Byzantine, Texas

From Fr. John Whiteford's blog , a post on two estimable patrons of marriage. What follows is a Google translation that I have cleaned up as best as I could, but there may be some minor errors. Fr. Michael van Opstall kindly provided a translation of the petitions. JOURNAL 129 (original Russian) CONSIDERED the establishment of an additional day to commemorate the wonder workers Holy Prince Peter (in monasticism, David) and Princess Fevronia (in monasticism, Euphrosyne), of Murom. Information: The celebration of the Holy Prince Peter and Princess Fevronia of Murom on July 8 (June 25 by the Julian calendar), falls during the Fast of Ss. Peter and Paul. In this regard, the Council of Bishops on February 4th, 2011, instructed the liturgical commission "to consider an additional date for the commemoration of the Holy Prince Peter and Princess Fevronia of Murom, referring to the desire of many Christians to be married on the day honoring these patrons of marriage...

( OCA-DOW ) - The cold and the snow did not deter the faithful from celebrating the first Divine Liturgy of the newly established Orthodox Mission in Parker, Colorado on Sunday, December 09, 2012. Inspired and led by Father Anthony Karbo, this group of 41 missionaries planted the seeds of Orthodoxy on fertile ground in an area of the Southeastern Denver Metro area containing 60,000 people but not one Orthodox Church of any jurisdiction. Faithful from Elizabeth, Parker, Aurora, Centennial, Colorado Springs and Littleton converged on this neighborhood community center to establish this foothold of Orthodoxy. From the portable iconostasis to the angelic voices of the choir, this first service exceeded everyone’s expectations. This mission is a collaborative effort of three OCA parishes in the Rocky Mountain Deanery; Holy Theophany in Colorado Springs, St Herman’s in Littleton and Holy Transfiguration in Denver. Although this mission church is sponsored by the Orthodox Church in A...

This is an intriguing article as it is filled with little details normally left out of such declarations. Of particular interest is the enthronement of an Englishman in the New Kalenich Monastery in Canberra. ( SOC ) - ''We swear you by Almighty God that in no way should you detract from the worth, greatness and importance of our reconciliation. Let not one empty and unverified word pass over your mouths. Let our reconciliation be an example for all the other Serbs, wherever they may live. Do not allow any one of us by our actions to hinder this common sanctity. Our reconciliation has just begun. We have planted a young seedling which we need to nurture and cherish as the apple of the eye that it may grow to the pride of all'' (Metropolitan Iriney of New Gracanica - 19 February 1993). During the past few weeks there appear a multitude of unverified, inaccurate and often malicious articles published on the internet related to the litigation in which the Serbian Orthod...

( patriarchia.ru from machine translation) - The Holy Synod of the meeting December 26, 2012 (Journal number 131) Approved for use for Worship and prayer in the Home text litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Honor of Her "Vsetsaritsa" and the following text Akathists Saints: Thomas the Apostle, the great martyr Mercury Caesarea, St. Gregory Palamas, St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco, St. Gerasimos of Jordan, of St. Simeon the New Theologian, Rev. Nicodemus. Akathist to the Mother of God in honor of Her "Vsetsaritsa" Akathist to the Apostle Thomas Akathist GreatMartyr Mercury Caesarea Akathist to St. Gregory Palamas Akathist St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco Akathist to St. Gerasimos of Jordan Akathist to St. Simeon the New Theologian Akathist to St. Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain

Nothing earth-shattering. Notes from the previous day are available here , which included discussion of "A Provision for the Election of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia." ( mospat.ru ) - On 26 December 2012, the Holy Synod continued its sessions at the Patriarchal and Synodal residence in St. Daniel’s Monastery in Moscow under the chairmanship of the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church. Approved for reading at the services and for prayers at home were the texts of the Akathistos hymn to the “Queen of All” icon of the Mother God and of the Akathistos hymns to St Thomas the Apostle, St Mercurius of Caesarea the Great Martyr, St Gregory Palamas, St John of Shanghai and San Francisco, St Geracimus of Jordan, St Simeon the New Theologian, and St Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain. Also approved was the document “On the Russian Orthodox Church’s Participation in Rehabilitation of Drug Addicts”, recommended to be used at the parishes and monasteries, as well as at other...

( Armenian-WD ) - We are pleased to present to you the video Christmas Message of His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America.

( ROCOR-WAD ) The Rector of Holy Transfiguration Cathedral in Los Angeles, Archpriest Alexander Lebedeff, wrote the following in his Facebook page: "I write with great sadness that Holy Transfiguration Cathedral was broken in to on Saturday night, and many liturgical items were stolen, including chalices and veneration crosses. The total value of the items stolen (by preliminary count) was at least $50,000. The altars were ransacked as well. By God's grace, we were able to have the church open for Divine Liturgy on Sunday morning. A police investigation is continuing. We ask for your prayers at this difficult time for our parish."

( pravmir.com ) - It was with great joy that the Church of Georgia on December 20 2012 confirmed Archimandrite Gabriel (Urgebadze) amongst the Saints of Christ’s Church. Any new arrival in Georgia will be surprised to see photographs of an elderly monk of small stature in offices, taxis and homes. “Mama Gabrieli” was well-loved during his difficult life in the Soviet era and revered after his death, with many miracles attributed to him. Saint Gabriel was a deeply eccentric character and to the Soviet authorities he was considered to be insane. He was renowned during his life as a “Fool-for-Christ“; in Greek the term is “Salos”. This is a humble person of great holiness who is considered highly unconventional by secular society. Saint Gabriel was famed for his powers of prophecy during his life, as well as a fearless approach to denouncing Communism publicly; had he been considered “sane” by the authorities, he probably would have been executed. He was famous for tearing down a...

( antiochian.org ) - With God’s mercy John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and all the East To my brethren, the Shepherds of the Holy Antiochian Church And my children who belong to this Apostolic See We approach these Holy and Blessed Feasts as we witness the crucial events our Antiochian Church has gone through recently, first and foremost with the departure of our Father, Patriarch Ignatius IV th who ministered the Church with patience and faithfulness for several decades. His memory shall remain alive in our minds and hearts, and shall be eternal before the Lord Whom he served all his life. At this time, our Church and our people are experiencing dramatic situations caused by violence and troubles shaking our region. The Holy Spirit has willed that I be elected by my brothers, the members of the Holy Synod, to succeed this great Minister, in spite of my unworthiness. However, I rely on God and on you, my brothers and children of my Church, and this shall make me exp...

From the Antiochian Archdiocese , a Nativity homily from St. Isaac the Syrian. This Christmas night bestowed peace on the whole world; So let no one threaten; This is the night of the Most Gentle One - Let no one be cruel; This is the night of the Humble One - Let no one be proud. Now is the day of joy - Let us not revenge; Now is the day of Good Will - Let us not be mean. In this Day of Peace - Let us not be conquered by anger. Today the Bountiful impoverished Himself for our sake; So, rich one, invite the poor to your table. Today we receive a Gift for which we did not ask; So let us give alms to those who implore and beg us. This present Day cast open the heavenly doors to our prayers; Let us open our door to those who ask our forgiveness. Today the DIVINE BEING took upon Himself the seal of our humanity, In order for humanity to be decorated by the Seal of DIVINITY.

If you haven't already browsed the new Orthodox Arts Journal blog, I highly recommend a perusal. Those of a Western patrimony will see some kinship with the New Liturgical Movement blog. The list of contributors in enviable and these are still early days for the effort. A very merry Christmas to those on the New Calendar! ( Orthodox Arts Journal ) - There is no ass or ox in the Biblical narratives of the birth of Christ. Yet, besides the Christ Child himself, the ass and the ox are the most ancient and stable elements in the iconography of the nativity. In fact the earliest example of a nativity known to us contains only the swaddled Christ in the manger flanked by the ox at his head and the ass at his feet. David Clayton, on the New Liturgical Movement blog, has written a detailed piece on the subject, and I will go through the basics while adding a few more aspects he does not mention. When reading comments on the nativity (for example in Ouspensky’s “The Meaning of...

( SOC-AEUS ) - A meeting of the Standing Conference of the Oriental Orthodox Churches in America was held at St. Nersess Armenian Seminary, New York on Wednesday, December 19, 2012. His Eminence, Mor Cyril Aphrem Karim participated in this meeting, with their Eminences: Khajag Barsamian, Vicken Aykazian and Mor Titus Yaldho. Archbishop Karim was accompanied by Very Rev. Fr. Joseph Shabo, Rev. Fr.Joseph Chamoun and Rev. Fr. Alan Shaltan. Some of the items on the agenda were: A proposed Forum on Oriental Orthodox Youth, Review of the Concelebrated Liturgy, Joint Commission of the Eastern/Oriental Orthodox Churches, Eastern Orthodox/Oriental Orthodox Prayer Service for U.N., Christian Churches Together, Roman Catholic/Oriental Orthodox Dialogue, Oriental Orthodox NGO Project and Scooch Website. Mor Cyril Aphrem Karim talked about Christian Churches Together’s plans for 2013. He specifically announced the Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of MLK’s letter from prison, which th...

I have succumbed to the pressure of many emails requests to post this Touchstone article . My only opposition having been that it was already so ubiquitous on the Internet that I didn't need to repost it as well. Alas, the Christmas spirit has taken hold of me and I find myself powerless to refuse reader requests. ( Touchstone ) - Many Christians think that Christians celebrate Christ’s birth on December 25th because the church fathers appropriated the date of a pagan festival. Almost no one minds, except for a few groups on the fringes of American Evangelicalism, who seem to think that this makes Christmas itself a pagan festival. But it is perhaps interesting to know that the choice of December 25th is the result of attempts among the earliest Christians to figure out the date of Jesus’ birth based on calendrical calculations that had nothing to do with pagan festivals. Rather, the pagan festival of the “Birth of the Unconquered Son” instituted by the Roman Emperor Aurelian ...

( Economist ) - At a time when things are looking dire for Christians in the Middle East, they have acquired an articulate new spokesman who is also relatively young by the standards of clerical greybeards. At a gathering in Lebanon on Monday, the Orthodox Christians bishops with jurisdiction over Syria, Lebanon and much of the Arab Christian diaspora made a surprise decision to bestow on John Yazigi, who is currently serving as an archbishop in Paris, the ancient title of Patriarch of Antioch. The newly elevated prelate was born in 1955; his predecessor, who died earlier this month, came into the world in 1920. Although it is said in the Bible to be the first place where the word "Christian" was used, these days Antioch—the Turkish city of Antakya—boasts few Christian residents. So the patriarch has in recent centuries resided in Damascus, which was a relatively comfortable place for Christians until the current civil war broke out. Since then at least 100,000 Syrian Chri...

( YouTube ) - Classically trained iconographer, Lynette Hull, draws fascinating parallels between contemporary and ancient "icons."

H/T: The Sacred Sandwich

( cerkiew.pl ) - The documentary film "Achimandrite" directed by Jerzy Kalina has won of the International Documentary Film Festival and Television Programme "Radonezh" in Moscow. "Radonezh" is the oldest review and contest of the film productions about religion in Russia. It takes place under the patronage of Patriarch Kirill and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. In the competition among TV productions, "Archimandrite" was the only film from Poland. This is the seventh prize for the film about Father Gabriel, a monk from Podlasie, who has built the only one Orthodox hermitage in Poland in the village Odrynki on Narew river bank. Archimandrite Gabriel is the founder and sole inhabitant of a hermitage in the Kudak wilderness on the river bank of Narew. For the first few years he lived there alone and prayed in a portacabin, without electricity, running water, completely cut off from the outside world. After some time, with the help of local Ort...

( Vatican Radio ) - Pope Benedict XVI has convoked a Synod of bishops of the Chaldean Catholic Church for January, 2013. The aim of the Synod will be to elect a successor to His Beatitude Cardinal Emmanuel III Delly, Patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans, whose resignation was accepted by the Holy Father on Wednesday. Emer McCarthy reports: The Chaldean Church is the largest Christian group in Iraq, consisting of eight dioceses, 100 parishes and approximately 500,000 faithful. The number has fallen drastically however, since the fall of Saddam Hussein and the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. During the war and subsequent insecurity, Christians in Iraq were the targets of an often violent persecution including bomb attacks, murders and abductions. This led to a wave of emigration generating a large Iraqi Christian diaspora. The Chaldean Church has other dioceses and eparchies in countries including Iran, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Australia, Canada, the U.S. and Europe....

( AFR ) - A report from Ancient Faith Radio on the background, qualifications, and personality of Patriarch-Elect John X, who was elected on December 17 by the Holy Synod at the Balamand Patriarchal Monastery of the Dormition of the Theotokos.

Just hours ago Fr Konstantin, a monastic of St. Tikhon's Monastery, fell from a ladder. It is reported that he has several breaks in his wrist, a shattered bone and a fracture in his elbow. Please keep him in prayer as surgery will be Thursday. More information forthcoming from here .

( ROCOR-EAD ) - Metropolitan Hilarion: "Every Person who is part of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia needs to help Holy Trinity Monastery" The First Hierarch of ROCOR, His Eminence Hilarion, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York, expressed his deep concern over the critical condition in which Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY – the oldest monastery in the Russian Church Abroad – finds itself. Holy Trinity Monastery is facing serious financial difficulties as a result of necessary renovations to the property, which will cost the monastery an estimated three million dollars. On Friday, December 14, Metropolitan Hilarion, accompanied by several members of the Eastern American Diocesan Council, met with the abbot of the Diasporan Lavra, Archimandrite Luke (Murianka), with the stated goal of resolving these issues. The Metropolitan was accompanied by diocesan secretary Archpriest Serge Lukianov, Priest Alexandre Antchoutine, Deacon George Te...

( CBC ) - Sometimes Christmas charity can come from the most unlikely places. Dancers at the Barefax Gentlemen’s Club in the ByWard Market are offering table dances to patrons — usually $20 per dance — in exchange for toys instead. “I had no problems, the girls were on board right away,” said club co-owner Carmalina Bentivoglio. “It’s something we all decided we wanted to do.” Barefax dancer Melina, who did not want to use her real name, said she loves children and agreed to donate her time. “When they asked me to do this I thought it was a really good idea because there’s a lot of children who have nothing,” Melina said. Asked her thoughts on the method for collecting children’s toys, which some might view as inappropriate, Melina said people should not rush to judge her and her colleagues. “Just because it’s a strip club doesn’t mean that we’re mean people and we can’t do any good,” she said. To date the club has donated about 80 toys to a group that asked to remain an...

If the Gospel isn't good enough, why not try self-seeking heresy to fill the pews? See previous examples from the same "church"  here and here . ( Daily Caller ) - Just in time for Christmas, a progressive Christian church is asking — via billboard — for congregants and the public to consider “the sexual orientation of Jesus.” The new billboard features the baby Jesus with a rainbow halo over his head and the caption, “It’s Christmas. Time for Jesus to come out.” St Matthews-in-the-City of Auckland New Zealand announced they had raised their doctrine-challenging billboard Monday. “Some scholars have tried to make the case that he might have been gay,” St. Matthew’s Rev. Clay Nelson said in a statement. “But it is all conjecture. Maybe gay, maybe not. Does it matter?” Does it MATTER?! Nelson’s counterpart, Rev. Glynn Cardy, implied that Jesus likely would have sided with the pro-gay marriage advocates in the debate on same-sex marriage. “There is almost no...

( ctpost.com ) - Father Peter Paproski, of St. John's Orthodox Church, offers up a prayer to several people as hundreds attend a candlelight vigil in memory of victims from yesterday's mass shooting in Newtown, which was held behind Stratford High School on the Town Hall Green in Stratford, Conn. on Saturday December 15, 2012. ( pravmir.com ) - We offer statements from Archbishop Demetrios, Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in America; Metropolitan Tikhon, Primate of the Orthodox Church in America; and Metropolitan Hilarion, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. Archbishop Demetrios (GOARCH) Calls for Prayers for the Victims of the Massacre in Newtown, Conn. NEW YORK – Upon hearing the horrible news of the monstrous mass shooting in the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, which caused the tragic death of 26 people, most of which are reportedly children, His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America immediately contacted Fr. ...

( ROCOR ) - On Monday, December 10, 2012, the feast day of the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God, the Protectress of the Russian diaspora, a regular session of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia opened with the celebration of Divine Liturgy in New York's Cathedral of Our Lady "of the Sign." His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, officiated, along with His Eminence Archbishop Mark of Berlin and Germany, His Eminence Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco and Western America, His Eminence Archbishop Justinian of Naro-Fominsk, Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes of the USA, His Eminence Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada, His Grace Bishop Peter of Cleveland, Administrator of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America, His Grace Bishop George of Mayfield and His Grace Bishop Jerome of Manhattan. Before Holy Communion, Archbishop Justinian read a sermon to...

( naharnet.com ) - Youhanna al-Yaziji was elected on Monday the new Greek Orthodox Patriarch of the Levant and Antioch. He will succeed late Patriarch Ignatius IV Hazim, who passed away on December 5. He will be known as Patriarch Youhanna X. The election was made after a meeting of 20 archbishops at Our Lady of Balamand Monastery on Monday morning. Born in Latakia, Syria in 1955, Yaziji earned his school and university education in Syria. He earned a degree in theology in 1978 from the St. John of Damascus Faculty of Theology at the Balamand University and a doctorate in theology in 1983 from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece. He was appointed a deacon in 1979 and a priest in 1983 and in 1981 he took up teaching liturgy at St. John of Damascus Faculty of Theology at the Balamand University. He assumed the position of dean of the faculty from 1988-1991 and 2001-2005. He became the head of the Our Lady of Balamand Monastery from 2001 to 2005. In 20...

CONSTANTINOPLE ( OCL ) – Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is attempting to inaugurate a new path and new dynamics of rapprochement and reconciliation with the Roman Catholic Church in conjunction with the Theological Dialogue working towards the Eucharistic Union of the Churches. In his speech to the Delegation of the Church of Rome headed by Cardinal Kurt Koch, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, at the Thronal Feast of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on the feast day of St. Andrew the First Called Apostle, on the patriarch said on November 30 that “the uniqueness of the founders of our Churches, of Elder Rome and of New Rome, the Holy Apostles Peter and Andrew, as brothers according to the flesh, constitutes a motivation for both of our Churches to move toward the genuine experience of spiritual brotherhood and the restoration of communion in this same spirit, in truth and in love.” The patriarch went on saying that “unfortunately, throughout the cour...

Today was pretty inarguably horrible. I hope this brings at least a smile to your face.

From the blog Khanya , an encouraging story on the growth of the Church in Africa and the memory of the Neomartyr Daniel Sysoev whom I hold in the highest esteem and whose intercession I pray for often. Even in death his evangelical spirit bears fruit in God's vineyard. Father Daniel Sysoyev, pray to God for us! At a gathering of the clergy of the Archdiocese of Johannesburg and Pretoria we presented Archbishop Damaskinos with a copy of a new service book in English and Zulu, and copies were offered to all the clergy present. Father Gerasimos and Archbishop Damaskinos at the clergy synaxis on 13 December 2012 The book has the Third and the Sixth Hours and the Reader’s Service, based on the Typika used in monasteries on days when the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated. In its present form it is designed for use in mission congregations for Sunday services when there is no priest, and it may be led by a deacon or reader. Some parishes use it if, for any reason, there is no ...

( mospat.ru ) - A delegation of the Georgian Orthodox Church arrived in Moscow on 11 December 2012 with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and His Beatitude Catholicos Patriarch Iliya II of Georgia. The delegation includes Metropolitan Dimitry of Batumi and Lazeti, Metropolitan Gerasim of Zugdidi and Tsaishi, chairman of the Foreign Department of the Georgian Patriarchate, and Prof. Givi Gambashidze.

( UOC-USA ) - Dearly beloved Clergy, Laity and Monastics of our Holy Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Once again we find ourselves confronted with the horror of what mankind is capable of – the almost inhuman deeds of man against mankind. Just before the time that we will commemorate the Holy Innocents murdered in Bethlehem at the orders of a malicious ruler – Herod – who sought to protect his obscene rule from the threat of the King of kings – our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ , the Promised One, Who, it was determined, was to be born in the town. Having been “mocked” as he perceived it, by the three kings who failed to return to tell him where the Child was, he ordered that all the male children age two and under in Bethlehem be killed, hoping thus, to prevent the Messiah from rising up to offer the Truth of God’s love for mankind and about the sanctity of life. St. John Chrysostom rhetorically asks of Herod: “Why are you angered Herod, at bring mocked by the wise men? Did you n...

“A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted for her children, Because they are no more."

( SVS Press ) - The Orthodox Church is one of the largest religious groups in the world. Yet, it remains an enigma in the West, especially among those who mistake it either for a Greek version of Roman Catholicism or for an exotic mixture of Christianity and eastern religion. Many, however, are coming to recognize the Orthodox Church for what it is: a worldwide community of Christian disciples that has been faithful to the apostolic command, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or by our epistle (2 Thess 2.15). Consequently, growing numbers of people are finding their true home in the Church that has continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers (Acts 2.42). Among these converts are dozens of contemporary philosophers. Some are accomplished, world-renowned, senior scholars. Others are junior scholars in the earliest stages of their careers. As a group, they belong neither to any partic...

WASHINGTON ( BP ) - Eastern Michigan University has agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by a graduate counseling student whom it expelled after she declined to affirm the "sexual orientation" of a homosexual client because of her Christian beliefs. A federal judge dismissed the case Dec. 10 after Eastern Michigan (EMU) and Julea Ward agreed to a settlement. EMU agreed to pay her $75,000, saying it did not want to continue spending money on an expensive trial. It also removed the expulsion from her record, according to Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), which represented Ward in the suit. The settlement followed by nearly 11 months a win by Ward at the federal appeals court level. A three-judge panel of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati, Ohio, unanimously overturned a federal court's summary judgment that was in favor of EMU. The judges sent the case back to the federal judge for a trial, saying a "reasonable jury" could find Ward did not breach a...

This is the first in a multi-part series. Part two is here .

( Malankara-NEAD ) - The Burial of His Grace Mathews Mar Barnabas, Metropolitan will be shown live this evening (Tuesday, December 11, 2012) at 9PM EST at www.orthodoxtv.in . The Burial Service of our Vailya Thirumeni at Sts. Peter & Paul Orthodox Church, Valayanchirangara, Kerala, India will begin with Holy Qurbana (7:30AM IST), celebrated by His Grace Zachariah Mar Nicholovos, Metropolitan followed by the Rite of Burial. And also... ( Newsday ) - Metropolitan His Grace Mathews Mar Barnabas stood barely 5 feet tall, but his stature and influence among his followers in the Indian Orthodox Church on Long Island and elsewhere was enormous, leaders of the church said. "He was a saintly man. He was a man of prayer, a man of simplicity," said the Rev. Paulose T. Peter, director for ecumenical relations of the Muttontown-based Northeast Diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, known as the Indian Orthodox Church. Mar Barnabas, 88, who headed the church in ...

( Vatican Radio ) - The problems facing married priests in the Eastern Catholic Church were at the heart of a seminar in Rome this week, sponsored by the Australian Catholic University and the Sheptytsky Institute of Eastern Christian Studies at St Paul University in Ottawa, Canada. The Second Vatican Council’s decree on the Eastern Catholic Churches clearly reaffirmed the value of the Oriental rites with their distinct liturgical practises and traditions. Yet a Vatican document dating back to 1929 prohibited Eastern rite bishops from ordaining married men in the West or sending them from the East to Western countries where they were said to cause “confusion among the faithful”. While Roman or Latin rite bishops in some countries, such as Australia, formally welcome married priests to serve their Eastern rite communities, others still see it as a source of tension and division. To find out more, Philippa Hitchen went along to the conference and spoke to Fr Peter Galadza, a marri...

BINGHAMTON, NY ( ACROD ) - It was both an honor and a blessing to have the privilege to travel to Rome to participate in The Chrysostom Seminar at Domus Australia in Rome on November 13th. The forum dealt with the issue of the ongoing obstacles of the ordination of married seminarians to the priesthood of the Eastern Catholic Church in North America. I was invited to participate by Fr. Peter Galadza, a married Ukrainian Catholic priest and professor at the Sheptysky Institute for Eastern Christian Studies at St. Paul's University in Ottawa and Fr. Lawrence Cross, a married Russian Catholic priest at the Australian Catholic University in Melbourne. Other participants included Fr. Basilio Petra (a scholar in the issue of marriage and priesthood in the early church), of the Theology Faculty in Florence, Italy, and Fr. Thomas J. Loya, a Byzantine Catholic priest of the Tabor Life Institute in Chicago. Themes of the Addresses In his presentation, Fr. Cross insisted that the vo...