www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West Question on Fr. Serge Keleher

I believe Fr. Serge and Fr. Jim Dutko were classmates in Johnstown for a time..

To address a few points raised ... (too lazy to do multiple posts or cut and paste multiple quotes this evening)

Bless, Father,

The decidely curious history of the Melkites with their fellow Byzantines of the Russian Greek-Catholic Church is something of which you are certainly aware.

Albeit there was a hiatus of a three-quarters of a century between the events of 1896, when the RGC presbyter, Father Nicholas (Tolstoy) was incardinated to the Melkite Church, and 1969 or thereabouts, when Archbishop Joseph (Tawil) began to afford episcopal care to Our Lady of Kazan RGC in Boston at the request of Cardinal Cushing, it wasn't long before that bond was further renewed.

The litany of ties between the two Churches, despite coming from the distinctly opposite Traditions of the Byzantine Rite, is an impressive one that has been marked on four continents (five, if one considers the reception of Father Nicholas in Italy lo a century ago):

*the ordination of Father Archimandrite Alexei to the service of St Andrew the First-Called RGC parish in El Segundo by Archbishop Joseph (Tawil),
*the conferral of the dignity of Mitred Archimandrite by the same Archbishop Joseph on Father John (Mowatt), of blessed memory, a RGC priest whose funeral was served from our Cathedral,
*the conferral of the additional honorific of Patriarchal Archimandrite on the same Father John (Mowatt) by Patiarch Maximos V of the Melkites,
*the formal commitment of St Andrew the First-Called to the spiritual omophor of Bishop John several years ago, at the request of the Latin ordinary,
*the provision of pastoral care at Our Lady of Fatima RGC in San Francisco for several years by priests whose bi-ritual faculties were from the Melkite eparchy,
*the provision of episcopal services to that same temple by Bishop Nicholas,
*the spiritual omophor exercised by Bishop Issam in favor of the RGC parish in Australia,
*the incardination of Father Archimandrite Lawrence to the Eparchy of St Michael's,
*the pastoral care provided to the RGC parish in Brazil,
*the informal spiritual omophor extended to that same parish by Bishop Fares,
*the pastoral care afforded a dozen isolated Russian Greek-Catholic communities in Siberia by Father Jan (Frackiewicz), of blessed memory, a murdered Polish-born priest of the Melkite Archeparchy of Bierut, and
*your own situation in serving St Michael RGC.

Given those precedents and antecedents, in combination with the personal sense of independence for which Archbishop Joseph (Raya) was known (and which is rather typical of the Melkite hierarchy - from its patriarch through its episcopal ranks), I'd have absolutely no difficulty believing that Archbishop Joseph (Raya), of blessed memory, would have felt empowered to accept a priest into the RGC without asking by-your-leave of Rome.

As regards the matter of Rome taking umbrage at the reception of those who have departed the Tiber's banks and, subsequently, taken orders, there has been less consistency than one might think. While your statement of Rome's outlook on the matter pretty much approximates the position (not formally enunciated in recent times, but certainly expressed sotto voce), it has not been religiously hewed to in all circumstances.

In the case of those who were already in priestly orders when they left Rome, subsequently married, and then took orders elsewhere, the application is essentially universal. In that of those who were not in orders on departure and even those who were, but did not subsequently marry before taking orders elsewhere, there have been deviations from the 'norm' - if there is such a thing.

One notable historical instance would be Prince de Landes Burghes, another Joseph Marie Vilatte. Yet, in the case of Arnold Harris Mathew, decided virtually contemporaneously with that of Vilatte, Rome - in the person of its English hierarchs, took the hard-line. But, in each of these instances, the decision was effectively made by a local ordinary in differing interpretations of what each perceived to be Rome's position. As Archbishop Raya was likely the less concerned by Rome's viewpoint (and very unlikely to have sought it out), I don't have any doubt of his ability and willingness to have acted on his own and accepted Father Serge as a priest of the RGC.

Many years,

Neil

After having been received by Archbishop Joseph who, at the time was in process of resigning his See, he served in Canada as Kolya noted, having been incardinated into the Eparchy of Toronto under Bishop Isidore, of blessed memory.

After the circumstances that Kolya relates, Father Serge transfered to the Stamford Eparchy, placing himself under the omophor of Bishop Basil who was accepting of his curious dual commitment to the Russians and Ukrainians. (Father Mitred Archimandite John Mowatt of the RGC also served a UGCC parish under Bishop Basil for a time.) It was Bishop Basil who conferred the dignity of Mitred Archimandrite on Father Serge.

At the time when he first decided to plant a mission in Ireland, Bishop Michael, of blessed memory, was the UGCC Exarch for Great Britain (Ireland was not then part of the Exarchate and, (edit),as I've been reminded, still is not - Bishop Hlib being the UGCC's Apostolic Visitator to Ireland, in addition to being the Apostolic Exarch for the UK).

Jack referenced Father's friendship with Patriarchs Maximos IV and Gregorios III of the Melkites. I believe that he should instead have said Patriarch Maximos V (I don't believe that Father ever met Maximos IV, though he much admired him for his courageous stands at Vatican II). It was, in fact, Patriarch Maximos V who, in 1999, blessed Father Serge's Irish Gaelic translation of the Liturgy of St John Chrysostom for public use.

To answer the as yet unasked query that I'm sure will shortly come to someone's mind and, subsequently, fingers, as to why he chose to have the Melkite Patriarch do so, rather than the primatial hierarch of his own UGCC ... it's my sense that, as much as he believed that the Ukrainian Major-Archbishop should be formally named as a patriarch, he was acutely conscious that it had not yet happened. From comments that he made to me on the subject, he seemed to consider it most appropriate that the ranking prelate among all the Churches of the Byzantine Rite should be the one to bless the first translation of this ancient liturgy to this ancient tongue.

As noted by several posters, he had a diverse circle of friends, not a few of whom were prominent, well-respected, and much-beloved hierarchs from several of the Churches, Catholic and Orthodox., and others prominent liturgists and experts on matters Eastern and Oriental - things regarding which he himself was certainly no slouch.

I'd say that we can feel pretty proud that very many of us here had the opportunity to converse with him over the years - both in his early persona as 'incognitus', the man wearing the paper bag, and the later period when he posted under his own name. While never shy about expressing his thoughts or defending his opinion, he was a decidedly gentle individual of significant graciousness, always willing to answer questions, a veritable font of information, yet one who never talked down to others.

Many years,

Neil

In the Eparchy of Toronto (UGC), Fr. Serge after serving in Thunder Bay served as Chaplain on a daily basis for the Missionary Sisters of Christian Charity, along with various other pastoral assignments: Slovak Greek Catholics in Welland, UGC in Paris, Hungarian Greek Catholics in Delhi, personal secretary to His Grace Bishop Isidore, and founding pastor of St. Seraphim GC Mission (English language, Vulgate usage) Toronto.

His Grace Isidore raised him to the rank of archpriest. His Grace Bishop Anaghiros raised him to the rank of archimandrite with the rite to use the mitra. This took place at St. Elias Parish in Brampton with the blessing of Bishop Isidore.

May his memory be eternal!

Indeed, a fascinating man and an interesting life. Memory eternal!

Interesting, and also very timely. I'm sure no small number of people are wondering about this right now, albeit with regard to Anglicanism.

Dr. William Tighe posted the following:


http://www.theanglocatholic.com/201...riates-reflections-on-a-recent-exchange/

I think it is different between those who became Orthodox, where ordained as Orthodox priests and then returned to the Catholic communion, and those who left and were ordained as Anglican priests. Rome recognized the validity of Orthodox orders and their Eucharist. Rome does not recognized Anglican orders as being valid.

I think that plays a major role.

I don't believe it is a question of validity of order. Dr. Tighe speaks of "the situation of those Anglican clergymen who were once Catholics". Having once been Catholic isn't what makes one's orders invalid (in some cases, quite the reverse, since some of them were ordained prior to departing for Anglicanism). Also, take a look at Neil's post about "less consistency than one might think" (only part of which I quoted).

I knew Archpriest Serge during the time he had the pastorate of his mission-parish in Toronto, though not particularly well. We were both enrolled in the University of Toronto at the time and he was a person whom it was difficult to be in ignorance of for long.
I was then in my oecumenical phase (being a renegade member of a ROCOR parish) and I attended a couple of festal vigils at his church, as well as several regular services, during a space of several years. During that period he was faithfully following Synodal usage in every respect. Vigils, which might be attended by as many as ten people except on the occasion of the highest solemnity, lasted about four and a half hours and were beautifully sung in four-voice obikhod by whoever showed up including sometimes total strangers if they could solfaggio. (He had a peculiarity, which I have seen otherwise in Slavic usage only at the monastery of Chevetogne, of singing every troparion of the canon of Utrenja, not just the irmosy.) It says a great deal about him that, in spite of their length, the services did not seem at all protracted. In fact, one felt refreshed by them and was sorry when they ended. And I was not the only person who thought so.
He was, by the way, the chaplain of Holy Trinity Monastery in Queenston ON which then comprised two nuns, probably the first Catholic religious in North America to wear the apostolnik and klobuk, etc., though the Studites of Krefeld-Traar and the nuns of the Dormition in Rome had been doing so for several decades previous.
Another point worth mentioning was that the chapel he established gave lie to the fact that founding a Russian church must necessarily be a prohibitively expensive undertaking. The space was lent or rented. There was a homemade iconostas of pine planks, four printed icons, four cheap lamps, a heptaphos adapted from use at benediction in a Roman Catholic parish, a few analogia, a Gospel book and a set or two of vestments. That was it, yet the impression conveyed was unforgettable.
He always identified himself as a Greek Catholic.

Fr. Keleher was my mentor and inspiration with respect to Eastern Christianity.

When he was in Toronto (he served at the chapel of St Seraphim of Sarov which, I believe, was in the basement of an Anglican church here), he did cause some controversy which led to unfavourable comment from some. However, Vladyka Kyr Isidore Borecky took him under his protection and esteemed him very highly (more highly than any other priest in his Eparchy, in fact).

We had Fr. Keleher at our family home on a number of occasions. He served at my grandfather's funeral and he stood up to speak at the luncheon afterwards. This was the first time many members of my family had seen him and heard him speak.

Fr. Keleher interpreted the "Memory Eternal" that was sung at the funeral services. He said that "eternal memory" does not lie with people as we tend to forget about the reposed very quickly.

No, he said, when we sing "Memory Eternal" it refers to the fact that God Himself will remember the reposed eternally as only God may. And this also means that Fr. John (my grandfather) lives in Christ still because God remembers him.

An uncle came up to me afterwards and said, "You known, there are those who speak what they know and others who know what they speak. Fr. Keleher knows of what he speaks . . ."

My father too loved Fr. Keleher and whenever Fr. Keleher was at our place, dad insisted he not go home early but stay for coffee and sweets for as long as possible. My father appreciated the depth of his knowledge and praxis of all things Eastern Church.

I had the opportunity to spend many hours on the phone with Fr. Keleher and it was he who wetted my interest in hagiography. He introduced me to the interesting feasts of "Saint Pontius Pilate" in Ethiopia (July 2nd for those who would like to celebrate it . . .), Saint Lucifer of Cagliari etc.

His Irish wit served him well always. He said the last Byzantine Emperor, St Constantine XI, received Communion from an Italian Cardinal the morning of the Fall of Constantinople. He reiterated that this meant the Emperor was Greek Catholic since the "Orthodox, being short on Cardinals . . ."

When I asked him about venerating Orthodox saints, he said, "Catholics and Orthodox have a principle - we don't question each other's canonizations, period."

I asked him about the icon of the Pillars of Orthodoxy, with Sts Gregory Palamas, Photios the Great and Mark of Ephesus.

He said, "Well, I don't have a problem with the first two since they are Catholic Saints. As for Mark . . . I wouldn't put that icon up in the church since someone could walk by, look at it and then say, 'Oh.. dear . . .'" He said he was once at the home of one of his parishioners who had that icon (as do I and every self-respecting Easterner!). As he gazed upon it, his parishioner said, "Yes, Father, I keep that icon to remind me that there are others who have even stronger commitments to their faith than I do . "

Fr. Keleher once visited St George's Cathedral in Lviv in Ukraine and met the parish priest there, who had gone to seminary with our Bishop Isidore. This was during the Soviet era still.

When Fr. Keleher told him that his colleague was now bishop of Eastern Canada, the priest began to cry and said, "What, Isidore a bishop now? Praise be to God!"

And then the priest began to give Fr. Keleher a number of items, including a very old pectoral Cross (which Fr. Serge always wore afterwards). Fr. Keleher tried to resist receiving those presents, but the priest said to him, "Father, please take them as they may go into unholy hands after I'm gone!"

Fr Keleher always had to deal with the ignorance of those in the UGCC that just couldn't understand anything more Eastern than our Latinized liturgy . . . But he also gained the inestimable esteem and love of Bishop Hlib Lonchyna when he went to Dublin and also the many Ukrainian and other immigrants who arrived in Ireland.

Fr. Keleher printed a beautiful icon with St Patrick on one side and Bl. Hieromartyr Mykolay Charnetsky of the Redemptorists on the other. Bl. Nicholas Charnetsky had visited Ireland during a Eucharistic Congress and had stayed with the Redemptoristine Sisters in Dublin. He also had a very large icon of Saint Kevin of Glendalough written for his church.
An Irish nationalist, he understood love of country and culture in all others and united them all in his erudite manner.

It was Fr. Keleher who taught me to love the ideal of being an "Orthodox Catholic" which is why I also took that moniker when I first came to this forum.

He had invited my wife and myself to come to Ireland to spend Pascha with him once and I thought "maybe next year."

May Fr. Keleher's memory be eternal in Christ our God!

May he pray for us!

Alex

Thanks for sharing all this, dear Alex!

May the memory of Father Serge be eternal in the Kingdom of God, and may his memory remain always in our hearts on this forum which he loved.

Amin Sister Alice!

QUESTION:

What is the issue about Fr. Serge being received into the Catholic Church by Bp. Raya? I always thought that it doesn't matter which particular Church receives you into the Catholic Church - you will be a member of the corresponding Catholic Church that exists. For example, I have always heard that if I was received into the Catholic Church by a Latin bishop, I would still AUTOMATICALLY be a member of the Coptic Catholic Church.

So what is the issue here? Is it because Fr. Serge was a priest, not a layman? At any point, was he under the omophor of two different bishops at one time?

And what is this talk of Rome's approval? Aside from a bishop entering the Catholic Church, does Rome ever have any direct input in the decision of a Christian to enter the Catholic Church? I rather doubt it.

Blessings,
Marduk

Dear Miaphysite Brother Marduk,

Yes, I know that when he was here in Toronto, the RC Archdiocese kept telling our bishop Vladyka Isidore that Fr. Keleher "belonged" to them, not to the EC Church.

I never got more into it with him. If I knew you would one day ask, I would have . . .

Alex

Picking up this thread again late. Yes, Alice, he was once Russian Orthodox. I didn't know about the stopover in Johnstown. Guess that's where he had his seminary training, right after 'doxing, before being ordained by the Russians. Fr S himself told me that normally Catholics who leave and are ordained validly elsewhere aren't allowed to serve as clergy if they come back, but dispensation's always possible. Guess he had the connections to make it happen or the church was just kind. Anyway, he was canonically a Russian Catholic priest so technically he would have fallen under the Roman Rite bishop in Canada, etc., but he was on loan to the Ukrainian Catholic Church, which needed and could better use his services.

Related, as has been referred to, Catholics who leave as adults and are ordained as Anglican clergy normally aren't allowed to be ordained as Catholic priests, but there have been at least two exceptions who are now Catholic priests in good standing. Different issue of course from those ordained as Orthodox: simulation of a sacrament.