i wonder why the church does not have more latitude towards admission into the ordained ministry. it would seem that the Orthodox church is more practical and more open to a variety of men. Is this the influence of the Roman Church with its devotion to uniformity, especially since Trent? I felt a vocation to the church after my retirement. but since my thirty plus years as a university professor were scattered over the US and the last few years abroad, it seemed that I was 1. too old. 2. too unstable because of my movement about, although always as a university professor. 3. and not prone to "obedience" since I had a long career in promoting human rights (minorities, prisoners, etc.). I also know that our church seems dedicated to the idea that there can't be ordained ministers "loose>" priests must belong to an eparchy, deacons to a parish. why? i know there must be obedience to a bishop, but why not to an archbishop and serve in the entire realm? I say this as a retired man who would prefer to live winters where it is warm and summers at home (minneosota). i hve 4 1/2 yrs of grad theology since i retired as a professor, have been searching for a gate to ordained ministry, or to a religious community, and am rejected, often outright without a hearing, or simply as too risky. ??? any ideas???

As eastern catholics, I think the idea of the intergity of the particular church has special significance. A priest is ordained to serve a particular church and eparchy. One is not just a "priest at-large" but first a member of a particular local church and then a presbyter of that church. Even when the church departs from this in practice, it tries to maintain it in principle. Unlike the Episcopal Church, bishops are always ordained to a particular see, though sometimes a see that only exists on paper.

First of all Happy Name Day to Br. Maximus. May God grant you many years.

A thought came to me about another possibility for question stated above. Why not become a pilgrim. We are all called to the monastic life to the best of our ability given our state in life. To be a pilgram is an independent journey of a simple life dedicated to knowing God through pray and reading. Find a good spiritual director that understands this journey. Read the Church Fathers (Philokalia, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, etc.) and pray. A good beginner book is "Way of the Pilgrim" author is unknown.

One of the Church Fathers stated that "one who prays is a theologian, and a theologian is one who prays."

I know a pilgrim, Pilgrim George. He is presently walking around the world for the second time. He does not hitch rides. He finds human charity where ever he goes. He is a true inspiration to all who meet him. He is presently in Lviv, Ukraine. We met him here in Alaska about two years ago when he started across to Russia. His home state is Pennselvania. I believe he is in his fifties.

Please pray for his mother who fell asleep in the Lord about a week ago.

May God Grant You Many Years!

A sinner,
Joyce

Wasyl,

While I understand your frustration, I suspect that the reason for you being refused admission to the priesthood is not because of your age. Rather, it is because of the significance of a priest being incardinated into a specific diocese. A priest is first and foremost a helper of his bishop, and a servant of his diocese. It is understandable that a bishop would be reluctant to ordain a man who will only be in his service six months out of the year.

Perhaps your desire to travel more indicates a calling to a different sort of lifestyle... something other than a priest. As an above message indicates, a pilgrim perhaps?

Antony