Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. If only we knew the power of your anger! Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due. Teach us to number our days, that we may gain … Read More

To all clergy, monastics and laity of the Diocese of the Midwest, The blessing of the Lord be upon you. The following is an update to the directives issued by the Holy Synod last week in response to the Coronavirus. The Holy Synod met yesterday to further discuss this situation and we are still deliberating on the guidance to give … Read More

Beloved Faithful, We have entered the most profound season of Great Lent when we concern ourselves with repentance and good works.  During this sacred time, we look at every way in which we can draw closer to our loving Savior. This takes a great deal of attention. We are striving to simplify our diets and our daily activities. We are working … Read More

I must confess it is really hard for me to come up with any pearls of wisdom for families during this first week. There is so much good material out there about observing Lent in family life that people should check out. My own Cathedral, Holy Trinity in Chicago, is posting daily reflections and articles on observing Great Lent. Please … Read More

D.H. Lawrence’s “The Rocking Horse Winner” is the story of a family whose mother is bent on becoming socially prominent. Her ambitions drive her to need more and more money, and the pressure of this is reflected in the family. Lawrence writes that the house itself seems constantly to whisper, “There must be more money. There must be more money.” … Read More

I was about to write a note this week about fasting and school meals during Lent. I thought this would be a good topic given the issues parents might encounter in dealing with children who fast for Lent and how that impacts such things as what they eat at school. I realize I could be making assumptions about what parents … Read More

As many of you know by now, this year is the 50th Anniversary of the Orthodox Church in America receiving its Autocephaly from the Russian Orthodox Church. The word autocephalous literally means “self-headed.” The Orthodox Church in America is no longer overseen by another autocephalous church overseas. We elect and ordain our own Primate and bishops, and we have our … Read More

What can families do to promote good attitudes towards good grades? First and most important is for families to foster a Christ-centered spiritual life in the home. This would mean a commitment to live by the Beatitudes of Christ as taught on the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew Chapters 5 to 7. This is more important than academic knowledge. … Read More