by St. Nikolai Velimirovich "And when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them" (Acts of the Apostles 6:6). By laying their hands on the chosen faithful, the apostles consecrated bishops, priests and deacons. It is apparent from this that the Christian Faith is not only a teaching, but … [Read more...]
Between Heaven and Earth: Pastoral Reflections on the Psychodynamics of the Clergy Family
by the Rev. Vasileios Thermos, M.D., Ph.D. Our family is a special gift of God in our lives. It is through our family that we struggle for salvation, for personal integration, for well-being. The apostolic tradition of a married priesthood should be considered an invaluable blessing of God in … [Read more...]
In The Shadow Of The Priest
Here at GGWB, we are often asked by women whose husbands are looking ahead to ordination - "What is my job? What will I be expected to do? I can't handle that!" My answer is very simple: The priest's wife has one job - to care for her husband and children. Anything else is of secondary … [Read more...]
The Perils Of The Priesthood
by Fr. Patrick Henry Reardon Ever since reading it a half-century ago, I have wondered how anyone familiar with St. John Chrysostom's treatise on ordination could still summon the nerve to go through with the rite. The message of that book seemed to be: "Go ahead, fool, get yourself ordained; … [Read more...]
On The Priesthood
by Fr. Aris Metrakos Even after two thousand years of Christian history, the ordained priesthood remains a "mystery" in every sense of the term. Why do some men who are called to this role fail miserably while others succeed? Can seminarians be prepared for the presbytery in a way that is … [Read more...]
The Priesthood As Vocation
". . . the priesthood unites all of the callings to which man may respond and cannot be thought of as just one of them. " INTRODUCTION Since it is the divine grace that elevates a man, through the laying-on-of hands, to be a priest, it is clear that the priesthood is unlike any other vocation … [Read more...]
Priests and the Importance of Fatherhood
Many thoughtful people today recognize that the United States—and indeed much of Western society—is in a cultural crisis. It takes little reflection to note that this crisis is centered in the family. The increase in divorce, the decrease in the number of marriages, increased numbers of cohabiting … [Read more...]
