New Antiochian monasteries

[Robin Elizabeth]

Hello to all. It seems that the Antiochian church is actively working on founding 2 new womans monasteries in the near future.

If you go here http://ancientfaith.com/podcasts/features/ there is a recorded interview about it from Oct 29th.

I haven't listened to the whole interview yet, but I thought it might be of interest.

[Robert Hegwood]

This is good news to be sure, but a little surprising...at least to me, I thought Metropolitan Philip was not well disposed to monasteries or monastics.

[M.C. Steenberg]

This is encouraging news.

[Robin Elizabeth]

This is good news to be sure, but a little surprising...at least to me, I thought Metropolitan Philip was not well disposed to monasteries or monastics.

I was rather surprised to hear this myself, since I have heard that Metropolitan Philip was strongly opposed to the idea of any monastery being founded within the Antiochian church.

Who knows, maybe enough of his people have gone to other jurisdiction's monasteries to show that an Antiochian monastery would be viable. Whatever the reason, I take it as really good news.

[Matthew Namee]

I don't think Met. Philip is opposed to having monasteries. He's just publicly said that he first wants a monastery at the Antiochian Village in Pennsylvania.

[Alice]

Yes this is good news, indeed.

Monasticism is the right hand of Orthodoxy, and Orthodoxy in this country, until Fr. Ephraim came here, was without it for a very long time...

It is true that some of the jurisdiction's archbishops of decades past (including Met. Phillip) were against monasticism and other Orthodox traditionalisms, thinking them archaic, medieval, etc....

I do not judge, because it was the 'wind' of the modernizing times in this country, and they were just going along with it and doing what they thought was best for Orthodoxy in this country.

Perhaps, at that time, Orthodoxy did need the mainstreaming of those archbishop's visions in order to become better known and accepted to the American public.

Fortunately, however, in the proper time, the winds changed, and God sent traditionalism and monasticism back to us. Also, thank God that those spiritual leaders who had the more liberal outlook reached, or are reaching, their final years in acceptance of these 'winds of change'.

In Christ,
Alice

[Father David Moser]

Yes this is good news, indeed.

Monasticism is the right hand of Orthodoxy, and Orthodoxy in this country, until Fr. Ephraim came here, was without it for a very long time...

Not quite accurate. Holy Trinity Monastery has had a long history here in the US, long predating Fr Ephraim. St Tikhon's also has been in the US an even longer time with a continuing monastic tradition. These are just two examples of monastic life thriving in the US long before Fr Ephraim arrived on the scene.

I would be more accurate perhaps to say that "Greek Orthodoxy in this country ... was without [monasticism]..." or perhaps that "Orthodoxy in this country ... was without Athonite monasticism ..." (but even this is not quite accurate either).

Fr David Moser

[Fr Raphael Vereshack]

Father David Moser wrote:


Not quite accurate...St Tikhon's also has been in the US an even longer time with a continuing monastic tradition.


St Tikhon's monastery was founded in 1905 by the then bishop of N America, Archbishop Tikhon (now St Tikhon).

In Christ- Fr Raphael

[Paul Cowan]

Though it will go outside the scope some what of Andrew's Social Group Friends of Athonite Monasteries in North America (http://www.monachos.net/forum/group.php?groupid=3), I wonder if he would mind if there was a history to each monastery in America for his link. OR if someone would be interested in starting a new Social Group titled "A Biography of Monasteries in the Americas"? A story of the history of the Who, What, When, Where, Why and How of your monastery of choice. Just a thought. I don't mind opening the Group if others will participate. Social groups unfortunately don't get much participation as of late.

Paul

[Robin Elizabeth]

Monasticism is the right hand of Orthodoxy, and Orthodoxy in this country, until Fr. Ephraim came here, was without it for a very long time...

I'm not sure about in the GO church, but in the OCA there were number of monasteries here before Fr. Ephraim arrived.

[Alice]

OOPS! Mea culpa! Please forgive!

I did actually mean Greek Orthodoxy, and was thinking narrowly of (my own) Greek and the Antiochian jurisdictions which had suffered some modernism...and there is always discussion within our jurisdiction about how different American Greek Orthodoxy was evolving because it did not have the synergy of church and monasteries that the 'old country' Greece has.

Again, please forgive me, my Slavic brothers and sisters--whose traditions I truly love, admire and respect! :)

In years past, we had so little contact between us. I rejoice that, through the internet, I have become familiar with the Russian tradition of Orthodoxy and have been able to familiarize myself with it and its great and inspiring saints, and also to worship in its beautiful services at St. Vladimir's seminary and also at the ROCOR headquarters in NYC on the feast day of St. Xenia of Petersburg.

Thank you for taking me to task, Father David...

In Christ,
Alice

[Nina]

Please can you tell me where (which states) the 2 Antiochian monasteries will be built? I do not have a lot of time to listen to the podcast.

[Robin Elizabeth]

Please can you tell me where (which states) the 2 Antiochian monasteries will be built? I do not have a lot of time to listen to the podcast.

The main monastery will be near the Antiochian village in Lingoner, PA and the other in Olympia, WA.

[Father Anthony]

I hate to sound like a grouse and rain on everyone's joy, but there seems to be a question no one has mentioned. Are there any established monastic vocations in the Antiochian Archdiocese? It seems strange to me to be building the physical monastery first and then having to worry about finding vocations to fill it.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

[Herman Blaydoe]

I hate to sound like a grouse and rain on everyone's joy, but there seems to be a question no one has mentioned. Are there any established monastic vocations in the Antiochian Archdiocese? It seems strange to me to be building the physical monastery first and then having to worry about finding vocations to fill it.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

Father bless,

If you listen to the podcast, this is spoken to. How does one try to get something started? Establish facilities and look to God to fill them, or designate people to become monastics? We do what we can and God does the rest, yes?

If you want birds to nest on your property, you can simply wait and hope they show up or you build houses for them.

Or so it seems to this bear of little brain.

Herman the Pooh

[Nina]

The main monastery will be near the Antiochian village in Lingoner, PA and the other in Olympia, WA.

Thank you, dear Robin Elizabeth.

[Father Anthony]

Father bless,

If you listen to the podcast, this is spoken to. How does one try to get something started? Establish facilities and look to God to fill them, or designate people to become monastics? We do what we can and God does the rest, yes?

If you want birds to nest on your property, you can simply wait and hope they show up or you build houses for them.

Or so it seems to this bear of little brain.

Herman the Pooh
Herman,

That sounds good in theory, but a monastery is not a collection of buildings, but a community of monastics. Many may state an interest, but when push comes to shove, will there be a community to occupy these expensive buildings? We seem to have a number of small struggling communities in North America that are growing ever so slowly. The photos of the plans seem like the cost of maintaining these structures would require a sizable and vibrant community for each. What will happen if these communities do not pan out as planned, and the buildings deemed for other use? Will the few monastics that are there be simply be put out?

Just my two cents worth.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

[Marie-Duquette]

Herman,

That sounds good in theory, but a monastery is not a collection of buildings, but a community of monastics. Many may state an interest, but when push comes to shove, will there be a community to occupy these expensive buildings? We seem to have a number of small struggling communities in North America that are growing ever so slowly. The photos of the plans seem like the cost of maintaining these structures would require a sizable and vibrant community for each. What will happen if these communities do not pan out as planned, and the buildings deemed for other use? Will the few monastics that are there be simply be put out?

Just my two cents worth.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

A "mite" added to your $ .02, Father Anthony ...

Perhaps God's ways not being our ways, a little more trust in His Ways might just be the answer, here. With a Monastic Metropolitan having been elected to the OCA, just perhaps a little more emphasis will be placed upon the Monastic Calling in our USA. Seeds having been planted for many a year, just perhaps, -- and this I do believe -- we will all be pleasantly surprised by Joy!

marie+duquette

[Herman Blaydoe]

Herman,

That sounds good in theory, but a monastery is not a collection of buildings, but a community of monastics. Many may state an interest, but when push comes to shove, will there be a community to occupy these expensive buildings? We seem to have a number of small struggling communities in North America that are growing ever so slowly. The photos of the plans seem like the cost of maintaining these structures would require a sizable and vibrant community for each. What will happen if these communities do not pan out as planned, and the buildings deemed for other use? Will the few monastics that are there be simply be put out?

Just my two cents worth.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

The farmer cannot create martins, but he can build the houses for them and hope that they show up. Or they don't, but until the farmer builds the houses, how will he know? Metropolitan Philip cannot create monastics by decree or even by desire, but he can help cultivate a more favorable environment where they might take hold. Or we can wait until God sends us another St. Anthony to America. Or we can do both.

Looks like both of these communities (again, if you bother to listen to the podcast) are not "from scratch", but leverage existing property and facilities, so that "investment" seems relatively minimal if it doesn't work out for whatever reason. Everything will have an alternative use, extra facilities at Ligonier and/or perhaps an Orthodox retreat center in Washington, or we simply let the Byzantine Catholics have it and write it off as a noble attempt if the monastics don't show up. Or the Antiochians can continue to leave it to the Russians and Greeks and Serbians to create all the monasteries. I say the more the merrier. If it works, to God be the Glory. If it doesn't, I don't think there will bankrupt the archdiocese.

Let us build the houses and pray to God to send the martins to fill them.

Or so it seems to this bear of admittedly little brain.

Herman the Pooh

[Father David Moser]

Herman,

That sounds good in theory, but a monastery is not a collection of buildings, but a community of monastics.

And I have known (2 ROCOR) monasteries to begin in both ways. The Hermitage of the Holy Cross in WVa. was a monastic brotherhood of two in temporary quarters. When they were offered the land in WVa. they blossomed into a dynamic monastic foundation. This is an example of the brotherhood pre-existing the buildings. OTOH, the All Merciful Savior Monastery in Seattle was begun as he vision of two monks, who by a herculean effort (if the mythological reference can be applied here) built the monastery from the ground up - with a Church and Trapeza and cells finished long before there were any monks beyond the original two. Now there are new novices coming and a vital monastic life beginning to flourish in the buildings which were erected in faith. Both approaches have demonstrated viable dynamic results. The key is whether or not all is done to the glory of God - not which order it all comes into being.

Fr David Moser

[Alice]

Personally, I think that Father Anthony made some good and valid points...

Maybe it is just me, and I ask the forgiveness of all if it is, but it often seems that when correcting, informing, and educating each other, we sometimes sound like we are taking offense.

In my humble opinion, I think that we need to remember that we all come from different experiences and also from different backgrounds; some of us are cradle, some convert, some well catechised and some not so knowledgeable, some European, some American, some Greek Orthodox and some Antiochian, Russian or Orthodox Church of America, and as such I humbly suggest that perhaps we should laugh with each other more, acknowledge each other more, and appreciate more our common love for Christ and our Orthodox Christianity which can be a beautiful tapestry of various disciplines and traditions--none more correct than the other.

With love in Christ,
Alice :-)

[Robin Elizabeth]

The photos of the plans seem like the cost of maintaining these structures would require a sizable and vibrant community for each.

Dear Father Anthony,

I would be curious to see the plans, where did you find them?

[Robin Elizabeth]

In reality none of us here have any idea if there are any monastics available for the new communities. There could be a few (or more) that have been patiently waiting for a place to go.

Also, my understanding is that there are monastics who had to leave the Antiochians to join monasteries in other jurisditions, perhaps they are planning on returning to the Antiochians to be core monastics for the new monasteries.

In any case, I've always believed in the "if you build it they will come" principle.

[John W.]

Not quite accurate. Holy Trinity Monastery has had a long history here in the US, long predating Fr Ephraim. ).



One of the Fathers at one of Elder Ephraim's monastery said to me (I paraphrase): "We admire the Church Abroad because they had the vision to plant the best of the Russian Orthodox tradition, the tradition of the Optina Elders here in America with the establishment of Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville. We [Elder Ephraim's monasteries] have followed in America to establish the best of the Greek Orthodox tradition, Mount Athos. Both traditions are the same."

I don't know anything about Antiochian monasticism (here and abroad) so I must ask: Is the Antiochian monastic tradition the same as the tradtion of Optina/Mount Athos?

[Herman Blaydoe]

One of the Fathers at one of Elder Ephraim's monastery said to me (I paraphrase): "We admire the Church Abroad because they had the vision to plant the best of the Russian Orthodox tradition, the tradition of the Optina Elders here in America with the establishment of Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville. We [Elder Ephraim's monasteries] have followed in America to establish the best of the Greek Orthodox tradition, Mount Athos. Both traditions are the same."

I don't know anything about Antiochian monasticism (here and abroad) so I must ask: Is the Antiochian monastic tradition the same as the tradtion of Optina/Mount Athos?

Well, it could be said that the tradition of the Syriac Fathers well predates either Optina or Athos by several centuries, the Syrian desert was the birthplace of monasticism after all...

Ironic that the Antiochians in America are so late to the monastic scene...

Herman the ironic Pooh

[M.C. Steenberg]

...the Syrian desert was the birthplace of monasticism after all...

*A* birthplace, dear Herman; not *the*.

INXC, Dcn Matthew

[John W.]

Well, it could be said that the tradition of the Syriac Fathers well predates either Optina or Athos by several centuries, the Syrian desert was the birthplace of monasticism after all...

Ironic that the Antiochians in America are so late to the monastic scene...

Herman the ironic Pooh

Actually, my question was directed to the "so late" or rather "of late" expression of Antiochian monasticism. Will these monasteries be in the tradition of the Desert Fathers and Mothers of old, or is this going to be an American "modern expression" of monasticism (cf. New Skete and the like)?

[Herman Blaydoe]

Actually, my question was directed to the "so late" or rather "of late" expression of Antiochian monasticism. Will these monasteries be in the tradition of the Desert Fathers and Mothers of old, or is this going to be an American "modern expression" of monasticism (cf. New Skete and the like)?

I would think it is a bit too early to say. I suspect that it will depend on where the founding monastics come from. If they choose to adopt wandering Benedictines or import monastics from Old World monasteries will shape what kind of monasteries they become. As I understand it, a women's monastery in the Netherlands has volunteered to take candidates in for training. I have no idea what kind of monastery the Nativity of the Theotokos Monastery for Women in the Netherlands is off-hand.

There seems to be some emphasis at the onset that "community work" and "social outreach" and "external ministry" should be expected. I hope any such will be allowed to grow organically (or not) rather than be imposed.

Herman

[J. Schroer]

Actually, my question was directed to the "so late" or rather "of late" expression of Antiochian monasticism. Will these monasteries be in the tradition of the Desert Fathers and Mothers of old, or is this going to be an American "modern expression" of monasticism (cf. New Skete and the like)?

Would anyone like to sum up for me the essential difference(s) between "old", traditional monasticism, and this "modern expression"? I'd be interested.
thanks,
julian.

[John W.]

Would anyone like to sum up for me the essential difference(s) between "old", traditional monasticism, and this "modern expression"? I'd be interested.
thanks,
julian.


One monastery will teach a man to walk with God. Another monastery will teach a dog to walk with man.

[Herman Blaydoe]

Would anyone like to sum up for me the essential difference(s) between "old", traditional monasticism, and this "modern expression"? I'd be interested.
thanks,
julian.

There is a feeling in certain circles that some Orthodox monasteries founded in America present a "watered-down" monasticism that tends to emphasize social outreach over the goal of prayer and theosis. Examples often cited are New Skete (OCA), founded by former Catholic monastics who raise and train guide dogs for the blind, and All Merciful Savior (ROCOR) who merchandize "Monastery Blend Coffee".

We want our monasteries to be "self-supporting" but find fault with how they choose to do so. Tis another conundrum, at least to this bear of little brain.

Herman the Pooh

[Father Anthony]

There is a feeling in certain circles that some Orthodox monasteries founded in America present a "watered-down" monasticism that tends to emphasize social outreach over the goal of prayer and theosis. Examples often cited are New Skete (OCA), founded by former Catholic monastics who raise and train guide dogs for the blind, and All Merciful Savior (ROCOR) who merchandize "Monastery Blend Coffee".

We want our monasteries to be "self-supporting" but find fault with how they choose to do so. Tis another conundrum, at least to this bear of little brain.

Herman the Pooh
Actually I am going to jump in here. As far as monasticism is concerned, prayer is the cornerstone of any community. As for any of the communities mentioned above, "traditional" or "watered down" (I hate these titles) their websites and from what has been reported by others, they meet this criteria. How they perform an obedience to sustain their communities is as wide open as can be imagined and the talents of the members of the community. Just because they may raise dogs (which brings in a hefty amount per animal, along with their training materials and videos) or roast and sell coffee, does not make it an anti-traditional community, just one that is using their talents to help sustain themselves. There are communities that can be termed traditional that offer services such as drug rehabilitation and other innovative services of this kind.

What is anti-traditional, are communities that have little or no obedience to sustain themselves other than living off donations of the faithful and constantly soliciting such. The monastic fathers speak volumes concerning this.

Just offering my thoughts.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

[Father David Moser]

Examples often cited are New Skete (OCA), founded by former Catholic monastics who raise and train guide dogs for the blind, and All Merciful Savior (ROCOR) who merchandize "Monastery Blend Coffee".

I don't know about New Skete since I have never been there (although some of their iconography gives me pause), however, I have been to All Merciful Savior (many many times and have been closely involved with the growth and building of the monastery over at least the past decade). I can say with confidence born of frequent and oft repeated experience that the coffee business has absolutely nothing to do with the monastic life at All Merciful Savior and that their monastic life there is as traditional as possible (given some of the physical circumstances with which they have to work). If one were to visit, one would find that there are morning and evening services and that during the day the monks and novices work at their obediences just as one would expect in any monastery (no different from the work on the farm at Holy Trinity, Jordanville). The monastery does, in fact, have a significant social outreach to their local community, which again does not take away from their life of prayer but tends to markedly enhance the awareness of the Orthodox Church among the other residents of the island.

Fr David Moser

[M.C. Steenberg]

And just to put things in perspective, there are plenty of Athonite monasteries that make and sell wine, tea, etc. Earning income to support one's life is hardly anti-monastic or anti-traditional.

The key is reception. Monastic life is a life received. One cannot invent it: one must receive it. It must be traditioned, handed down. It is received as an act of submission, of obedience, of self-denial. This is at its very heart. New monasteries will blossom if they receive their life, rather than attempt to create or invent it.

INXC, Dcn Matthew

[Olga]

My ten cents' worth:

Of course a monastery has every right to earn its keep. "Traditional" means for this are, among other activities, the production of vestments and prayer ropes, the making of incense, candles (through the keeping of bees and the harvesting of beeswax), breadbaking, fishing, cultivation of grapes and wine production, olive cultivation (producing olive oil and pickled olives), translating and publishing of Orthodox materials, and painting (and/or printing and mounting) of icons. Western European monasteries since the Middle Ages are similarly famous for their baking, brewing and publishing endeavours.

What I find objectionable about the New Skete monastery is not the way they earn their keep (be it by training dogs or by the baking of "gourmet" cheesecakes), but in their dubious praxes, such as their suspect "iconography", the routine eating of meat by their monastics, and their apparent liturgical veneration of a post-schism western saint (St Francis of Assisi) who is not found in any Orthodox calendar.

[Father Anthony]

My ten cents' worth:

What I find objectionable about the New Skete monastery is not the way they earn their keep (be it by training dogs or by the baking of "gourmet" cheesecakes), but in their dubious praxes, such as their suspect "iconography", the routine eating of meat by their monastics, and their apparent liturgical veneration of a post-schism western saint (St Francis of Assisi) who is not found in any Orthodox calendar.
Fair enough as far as criticism goes, but before you take a swipe at their iconography, just be advised the iconographer that did their church's frescoes was from Jordanville monastery. This is not any secret.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

[M.C. Steenberg]

We've another thread in the forum on New Skete, which has addressed its iconography and other matters. I wonder if we might try to keep this thread from re-hashing that.

Many thanks, INXC, Dcn Matthew

[Andreas Moran]

Kykkos monastery in Cyprus is well-known for its wines and liqueurs and the Tsantali company markets monastery wines in Greece. I'm not entirely persuaded that this a good thing. I prefer the regime at Stavrovouni in Cyprus.

[John W.]

One monastery will teach a man to walk with God. Another monastery will teach a dog to walk with man.

Moving pictures are worth a thousand words:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRf-el9nkxo&feature=related


http://video.aol.com/partner/animalplanet/divine-canine-shorts-training-tip-1/3404312eaba14fd1f1d40781dbce56f22446d6e5

[Robin Elizabeth]

It is possible to have prayer and theosis while having social outreach. While reading this thread I was reminded of the life of St Elizabeth the New Martyr who was greatly criticized during her lifetime for founding a monastery that focused on social work.

[Robin Elizabeth]

Moving pictures are worth a thousand words:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRf-el9nkxo&feature=related


http://video.aol.com/partner/animalplanet/divine-canine-shorts-training-tip-1/3404312eaba14fd1f1d40781dbce56f22446d6e5

These two videos actually prove nothing since you are comparing apples and oranges. Although both men might be monks the videos were made for very different reasons. One is talking directly about the spiritual life. The other is passing on his knowledge about dog training. There is nothing "un-orthodox" about a monk passing on his skills to others, or in raising animals to support a monastery (in fact animal husbandry has long been an area in which monks excelled). And there is no way of knowing the spiritual life of a monastic from watching him walk a dog for 2 minutes.

[Alice]

It is possible to have prayer and theosis while having social outreach. While reading this thread I was reminded of the life of St Elizabeth the New Martyr who was greatly criticized during her lifetime for founding a monastery that focused on social work.

I agree. There are so many different ways to serve God, and we all don't fit in the same mold in our lives as lay people, just as monastics don't all fit into the same mold in their lives of consecration to serve God.

This also reminds me of the different lives of saints. Today we celebrate the feast day of St. Philaret of Arnia, who was married with children, and was, for much of his life a member of the upper class of his time...yet, his compassion for the poor, the needy, and the destitute, both in his rich times and during the trials of his poor times, was so praise worthy, that like St. Job of the Old Testament, God rewarded him.

Then there are the many monastic saints who were ascetics and lived a life of retreat and/or self deprivation, and there are those who were not, like St. Nektarios..who wished to serve humanity through the Church.

In Christ,
Alice

[Nina]

Today we celebrate the feast day of St. Philaret of Arnia,
Alice

Of Amnia. :)

[Alice]

Of Amnia. :)

LOL!!! EEEK! That is what happens when you aren't thinking when you write!! *wink*

I have NO idea where in the world that came from!

Any moderator here who reads this, I would appreciate a correction. Thanks!

[John W.]

And there is no way of knowing the spiritual life of a monastic from watching him walk a dog for 2 minutes.

Okay, but I'm pretty sure we can know something of the spiritual life of a monastery by what they write about Walking with Dog.

Check out the New Skete tome entitled: I & Dog

I & Dog is based on the work of Martin Buber, a Jewish philosopher who penned a classic in the philosophy of religion, I And Thou.

Buber presented God as the Eternal Thou, whom man can meet in all relationships and not only in solitude.

Where Buber presented the Eternal Thou to us, New Skete give us the Eternal Bow-Wow.

Re: I & Thou [Brother]Christopher said, "We could do worse than learn from dogs, about ourselves, about our spirituality, about God."

Personally, I can't think of a worse way to learn about God, our spirituality and about ourselves than to learn about these things from dogs. Now my cat on the other hand, likes Znammeny chant, venerates icons and sits on my shoulder during my prayer rule...but I digress.

Some other learn-ings from the book:

"Dogs mirror us back to ourselves in unmistakable ways that, if we are open, foster true understanding and change....When we take seriously the words they speak to us about ourselves, we stand face to face with the truth of the matter. We must learn to reflect on these words -- they are inscribed on the bodies, in their expressions, in the way they approach and interact with us."

"By their very nature and need, dogs draw us out of ourselves: they root us in nature, making us more conscious of the mystery of God inherent in all things."

"The biggest problem with dogs is that they don't live long enough. They always seem to leave us when we're most vulnerable, most in need of their biased, affirming presence. Dogs make us believe we can actually be as they see us, and it's often only when they're gone that we realize their role in what we've become."

May God save us from any more of this kind of "modern" monasticism!

[Nina]

LOL!!! EEEK! That is what happens when you aren't thinking when you write!! *wink*

I have NO idea where in the world that came from!

Any moderator here who reads this, I would appreciate a correction. Thanks!

No problem! My typos are endless and grammar fails. Just wanted to have friends here learn the correct name since he is a newly introduced saint in our forum. Plus I was wondering if you were thinking about lamb meat! ;) Hugs in Christ,
n

[Fr Raphael Vereshack]

Originally Posted by Alice


Today we celebrate the feast day of St. Philaret of Arnia,


Then from Nina:


Of Amnia. :)

Well at least it wasn't St Philaret of Narnia.

Too much watching of certain TV commercials.

[Nina]

Well at least it wasn't St Philaret of Narnia.

Too much watching of certain TV commercials.

:D Father you made my morning! :)

I have to explain also about arnia because arni = 'lamb meat' in Greek. :)

[M.C. Steenberg]

Well at least it wasn't St Philaret of Narnia.


I have been unable to leave my little cottage today, due to heavy snows in the north of England. The whole day has seemed a little surreal, with the radically different views outside the window and such; and then I signed on and saw 'St Philaret of Narnia', and was sure I was in a bizarre dream.

[Robert Hegwood]

".....Dogs make us believe we can actually be as they see us, and it's often only when they're gone that we realize their role in what we've become."

May God save us from any more of this kind of "modern" monasticism!

"A dog is better than I am, for he has love and does not judge." - St. Xanthias

Hmmmmm.

[John W.]

"A dog is better than I am, for he has love and does not judge." - St. Xanthias

Hmmmmm.

Hmmmm, indeed! You won't Abba Xanthias at New Skete, but at Old Scetis.

[Herman Blaydoe]

It is one thing to point out one's concerns about something. This can be done strongly with cautions, or lightly with humor. It is something else altogether to denigrate or ridicule something simply because you disagree with it. This is neither respectful nor polite. Hopefully we can keep this discussion civil.

Or so it seems to this bear of little brain.

Herman the Pooh

[John W.]

Hmmmm, indeed! You won't Abba Xanthias at New Skete, but at Old Scetis.


Meant to type:

You won't find Abba Xanthias at New Skete, but at Old Scetis.

[John W.]

Hopefully we can keep this discussion civil.

Or so it seems to this bear of little brain.

Herman the Pooh

"We can't all, and some of us don't. That's all there is to it." - Eeyore