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.

Ordination at Christminster

Brother Joseph (del Giorno), a monk at the Benedictine Monastery of Christ the Savior in Hamilton, Ontario, was ordained to the deaconate by the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad's Bishop Jerome (Shaw) of Manhattan this past Saturday. The ordination services were celebrated according to the Roman Rite as it is observed at the Monastery and were well attended by Orthodox and non-Orthodox alike.

Bishop Jerome stayed at the Monastery for the weekend to celebrate a pontifical Sunday Mass and formally install Dom James (Deschene) as abbot, although he has served as abbot of Christ the Savior for several years now. More on both Saturday and Sunday's services can be found here.

Pictured is Bishop Jerome (vested according to the practice of the Roman Rite) as he gives the pontifical blessing at the end of this past weekend's ordination Mass.

Bright Saturday Gathering in NYC

In keeping with the new custom of the patriarchal Russian Orthodox representation in the USA, this past Bright Saturday the rectors of the representation's parishes and monasteries assembled at New York's Cathedral of St. Nicholas to concelebrate the Paschal Divine Liturgy with Archbishop Justinian (Ovchinnikov) of Narofominsk and meet with one another.

This year's celebrations included Bishop Jerome (Shaw) of Manhattan and other clergymen of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, who participated in the gathering with the blessing of Metropolitan Hilarion (Kapral) of New York. More (in Russian) 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.

"On Intrigues in the Church"

An excellent sermon delivered by Bishop Jerome (Shaw) of Manhattan on the Sunday of Orthodoxy can be found here.

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.

Upcoming Commemoration of Metropolitan Philaret of New York

On the twenty-fifth anniversary of the repose of Metropolitan Philaret (Voznesensky) of New York he will be remembered at the festal services for the Archangels by both the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad and Bishop Jerome of Manhattan, who will serve at his crypt in the Jordanville Monastery. Metropolitan Philaret is widely venerated as a confessor, both within the Russian Orthodox Church and in other Local Orthodox Churches. His relics were also found to be incorrupt when they were translated to their present resting place in 2008.

The announcement on the upcoming services can be found here.