Back from Jordanville

Apologies for the delay in posting. I just returned from an OISM (Orthodox Inter-Seminary Movement) meeting at Holy Trinity Seminary in Jordanville, NY. It was a beautiful experience, though it did take some time after returning home to readjust to a non-monastic setting. I'm sure this experience is a common one for visitors of monastic communities.

As you might expect, there was a full offering of services to be had, but for me the high point was a talk given by Arch. Irenei on how priests can maintain zeal for God. Sadly, it was not recorded, but it would make a wonderful book so I hold out hope that one day it will be.

A goodly number of seminaries were represented at the event despite the snowstorm that sent many of us off hither and thither past the monastery grounds on our drives in. Visibility was at times only 50 feet or so and even the high golden domes were invisible as we drove by at a creep. The monastery is largely invisible to GPS and cell service is found only after some prayer so we navigated ourselves back trusting in a heavily defrosted windshield and a car moving forward more on momentum than internal combustion.

The days were a blur of services, meals, meetings, tours, and a trip to the bookstore. The English section of the store is only about 20% of the structure. You can image what dozens of seminarians buzzing about a seminary bookstore looked like given the tight quarters of the non-Russian section. It was like a scene from bargain gown day at a bridal shop. I escaped with some books I "had" to have and a few others for the wife and me to read together.

These sorts of meetings always show us how similar we are and how we differ. Beyond beard length, you experience titles, dress, customs, and ideas you're not accustomed to. Some people jump in with both feet and try to soak everything in while others take a more defensive posture. It's an interesting thing to see.

I find as I get older I miss my children more quickly than I used to. By day two I was going up to women holding babies that clearly had a tenuous grasp of the English language to ask about their children's names, ages, etc. I fought the desire to get the phone out and show pictures of the kids... just barely.

Many friends were made on this trip. I hope I can find my way back there sometime with a less full docket of activities and more time to walk the grounds.