Prayer request Fr John Scratch

[Eugene]

Dear brothers and sisters,

Fr John Scratch (Igumen John) fell peacefully asleep in the Lord during the night of Jan 14/15. He was with OCA and lived in Ottawa for the last few years. Please pray for him.

In Christ,
Evgeny

[Fr Seraphim (Black)]

May God grant His faithful servant Father John (Scratch) Eternal Memory!

I was personally blessed to know him for over 17 years and he was a pillar of strength and comfort. He leaves behind him six grown children and numerous grandchildren. His dear Matoushka, Suzanne, passed away in January of 1998 after a crucifying illness.

As a personal reflection not just on Father John and the sorrows he bore so courageously in his life please permit me to say that though Canada is a very wealthy nation and many, many people desire to live here (especially Orthodox from Eastern Europe) Canada, sadly, is a spiritual wasteland.

I remember once my own Spiritual Father, Archimandrite Sophrony, remarking on how difficult the undertaking of prayer is while we lived in England. I was puzzled by this, being very young at the time, so I asked him for clarification. He contrasted the life on Mount Athos, its cadence of unceasing prayer, and the 'ice-box' atmosphere in England at the time, where so few people around us pray. (Years later, living in Romania, though an improverished country, I always had the feeling that I was breathing prayer with every breath, so prevalent is it in such an ancient Orthodox country - sadly, they do not always realize how blessed they are, the 'corruption'of our age has everyone seeking after material and economic delights.)

There are many hidden men and women of deep prayer in Canada, may God be praised. Please remember in your prayers Fr. John's family and his dear companion in monasticism, Mother Dorothy.

[Fr Seraphim (Black)]

Dear Friends,
By God's mercy, due to the severity of my situation, my operation, has been moved forward from April 2006, to Monday, January 23rd.
I humbly ask for your prayers.

faithfully,
seraphim

[dimitri marinis]

father seraphim,
You will be in my prayers our Lord Jesus Christ will be with you and soon the operation will become minor. God bless you and please let us hear from you after the operation.
In Christ
dimitri

[Fr Raphael Vereshack]

Memory eternal to dear Fr (Igumen) John Scratch!
I was also blessed to know him and his family in the late 1970s- early 1980s. He was a dear soul who along with his wife Suzanne was the heart of the former Holy Transfiguration mission in Ottawa at the Derry's home which was like the home churches of ancient times. Holy Week (we would read all the Gospels during the Hours on the first 3 days so that we were in church for most of the day!), Pascha & Nativity with them was an extraordinary experience.

In Christ- Fr Raphael

[Violet E. Leathers]

Father Seraphim,
May God's healing touch give you peace and freedom from pain. May your surgery be successful so you can continue to work in His vineyard. I will be also praying for you on Monday, January 23rd that your surgeon is guided by HIs mercy and grace. God bless you and give you peace as you approach this surgery. Please let us know how you are doing.
In Christ, Eugenia

[Fr Seraphim (Black)]

God's saints are so often hidden. Yet I want to say this of Father John whose funeral service is about to commence.

I quote from the words of Saint Silouan:

"We know that the greater the love, the greater the sufferings of the soul. The fuller the love, the fuller the knowledge of God. The more ardent the love, the more fervent the prayer. The more perfect the love, the holier the life."

This is my testament to our dearly beloved Pastor, may Christ our God grant him eternal rest with his Saints.

[Fr Seraphim (Black)]

We often find in Orthodoxy a tension, a demarcation, between monastics and lay persons, whether married or single.
Some believe monastics have chosen a higher path. Much of our Liturgical Tradition, and spiritual themes come from early monastic practice.
In my personal experience, extending over thirty years, I have been witness to the 'absolute' belief that lay persons are inferior to those who have embraced monasticism.
I believe that Father John, to mention only one example, lays waste to this position.
Yes, monasticism is a serious undertaking. As one moves through the states of ryassaphore, small schema, and great schema, a monastic undertakes more serious demands.

Yet, let us see the state of Sacramental Marriage: do not the Crowns (worn in the Service) represent martyrdom? (Is this not understood in monastic life also?)

Monastics have a prayer rule, depending on the monastery, and the Spiritual Father/Mother. A ryassophore, or monastic of the Small Schema have a set rule of prayer, prostrations and other obligations.
But these are set, established, undertaken at the proper time and hour.

What about a young wife and husband whose young child awakes at any hour?

I have never seen a young or old couple, united in Marriage, who have passed a 'good' night's sleep.

The issue of sleep is seriously undertaken in monasticism. Generally, we are allowed six hours. On the Holy Mountain (Mt.Athos, Greece) the sleep is divided - three hours before the prayer rule (early morning), and then three hours in the afternoon. At first, it is difficult to adjust to this. With time, and God's grace, this practice of divided sleep becomes natural.
Saint Silouan said to Father Sophrony, that by ascetic effort, a monastic could move towards four to three hours of sleep in a 24 hour day. Less sleep, in his opinion, is from the Grace of the Holy Spirit.
As Saint John (Maximovitch), Saint Silouan never slept upon a bed. This is why Father Sophrony knew his Elder was ill - because for the first time he saw Fr. Silouan (near his repose) on his bed.

Let it be said: Orthodoxy demands that we walk in the steps of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

From Blessed John's example, who with his wife, raised six children, permit me to say this: Can we maintain this 'illusion' that the monastic path is 'superior' to the Sacrament of Marriage?

Simply stated which would you chose? Awakening at a definite hour of the night (with the knowledge that you are allowed to nap in the afternoon) or the totally unpredictable awakenings undertaken by married couples, at any time of the day or night?
May God protect and comfort those who have chosen the Sacrament of Marriage.

It is my firm belief, after so many years of counselling married couples, that this falsehood of which path is greater in the sight of God (monasticism or marriage) be firmly understood.

My 'hat' is off, my head is bowed in shame, to married couples. Was not Christ's first miracle in Cana?
Let Fr. John and his beloved wife Suzane, who raised six children (under very demanding circumstances) be a SOLID testimony.

[Byron Jack Gaist]

Dear Fr Seraphim,

Fr, bless!

Thank you for the positive appreciation of Christian marriage which you express in your latest post. I never had the honour of meeting Fr John Scratch, but I know my own parish priest and spiritual father here in Cyprus is married with children, and he seems to me to lack nothing in the Christian virtues of love and longsuffering.

It is encouraging for us married laymen to hear positive words of appreciation from the monastics. Surely if marriage was not a path and a Way, it would not be a holy sacrament, or be compared to the relation between Christ and the Church. The gift of celibacy is given to some, and is to be profoundly respected and venerated as a figure of the life to come, but the union of two souls in one flesh in matrimony is surely no less a holy gift? As for children, I often find myself wondering how the good Lord has deemed it right that my wife and I should be entrusted with the care of two such souls, and can only pray that we are able to meet that responsibility even partially.

Once again many thanks; the very best success on the 23rd of this month, and a speedy recovery.

In Christ
Byron

[Fr Seraphim (Black)]

By the mercy of Christ and His Most Pure Mother, I have received many, many emails and postings regarding my operation. I only wish I had the strength to reply to each one.

May Christ bless, comfort and protect you all.

I am very grateful.

[Vasilis Kirikos]

> I am a man whose soul is truly in deep distress. My fiancée is getting sicker each day due to an auto-immune disease; but I can't marry her and take care of her until I find a job. At my age finding and getting hired is no easy task. But I want God's will in our life and now ours. Please pray for here and me that I find a job. In Christ, Vasilis.

[Byron Jack Gaist]

Dear Vasilis,

I'm sorry to hear what you and your fiance are going through. May Divine Providence support both of you through these difficult times.

In Christ
Byron

[dimitri marinis]

Dear Vasilis,
I'm sorry about your fiancee's health,yet another hurdle for you, I'll be praying for you my friend keep there and God will answer He never fails and I'd like to remind you "It is never the problem; it is always the attitude toward the problem" I never said that.
With Love in Jesus Christ
dimitri

[Anthony]

I would like to ask your prayers for a close friend of mine in Russia, who I have just learnt has been in a coma after a bad road accident. She is now out of hospital, but still in a bad way and may need further major surgery. Her name is Anna. Her mother Tamara also has recently had several operations for cancer, and the family (just the two of them left) has other big problems too.

Vasilis, I feel for your situation. May God grant his help.

[Moses Anthony]

Fr. Serphaim May the God of all comfort, comfort you during your surgery and during your recovery, so that you may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which your yourself have been comforted by God!

[Klod]

I hope we could hear soon of our dear Father Seraphim. May God have blessed him today!

[Eugenia]

I am praying for Fr. Seraphim-I too-pray we will hear he is on the road to recovery. God keep you,watch over you, and touch you with His healing hand Fr. Seraphim in these coming days of recovery!Eugenia

[Trudy]

Has anyone heard how Fr. Seraphim's surgery went and how he is?

Thank you,
Athanasia

[Eugenia]

Any news regarding Fr. Seraphim? Our prayers for his well-being! Eugenia

[Fr Seraphim (Black)]

Dear Beloved Members,

"O Father, Son, and Spirit;
Triune Godhead, One Being in three Persons;
Light unapproachable, Mystery most secret:
Lift our minds to contemplation of Thine unfathomable
judgements
and fill our hearts with the light of Thy Divine love,
that we may serve Thee in spirit and truth
even unto our last breath.
We pray Thee, hear and have mercy."

By your prayers I was released last evening from the hospital. I am forever grateful to all.

[Acácio]

Our Dearest and beloved Father Seraphim

Blessings

Glory to God! I am very glad to hear you again!

In XC

[Moses Anthony]

Fr. Seraphim

May the Lord Jesus Christ show such mercy and grace to us all, in our times of need!

a sinful and unworthy servant

[Eugenia]

Dear Friends,
I ask for your prayers for my dear friend, Marcia. She was sent home from the hospital last Tuesday with the medical staff telling her family she would probably only live a few hours. She is still very ill but has shown improvement over the past few days. She has breast cancer but the tumor is shrinking. Her hospital stay brought on a staph infection and pneumonia. Once the pneumonia can be turned around they can begin chemotherapy.I have been praying to Our Lady of Sitka for her continued improvement. I am asking for a miracle and pray that God will shower her with grace and mercy.

She is a lapsed believer but has used many terms in reference to prayer and God in the past two weeks. Her return to God may be the miracle that happens in her remaining days. Would you be so kind as to remember Marcia in your prayers. I fervently thank you for your generosity and love. Eugenia

[Fr Seraphim (Black)]

Dearest Community.

Permit me to acknowledge beloved Members (including those no longer with us) heartfelt gratitude for prayers on my be half:

Matthew, H.R.H Charles, Nun Theopesta (Egypt), Convent Agapia (Romania), + Mother Dorothea (Convent of St. Silouan, Canada), Nun Sandra, my beloved Mother and family, Bishop Athanaios, Vladika Seraphim (Canada), Abbot Emilianos, Brotherhood (Agion Oros) and Sisterhood, Met. Hierothos (Vlachos), +Igumen John (Scratch), Igumen Kryillos and Community (Essex), Brotherhood of Vatopdei (Agion Oros), +Elder Joseph the Hesychast and Brethren, Abbot George (Monasery Gregoriou, Agion Oros), Priest Raphael (Canada), Priests: David (U.S.A), Timothy (Church of England), Anthony, Ambrose, George M;) Harry (England), Athanasia and Family (U.S.A), Salasnjl (Serbia), Violet, Sanja; Gratia, Elena, Ramona, Vasilica, Michaela, Lidia, Irina, Carmen (Romania); Seank, George, John, Dewl, Owen;, Gregios, Maria, daughters, children, Joachim (England, Greece & Cyprus), Magdalen, Baroness, Yvonne, Olga, Olmpiada, Bryon (Cypros), Eugenia, Vasily, Evengy (Canada), Acacio (Brazil), Acaicus, Rafa R., Bodgn, Slya, Dimitri, Robert Zimmeran, Aidan (Shropshire, England), Archbishop Hilarion Alfeyev, Saint Silouan.

[Fr Seraphim (Black)]

Dear Community,

It appears that once again I feel the need to ask for your prayers.

This 'thread' began for Fr. John Scratch, a saintly man. Is it proper that I insert this prayer request regarding my person?

I went today to see a neurologist, since there has been a marked change in my migrainous pattern, and not just related to the surgery I had in January. I thought it was simply an 'evolution' of migraine activity, but the physician was quick to point out that it reaches far beyond having another MRI. A friend accompanied me, and related character traits of mine which took me by complete surprise.

No need to go into the details, but there are alarming in the sense that I, listening to my friend's account of my behavioral patterns, felt this friend was describing the symptoms of some one else!

Needless to say I was taken by surprise. Tomorrow I will be admitted to hospital.

Please, be so kind as to mention me in your prayers.

faithfully,

unworthy seraphim