On 13 September 2015, I served my last Divine Liturgy at St. Michael's in Woonsocket, RI. Although in many ways the situation was ideal (it was an amicable parting; I wasn't driven out by them or by frustration with them), it was still very difficult. I wanted to do it well, for their benefit, for … [Read more...]
The Authority of the Priest
by Fr. Sergei Shveshnikov All too often, a priest acts as if he were a secular leader, a board president, a CEO of a non-profit, a manager of an organization. To be sure, priests do hold a position of authority in the Church. But what kind of authority is it? What kind of headship? I really … [Read more...]
The Priest As A Role Model
by Fr. Vladimir Berzonsky To be a model for others requires an enormous amount of spiritual gifts to offset his glaring imperfections. And if he thinks of himself as a prototype for others, he’s already in trouble. “Be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in fai … [Read more...]
Refresher for the Orthodox Pastor
by Metropolitan Philaret (Voznesensky) 1. Having accepted the grace of ordination, bear in mind of what a gift and of what mercy the Lord has found you worthy – and what responsibility you now bear. A priest is an apostle to his flock. "I do not belong to myself, but to others," said the great R … [Read more...]
How to Avoid the Priesthood
by Fr. Sergei Begian Whoever has been to an ordination knows how grace fills the church at the moment of the imposition of hands…. Joy fills the hearts of those praying, even if they do not personally know the person being consecrated to the priestly rank. With what stateliness and joy do they si … [Read more...]
The Power of the Priestly Cassock
by Fr. Moses Samaan One of the most disturbing ideas I’ve heard in the recent push to “modernize” the Coptic Orthodox Church and make it more “attractive” to people in today’s society is the idea of priests putting aside their priestly cassocks in favor of pants, shirts, and collars, like other we … [Read more...]
Christian Priesthood and Ecclesial Unity
Some Theological and Canonical Considerations by Professor Contantine Scouteris School of Theology of the University of Athens 1. The records of the early Christian tradition leave no doubt that Christian priesthood is not a "function" necessary for the institutional being of the Church. Nor is … [Read more...]
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