher was, on the
actually broke over Estonia, unilaterally by the Patriarch of Moscow whole, fairly left wing. They were not counted as expert in particular
— but Constantinople did not. I think the reaction to that was fields. Now, for some reason, around the late 1950’s they wanted to
shock in the Orthodox world as a whole, and in fact, the break did expand their lists of books on religious themes. And they decided
not last very long. Where the problems are, we must solve them to commission books on the different Christian communities. Some-
without breaking off communion. We should not use this stick to one gave them my name, since the publishers wanted to encourage
beat other people about the head. I understand that that’s the younger authors and I had not published anything at all; so it was
feeling among some people in Russia. It seems to me the situation in on their part quite an act of trust. Now, I would not have dared to
Ukraine is potentially much more serious. We’re dealing there not write such a book on my own initiative. I was only received into the
with a few hundred parishes, but hundreds of parishes and millions Church five years earlier when they asked me. And when they first
of parishioners. And definitely I think the only ultimate solution is asked me, I felt I lacked the experience to write such a book. But, my
to have an Orthodox Church of the Ukraine, recognized by Moscow. friends said to me, “Since they have asked you, why don’t you try?
But there’s going to be certain difficulties. I think it should be what If they invite you to do something, well, why not try?” And I was a
the Ukrainians want and what is best for the people. I do hope that graduate student and it was really a great opportunity for me, and
the Estonian lesson, when communion was broken and then re- such grants usually cover all of your expenses. So, I did write it.
stored, has been properly learned and that there will be no more
breaking off within the family of Eucharistic fellowship. Of course, they didn’t sign the contract until I had done a number of
chapters, and they were pleased by it. It never entered my head that
I am encouraged at the present moment by the path followed by the it would become a standard work. It never entered my head that 38
Church of Romania, which is after all one of the largest of the Ortho- years later it would still be in print, and I don’t think it entered their
dox Churches. They are not as big as Russia — and the population head either. Interestingly, the other books that were commissioned
of Romania is, of course, much smaller. I think the Romanian Church around that time, some of which are quite distinguished books, and
has taken a more judicious effort at Christian unity than the Russian not one of them is still in print. I alone [chuckling] have survived.
Church...and a more judicious effort than the Greek Church. But I Now I revise it regularly, in a small way.
am also encouraged that Romania is not taking sides, though they
too have their difficulties with Moscow. You find in Romania a With the older techniques of printing, you could not easily make
changes and book publishers did not like changes to be made. Now
with modern techniques it is quite easy. In 1993, I did a follow-up
Protection of the Holy Virgin Monastery Catalog edition, and re-wrote in fact about a third of the book. I wanted to
revise the whole of it, but I started thinking “Well, that’s really not
quite right – I wouldn’t put it that way now.” But in the end, I said,
o Icons “I must only change things that I think are specifically wrong, or
o Hand-made Rugs that are out-of-date.” Most of what I had to revise had to do with
o Worship Items the section on the different Churches. The section dealing with the
o Prayer Ropes former communist countries had to really be entirely redone. And I
o Cds can see that the description of theology does reflect more the out-
o Books and more Books look of 14 years ago, than today. But, on the other hand, it’s not a
good idea to keep revising a book, because if you really want to,
then you must write a new book with how your views have changed.
To recieve the catalog call So I tried to leave the basic focus as it was, and in the spirit of my
great masters in Theology of an earlier generation; such as Vladimir
(719)748-3999 Lossky and Georges Florovsky, both of whom I had the happiness
or write of knowing in person. And it’s apparent in my book that I was much
Protection of the Holy Virgin Monastery influenced in my readings that I did in the 50’s. Well, the balance
2343 County Road 403 might be different today, but if people still find that book useful and
P.O. Box 416 I am happy about that.
Lake George, CO 80827 TOV: What about your other books such as The Orthodox Way,
or the translation works such as the Triodion, or Philokalia?

10
The Orthodox Vision

BK: Yes, The Orthodox Way began as courses taught to adults. Now there are a number of Orthodox already doing this, but I too
One can go deeper on subjects in essays. It was also things that I would like to write a book about personhood, using more especially
said to catechumens intending to join the Church. So that grew out the, let us say, patristic material, by which I mean material from the
of talks that I gave to an adult catechumen, or adult existing Ortho- kind of writers who appear in the Philokalia. What is very pertinent?
dox. I had hoped then to continue with other books like The Ortho- What do they mean by the “nous” or spiritual understanding by the
dox Way, but, as you mentioned, I had become involved with trans- heart? How do they view the passions and the beauty? I would like
lation work. I did two volumes with Mother Mary of the convent in to deal with things like that. I would like to continue work I did long
Bussy, France. People sometimes ask would I not do more transla- ago on Orthodoxy and the Ottoman Empire. I wrote a book once on
tions? And as regards to liturgical translations, I see a problem, in 18th century Greek theologians. It was published by the author who
that should it be traditional or contemporary English? I grew up had a right to print. I would like to do something more on that. But
using the traditional English; that’s the way I pray both at home and how much of this I shall have time and strength to do? I must ration
in Church. So if I were to translate into an idiom that I do not use in myself—— I rather like traveling, and it’s a dangerous addiction.
my own case, I don’t think that would work. But I see today this as And, I must particularly ration business across the Atlantic. But, on
much more problematic than it was 30 years ago – 35 years ago, the other hand, when you go on lecture tours you learn from others.
when I was working on the Triodion. What kind of English should I always come back with fresh ideas from people I’ve talked to.
we use in translation? And clearly, in liturgical work today, there’s
no agreed opinion. Though, apparently, I see an increasing move- TOV: What is your opinion on the state of theological educa-
ment forward, I much prefer the traditional English. I am involved in tion, right now in the English speaking world? What do we need
the translation of the Philokalia, a task I have not yet completed this to do, not only to train the priests, but also to teach the people?
autumn. Now that I’m out from doing university work, I hope to
have more time, and to work on Volume V of the Philokalia. And I’ve BK: As for the teaching of the clergy, I’ve always been inspired
got some other books in my heart— but I have yet to write them. by the work done by Fr. Alexander Schmemann and Fr. John
Meyendorff. This is not to say that I think everything is perfect. I
TOV: Now that you’re retired, what do you have in mind? I do not accept the critics who say that they have gotten it all wrong.
know a lot of people have been asking about whether you’re go- But in Orthodoxy with the liturgy in a central place, there is a return
ing to write books? to what is traditional. We do still need to ask if our theological
teachers in the Orthodox Church are, particularly in teaching future
BK: Well – well – well, okay. Well, first of all I have an ongoing priests, too much influenced by the West. Have we really found an
program with a publisher with what they call, rather grandly, my Orthodox method of teaching? Fortunately, one point is very impor-
collected works. And originally, I thought it would be four volumes, tant – theology and prayer cannot be separated...particularly if you
and then I sat down and worked it out so there could be six. And are trying to acquire a patristic mind. And the point of the patristic
there is more, the other day I was thinking about this, and I sud- mind is that theological thinking is always done in the context of the
denly thought up two further volumes. liturgy, of prayer. And that, I think, has not been the case, here.
And I would wish to see it generally so.
But that certainly accounts for what I hope to work on in my retire-
ment as long as God gives me strength. I made the decision not to It does seem to me, however, that we are not using the laity in the
use old articles. I think an article written 30 years ago would cer-
tainly not refer to anything written since then. It is very dated. And Cont. on p.12
also, often, I would not put things in quite
the same way now. And there is an overlap
between my articles. All authors have their
all-purpose anecdotes, and I’m not one to
appease oneself too much.

But I would love to write a book on the Or-


thodox understanding of the human person.
In the 20th century, the essential theological
issue for Orthodox was the definition of the
Church. In the 21st Century it seems to me the
essential question will be the untold problem
in our contemporary society of how gender
is being understood; the possibilities of ge-
netic engineering; this opens up a vast field
of printing and publication. Of course in or-
der to respond adequately, some of us must
engage in proper scientific inquiry and direc-
tion. But all of us should explore the patristic
tradition and try to face it in a living way.

11
The Orthodox Vision

Bishop KALLISTOS BK: The intelligent non-specialist who is perhaps well-educated,


Continued from p. 11 in the non-secular area, and we’re getting more and more lay people
who are well educated, and they would like to do more reading. The
most important thing of all is to give yourself to the book. Journey
into the book. Now there are quite a lot of useful commentaries and
people still need help. Therefore, I am fully in favor of study groups
who look at the text together. Perhaps they do most of their reading
on their own, but they should come together to study. They can get
somebody who has studied that particular book to come in and talk
to them from time to time. He can advise them on where to get
readings, and prepare certain guidelines. People, when they look at
the Fathers, often are not sure. “What do I expect to find there?
What am I really looking for?” My advice is “Be patient,” when
reading the Fathers. Often they do not yield up their treasures at
once. You’ve got to search...you have to explore.

TOV: Thank You, Your Grace, for Your Time.

Diary
cont. from p. 9
We devise many ways to make ourselves forgetful of “the one
thing needful.”

Whether it is running off in search of spiritual experiences, arguing


Orthodox Church today. We [clergy] complain of being overworked. about calendars, priding ourselves on our theological discernment,
Also, there is in many places in the Orthodox world, as well as in forming committees to agitate for our causes or soothing the ruffled
other Christian communities, a shortage of new vocations. That is feathers of our colleagues, it is all so much fuss, Schmemann felt,
not to say the priests should not do it – but we could be using our and devours our time and affections. Is this the weariness of an
lay people much more. I can’t speak for this country, but in Britain overextended administrator or the wisdom of a genuine theolo-
sometimes the educated authors will actually say to me “You, the gian, a man of prayer? Both, it seems. By the end of the journals,
Church, the Bishop – the parish priest – you do not use us here – one can see clearly the reason for the childhood reminiscences. He
you do not give us enough opportunity.” And I think we should be was trying to recover glimpses of the kingdom vouchsafed to him
using our lay people far more in the work of education, teaching of in childhood, at the altar and in odd moments throughout life, so
children, and preparation of converts. Of course priests must be that when engulfed by his multiple roles, by crises at seminary or
involved, at every point, but he doesn’t have to do it all himself. church, and by sheer exhaustion, he would be reminded of the one
thing needful. “God will forgive everything except lack of joy,” he
When I was in Russia, I was struck by the fact that it’s impossible writes, and on this note his journals end, with an entry written in
for the priests there that handle the catechesis, and all of the people the hospital: “What happiness it has all been!”
who want to be baptized, and so people are being baptized with very
little preparation. There are a few parishes in Russia where priests Carol Zaleski is professor of religion at Smith College in Northampton,
have organized groups of lay people to take in hand instruction of Massachusetts. She and Philip Zaleski are editors of The Book of Heaven: An
Anthology of Writings from Ancient to Modern Times.
the catechumens. Surely that’s the way forward. Make much more
use of the gift of the laity. But the laity need to be encouraged by All material copyright 2001 the Christian Century Foundation. For permis-
sion to reprint, please contact the permissions department.
the clergy, and often they feel, or are rather told, “keep out.” I dare
say the laity would like to be involved in the teaching and in the
missionary witness with the Church in the way that only occasion-
ally happens. I hope that we, after all these changes we use the gifts
of the laity.

TOV: What advise would you give to people, particularly lay


people, who would want to read the Church Fathers? How they
should read them and what cautions would you give when they
read them?

BK: You’re not speaking of people studying?

TOV: No, we’re speaking of the parishioners.

12
The Orthodox Vision

From the Fathers


A Homily of St. John Chrysostom
On the Nativity of Our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ Delivered in Antioch, circa 380
I face a strange mystery and paradox. The voices of the The shepherds came to worship the Good Shepherd, Who
shepherds fall on my ears. Today, they do not idly play their offered His life for the sake of the sheep.
flutes, but sing with their lips a heavenly song. The angels
hymn, the archangels praise, the Cherubim sing, the Seraphim The priests came to worship the One Who became High Priest
give glory. All celebrate – seeing God on earth and Man in after the order of Melchizedek.
heaven.
The slaves came to worship the One Who took the form of a
Today, Bethlehem resembles the heavens: instead of stars it servant, to transform our slavery into freedom.
receives angels, instead of the sun, it receives the Sun of Righ-
teousness. Do not inquire as to how this is so. The fishermen came to worship Him Who
“When God wills, the order of nature is sur- transformed them into fishers of men.
passed.” He desired this and He did it. He
descended from heaven and saved the human The tax collectors came to worship the One
race. Everything worked together with Him Who from tax collectors distinguished an
toward this end. Evangelist.

Today, He is born Who exists eternally, and He The harlots came to worship the One who
brings about that which has never before ex- surrendered his feet to the tears of a harlot.
isted. He is God, but became Man. He be-
came man while remaining God. In short, all sinners came to see the Lamb of
God, Who bears on His shoulders the sins of
When He was born, the Jews did not accept the world.
the paradox of His birth. On the one hand, the
Pharisees misinterpreted the Scriptures; on the The Magi to worship Him!
other hand, the Scribes taught contrary things.
Herod sought to find the newborn infant, not to The shepherds to praise Him!
honor Him, but to kill him (Him). Today they
all rub their eyes in disbelief, seeing the King of Heaven on The tax collectors to preach Him!
earth, with human flesh, born of a virginal womb.
The harlots to offer Him myrrh!
The kings came to offer worship to the heavenly King of
Glory. Samaritan woman to have her thirst quenched!!

The soldiers came to serve the General of the heavenly armies. The Canaanite woman to be benefited!

The women came to worship Him Who changed their sorrow Lo, all leap for joy. I want to leap. I want to dance, to cel-
into joy. ebrate: without lute, without flute, without expected candles
in my hands. I celebrate, principally, instead of these, the
The virgins came to worship Him Who created both the breasts swaddling bands of Christ. These are my hope. These are
and the milk, and Who now nurses from a virgin mother. my life. These are my salvation. These are my flute. These
are my lute. Because of this, I have them with me: in order to
The infants came to worship Him Who became a Babe, in receive from their power, power of my own; in order to shout
order to compose a hymn of doxology, “out of the mouths of with the angels, “Glory to God in the highest” and with the
babes, Thou hast established praise.” shepherds “peace on earth and goodwill towards men” (Luke.
2:14).
The young children came to worship Him Who, through the
insanity of Herod, exhibited them as the first martyrs. (Translated from Modern Greek by Priest Lawrence
Russell, with apologies and regrets for any unperceived
The men came to worship Him Who became Man in order to errors.)
release men from their sufferings.
13
The Orthodox Vision BULK RATE
The Diocese of the West U.S. POSTAGE
The Orthodox Church in America PAID
5400 Annie Oakley Drive Las Vegas, NV
Las Vegas, NV 89120 PERMIT NO. 1274
Non-Profit Organization

Você também pode gostar