www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News Holy Resurrection Monastery changing ???

Joe the monastery is still there in the same place and life goes on as it does day after day.

I see the point you make about the Byzantine monastic tradition issue. This is why Metropolitan Andrew of Lviv had the Studites created and why he sent his brother to a Benedcitine monastery to undertake the canonical novicate in a monastery. The Basilians of which the Metropolitan was one were not monks but a institute of Clerks Regular. They had been restructured and reformed and had were no longer Monks. You might note their Austro-Hungarian style of dress the men wear and the same latin style of dress was used by all the female religious in the Greek rite in the region. The Basilians ended up just another religious order in central Europe.

Also recall in many cirlces this was considered an improvment(latinisation)on their previous condition. Remember also no one held any office in the church at any level in the dual monarchy who was not considered loyal to the crown. So they had no chance to do anything but go with the flow and keep things ticking over.

Fr. Deacon Lance,

Thank you for answering with a list of existing monastic/religious communties in the Pittsburgh Metropolia.

How about my other questions?

Good day,
Joe

"How many went over to Orthodoxy?"

None of the above. Holy Cross Monastery in Miami did a few years back. Of course the monastery consisted of an abbot and one monk and was racked with controversy.

"How many were sacked by bishops with all the monastic clergy sent out to staff parishes?"

I do not know about the other Eparchies but in Pittsburgh the Benedictines are largely non-priest monks. Abbot Leo serves a parish but resides at the monastery.

"Are the Byzantine Franciscans and Byzantine Benedictines (Butler, PA) still kicking? or did Rome assign them all to the episcopacy?"

Aside from the Metropolitan no bishop is a monk/friar. Bishop William was OFM and Bishop John was TOR but both became diocesan clergy well before their elevation.

Fr. Deacon Lance

Fr. Deacon Lance,

It is like the two Franciscans who set up a fish and chips stand to raise money for charity.

Some smart aleck went up to one of them and asked, "Are you the 'fish friar?'"

He replied, "No, I'm the 'chip monk!'"

Alex

If the remaining monasteries in the Ruthenian Metropolia have a vision for the future of monasticism in America, they do not appear to be effective at delivering the message about it. For monasteries to prosper the laity needs to know their needs and the benefits associated spiritually with helping them and with being helped by them. The men's monasteries all appear to be almost invisible- except Holy Resurrection. Does that say something about priorities elsewhere? I hope not.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by J Thur:

Is this all just an example of what Fr. Thomas Loya means by "dismantling" the church? After it is all dismantled, where do we build anew, if permitted? What is the blueprint? Or will future communities end up like HRM? Does Eastern Christian monasticism have a chance in the Pittsburgh Metropolia?

Joe [/QB][/QUOTE

Our "blueprint" is the light of Christ as seen in The Gospel, the Church Fathers, Oriental Lumen, Orthodoxy, HRM, etc.

We just need to follow the blueprint.

In Christ,

John

It is unfare to put the Fr Deacon on the spot or to expect him to asume the role of the one to answer on behalf of all who pass thru here. There some rather complex and deep questions in your contribution. Fr Deacon contributed along with others to a response. You seem angry / frustrated and thats Ok and we dont need to buy into your feelings either. Been there done that says the chorus. The Byzantine Churchs everywhere are on a journey to rediscover their heritage as commanded by Popes for nearly a century and by Vatican II in particular, in the one document that is there on the Oriental Churches (good & required reading). It is going to be a difficult thing to do as all the churches have to deal with their own histories and all that goes with it.

Keep on supporting HRM and keep the faith.

Pavel,

Are you associated with the monastery somehow?

The monastic foundations should be publicised to a greater extent. Most of us know virtually nothing of them.

For instance, what sort of monastic community is Christ the Good Shepherd Monastery? Does it follow the rule of Saint Basil?

This is all very interesting, the public should be encouraged to support all of these communities, and especially to organize new communities according to the traditions.

+T+
Michael

I have been to HRM. I stayed there for a few weeks in Novemeber 2000. I had met the Abbot in passing many years ago and seen him in the distancea few times. I have an interest in the byzantine history and the church. I enjoyed my for a number of reasons. I enjoyed joining in the liturgical life of the monks. It was my first visit the the USA and I met some local Americans on their own home ground who were very nice people indeed. So the visit shall we say was memorable.

In other words, the Ruthenian Catholic Metropolia has nothing in the way of Eastern Christian monasticism. Fr. Deacon Lance was the ONLY one who replied with a list of existing communities. If he knows, then he might know if any reflect a Eastern tradition without being a hybrid community. Nothing against the Byzantine Franciscans or Benedictines. They are some deeply spiritual people in these communities. I am talking about something like HRM in California, which we just lost. I've been to a number of defunct monasteries.

Joe

Joe,

My only experiences is with Holy Trinity in Butler, PA. Nothing about them would alert you that they a Benedictines. They are very much analogous to Holy Resurrection except they are older and don't get much press outside the Archeparchy. One priest, who spent a year at Mt. Athos, remarked after spending a retreat at Holy Trinity that it reminded him of little Athos. Sounds like authentic Eastern monasticism to me.

One should remember that Amalfion Monastery on Mt. Athos followed the Rule of St. Benedict. Another example is Kurisumala Ashram in Kerala. While technically a Cistercian monastery there is not a more Syriac and Indian monastery in Kerala. Being affiliated with a Latin Order for canonical purposes does not mean one has to sacrifice Eastern tradition.

Fr. Deacon Lance

I have had contact with Holy Dormition Monastery. Yes it is very limited and I never visited there but my contact was during my vocational discernment search.

For those of you who do not know, my discernment led me to a Latin Church religious order, the Carmelites of the Chicago Province. It is (or was haven't decided yet) distressing that I will journey down this road out side of the Byzantine Church but such is the way my discernment led me.

Now back to Holy Dormition Monastery. In speaking to the Vocations director for the OFM Province that the Byzantine Franciscans are part of. Only the Guardian resides at the Monastery. All of the other Byzantine Franciscans reside in parishes. At least at the time I was looking into them that was the way of things.

May the Lord abundantly bless the brethren of Holy Resurrection. Thank God they have found a hierarch to bless and support their vital work, and may that small seed in the desert spread throughout our country heedless of "jurisdiction". Many years to Hegumen Nicholas and all the brethren.

Deacon Diak

While I agree with this sentiment I can't help but have a nagging feeling about "jurisdiction hopping" that seems to have occurred in the past. Even to the point of jumping to Orthodoxy.

For some reason this just makes me sad.