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"On Mid-Pentecost we hear the call of the Lord: 'Whosoever thirsteth, let him come to Me and drink' (John 7:37). If this is so, then let us all run to Him. Whatever you thirst for - so long as it is not contrary to the Spirit of the Lord - you will find relief in Him." - St Theophan the Recluse, 1815-1894
Mid-Pentecost is, in the words of the Pentecostarion, "the middle of those days which commence with Christ God's saving Rising and which are sealed by Pentecost." It is a most radiant and majestic feast in that it is "illuminated by both the feasts" - flashing forth like a flawless diamond upon which brilliant light is shined from right and left, and gushing forth like a powerful fountain of water which is fed by two mighty streams. Let us all quaff deeply of "the waters of piety" which flow from Him Who is the very Well-spring of Life! "Having been enlightened by the Resurrection and Christ the Saviour, O ye brethren, and having reached the midst of the feast of the Master, let us truly keep the commandments of God, that we may be counted worthy to celebrate the Ascension and be vouchsafed the coming of the Holy Spirit" (Doxastikon on the Praises).
Bright Week Celebration in SF
Paschal Divine Liturgy was celebrated by His Grace and area clergy from the Pacific Central Deanery and the Mission Deanery. The singing was done primarily by priests, who were directed by the well-respected veteran cathedral choir conductor Subdeacon Robert Parent.
Lake Havasu Mission Reaches Out
The children from St. Peter the Aleut Orthodox Church in Lake Havasu City reached out to a nearby community to help make life just a little bit easier for seniors living on marginal incomes.
Film of Bishop’s Water Blessing trip in Alaska
Video of Bishop BENJAMIN's blessing of the water in Alaska.
Bishop’s Paschal Message
and united what before had been divided;
and by clothing Yourself in a winding sheet
You have saved even those held captive by the tomb, who cry:
“None is holy but You, O Lord.”
Holy Saturday Kanon, Ode III
HOLY PASCHA 2011
To the Reverend Clergy and Faithful of the Diocese of the West
Dearly beloved:
Christ is risen! Indeed He is risen!
I greet each and every one of you with the greeting that has been joyously exchanged since the angel at the empty tomb told the disciples that the Lord Jesus had been raised from the dead. Their amazement and wonder turned into pure and unadulterated joy as the magnitude of the moment began to dawn on them. So, also, we are filled this day with the same joy.
Colorado Prison Ministry
When we hear our Lords words in Matthew 25, “I was in prison, and you came to Me,” we don’t imagine ourselves finding a prison with a large population of Orthodox Christians to visit. Well, that is exactly what Fr. John Armstrong, rector of St. Herman Orthodox Church in Littleton, CO found. Hidden in the farm fields of eastern Colorado, yet accessible to the Denver Airport, the Hudson Correctional Facility is part of the Alaska Department of Corrections. With almost 1000 prisoners it is estimated that as many as 250 of them grew up in an Orthodox Church.
Groundbreaking for Chapel at St. Barbara’s Monastery
On Lazarus Saturday, April 16th, 2011, His Grace, Bishop Benjamin, presided at the ground-breaking for a chapel dedicated to St. Barbara and St. Eugene at St. Barbara Monastery in Santa Paula, CA. For over five years, the monastic community has used the large living room of their house as a chapel. But this arrangement, while workable, is far from adequate and has always been understood to be temporary.
Southern Colorado Mission Vespers 2011
Each year the pan-Orthodox faithful throughout Colorado visit each others' parishes on the Sunday evenings of Great Lent. We begin with all parishes gathering in Denver at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation. Twenty clergy and hundreds of faithful gathered on the "Sunday of Orthodoxy" evening for prayer, worship, fellowship, and to hear Fr. Martin Ritsi of OCMC make a presentation. The rest of the Lenten Sunday evenings are participated in by "region": north, central (Denver Metro) and south. The southern parishes take an offering at each service which helps support our annual Project Mexico trip (number 16!) by sponsoring one of the local clergy to participate. Fr. Lawrence of St. Mary's in Calhan is our 2011 clergy trip leader. This video presentation is our attempt to share our life and experience with the rest of the diocese!
View video
Japan Fund Update
As we entered the time of the Great Forty Days, we learned of the terrible earthquake in Japan and the subsequent tsunami that devastated the region around Sendai. The Sendai area was a focus of the missionary work of St. Nicholas of Japan. Several Orthodox churches were damaged and one totally destroyed in the March 11 earthquake.
Bishop Benjamin asked the parishes of the Diocese of the West to take up a collection to aid the Church of Japan at this time of crisis. To date $26,934.92 has been collected from throughout the diocese. The diocesan treasurer, Mrs. Mary Caetta will be transmitting the funds to Japan this week to help the various parishes rebuild. Bishop Benjamin is grateful for the generosity of the clergy and faithful of the Diocese of the West and hopes that our small gift will help our Orthodox brethren at this critical time. We wish them a joyous Pascha and embrace them with the Paschal kiss.
MEMORY ETERNAL: Deacon Michael Savko
Deacon Michael Savko, serving at St. Herman Church in Oxford, CA, fell asleep in Lord on April 12 after a long illness. The schedule for his services, all at St. Innocent Church in Tarzana, CA, is as follows:
Thursday, April 14, 7:00 pm
Panikhida
Friday, April 15, 10:00 am
Burial Service and Interment
For more information, please call Father Paul Waisenan at (805) 901-5437.
Memory Eternal to the servant God, the Deacon Michael.