Yes it has. I didn’t know anyone read this blog until a parishioner and friend asked me this morning before Divine Liturgy when I was going to post again. So at least one person noticed my long absence. No excuse for not blogging – I just didn’t feel like it, so there.
Well, what shall I talk about? Hmmm, Metropolitan Philip seems like too easy a target (but it sure is tempting). How about some religious news of the weird – is or isn’t Naomi Campbell going to become Orthodox after she gets hitched in the Temple of Luxor? Guess if you’ve got money you can get married any darn place you like.
Locally I was interested in the report of the Russian Church Outside of Russia accepting the Western-rite practicing parishes of the Holy Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church of America . Never heard of ‘em before this, which is surprising since their entire Texas presence is found in my home town of San Antonio not 5 miles from my front door. It appears to be a small house church in a nondescript neighborhood on the northeast side of town. I haven’t driven by yet, but did do the modern equivalent with a Google street view (forget the Germans and their privacy issues, I love this feature).
In the big scheme of things, I don’t think this will change the course of Orthodoxy in America since all ten parishes of this group couldn’t possibly contain more than 1000 souls. But hey, the soul of 1 or 1000 doesn’t matter to the Lord. The angels rejoice when just one person is saved, and we should too. Prayer for these folks is needed – they are coming out of the strange land of non-canonical Orthodoxy, bringing whatever baggage that might entail. Making a switch like this can’t be easy or done overnight. I’m reminded though that several of our strongest parish families came out of a local Old Catholic church many years ago. We’re not talking huge numbers either but what a benefit their witness has been for our Church and Orthodoxy as a whole.
