Author: orthodoxaustralia

Dear Alexey,

Rejoice in our Lord Jesus Christ!

I hope you aren’t still upset over the Hudanish fit. You can accept it as “experience”—and really, such behavior is so outrageous, so out of the context of normal life, as it were, that one can’t really believe it until one see it with one’s own eyes. But how widespread is this kind of behavior among mankind! We’ve been getting a similar dose from Br. Laurence—his mood changed again (after beholding our beautiful nature on one of our Epiphany processions), and he thought he might not leave after all, and so he put down (at our request) in black and white a report of his three years here and his hopes for the future. The report turned out to be a thorough accusation of us as his “exploiters.” My heavens. It would be useless to dispute with him, and as Fr. Herman told him, with such an attitude it’s quite impossible for him to stay. His condition for staying, as it turns out, is that we reform ourselves and give up the coenobitic monastic ideal! (Although, of course, he himself wouldn’t express it that way, since he has no idea that he doesn’t understand monasticism.

The state of Hudanish and Br. Laurence is the state of prelest called by the Holy Fathers “fancy” or “opinion”—when a web of ideas is spun which has no real contact with reality, which is why when it comes out it seems so very “far out.” A person then acts according to his passions, but thinks he is being logical according to the web of ideas he has spun. Usually the devil uses one little ideas to “catch” us, knowing that it will catch us in something we may be emotional about; and that “catch” is sufficient to get us to weave the whole spider web which trips us up. I suspect that your “smoking” was the trap that caught Hudanish—he knows its so obviously “wrong,” and from his Old Believer contacts he has a “thing” about being “right”; and looking at the rest of what he has seen and heard of you in a new light, he sees many “wrong” things there also which he wouldn’t have paid much attention to if he hadn’t been “caught” by the smoking. Most likely his letters to you of late have come after long stewing and conversations with himself—and what the letters do is not to express any reality, but only different stages of his conversation with himself in his own spider web. We’ve seen several examples of this here, and it seems to account for many of the difficult “convert” phenomena. The answer seems only one thing: conscious spiritual life according to the Patristic teaching; there, are to be found the right way of thinking which disperses all our “opinions.” We’ve asked Vladika Averky to write an article on this subject.

We’ll be interested in your reaction to the first Sederholm tape—is there anything there yet for you to grab ahold of? Perhaps you need some more tapes on him first, before writing a first installment. Let us know. ·

With love in Christ,
Seraphim, monk

Dear Alexey,

Greetings in our Lord Jesus Christ. Just a brief note to return Vladimir’s note and one letter of Kalomiros—the other, unfortunately, I’ve mislaid between my two cells and will have to search more for. Forgive me! I still haven’t written Kalomiros, but hope to shortly.

I’ve read through and underlined most of the Sederholm book, and will try to get one tape on it done on Sunday; also a sermon of Vladika John then. I’ll look for something on Lent, and then probably one on Pascha for the next issue? Looking through old issues of his diocesan bulletin in Shanghai—he was obviously penetrated with the idea of “enlightening the people,” constantly teaching them. That’s why the idea of a periodical is important—a constant giving of spiritual food, even if only a little at a time. Today the Church atmosphere has become so worldly, however, that it’s next to impossible to do this effectively on a diocesan or even a parish level—better tiny groups, but with oneness of mind and soul.

Br. Laurence helped us get out the Calendar, and now he will probably be leaving before long. It’s near the end of his third year, which is the standard period of monastic trial, and it’s abundantly evident that he is not in harmony with our life here, does not want what we are after or can give. Fr. Herman and I allowed ourselves to reflect for a moment on what could have become of Br. L. if he had been able and willing to give up his self-insistence. He could have become extremely inspiring, inspired and fruitfvd in our conditions! But from first to last he didn’t want it, and there’s nothing more we can do for him. I think we did do him some good in his three years, at least in outward behavior, and that could even help him to survive in Jordanville if he goes there. We feel sorry for him, as he is psychologically so helpless and immature, and quite insecure in spite of all his demands and insistences. May God grant that he leave peacefully, without fits or hard feelings.

As for ourselves, we feel tremendously inspired by the new year, the conclusion of at least a big part of last year’s work, and the great prospects ahead, if only God will continue to grant the present opportunity. The spring weather also helps! The new OW may be out, God willing, by the end of next week. There remains a little polishing of our presentation of Vladika Andrew (the second of our “living links”)—please pray that we will be able to say about him (in our one-page introduction) what will be fruitful and inspiring for others.

I trust David got some benefit from being here, at least by attending the services. He is unsophisticated—but not really simple! He has the same complexes as our complicated converts and also will have to go on a path of humbling if he is to survive as Orthodox.

We got a long letter from John Hudanish, who wants to visit us with someone or other next month. Frankly, there is something very artificial and fake about his attitudes, which was only emphasized by the fact that he wrote in Russian, with some very artificial expressions. The battle of the Old Believers for the survival of their traditions (though of course one can’t but sympathize with it) is not the same battle we Orthodox Christians are fighting to keep alive the spirit of Orthodoxy! Everywhere the spirit is being quenched, and the preservation of old customs isn’t going to help when the spirit is gone!

Our Brotherhood has been mercilessly attacked by N. Struve in the Paris Messenger for our article (which Vladika Averky published in Russian) on Solzhenitsyn and the Catacomb Church. We’re glad they at least read what the “fanatics” are saying!

S.

Dear Nina,

Rejoice in our Lord Jesus Christ!

It was good to hear from you. For now—rejoice in your isolation, and learn to be somewhat “aloof” from that world out there—even the Orthodox world. Whatever is developing in your soul will come out better and straighter for being away from the tumult of the world. In fact, many of your “answers” will probably appear by themselves if you just sit patiently for a while and continue to let things settle in your soul. The big “problems” outside will mostly take care of themselves. Only keep yourself nourished on the sources, keep building an Orthodox world for yourself, which will survive when everything else may fail.

We heard from Barbara also, who seems fairly peaceful. She didn’t mention anything to us about coming back to Etna.

Yes, it was Vladika Nektary’s namesday. Fr. Herman talked to him by phone, about which he seemed happy, but weighed down by the world. ,

Our winter has begun not harshly at all, only a few small snowstorms, and the last snow is almost melted now. But we can’t predict what will be for our feast. Christopher helped greatly in the printing dept., but just “had to” go home, and so we saw him off several days ago. His heart and mind function nicely (except when moods take over), but the will is totally undeveloped. He is terribly immature, and perhaps he will be all right when he grows up a little more—but in contemporary America it isn’t easy to “grow up”!

What is “on time” for the Calendar mean? I thought we were already terribly late! If January first is what you mean, then God willing we will be on time—we would like to start mailing it by Saturday, but much much remains to be done. We’re printing 1500 this year, and we are swamped with immense piles (39 of them, each over a foot deep) of paper. How this will ever be folded and put together and sent out—-well, God and the saints will have to help. Fortunately, our little Gleb has a passion for collating, and produces tremendously. I hope the Calendar will inspire some people; it certainly inspired us—between moments of fatigue.

God willing, will see you soon. Pray for us. We are cheerful, which is probably helped by being so cut off from the world especially in the last weeks, and having so much work. The machines work fine, but there is just so much to do—2500 copies of each issue of OW, which is quite a job. John Hudanish visited us, after wandering for hours over our snow-clad mountains. Obviously the man needs what all we Americans need—much suffering, endured with patience and thanksgiving!

With love in Christ,
Seraphim, monk

Dear Father Hilarion [Igor Kapral],

Blagoslovite!

We have heard with joy of your tonsure and ordination. May Christ our God preserve you for many years of fruitful service in His Church!

Many thanks for your letter on Fr. Panteleimon, etc. Do not be overly grieved at the troubles that go on about us. It is actually good that you suffer and grieve, because only in this way can you gain the testing which is so needful today above all, in order to save your own soul and to be of help to others. Without deep grief, suffering, persecution, we will not be prepared for the extremely difficult days ahead, when “head-knowledge” will be of little benefit.

About Fr. Panteleimon we believe it is extremely important to be objective—i.e., not to treat him with special favoritism, to apply a different standard to him as a “non-Russian” than to all our Russian clergy and faithful and the ordinary converts who are not under his wing. Perhaps a great part of the trouble that has arisen in recent years comes from this very favoritism—a treatment which is often given to converts in our Church, but which often leads to disaster if the convert is not gradually forced to have a more mature attitude and cease being a “spoiled child.’’ If Fr. Panteleimon and his followers do not change some attitudes in the days ahead, they will inevitably go the way of all “crazy converts”—more Orthodox in appearance than many that so far have gone off the track, but still “crazy”—by which I mean: trusting no one but themselves, “knowing better” than everyone else, losing contact with the whole Church and its universal tradition. It is much better for Fr. Panteleimon to have some shocks and jolts now, even over seemingly insignificant or exaggerated things, than to continue his way peacefully until a real big shock comes and finds him unprepared and untested, and totally unaware of how bishops and others actually regard him.

I hope you will not interpret my words as an expression of some kind of “rivalry.” We have our own faults and passions, but I sincerely believe that we are not “jealous” or have any feelings of “rivalry” for Fr. Panteleimon or any of our Greeks. We have had here as novices or laborers several exnovices of Fr. Panteleimon, and on the whole we could only confirm for them what they had already learned under Fr. Panteleimon, so close is his approach, in general, to ours. The very existence of Fr. Panteleimon has been a source of strength to us—in particular, his fresh approach to monasticism, spiritual life, the saints, as opposed to the deadness of “taking for granted” all these things that is so widespread today. This we regard as his strongest point, (not his theology), and it would be tragic for this to be lost to our Church; we ourselves would be the worse for it.

For an objective view of Fr. Panteleimon, we regard it as essential to be aware of two main points, knowledge of which, I think, will help us to keep our heads whenever the next “incident” flares up (which under present conditions is inevitable):

1. His attitude of mistrust and suspicion for those outside his circle of influence. This we have observed with increasing grief for five years, and leads him sometimes to ridiculous conclusions about “plots” against him. This encourages the party spirit in our Church—although he accuses others of this, I really doubt that anyone in our Church has promoted it as actively as he and his followers. He keeps “files” of private letters which have no relation to him or his monastery, solely in order to show who is associated with whom and is therefore “against” him. Several of these letters, we know quite certainly, are either forgeries or exist only in the mind of Fr. Panteleimon. This preoccupation with other people’s business is a sickness, and if it is not stopped it will not have any good result. A result of this pre-occupation is the spreading of stories and slanders about others. We saw two letters from his monks, defending him in the recent troubles. Both of them accused others of spreading rumors, and both of them contained most unkind stories about others in the Church, “passed on” by the monastery for no good purpose. This is surely spiritual blindness: to accuse others of doing precisely what you yourself do, and in the very same letter! Why? I am not saying this to bring accusation against the monastery, for I do not believe the monks are any more “evil” than we or anyone else. They do such things precisely because of a want of objectivity—because Fr. Panteleimon and his followers have become accustomed to live by a different standard from everyone else. They are supposed to be concerned about everyone’s business (monks?! in a hesychast monastery?!!), but no one else is supposed to be permitted this. We must be objective about this, and at least recognize it for what it is, even if we may be in no position to correct it.

Forgive me, Father, but I believe I detect in your letter one small sign of the “double standard” we have grown used to applying when Fr. Panteleimon is concerned. Why do you speak of “Bishop” Petros? Is it really only because he is out of communion with his own Synod? Or is it because Fr. Panteleimon’s feelings about him are so strong that you involuntarily reflect his feelings? Many of Fr. Panteleimon’s spiritual children had an absolute hatred for Bishop Petros even when he was still in quite good standing with our Synod. Perhaps we are hopelessly naive (and certainly we are “out of things” and don’t even hear most rumors)—but we know that Bishop Petros has a document from our Synod testifying to his valid ordination as bishop, and that he is out of communion with his own Synod solely (or at least chiefly) because he refused to state that the New Calendar Church no longer has grace—a statement which our own bishops refused to sign. Why this disdainful attitude toward Bishop Petros? By the way, our Archbishop John told us, when Fr. Panteleimon was about to join our church ten years ago, that he should probably be placed under the jurisdiction of Bishop Petros. As a special favor, he was not, but was allowed to form, in effect, a second jurisdiction of Old Calendar Greeks in America—obviously an occasion for scandal in future, which has since begun to occur. We strongly suspect “rivalry” plays at least some part in this whole situation, and until we are given very good cause we cannot but apply to Bishop Petros the same standard we must apply to Fr. Panteleimon and everyone else: we will not believe rumors about him. Of course, we must obey any directives of the Synod concerning him, but the directive itself is a conditional one: until his situation is rectified with his own Synod. Even if Bishop Petros is some kind of “monster” or “magician”—and several bishops of our Synod tell us he is not, in their opinion—our attitude toward him in any case should be objective, not based on feelings or on making him a special case for disfavoritism.

2. Father Panteleimon’s theology. This would require derailed discussion to go into thoroughly, but let it suffice to apply the standard of objectivity to it also: It has strong points, and it has weak points. From what we have seen (in a number of open letters) I would say the weak points outweigh the strong points, and the “theological” reputation of Fr. Panteleimon is largely a creation of “public opinion,” based on a few of the stronger points, but based even more on the tone of self-assurance with which all the theological opinions of Fr. Panteleimon and Fr. Neketas are expressed. The “Open Letters” we have seen have far too much self-esteem, too much a “know-better” attitude, too much “expertness” and elitism—all of which are totally out of place in theological writing, but are especially unjustified when one considers the weakness or outright falseness of some of their positions. Differences of theological opinion are one thing—one can live with this in the church, as long as both sides are humble enough. But something else entirely is the offering of opinions as certain truth—which is where their “arrogance” and “harshness” which you mention are especially offensive. Whether it be “awful catechisms” (in the diocese of a bishop who would be horrified if he were informed of this expression) or “Augustine the heretic” (when Fr. Neketas knows, because we told him, that Archbishop John revered him as a saint), or the doctrinaire opinions on the Holy Shroud or Weeping Icons (opinions which seem to change now and then, because Fr. Panteleimon several years ago told us personally that he now accepts them, while his spiritual children even now are fanatically against them)—their very attitude makes objective discussion of such matters (which is quite necessary in the Church) an impossibility. This especially makes us grieve, because we see no “escape-valve” for differences—if one disagrees with them, one is “attacking” them and will be regarded either as an enemy or a dunce who needs to be enlightened with an “Open Letter” (few of which actually attack the question that prompted them!). How can there be oneness of mind in the Church with such an immature attitude?

We will he very happy if Fr. Panteleimon has learned from the recent troubles and is prepared at least to present a meeker appearance, show more tolerance for the opinions of others on disputed questions, cease his disdainful attitude toward the Jordanville seminary (which he called to me personally “pitiful”) and to members of the clergy (Vladika Laurus in particular, whom his spiritual children say “can’t be trusted”), and withdraw his persecution of those who do not follow his “party-line.” Here in California we have two meek laborers for Christ: Alexey Young and Nikodemos, and Vladimir Anderson and “Eastern Orthodox Books.” If you only knew what real slaves of God they are, how they literally work out their salvation with trembling and make immense sacrifices for the cause of Orthodox missionary labors. Perhaps Alexey has made some mistakes (one rather big one, but a question of taste rather then dogma, and certainly nothing worse than the mistakes Fr. Neketas has made in print)—but have you noticed what a splendid little publication Nikodemos has become? The articles on Kireyevsky are priceless—he has really absorbed the message and spirit of Kireyevsky, which most Russians missed then and now, a message which is extremely important for our Orthodoxy and our theology today—and he, who has suffered so much from the cruel behavior and slanders of Fr. Neketas (to which we can bear witness) and the coldness of Fr. Panteleimon and all the tales which have been spread from Seattle and Boston, and yet does not attack back and is most kind and meek toward them—is regarded as an “enemy,” and his valuable publications are not even mentioned. And such treasures Vladimir Anderson has published at great cost and sacrifice—and Fr. Neketas wont even mention that the Homilies of St. Macarius are again in print, in an excellent translation, after 50 years (not to mention other valuable publications)! Where is the sense of common missionary oneness of mind, forgiveness of others, distrust of one’s own opinions?

Over all this we grieve and suffer—no less than you have suffered in these last months, I make bold to say. I write this all to you as an “exchange of opinions” which will perhaps help and protect both you and us in the days ahead. Please inform me if I haven’t been as objective as I tried to be. In the days ahead—the last days left to us before what seems impending disaster for America—we intend to proceed in the same spirit as in the past, not joining any “party” or taking any “sides,” but continuing our effort to give the truths of Orthodoxy for contemporary use. Perhaps the “static” of “interference” we now feel as coming from certain quarters has even helped us, in that it forces us to be more precise in what we say, knowing how some statements will be interpreted. We ask your prayers, and we beg you to be open with us in future when disagreements or disputes might arise.

With love in Christ,
S.

Dear Brother in Christ, Paul [Bartlett],

Greetings in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Please forgive our long silence, which is especially reprehensible on our part, knowing the difficulty of your lone Orthodox struggle out there in the world. These last weeks have been so busy that we have scarcely been out of the printshop, day or night. Glory be to God, The Northern Thebaid was finished at last and some copies brought for binding to San Francisco (you’ll get yours as soon as the cover is ready). Now the Calendar is in full production and perhaps in a week will be finished. The machines are working well—the generator is perfect, although it uses much propane, and the linotype works the best it has since summer, with the worst of its problems cleared up. The nicks in the matrices, I discovered, were caused by a worn-out screw in the vise cap, requiring only a slight adjustment; and the stick matrices were the fault of Typomite—now I use just the dry brush to clean the magazine. The heat and lead quality have been excellent for several weeks, glory to God. When in San Francisco I looked at the linotype Vladimir mentioned, which is not guaranteed in running condition, but I think I could put it into such—but we won’t think about it until spring. Even at its best, our present machine is slow, and we keep thinking there isn’t much time to do all that we should.

Br. Christopher has been with us for several weeks, but will be leaving for Hawaii next week, rather unprepared for an isolated life in the world.

You, of course, are better prepared, even though you may find the way discouraging right now. Fr. Dimitry Dudko has an answer for the new convert leading a lonely life in the world (I think we read this at trapeza after you left): Enter as much as possible into the Church’s spirit and way of thought and life. (In Russian this is called “churchification”). Your loneliness, while difficult to bear, is good, because only out of suffering comes spiritual growth; it will pass as you get more and more into the Church spirit through continually nourishing yourself with it. Daily reading, even if little, is very important in this struggle.

About the priesthood: treasure the idea for now in your heart. The more experience you have in life, and in suffering (I know you don’t like that word—but even if you don’t go out and seek suffering, at least be prepared to accept what little God allows you, and accept it gladly)—the better prepared you will be for priesthood. In Jordanville they are trying to prepare an English reading list for correspondence courses (I believe), so technically this question might become easier before long. I don’t know how Fr. Neketas might look on your hope—I rather think he might be discouraging about it. Actually, there is more reason in our day than ever before to wait for ordination until after the canonical age of 30. But this thought, and practical approaches to it, should be maturing in your mind and heart in the months ahead.

You will see in the Calendar our introduction to St. Gregory of Tours—actually used as an introduction to the whole question of Western saints. This should go in the Sept-Oct. issue of the OW. And then we need a last small introduction before beginning the Lives themselves. Perhaps, after finishing your “thesis,” you could do this for us? What we need is just a brief life of St. Gregory himself—not hagiographic style, but more popular-scholarly, so as to place him in the history of his times, etc., with all details that put him in Orthodox light. I.e., his family background, turning points in his life (a miracle of St. Martin, I believe?), Gaul and the Church at his time, his governance of his flock, attitude toward princes, etc. Perhaps [letter ends]

Dear Brother in Christ, Macarios [Schaefer?],

Greetings in our Lord Jesus Christ.

I’m sorry to be so late answering your letter. We’ve been working day and night on The Northern Thebaid (which is now complete except for cover), and now the Calendar, and I just haven’t answered any letters.

About becoming a novice: if Nicholas feels that he should, and the authorities bless it, then that seems to be the path for him. But if you don’t feel any great urge to take this step, there’s no need to rush it. Such a decision will mature in its own time. Your status as a seminarian is already definite enough to give you protection against many of the devil’s wiles, and the decision to become a novice is something extra, which perhaps you don’t need yet.

We are glad to hear of your progress in Russian and in general. May Christ our God keep you in His grace. But be always trembling before God, expecting temptation on any side, and trusting in God and His Most Holy Mother and the saints to get you through. The path of salvation is a narrow one, but with God’s help we can stay on it, because that is what He has called us for!

Please pray for us.

With love in Christ,
Seraphim, monk

Dear Brother in Christ, Phanourios [Ingram],

Greetings in our Lord Jesus Christ. We were glad to hear from you again. In answer to your two questions:

1. You should be allowed to receive Holy Communion in San Francisco after simply going to confession. There is no special rite for receiving people from the Greek Archdiocese, because our Russian Church Abroad has not made any declaration officially breaking off communion with them nor declaring that their sacraments are without grace; all that has been done was a statement strongly discouraging our people from being in communion with the Greek Archdiocese. Some people might even try to tell you that it is “all right” to receive communion again in the Greek Archdiocese, but you should not do so; you should strive to be in harmony with the spirit and not merely the letter of the decrees of our bishops, being aware that the Greek Archdiocese is going faster and faster into apostasy from Christ and Orthodoxy. In our Russian Church you must go to confession each time before receiving Holy Communion—except for some special times such as Holy Week, when you can go to confession on Great Thursday or Saturday and then receive communion without confession at the Pascha Liturgy (or even receive communion at all three Liturgies—Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday).

About receiving communion—we will write our Archbishop Anthony of San Francisco and inform him what we have told you, and if he says anything different we will write you again before January.

2. Concerning fast days, we will be printing some details in the 1976 Calendar. The precise rules of fasting are a little complicated, but in general: on Wednesdays and Fridays one eats no meat, eggs, dairy products, fish, or oil (such as fried foods), and also no wine; but if there are feast days on Wed. or Friday the fast is relaxed to allow the eating of oil and wine (lesser feasts) or fish (greater feasts—mostly the Twelve Great Feasts). During the Nativity Fast no meat, eggs, or dairy products are eaten for the whole fast, but on Tuesday and Thursday oil can be eaten even if there is no feast day, and on Saturdays and Sundays fish can be eaten. If a lesser feast day falls on Wed. or Friday, oil can be eaten, and if on Mon, Tues, or Thursday, fish can be eaten. Of course, if you can’t go to church every day and don’t know just what kind of feast is being celebrated, it’s difficult to keep up with this— that’s why we will indicate it for every day in the new Calendar. Most people don’t know all these rules, and for laymen who might be mixed up by them it’s really enough to refrain from fish (and of course meat, eggs, and dairy products on Weds, and Fridays during the Nativity Fast. The Great Lent is stricter, allowing only oil and wine on Saturdays and Sundays.

Unfortunately, our 1976 Calendar won’t be out for at least 3 weeks. Please pray for us so that we will finish it at least by then. We have many difficulties, and it begins to look like a hard winter ahead. Last night we had our third snow already (5 inches), and usually we don’t have snow until the last days of November. But all this we accept for our humbling, and it is good for us.

Don’t worry too much about how spiritually poor you are—God sees that, but for you it is expected to trust in God and pray to Him as best you can, never to fall into despair, and to struggle according to your strength. If you even begin to think you are spiritually “well off”—then you can know for sure that you aren’t! True spiritual life, even on the most elementary level, is always accompanied by suffering and difficulties. Therefore you should rejoice in all your difficulties and sorrows.

Nina has written us that your wife is planning to go to New Jersey, either soon or in January, and she gave her the address of Father George Lewis. There is another church she might visit if she has the chance—I’ll find the address and put it at the bottom of this page. The services there are in Slavonic, but the priest, who is a very good friend of ours, speaks good English and is very good and zealous. If she visits Fr. George Lewis’ church, she should be sure to meet my godfather there, who is the choir director: Dimitry Andrault de Langeron. It would be good if she could visit his home also— which is like a little church. He has three children. I will write him also and tell him to expect her.

Please pray for us—the prayers of true Orthodox Christian for each other are very necessary in these terrible times.

With love in Christ,
Seraphim, monk

Dear Brother in Christ, Thomas,

Greetings in our Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you for your letter, in which we see your sincere desire to serve Christ, God willing in the monastic life.

You are welcome to visit us for some time and see our life at first hand. After this we could talk about your staying to become a novice. I don’t know what kind of tales you have heard of us, but actually our life is not too different from that in the other monasteries in our Russian Church Abroad, the main differences perhaps being in our isolation from the world, especially in the winter, and our somewhat primitive living conditions, which can be a little difficult in winter. Our winter is usually not terribly cold, but there is usually quite a bit of snow. Also, I should tell you that we do not have the Divine Liturgy often, as we have no priest living with us. Our confessor visits us several times a year, and occasionally some other priest or one of our two bishops on the West Coast will visit us and serve Liturgy; but sometimes we have to go out to receive Holy Communion at the nearest church (200 miles away).

The first and most important thing in monastic life is trust, which is acquired by experience. From your visit (if you still want to come) you will be able to see whether you can place your trust in us to guide you in monasticism, according to the teachings of the Holy Fathers.

You are welcome to bring your icons and books, but I don’t know whether there will be a place for an icon shelf or not, as you might not have a regular cell are first.

To get to us you will have to go by Greyhound to Redding, 230 miles north of San Francisco and 40 miles from us. You will have to write us (or send a mailgram) several days in advance to make sure we will know when you are coming (we have no telephone), and we will come to pick you up.

If after all this you still wish to visit us, it would be good for you to stop on the way to us at the Sepulchre of Archbishop John Maximovitch, a true holy place (in the basement of the San Francisco Cathedral on Geary Blvd.) and pray to him to guide you aright in the path of salvation. He is our powerful intercessor before God.

Please let us know your plans, and write of any questions you may have.

With love in Christ,
Seraphim, monk

Dear Brother in Christ, Andrew [Bond],