Interview with His Grace, Bishop BENJAMIN
Published in the Autumn 2007 edition of The Orthodox Vision Magazine

Congratulations! Whenever there is a series of photos of bishops, yours stands out because you are smiling. So let’s ask you the same question we might ask the Mona Lisa—what’s the secret of this smile? What is the source of this obvious joy?

The West has been my home for many years. I was born here and received into the Church here. I am just very grateful to God to be able to serve Him, the clergy and faithful as the bishop of this diocese.

You do a lot of traveling. Have you visited every parish, mission, monastery, and other organization in the diocese?

I have visited every parish, monastery and institution of the diocese to my knowledge at least once; most of them more than once. These visitations are important to me and, I believe, to the diocese as well. I feel these trips give the diocese a sense of cohesiveness. And I intend, with God’s help, to continue as long as I am physically able.

How often do you plan to see each community?

It would be ideal to see every community at least once in the course of a year. With over 60 parishes and institutions, that is difficult to do. But that remains my goal. It is also important as the rector of Holy Trinity Cathedral in San Francisco to be a real part of the cathedral life as well. My plan is to be at Holy Trinity at least one Sunday a month. If you do the math, it will take more than a year to visit every parish.

Do you try to time your visits with a community’s patronal feast, or do you work geographically, or what?

It really depends on the parish and the region. In Montana, for example, I try to visit all the parishes and missions during the same visit. I usually find myself visiting most of the Washington State parishes on one trip as well. In the Bay Area, I try to make parish feast days since I can drive to them all. We have seen healthy growth in the monastic communities of the diocese, thanks in part to your prayers and encouragement. How do you see the role of the monasteries of the diocese in relation to parish life? The establishment and growth of missions? Do you have any long-range plans for future growth of monastic life in the diocese?

Monasteries are vital to the spiritual stability of our diocese. We have four very different, but fine monastic communities. Each has its particular gift to offer the diocese. Each is a place of spiritual recreation and restoration. The St. John Monastery has, perhaps, played a more prominent role in the establishment and growth of missions in that Fr. Jonah has been at various times in charge of one or more missions. It is a great temptation—one to be avoided if possible—to use monk priests to serve smaller parishes and missions. Nevertheless, many of our missions have a connection to St. John Monastery. How do you expect the reconciliation between ROCOR and the Moscow Patriarchate to affect us? I think the main affect will be a closer fraternal relation between ROCOR and our diocese. Already, there have been several occasions when our clergy have served together with ROCOR and MP clergy. I can only think Christ is pleased that the tear in the fabric of His Body, the Church, has been mended. So I do not see this as a threat but a benefit to us all and thank God for this gift.

Any thoughts on PSALM, OCF, OCMC, and other Orthodox organizations that cross jurisdictional lines?

These organizations, while not envisioned in the traditional canonical structure of a local Church, arise out of our need to act together in various areas and present a common witness to our society and the world at large. OCMC, for example, allows all of us to work together, regardless of “jurisdiction,” to promote the Orthodox Faith throughout the world. IOCC helps us make a greater impact in parts of the world where Christian charity is badly needed. Instead of us all doing our own “thing,” we have these vehicles through which we can make a bigger impact. I also think if we are ever going to have one canonical structure for the Orthodox Church on this continent, we need at least to act as though we were one Church.

What’s your vision for the future of the diocese?

I don’t know whether I have a plan or some particular agenda for the future. I hope I can simply serve as the episkopos–the head slave or overseer–in God’s household. I see my role as managing and directing the many and varied talents of all God’s people in this diocese. Of course, I would like to see us grow. There are still states in which we have no parishes or missions. I would like to see better support of diocesan charities such as Martha and Mary House and Raphael House.

What are the greatest obstacles we need to address?

Aside from our own human weaknesses, I think geography is our greatest obstacle. While the clergy and people of the Diocese of New England can get together in a matter of two or three hours by car, it takes us hours by air to get together for any diocesan function. It is expensive for us to get together as a diocesan council, as the clergy of the diocese, or to have a youth or matushka retreat. Kona, Hawaii is a long way from Calhan, Colorado. So, I would say distance is the major obstacle. I also think distance can serve to give missions and even clergy a sense of isolation.

If there were one thing you wish every parish or monastery knew they should do in preparation for a hierarchical visit, what would it be?

I won’t eat you. I am not the FBI or police. I am coming, first of all, as the archpastor. Relax. It is said that the sight a priest likes best is the tail lights of the bishop’s car as he drives away. I hope that never happens in our diocese. I want people to look forward to seeing me as much as I do to seeing them.

Now that you have seen all parts of the diocese, what word of instruction would you have for us in your capacity as our archpastor?

Love God. Love each other. Love your neighbor–whoever that may be.

Having seen the liturgical practices throughout the diocese, do you have a pet peeve that conscientious clergy and parishioners should know?

I would like us all to use the same service book: The Priest’s Service Book, Orthodox Church in America, translated by Archbishop DMITRI. It is not perfect, but it is a publication of our Church and better than a lot of what is out there. There are some with very strong feelings one way or the other about it. But there is no priest or deacon who serves in a parish by his own authority.

I would also ask the clergy of our diocese not to use the so-called “General Confession.” It was introduced as a “school of confession,” a means to teach the faithful how to go to confession. It has in many cases replaced real, one-on-one, sacramental confession. If people need help, if they need to be taught how to confess, teach them. But I ask the clergy and faithful to confess regularly and in the traditional manner.

Confession is a problem in many places. I have been in parishes where two people go to confession on a Saturday night, maybe 10 or 15 are at Vespers, but 150 show up in the line for Holy Communion. The fact that people are not going to confession does not make me feel good because I have such a sinless flock; it makes me worried that we are not examining our hearts and preparing properly to receive God’s greatest and most holy gift.