Western Rites Conference Takes Place in Upstate New York

The 2011 Western Rites Conference of the Western Rites Vicariate of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) has successfully taken place in upstate New York with the participation of Bishop Jerome (Shaw) of Manhattan and clergy and faithful of the Western Rites Vicariates of both the ROCOR and the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of North America.

The Conference discussed pastoral issues in the life of the Western Rites parishes and included the daily celebration of the divine services, including a pontifical Mass in Latin celebrated by Bishop Jerome. More on the Conference's proceedings can be found here.

2011 Western Orthodox Conference Announced

It has been announced that the Western Rites conference being sponsored by the Fraternity of St. Gregory the Great for the Western Orthodox clergy and faithful of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia will be held this October at a retreat center in upstate New York. The conference will also be open to the Western Orthodox clergy and faithful of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of North America. More here.

Decisions Taken on Jerusalem, Western Rites by ROCOR Synod

At its recent session the full Synod Abroad of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) took several decisions regarding the life of the ROCOR, among them organizing a stavropeghial vicariate under the supervision of Bishop Jerome (Shaw) of Manhattan for the care of the ROCOR's Western Orthodox faithful, the appointment of Hegumen Tikhon (Amelchenya) as head of the Synodal Russian Orthodox Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem, the elevation of Bishop Gabriel (Chemodakov) of Montreal to the rank of archbishop, and the blessing of a request that the Kursk-Root Icon visit the Orthodox Church in Kazakhstan.

In addition to the reports on the dioceses by its members the Synod Abroad also heard a report from Archbishop Justinian (Ovchinnikov) of Narofominsk on the state of the patriarchal Russian Orthodox representation to the American Orthodox Church (OCA) in the United States. Bishop Job (Smakouz) of Kashira, head of the patriarchal Russian Orthodox representation to the Canadian Orthodox Church (OCA), was not present at the session. More here.

New Western Rites Priest Ordained in Minnesota

Bishop Jerome (Shaw) of Manhattan, auxiliary to the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, has ordained Philip Ramstad to the holy priesthood to serve the Church of Sts. Aidan and Cuthbert in St. Paul, Minnesota. Axios! More here.

Correction (2/5/2011): Reader Philip Ramstad was ordained to the deaconate on 28 April by Archbishop Justinian (Ovchinnikov) of Narofominsk at the Cathedral of our Lady of the Sign in New York, but has not yet been ordained to the priesthood.

Ordination at Christminster in May

Bishop Jerome (Shaw) of Manhattan of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad will be visiting Christ the Savior Monastery in Hamilton, Ontario, this coming May for an ordination in the Monastery's church. The ordination Mass will be the first pontifical (hierarchical) Mass served in the Roman Rite since 1967. More here.

St. Gregory the Great

Joyous feast! Pope St. Gregory the Great of Rome was one of the great lights of the Church of the West and many continue to read his writings throughout the Orthodox world. He is so esteemed in the East that a service, the Presanctified Liturgy, is attributed to him, while the West remembers him as the last great reformer of the Mass of the Roman Rite, whose last significant changes in form and content took place during his papacy. More on his life can be found here. May his blessing and prayers be with us all!

Antiochian and Russian Orthodox Clergy Discuss North American Western Rites Outreach

The leaders of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of North America's Western Rites Vicariate met this past Wednesday with Metropolitan Hilarion (Kapral) of New York, Bishop Jerome (Shaw) of Manhattan, and other clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad to discuss the state of the Antiochian and Russian Orthodox Churches Western Rites outreach in North America and means for the closer cooperation of the two jurisdictions in this outreach. More here.

New Clergy for ROCOR Western Rites Communities

New clergy are to be ordained for the Western Rites missionary outreach of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad in North America. More here.

Icon of Charles I

The monthly newsletter of St. Mark's Church in Denver has an icon of Anglican King Charles I of England (killed for his perceived sympathy for Roman Catholicism) in its February edition. Check it out here. Francis of Assisi, Charles I - perhaps Mahatma Gandhi could be the next candidate for addition to the repertoire of Orthodox iconographers?

Western Orthodox Novice to be Blessed at St. Eanswythe's in Dorset

The last Sunday of this month a Western Orthodox missionary priest in the UK serving under Metropolitan Hilarion (Kapral) of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad will bless a novice at St. Eanswythe's Mission in Christchurch, Dorset, prior to the celebration of the Holy Mass. God grant her many years! More here.

New Western Rites Communities to be Received into the ROCOR

Glory to God for all things! The former exarchate of the Alexandrian Orthodox Church in North America, a Western Orthodox movement following the Roman Rite, is being received into the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad! Their hierarchs will be received as priests, but altogether the churches and missions of the movement will constitute the ROCOR's first Western Rites deanery in North America! (For the time being the Western Rites communities of the ROCOR are stavropeghial under the Metropolitan of New York.) Hat tip to Michael for the good news!