News

Homily on the day of the Preeminent Apostles Peter & Paul – St. John of Kronstadt

10:33 PM

We magnify you, o holy preeminent apostles Peter and Paul,
who have enlightened the whole world with your teachings
and brought all the ends of it to Christ

The Lord worthily exalted the names of the holy Apostles throughout the universe: for they were the disciples and fellow labourers with Christ God, the ones who enlightened the entire world with their teachings, the world that was in darkness and in the shadow of death, they brought countless souls from the worship of idols to the knowledge of true God and from dishonour to righteous life, they lived on earth in a heavenly manner, like bodiless angels, having disdained all earthly things as corruptible and temporary, vain and sinful; they worked innumerable miracles, undertook unbelievably great labours, and finally gave their souls for the faith in their Lord. These, in general terms, are the merits of the holy Apostles, and especially of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul.

Unto us, the unworthy ministers, the Lord has bestowed the calling and the ministry of the apostles; therefore our work, even as theirs was, is to teach and enlighten the people, committed to our direction, that they may live in a manner worthy of the Christian calling, that they may work out their salvation with fear and trembling, that they may correct their hearts and characters, that they shy away from the passions that war against the soul, that they live piously, honourably and in a holy manner, waiting for the Lord to come from the heavens to judge the whole world. All the people in the world chase after gain, some out of need, others out of habit, on account of passion; our work is not to chase after gain, not to collect perishing riches; our work, our gain is the salvation of human souls, redeemed by the blood of the Son of God, and our own salvation. And woe, woe unto us, if we chase after gain as did Judas the Iscariot. Then we will destroy both ourselves and the souls committed to our care by God: for how can the priest, will he want to save souls if his heart is occupied by gain? He knows only the value of money; he doesn’t know, with his heart he doesn’t know, he doesn’t feel how precious is the salvation of the soul; salvation for him is an empty word. The one that doesn’t care for his own salvation, will he care for the salvation of others? No, he will not. That is why the apostles of Christ considered all earthly things to be dust, while the salvation of souls they considered to be their main task. Oh, how they loved people, and how they loved people’s souls redeemed from the eternal curse by such a great price, by the blood of the Son of God! They loved them with the love of Christ, teaching every person with tears day and night. Read the letters or the epistles of the apostles where they preached the word of God to the residents of the various cities or to specific individuals; you will see what hot, burning, divine love permeated and inflamed their hearts! In truth, what can be more precious than the salvation of the human soul, which is the image and likeness of the immortal God! The entire world is worth less than one soul. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? (Matthew 16:26

Thus, my brethren, most of all take care for the salvation of your souls that are perishing in their sins. The time of the earthly life is short, while eternity has no end; at the same time the end of our life is unknown. Make haste to entreat God with repentance, contrition of heart, and correction of life. You, o holy preeminent Apostles Peter and Paul, do we entreat, pray for us to our God, that the Lord direct our hearts and thoughts toward salvation, that He may soften and confirm, that He may have mercy and save all of us. Amen.
Ruskoka camp hosted 2010 Leadership Workshop

01:18 PM

The annual Leadership Workshop was held in the diocesan camp Ruskoka from June 18th, through the 21st. Over 20 counselors and 16 volunteers gathered in the beautiful area in Muskoka. As usual, the workshop was organized and attended by staff and counselors from two orthodox camps: Ruskoka (Canadian Diocese) and ORPR (Chicago Diocese).

The participants were offered a diverse program: sports, swimming, Russian folk dances, spiritual discussion, and also a question and answer session with the priest. All-night vigil was served on Saturday and Divine Liturgy on Sunday morning. The choir was directed by Olga Feodorovna Pechnikova, while the services, discussion and question and answer session were conducted by priest Viatcheslav Davidenko.

Alik Sakuta, director of the Ruskoka camp expressed his heartfelt gratitude to all the participants and volunteers for their labours.
Pictures from the pilgrimage to the Holy Land

11:04 PM

The photographs from His Grace, Bishop Gabriel’s group’s pilgrimage to the Holy Land have been placed in the Photo Albums section of the site.
Dinner for poor and sick children in the Ukraine

08:20 AM

His Grace, Bishop Gabriel visited the Parish of the Memorial Church of the Protection of the Holy Virgin from Friday March 12th to Sunday the 14th. On Friday evening about 95 people attended the service of Holy Unction.

On Sunday, after the Divine Liturgy, the children and youth of the parish hosted their 5th Annual Benefit Dinner for Poor and Underprivileged Children.
This year, children as young as 3 years old prepared a wonderful Lenten chili meal that was enjoyed by all. The total amount collected was $2,100, and will be sent again this year as last to the orphanage under the care of the Ascension Monastery, in Chernovitsa in the Ukraine. We are grateful to Fr. Victor Lochmatov, who came from Jordanville again this year to attend the services and support this worthy cause.
Over the past 5 years, the children have raised over $12,000 in support of those who have less than us.

The children would also like to express their thanks and gratitude to his Grace, Bishop Gabriel who is very supportive of their efforts, and everyone who attended and supported them. Guests came from London, Toronto, Jordanville, Montreal and other surrounding cities.

Photos may be viewed on the parish site.
His Grace, Bishop Gabriel’s Paschal epistle

08:20 AM

To the clergy and the God-loving flock of the Canadian Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia

CHRIST IS RISEN!

Reverend fathers, brothers and sisters beloved in the Lord!

It is the day of resurrection! Let us be illumined, O ye people! Pascha, the Lord’s Pascha! Do these words of the solemn and joyous Festive chants express our inner state today, or do we, even on this Great day of the Glory of the Lord, remain in captivity of the daily cares? We hope that is not the case, may it not be so.

A Christian is not a simple reflection of his outward life, – says the Most Blessed Metropolitan Anthony (Khrapovitsky), the founder and first head of the Russian Church Abroad, – in him there must be and is another, inner life, lit by the memory of Christ, proceeding from the tomb as Victor, Christ, Who said to the myrrh bearing women: rejoice!

It often happens that our earthly life is not very sweet, but it is even more bitter for those, to whom the joyous glorification of Christ is not accessible; for those, who are separated from the Light of the Resurrection of Christ by the unavoidable burdens of their earthly life.

Apostle Paul wrote, addressing the ancient Christians: “Who shall separate us from the love of God, shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” (Romans 8:35). Such was the lot of the Christians of the first centuries, and in our times, the lot of the holy New Martyrs of Russia. However, do we have to endure anything similar to that? If on account of our weakness we cannot be like Saint Seraphim of Sarov, who received from the Lord the abiding Paschal joy, so that every day of the year he greeted his visitors with the words: “My joy, Christ is risen!” Yet, beloved brothers and sisters, at least in these days of the Pascha of Christ, let us set aside our daily cares.

Today together we celebrate the “death of death, the destruction of Hades, the beginning of another life eternal”. We, according to the words of Most Blessed Metropolitan Anthony, are called to be the sons of resurrection, and in that is the essence of our hope. Hence, let us also repeat the wondrous words of the Psalmist, ones that are many times today chanted in the Church of Christ: “This is the day that the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 117:24).

Truly Christ is Risen!

Gabriel
Bishop of Montreal and Canada
Pascha of Christ, 2010