Tag: Christianity

On June 1, Archbishop José H. Gomez will ordain 11 new priests for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.

In the days leading up to their ordination, we’ll be introducing a new soon-to-be Father. Los Angeles, meet your new priests!

Age: 33

Hometown: Baldwin Park

Home parish: St. John the Baptist Church, Baldwin Park

Parish assignment: St. Anthony Church, Oxnard

In trying to figure out what to do with his life, Alejandro Reynaga went through a lot of schooling.

Sierra Vista High School in Baldwin Park. Pasadena City College. Cal State Dominguez Hills.

He was a nursing major. Then, pharmacy. Finally, psychology.

He was going to be a pharmacist. No, a therapist.

“I don’t regret any of it,” Reynaga said. “I’ve enjoyed learning everything I have as much of a struggle as it’s been.

“I’d do it all again.”

What he didn’t realize until later was the work he had been doing as a catechist teaching confirmation class was setting him up to be what God wanted for him.

Growing up the middle child of a family of three children, Reynaga was raised Catholic, but it wasn’t until his first Communion that he truly felt at home in the Church.

He hadn’t yet thought of the priesthood but felt strongly that he was called to serve.

“I always knew I wanted to go back to the church and serve one way or another,” Reynaga said. “And the same thing happened when I was in the confirmation program. I remember that’s when I really decided that at some point in the future, I would go back and probably teach, volunteer and give back what I had received.” 

A few years later he got his wish as both he and his younger sister became confirmation teachers. It was in doing those duties and working with young people where he felt most satisfied and began setting his sights even higher.

“I was inspired by them to continue living my life for Christ,” Reynaga said. “I think I always knew that I was doing God’s work. Even in difficult moments, going to school and working and still wanting to go back and share my faith with the kids, with the teens was something that I felt very fulfilling.”

The thought of religious life occurred to him in an unlikely place: History class.

During a discussion of the Middle Ages, his teacher spoke about how the monks lived and their prayer life. Reynaga thought that maybe one day he might, but since he was young, that was a long way off.

“I didn’t know that young people could actually live a life like that,” Reynaga said. “I didn’t know that they could live a life devoted to God, which I wish I had known, but I guess I found that out later.”

Thinking he might want to live religious life as a monk or in a community, he began attending discernment retreats, including with the Discalced Carmelites. But ultimately, he realized that he was being called to the priesthood, so he called the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and applied for the seminary.

What Reynaga is most looking forward to in becoming a priest is to continually grow into being a spiritual father for those who need it.

“I’m looking forward to growing in that understanding,” he said. “I hear a lot of the priests and recently ordained that after ordination, there’s a change. You definitely recognize it. So I’m looking forward to seeing that and hoping that those changes are something that I come to grow into.”

Recognizing that we’re living in as distracted a world as ever, Reynaga hopes to cut through it all to announce the love of Jesus Christ.

“I know that’s a tall order, especially now when there’s so many other loud voices and so much noise,” he said. “But it’s to quickly or slowly reintroduce Jesus into the world. 

“It’s an uphill battle, but we’re fighting it together. We’re doing what we can to be united and deliver the Gospel.”

Kiev, May 17, 2024

  

Despite the ongoing state persecution against it, the Holy Dormition-Kiev Caves Lavra held a festive celebration yesterday in honor of the great St. Theodosius of the Kiev Caves.

This year marks the 950th anniversary of the repose of the founder of cenobitic monasticism in ancient Rus’ and abbot of the Kiev Caves from 1062 to 1074.

Services began on the eve of the feast with Small Vespers and the Akathist to St. Theodosius in the Church of St. Agapit, the Lavra reports.

    

Later in the evening, the All-Night Vigil was celebrated by His Eminence Metropolitan Anthony of Boryspil and Brovary, His Eminence Metropolitan Kliment of Nizhyn and Priluki, His Grace Bishop Spyridon of Vishneve, the monastery clergy, and visiting clergy.

Two Liturgies were also celebrated the next morning, including in the cave church named for St. Theodoius, served by his namesake Archimandrite Theodosius. The Liturgy in the Church of St. Agapit was celebrated by five hierarchs, led by Met. Anthony. Prayers for peace in Ukraine were offered at all services.

Following the service, a moleben and magnification to St. Theodosius were served, with a prayer to the great monastic father.

The services in the St. Agapit Church were broadcast live. Watch the All-Night Vigil:

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Watch the Divine Liturgy:

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Meanwhile, His Eminence Metropolitan Pavel of Vyshgorod and Chernobyl, abbot of the Lavra for the past 30 years, was forced to celebrate the feast in his house church, where he is being held under house arrest under the state that is actively persecuting the Orthodox Church.

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The Vatican has published new norms for the church to discern alleged supernatural phenomena, such as Marian apparitions and mystical visions, which streamline the discernment process for bishops, allow the Vatican to avoid making definitive judgments on the authenticity of the events and reaffirm that Catholics are not obliged to believe in the purported phenomena.

In the document released May 17, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, laid out six possible conclusions that can be reached when discerning a possible supernatural phenomenon, ranging from a declaration that an event is not of supernatural origin to authorizing and promoting piety and devotion associated with a phenomenon without affirming its divine nature.

The significant development in the text, signed by Pope Francis, is that “as a rule, neither the Diocesan Bishop, nor the Episcopal Conferences, nor the Dicastery will declare that these phenomena are of supernatural origin,” though “the Holy Father can authorize a special procedure in this regard.”

Rather, declarations of supernatural authenticity “are replaced either by a ‘nihil obstat’” — a judgment meaning “no objection” that finds no problematic elements with a reported phenomenon — “or by another determination that is suited to the specific situation,” Cardinal Fernández wrote in his presentation of the new norms.

If a “nihil obstat” is issued in response to alleged supernatural phenomena, “the Diocesan Bishop is encouraged to appreciate the pastoral value of this spiritual proposal, and even to promote its spread, including possibly through pilgrimages to a sacred site,” but “without expressing any certainty about the supernatural authenticity of the phenomenon itself,” the guidelines said.

Other conclusions may require bishops: to further discern events that have positive aspects but also some signs of confusion; to intervene directly against people who are misusing a phenomenon for personal gain; to publicly forbid adherence to a phenomenon deemed to have serious risks; or declare that a phenomenon is decidedly not supernatural based on concrete evidence or proof that it was false.

Another conclusion specifically addresses phenomena with “various or significant” negative or “critical elements” but have “already spread widely” and have led to verifiable spiritual fruits. “In this situation, a ban that could upset the People of God is not recommended,” the guidelines said. “Nevertheless, the Diocesan Bishop is asked not to encourage this phenomenon but to seek out alternative expressions of devotion and possibly reorient its spiritual and pastoral aspects.”

Cardinal Fernández wrote that the possibility of concluding the discernment process with a “nihil obstat,” as opposed to declaring the phenomenon is true and worthy of belief, is meant to “prevent any further delays in the resolution of a specific case involving an event of alleged supernatural origin.”

He also cited historical instances of bishops issuing definitive statements that appear to oblige the faithful in their dioceses to believe the authenticity of certain supernatural phenomena.

“These expressions conflicted with the Church’s own conviction that the faithful did not have to accept the authenticity of these events,” the cardinal wrote, and they “effectively oriented the faithful to think they had to believe in these phenomena, which sometimes were valued more than the Gospel itself.”

Citing Pope Benedict XVI, Cardinal Fernández wrote that a “nihil obstat” allows the faithful to believe certain phenomena “in a prudent manner” but that their devotion “is not obligatory.”

The cardinal said such a response “naturally leaves open the possibility that, in monitoring how the devotion develops, a different response may be required in the future.”

The document explained that the procedures for discerning alleged supernatural phenomena previously followed were approved by St. Paul VI in 1978, more than four decades ago, and remained confidential until they were officially published in 2011.

Yet since those norms were put into practice, “it became evident that decisions took an excessively long time, sometimes spanning several decades,” it said, noting that “since 1950, no more than six cases have been officially resolved, even though such phenomena have increased without clear guidance and with the involvement of people from many Dioceses.”

“This way of proceeding, which has caused considerable confusion, shows how the 1978 Norms are no longer adequate to guide the actions of the Bishops and the Dicastery,” the cardinal wrote.

In its introduction, the document also noted that with “the advent of modern means of communication, these phenomena can attract the attention of many believers or cause confusion among them.”

A revision process of the 1978 norms began in 2019, and the current document began being prepared in 2023, it said.

The document laid out procedures for bishops to follow in investigating supernatural phenomena in their territory and explained their responsibility to formulate a final judgment on them, from among the six conclusions provided, to be sent to the dicastery for approval. In fact, the new norms assure bishops that the dicastery will be more explicitly involved in working with them if they need to conduct an investigation. The bishop’s decision must be sent first to the dicastery before it is made public and the dicastery will have the power to intervene at any time.

The procedures said that a bishop must “refrain from making any public statements in favor of the authenticity or supernatural nature of such phenomena, and from having any personal connection with them.”

If forms of devotion arise in connection with an alleged supernatural event, “the Diocesan Bishop has the serious obligation of initiating a comprehensive canonical investigation as soon as possible to safeguard the Faith and prevent abuses,” the document said.

The bishop should also “prevent the spread of confused religious manifestations or the dissemination of any materials pertaining to the alleged supernatural phenomenon — such as the weeping of sacred images; the sweating, bleeding, or mutation of consecrated hosts, etc. — to avoid fueling a sensationalistic climate,” it said.

Outlining the norms for the investigative phase, the document said the positive criteria to consider in response to a supernatural phenomenon entail the credibility of persons involved with the events, the doctrinal orthodoxy of the phenomenon and messages associated with it, the spontaneity of the event and the fruits that it bears in the life of the Christian community.

Negative criteria, on the other hand, involve potential doctrinal errors associated with the event, the rise of a sectarian spirit revolving around it, an overt pursuit of personal gain or gravely immoral actions committed by those involved in the phenomenon and psychological or psychopathic tendencies among those who may have been influenced by the phenomenon.

If a bishop is granted a “nihil obstat” by the dicastery regarding an alleged supernatural phenomenon, the document said a bishop will indicate that the faithful “are authorized to give to it their adherence in a prudent manner,” while ensuring they “do not consider any of the determinations as an approval of the supernatural nature of the phenomenon itself.”

If a precautionary or negative determination is made, the bishop “must formally make it known,” using clear and understandable language and considering whether to make known the doctrinal reasons for the decision, the norms said.

During Holy Week, ecclesiastical media reported news of the ordination of a liturgical deaconess in one of the churches in Zimbabwe, Africa, affiliated with the Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria. I won’t delve into the subject of ordaining a deaconess. That’s a matter I’ll leave to theologians and synods, for now. In this article, I’ll simply raise some questions stemming from this event. Such an event requires Orthodox consensus, as any ecclesiastical action outside Orthodox consensus and unanimity poses a danger and leads to undesirable consequences. How much more so a matter as sensitive as this, especially at this time, would be considered a step towards the ordination of women to the priesthood.

There is no doubt that a deep and faithful study of the Christian heritage, especially the Orthodox one, and the pastoral needs required by the Church in today’s world, is urgently needed for this topic. However, resorting to individual decisions remains more dangerous than any step its proponents might perceive as beneficial to the Church. Theological studies require scientific honesty and objectivity, not manipulation of information to serve personal agendas. Here, the role of the pure saints, not just scholars and researchers, is highlighted, lest we negate what we have been saying for centuries, that theology is the experience of God’s presence, not just rational or philosophical thinking.

My deliberations stem from a concern for Orthodox unity, which I see in danger due to the absence of dialogue among the churches and the spread of individualism within them, to the point where the fear of following the footsteps of Protestant-type individualism is imminent. May God protect us from replacing Orthodox unity with an Orthodox union.

The existence of Notes on the order of deaconesses in the Eastern Church (3rd-12th century)Deaconesses as a canonical order first appear in the third-century Didascalia.

“>deaconesses in the early Church needs further clarification. Our historical information does not confirm that all churches witnessed the service of deaconesses, but rather some, especially large churches and in major cities. Moreover, the distinction between the service of deaconesses and the service of widows also needs further exploration. Our available information indicates that the service of deaconesses included several aspects, such as guarding and overseeing the women’s section in the church; according to the social custom in the past, women and men each stood in designated areas of the nave. Also, deaconesses assisted women in baptisms, such as anointing their bodies with oil. Furthermore, deaconesses may have been responsible for teaching women, but not all scholars agree on this. In the fourth service, based on the social tradition of the past, deaconesses accompanied women when they needed to meet with the bishop, as it was forbidden for a bishop to meet with a woman alone.

There came a time when this ministry fell into disuse in the Church. We do not know the exact reasons for its disappearance. Don’t we need studies to show the reasons why? Don’t we need to clarify its fields of service before adopting it in our churches? Is its acceptance consistent with Orthodox tradition and understanding of the ordained priesthood? Can it be limited to educational service and service of love in all its forms? What are the boundaries between this ministry and the ministry of the faithful (laity)? What are the motives behind giving it a liturgical role? Why is this role necessary?

If this type of service is authentic, should we demand it, and does the Church really need it? To what extent do we demand it as influenced by humanistic and feminist movements? What is motivating the Church to activate its pastoral service: theological thought or worldly thought? How does the Church respond to the faith, moral, and humanitarian challenges facing today’s societies? On what basis does the Church build its pastoral programs, social or theological?

Moreso, what is the effect of accepting deaconesses and female priests in non-Orthodox churches that have adopted this phenomenon? Has this acceptance increased their spiritual and numerical growth, or the opposite? Is accepting deaconesses a first step towards accepting priestesses? What would be the effect of having male and female priests on the spiritual and theological concept of the “The Priesthood is the Most Terrible Thing on Earth”Even if I had graduated from all the schools of this world, even the highest schools, not a single one of them would have been as useful for me as the school of sufferings.

“>priesthood? To what extent does this contribute to the secularization or degeneration of the priesthood and considering it a religious function? What is the psychological effect of having both sexes around the Holy Table?

Where will the Orthodox Church end up if each church continues to adopt what it deems appropriate without consulting and agreeing among all Orthodox churches? Where is the collective spirit that distinguishes Orthodoxy? What about the unity of the Faith? And what will unite Orthodox Churches if practices without unanimous agreement begin to appear here and there?

Do those who applaud the emergence of deaconesses think about the future of Orthodox unity? How do we know if we are allowing the Holy Spirit to work and create new talents? How do we know if we are limiting It within the framework of our limited thinking? Are we submitting It to our personal desires and visions?

I won’t add any more questions here, although they would be necessary if we truly want to be honest, faithful, and pure in every work we do in the Church. The pain from what is happening stifles me.

I hope that some of these questions encourage a few sincere, honest, and humble persons to pause before proceeding with individualism that increases divisions and creates new schisms.

British pro-life campaigners have vowed to step up opposition to law changes that would lift all restrictions on abortion and called on church leaders to speak up more forcefully.

“It’s time to remove the smokescreen of counterfeit compassion — I was delighted to see so many saying no to abortion up to birth,” said Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, director of the March for Life organization in the U.K.

“All religious leaders should be speaking out on this key Gospel value — the dignity of life, created in God’s image and likeness. Abortion has profoundly negative physical, mental and spiritual effects on women and men, and we need to pray for and support our religious leaders in witnessing with truth and courage,” she said.

The lay Catholic spoke after a May 15 mass rally outside the Parliament in Westminster against proposed amendments to a government-backed Criminal Justice Bill, which would drastically liberalize pregnancy terminations.

In an OSV News interview, she said over 800 medical practitioners also had written to legislators urging them not to back the amendments, adding that her own group would join others in highlighting the risks of late-term abortions in private homes.

Meanwhile, another campaigner said the rally had depended on close cooperation between “all major pro-life groups,” who would continue lobbying members of parliament to ensure “as robust an opposition as possible.”

However, he also criticized British church leaders for “rarely speaking up for life,” despite “many opportunities” to do so.

“From the outside, they seem afraid — there’s also a managerial, marketing culture that seeks to avoid saying anything which might lead to negative headlines,” Paul Huxley, communications manager with the Christian Concern advocacy group, told OSV News.

“But as shepherds of the church, this is their job, and their failure to speak merely helps sideline Christians in cultural debates, putting more pressure on ordinary Christians who faithfully uphold life,” he said. “Happily, that hasn’t stopped all Protestants and Catholics from standing up for life — and we’ll be praying wholeheartedly that God will bless our efforts.”

But in a May 13 statement, Bishop Mark Davies of Shrewsbury said it was unusual for Catholic bishops to comment on parliamentary bills, adding that lay Christians held different views “freely and sincerely” on current problems and challenges.

However, he added that pro-life groups were right to stress the draconian nature of the proposed amendments, which threatened “the foundations of the sanctity of human life on which our society has been built.”

The May 15 rally took place as British members of Parliament, or MPs, met for the “report stage” of the bill, widely seen as heralding the most significant changes since abortion was conditionally decriminalized in 1967.

An amendment, tabled by Labor Party politician Stella Creasy, would fully decriminalize abortion up to 24 weeks, while another, sponsored by Labor MP Diana Johnson, would prevent charges against any woman getting an abortion at any stage.

Two rival amendments, tabled by Conservative MPs Caroline Ansell and Liam Fox, would reduce the statutory time limit for abortions from 24 to 22 weeks, and de-legalize late-term terminations on babies with Down syndrome.

The Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales encouraged Catholics to write to their MPs against the amendments to liberalize abortion, noting on its website that church leaders had “clear views” on the “dignity and value of every human life.”

In a May 8 statement, meanwhile, the conference’s lead bishop on life issues, Auxiliary Bishop John Sherrington of Westminster, said he was “deeply alarmed” by the proposed changes, which also could increase risks of “coerced or forced abortion.”

“The church recognizes the struggle and trauma which may lead some pregnant women to consider an abortion. Such difficult situations require pastoral and medical care for vulnerable women in their time of need,” Bishop Sherrington said.

“When cases of illegal abortions are prosecuted, it is for the judge to decide the appropriate balance of justice and mercy for all involved,” he said. “Our current legislation provides some level of protection for pregnant mothers and unborn babies by keeping abortion within the criminal law. Relaxing abortion legislation further would be a tragic mistake for both mother and child.”

Abortion remains technically illegal in Britain under an 1861 Offenses Against the Person Act, which brands it a felony incurring imprisonment and penal servitude.

However, the act was amended in 1967, waiving criminal sanctions for abortions under strictly defined conditions up to 28 weeks — a deadline lowered to 24 weeks in 1991, still twice the European average.

During the first 2020 COVID-19 lockdown, when hospital access was limited, women up to 10 weeks pregnant were allowed to receive abortion pills by mail, and in March 2022 the measure was made permanent.

Although there were a record 214,256 abortions in England and Wales alone in 2021, the last year with available data, supporters of legal abortion demanded further liberalization after a mother of three, Carla Foster, was given a 28-month jail sentence in June 2023 for procuring abortion pills while 32 weeks pregnant.

Campaigners said they were heartened by the May 15 rally, organized by a dozen religious and secular pro-life groups, and urged legislators to prioritize support for pregnant women at a time of economic hardship.

“These barbaric amendments would essentially strip away the last meaningful protections of unborn babies,” Christian Concern’s Huxley told OSV News.

“The main effect would be to allow mothers to take deceitfully obtained abortion pills during late-stage pregnancy, when their children could survive outside the womb with proper care. Outside the world of social media and newspaper columns, the public supports more, not fewer, restrictions on abortion. When we speak to people on the street, we find many are unaware of what’s happening and consider our current laws disturbing,” he said.

Meanwhile, Vaughan-Spruce of March for Life told OSV News the proposed liberalization, which would allow “sex-selection abortions,” was not supported by public opinion, and also urged church leaders to speak out.

“Our organization has run training days for clergy on how to speak effectively and compassionately,” said the March for Life director, who has been arrested and charged twice for praying outside abortion facilities.

“We’ve also trained them in how to create a pro-life parish and foster the role of men in post-abortion healing. It’s also important for the lay faithful, and all people of goodwill, to speak out against the erosion of human dignity in our laws and our society.”

Surveys by the Savanta-ComRes polling agency have shown minimal — 1% — public backing for abortions up to birth and widespread concern, especially among young women, about abortion procedures at home. Pro-life groups planned follow-up protests when the Criminal Justice Bill is debated again June 4.

The communications director of the London-based bishops’ conference, James Abbot, told OSV News May 16 no one was available to discuss abortion.

Kiev, May 17, 2024

The place where the Tithes Church stood until this morning. Photo: Telegram     

Ukraine’s National History Museum and anti-Orthodox nationalists have finally achieved their dream of dismantling and destroying a church that, until this morning, stood on the site of the first cathedral of Kievan Rus’.

The ancient cathedral was blown up by the godless authorities in 1936, but in 2006, the new church, belonging to the Tithes Monastery, was built by Kiev residents with the blessing of then-primate Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev and All Ukraine.

The anti-Orthodox element in Ukraine has been trying to dismantle the church since at least 2018, during the time of President Petro Poroshenko, arguing that it was illegally built on the territory of the National History Museum.

The church was Ukrainian nationalists vandalize and set fire at Kiev monasteryRepresentatives of the nationalistic terrorist group C-14 attacked the Monastery “of the Tithes” in Kiev yesterday. In two incidents, they vandalized and set fire to monastery property and abused those who tried to stop them.

“>vandalized and set on fire on January 25, 2018. On February 3 of that year, about 200 radicals staged a protest near the monastery, calling for its dismantling. Thousands come out to defend Tithes Monastery from Ukrainian radicals (+ VIDEO)More than 3,000 faithful Orthodox Christians came out and stood for ten hours through the night, prayerfully protecting the monastery from those who hate the Church of God.”>More than 3,000 came out to defend the monastery on the same day. The former abbot of the Tithes Monastery, His Grace Bishop Gideon of Makarov, was temporarily Ukraine cancels citizenship, deports bishop as he returns from speaking to US Congress about persecution in UkraineThe bishop and abbot was escorted to a departing plane by men bearing automatic rifles.”>deprived of his Ukrainian citizenship in 2019-2020 after he spoke out about the persecution of the Church.

The church in the foreground was demolished last night. Photo: spzh.live     

Ukraine: court orders destruction of Tithes Church, built on site of first Kievan cathedralThe new church was vandalized and set on fire on January 25, 2018. On February 3, about 200 radicals staged a protest near the monastery, calling for its dismantling.

“>In February 2023, the Economic Court of Kiev ruled to dismantle the church, which was later upheld by other court rulings.

Ukrainian museum raising funds to dismantle a church that it calls “garbage”The National History Museum of Ukraine is collecting funds to demolish Kiev’s Sts. Vladimir and Olga-Tithes Church, which belongs to the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

“>Last month, the Museum announced a fundraiser towards the church’s demolition, calling it a piece of “garbage.”

And last night, the Tithes Monastery and other sources began reporting on the demolition of the church.

“At present, the church is surrounded by police and military personnel, with many buses carrying soldiers,” the monastery wrote at 10:34 PM. The next message called for prayers and physical help from anyone who was able.

At 10:49, the monastery reported that police were trying to detain the monastery brethren. It later reported there were more than 100 armed police officers present.

At 11:40: “Jammers for mobile communication and internet have been activated at the site, and the entire perimeter of the mountain is cordoned off by police. The sound of bulldozers can be heard.”

The demolished church was carried away by dump truck. Photo: Telegram screenshot     

At 12:18, the monastery posted video of massive dump trucks carrying away debris. “Icons… Crosses… The altar…” the monastery wrote.

“The church that was consecrated by His Beatitude Metropolitan Vladimir and His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry no longer exists…,” the monastery wrote at 12:20.

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“Bad Therapy: Why the Kids Aren’t Growing Up” (Penguin Random House, $30) has become an instant best-seller.

Author Abigail Shrier, an LA-based investigative journalist, also wrote “Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters” (Regnery, $26). Her new book promises to be equally controversial.

Basically, says Shrier, the kids aren’t growing up because — with urgent encouragement from the pharmaceutical and mental health industries — they’ve been hovered over, catered to, coddled, protected, consulted as to their preferences, accommodated to within an inch of their lives, shielded from all risk, and medicated to the gills since practically the moment they exited the womb.

Some of the most privileged human beings ever born, they’ve been given to believe they’re “traumatized.” They’re asked the minute they enter school in the morning how they “feel.” They’ve been sent to therapists, given diagnoses, and labeled special problem people: a badge they come to wear with honor.

Their entire childhoods they’ve hardly enjoyed an unsupervised, unplanned, unscheduled moment. They’re surveilled at all times by their mothers, who constantly text, track their whereabouts, and apprise themselves of the kids’ daily homework assignments.

If taking a classroom test makes the kid anxious, they’re allowed to go sit in a room by themselves. If they don’t like what’s for dinner, they throw tantrums and insist on having an alternate meal prepared. They’re shielded from the slightest discomfort and praised for the smallest accomplishment.

When I reported this state of affairs to a few of my six siblings we howled with laughter. The idea of turning up our noses at food — any food — was ludicrous. “Okay, starve,” we would have said. “Give it to us.”

We’d bring home straight-A report cards: “Good for you,” Mom would say. “I need you to fold the laundry.”

In those long-ago days, we had no computer games to absorb us. We arrived home from school, changed our clothes, and disappeared until supper.

We hung out at a cattail-choked pond, in which we could easily have drowned, and caught tadpoles. 

We played baseball in the vacant lot across the street, our knuckles swollen from catching line drives with our bare hands.

Our brother Geordie once jumped off the highest point of the garage roof clutching a bedsheet he’d hoped would deploy into a parachute. “I was on an Evel Knievel kick,” he chuckled. “I limped around for a few days but I got over it.”

Granted, this was rural New Hampshire in the ’50s and ’60s, and the neighbors up and down the street knew every kid.

Granted as well, there were things that went on in our family and childhoods that shouldn’t have. 

There were wounds suffered in silence and not shared till years later.

But maybe the point is that there’s no perfect childhood. And the effort to create one seems to have stripped us of all common sense.

What self-respecting kid, bursting to explore, wants his or her mother hovering over every thought, word, and deed?

How did humankind manage for thousands of years without stuffing their young with psychotropic meds?

Or clamping a helmet on their heads every time they went outdoors?

It would be one thing if all these careful, protective measures were producing emotionally stable, healthily curious, responsible adults.

Instead, “When asked, our kids said they were miserable. Our kids didn’t want to leave their rooms. Our kids didn’t date. Our kids moved home and stayed. They didn’t want to marry and have kids.”

Small wonder.

Psychological research shows — and again, common sense dictates — that kids “thrive with a certain amount of independence, a certain level of responsibility and autonomy and, yes, failure. … Small failures and injuries help rather than hurt kids.”

In fact, “[U]ntil very recently in human history,” notes Shrier, “nearly all markers of what we now call ‘childhood trauma’ were just facts of life: hunger, loss of a parent or sibling, war, even occasions of physical abuse.”

Most to the point, as Shrier observes, children are actually incredibly resilient, sturdy, and strong. A happy childhood, she avers, consists of “experiencing all of the pains of adulthood, in smaller doses, so that [kids] build up immunity to the poison of heartache and loss.”

In an especially interesting passage, she pooh-poohs the notion that teaching kids to strive for “happiness” is beneficial.

In truth, she observes, as adults we’re almost always in some kind of physical, emotional, or psychic pain. We’re worried about paying a bill, or our back aches, or the guy next to us on the bus is playing his music too loud. Reaching maturity requires taking the focus away from these minor discomforts and inconveniences, and carrying on in spite of them.

I don’t want to brag, but in our family any internal ailment short of a ruptured appendix was treated with a glass of ginger ale. Sprains merited a warm washcloth. Gashes rated a Band-Aid — if we hadn’t run out of Band-Aids.

We managed just fine without Ritalin, Adderall, or Klonopin. We grew into caring, thoughtful adults who read books and have a sense of humor without having to monitor our emotional temperature every two minutes.

Granted mom — who once went 36 years without seeing a doctor — could take things to extremes. Her theory was simple: If you go, they’ll find something wrong with you.

After reading “Bad Therapy,” turns out she was right.

Prešov, Slovakia, May 17, 2024

Orthodox hierarchs of Slovaki, Abp. Juraj (left), Met. Rastislav (right). Photo: YouTube     

The hierarchs of the Orthodox Church in Slovakia condemn the assassination attempt on the Slovakian Prime Minister and are praying for his full recovery.

Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot five times on Wednesday in the town of Handlova. He was airlifted to a nearby hospital and his condition stabilized overnight, though remaining critical.

His Eminence Metropolitan Rastislav of Prešov, the primate of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, and His Eminence Archbishop Juraj and Michalovce and Košice released the following statement:

It is with concern and pain that we received the news today of the assassination attempt on the Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic. This is a horrific, unacceptable, and incomprehensible act that we strongly condemn. As Christians, we pray at every service for our country, its leaders, and all the people who live in it. At this moment, in addition to our usual petitions, we add prayers for the saving of the life and the speedy recovery of one of the highest representatives of the Slovak Republic—Prime Minister Robert Fico. We ask all the clergy and faithful of the Orthodox Church in Slovakia for this prayer and invite all those who do not elevate the value of their own opinion above the worth of human life and who remember the words of our Savior: All they that take the sword shall perish with the sword (Mt. 26:52).

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St. Paschal Baylon was born in Torre-Hermosa, in the kingdom of Aragon, on the feast of Pentecost, May 24, 1540. In Spain, Pentecost is called the “Pasch of the Holy Ghost,” so his parents, virtuous peasants, named him Paschal.

From an early age, Paschal displayed signs of intense devotion towards the Eucharist. From the ages of 7 to 24, he was a shepherd, and then was received as a lay brother by the Franciscan friars of the Alcantarine Reform. He spent many years in contemplation and sacrifice within the cloister.

Paschal was known for his work with the poor and the sick. Although he did not receive much education, he defended the dogma of the Real Presence in the Eucharist against a Calvinist preacher, and provided counsel to many.

St. Paschal died at Villa Reale on May 15, 1592. He was beatified in 1618 and canonized in 1690. In the apostolic letter Providentissimus Deus, Leo XII declared St. Paschal the especial heavenly protector of all Eucharistic Congresses and Associations.

Revelation: Removing the VeilThis revelation was given by God to the Apostle John because we needed to know it.

“>Part 1, If Christ Is With Us, Death Is DefeatedThe book of Revelation teaches us a lot, especially when we begin to carefully delve into its words, when we see how Christ holds the world in His hands and acts with wisdom in all things.”>Part 2, Why Did the Lord Leave Man the Book of Revelation?Only the people of God, the saints, can receive revelations from God, and only they can interpret them, because a revelation, words from God, is given from God, from the Holy Spirit.”>Part 3, For the Time Is at Hand…We have to understand that God acts outside of time, and the events of Revelation don’t relate only to the end times.”>Part 4, Blessed Is He That Readeth…Christ sent the revelation through an angel to His servant the Apostle and Evangelist John, who conveyed the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ about what he saw and heard.”>Part 5, He Hath Made Us Kings and PriestsA man who is close to God, my dears, truly feels like a king—he has no need of anything. At the same time, he may have absolutely nothing.”>Part 6, John, Our Companion in Tribulation, and in the Kingdom and Patience of Jesus ChristOne of the most significant and frequent references to the Holy Trinity is in the text of Revelation.”>Part 7, Because Thou Hast Left Thy First Love…The greatest miracle is that the Church exists.”>Part 8, Fear None of Those Things Which Thou Shalt SufferThus, God says the following: He is the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Nothing exists outside of Him; in Him is everything. He is the Beginning and End of all things.”>Part 9

Part 9 concluded with His Eminence saying: “We must remain faithful until the end of our lives and must be ready to suffer for our faith.”

***

We can’t neglect this point in the Gospel. Why? What, is God so strict that He doesn’t care that we’ll be burned, torn to pieces, tortured, and so on? It’s not that God is so cruel and wants us to be tortured. But if you love God, if you love someone or something, such love doesn’t waver, doesn’t diminish, doesn’t depend on circumstances. You love someone because you feel it and it gives meaning to your life. And the more you have the chance to express your life, the more you acquire fullness. But the expression of love isn’t when you receive or take, but when you give. Then love becomes complete and perfect. When you take, you feel bad, incomplete, because you take something from someone else—someone who either loves you or doesn’t. Someone who takes and feels satisfied doesn’t love. He loves himself, and says: “Look how wonderful it is: They give me things, they give me money, they give me what I need. It makes me very happy.” He’s unhealthy. We should like to give things. We should get joy from what we give away. Of course, if someone comes and brings you a gift, you might not need it, you might not want such a gift at all, but you accept the gift so as not to upset your friend, to bring him joy. When you receive it in order to please another, then you also rejoice. But if you accept it because it’s beneficial for you, then that’s greed. Holy Scripture says: It is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). There’s much more grace and happiness when you give. When you give, then you truly find fullness in love. When we give our heart to God, our being, then we’re filled with love in God and we truly overcome death, the temporal, and all that is transient. Then man receives the crown of life from Christ.

Prophet David     

The epistle to the Bishop of the Church of Smyrna concludes with the words: He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death (Rev. 2:11). Christ often utters these words: He that hath an ear, let him hear. And that’s what He says here. We all have ears. Is there anyone among us without ears? We all have ears and we all hear. Even those who are hard of hearing and wear a hearing aid hear. But which of us hears? Do we truly hear? It’s a big question. I was horrified to see among Church people those who can be in church day and night, constantly listen to homilies and talks, trying not to miss a single feast, moleben, fast, vigil, and so on—but God forbid you should hear how they talk. God save us from such people. I say this with complete awareness. Such Anger—How to Conquer the Beast Inside YouI get terrified as I hear this! What should I do, a sinful and fallen man? How can I learn to control myself? How can I “conquer” sinful anger inside me?

“>anger, such mental perversion (I don’t mean bodily or otherwise), such petrification and callousness can live inside a man. Why? Because egotism grows within him; he’s lacking in humility. But the Lord constantly repeats to us: He that hath an ear, let him hear. As the Holy King and Prophet David (Tenth Century B.C.)The holy Prophet David was the youngest of the eight sons of Jesse, the elder of the city of Bethlehem, a descendant of Judah, to whom his father Jacob promised rule over the Israelites until the Coming of Christ the Savior.”>Prophet David says in Psalm 134, as we sing at the Polyeleos at Vigil: They have a mouth but shall not speak, eyes have they and shall not see. Ears have they and shall not hear, nor is there any breath in their mouth (vv. 16-17). Who is this about? About a man who has sensory organs but doesn’t hear, doesn’t speak, doesn’t see anything that’s happening around him. He’s trapped inside his greed and self-satisfaction. He’s satisfied with everything, he doesn’t care about his salvation, about his path to the Kingdom of God. He worries about nothing; everything is arranged for him. Of course, surprises await him.   

And it concludes: He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death (Rev. 2:11). He who overcomes won’t be overcome by the second death. You see, there are two deaths. One death is the one we all pass through, the transition from this transitory life to eternity. We all pass through it—both the old and young, the great and small, the poor and rich, the important and insignificant. Whoever you are, you’ll pass through this gate. This has its own beauty, something kind and good. Perspectives on DeathSo, I was thinking: why don’t we all write a summary of the life we lived at some point? I bet without a doubt it’ll scare us; some will break out into a cold sweat, and from this, good life changes will be born. Mortal memory, after all, is so… creative.

“>Death isn’t so terrible. The older I get, the more I understand what wisdom is concealed in death. Imagine if we lived here forever, what would become of us? Now we know that we’re going to die, but still, we try to devour others before they die. And if we thought we’d never die, what would we become? One death is the ordinary biological death, a physical phenomenon. It came to us after the fall of Adam, but nevertheless, death is in human nature. The second death is the separation of man from God. This is a terrible death—the separation of man from God, from Life itself. This second death is eternal hell, eternal punishment, suffering, pain, eternal torment. But those who overcome, who cope, who remain faithful unto death, will not suffer harm from the second death, spiritual death, although they will experience the first death.

This concludes what God wanted to say to the Bishop of the Church of Smyrna. A few years later came the fulfillment of what was said by the Holy Spirit—he received a martyr’s death. You see how beautifully it’s described here that God sees deeds, sorrows, and poverty. But the judgment of God is one thing, and the judgment of man another. One is the eyes of God, the other the eyes of man. For people, the Bishop of the Church of Smyrna was poor, unfortunate, and slandered, but in the eyes of God, he was rich, important, and recognized. Everyone around him rebelled against him, but God said to him: “Fear not,” because fear is not a manifestation of love. He who loves isn’t afraid, because the more people rebel against him and the more danger he faces, the more he can show his love, the more his love is perfected, the more he’s united with God. And whoever puts himself in the hands of God, trusting Him, doesn’t fear.

Often, people come who are going through very difficult times, and you tell them: “Put yourself in God’s hands.” They respond: “Yes, but, but, but…” Until you understand this, until you learn to put yourself in the hands of God, you will suffer from fear, from various fears. And you’ll be haunted by thousands of fears, you’ll be afraid of your own shadow; every day you’ll be afraid of what will come from here or what will come from there. You’ll run, take tests, undergo thousands of examinations, you’ll be afraid that all the diseases of this world are lying in wait for you, all the germs you’ve learned about or heard about somewhere will hunt you, and this Fear None of Those Things Which Thou Shalt SufferThus, God says the following: He is the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Nothing exists outside of Him; in Him is everything. He is the Beginning and End of all things.

“>fear will drive you crazy.

    

Put yourself in God’s hands. If you trust God then you’ll find peace. And no matter how much you resist and fuss, nothing will change. You won’t be able to calm down. Don’t be afraid, because you’re in God’s hands. That’s how you’ll learn to stay peaceful. That’s the secret. Those of us who are afraid, who are covered by these fears, must learn this secret, must learn this key—putting ourselves in God’s hands. Then our fears will go away and we’ll calm down. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you’ll have an easy life, that everything will be great for you, that you’ll wake up every morning with a smile. No. You’ll go through tribulations, but God will see your tribulations. And your tribulations will last “ten days,” not indefinitely. Perhaps you’ll die, God will let you die, He won’t save you from death; He’ll let you be torn into a thousand pieces. But we’re not looking for deliverance from this. In any case, the first death awaits everyone. If you escape this time, you’ll die another time. Those who rose from the dead died: Lazarus rose, but he died again; others were healed and then died; they all died. Fear the second death. Think about it, about separation from God, the true Life. This is a real problem.

The second lesson we learn from this, which is constantly being talked about, is whether we hear what God is talking about. Are our ears open? If our ears were open and we truly heard the word of God, would we really be who we are? Would we live the way we live? Would we think the way we think? Would we be deceitful, avaricious, merciless, cruel, inhuman, would we justify ourselves and our cruelty, our insensitivity and a thousand other things that we justify in ourselves just to avoid taking one step towards virtue? The truth is that people who have opened their ears and heard the word of God have made a leap in their lives, while the rest of us are treading water. We run, run, run, but we’re running in place. Actually, it would be good if we stayed in place, but it turns out that we’re rolling backwards. But we think we’re running.

Let’s move on to the next bishop. We said that we would read quickly to see the full picture, all the terrible things that are described in Revelations. We’re still at the beginning and making our way—the most terrifying thing is yet to begin. And to the angel of the Church in Pergamos write; These things saith He Which hath the sharp sword with two edges (Rev. 2:12). Pergamos is another city of Asia Minor. Hieromartyr Antipas the Bishop of Pergamum and Disciple of St John the TheologianBy his personal example, firm faith and constant preaching about Christ, Saint Antipas began to turn the people of Pergamum from offering sacrifice to idols.

“>St. Antipas, a martyr, was the Bishop of Pergamos. He received a martyric end before Revelation was written, around the year 85. Revelation was written later. The sharp sword with two edges is the word of God. The sword cuts from both sides; it’s sharp—it’s not some knife that doesn’t cut. It penetrates into the depths of humanity. I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast My name, and hast not denied My faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth (Rev. 2:13). In Pergamos, idolatry was very prevalent—shameless idol worship and the terrible persecution of Christians. The Lord says to him: “I know your deeds, I know where you live and that the throne of Satan is there.” Imagine what it’s like to live where Satan has his throne, how hard it is. Christ says that Antipas holds fast His name.

Let’s focus on these words. We are the people of the Church, although I don’t really like this expression. But let’s say it so it’s clear—we carry this “label”—“Church people.” He’s a Christian, he goes to church, and we, the clergy, moreover, in our cassocks, immediately become a point of attraction: Someone comes to get a blessing, another spits at us, another kisses our hands, and another insults us. That’s how we are. It’s good. You see the theater of this world. One man sees you and runs to kiss your hand, and another sees and spits at you. To hold fast to the name of God is both a blessing and a confession. You have to be ready to give an answer for everything you do. I made a mistake, I said something that people didn’t like; something happened in the Church with the bishop, with the patriarch; you have to give an answer. Even children have to.

I was impressed that young children in elementary school are already fasting, and other children laugh at them: “Oh, you’re fasting!” Or a child finds himself somewhere where they don’t fast, and he tries to keep the fast. Or children from a Christian family don’t go to the carnival, and they become a victim, they’re mocked, provoked, and they, little children, hold fast to the name of God. It’s a blessing, but also a struggle. And we have to respect this. It’s a great honor for us to bear the name of Christ, but at the same time, it’s a martyrdom, because we have to be ready at any moment to go twenty feet, and everyone will say what they think of us. We can be insulted, covered in mud from head to toe. “You’re a Church person and you get irritated? Are you allowed to say such things?” Bearing the name of God is a blessing, it’s martyrdom, and it’s confession. To hold fast the name of God is a blessing; it’s martyrdom, and it’s a confession.

And hast not denied My faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. You see, the Lord is speaking here about Antipas, the Bishop of Pergamos, in whose honor we’re building a church in Pentakomo. He’s a great saint of our Church, one of the first saints. Christ calls him “my faithful martyr Antipas.” He was killed by people living where satan dwells. Satan killed him. You see, it seemed that satan won—he killed a bishop, although Antipas is alive with God, a faithful witness. But despite all this, the Lord also says something accusatory.

Do you see how clear the word of the Lord is? Despite the good that you have, which is very important and correct, I have a little against you—those things that defile you, your deeds that are not good. What was that? But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate (Rev. 2:14-15). There were Nicolaitanes, who followed the teachings of Balaam. I told you there was a heresy in the first years of Christianity that was introduced by Deacon Nicholas, one of the seven deacons of the Church, who became a heresiarch and wrought confusion in the Church with his perverted, heretical ideas.

Balaam is mentioned in the Old Testament. He was a magician, a false prophet, who was thought to have great power. He cursed some, and his curses befell those people, while he blessed others, and they triumphed. He was invited by one of the kings, who was from another family, to destroy the Israelites. Balaam started saying he couldn’t do anything with the Israelites because God was with them. And since God was with them, he couldn’t send a curse on them. And this magician, who knew the satanic arts, told the king, “I know what you should do with them. Since God is with them, no one will be able to defeat them, because God is covering them. To defeat them, they’d have to throw off the protection of God. What do you have to do to make this happen? Invite them to dinner and feed them with food sacrificed to idols; let them eat meat sacrificed to idols. Let them drink wine, eat well, and then leave them there to fall into carnal sins, and thus they will drive the grace of God from their souls, and you’ll be able to defeat them.” That’s what he did. They ate the food sacrificed to idols, fornicated, they drove God’s grace away, and they fell into subjection to foreigners.

Balaam and the Angel, Gustav Jaeger     

Similarly, in Pergamos, amongst the flock of St. Antipas, there were adherents of the teachings of the Nicolaitanes, whom he accepted and didn’t condemn, didn’t separate from his flock, and they infected the rest of the people of the Church. Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth (Rev. 2:16). “I will fight them with My word.” Often the Lord appears with a sword coming out of his mouth. It’s a double-edged sword—the word of God, absolutely clear and pure, penetrating to the very depths of human anatomy. “That’s how I will clean them. But if you, as a bishop, don’t repent and don’t do what you have to do, if you don’t divide them from the rest, don’t help them repent and come to their senses, if you leave them to defile other people, then I will come to you.”

And He concludes: He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it (Rev. 2:17). The Lord again repeats: He that hath an ear, let him hear. Christ promises to give the hidden manna, that sweet, very nutritious food that the Lord gave the Jews in the desert. And this manna is from Christ Himself, manna from Heaven. He’ll also give a white stone with a new name written on it. “I’ll make him who overcomes a new man, I’ll give him a new name.” And this can only be perceived and felt by those who are worthy to receive both manna from Heaven and a new name, who will be clothed in the new name. Thus concludes the epistle to the Bishop of the Church of Pergamos.

To be continued…