I don’t know about you, but this whole election thing, international politics and economy, Economy, ECONOMY stuff has just turned my mind to mush. So, I promise I will not talk about politics or money. For some, this week’s podcast may not even sound like it’s about religion in general or Orthodoxy in particular. Rather, it may serve as a bit of a diversion from the day to day. Because, ladies and gentlemen: It’s fall, it’s October, and this episode... Read more

If you’ve got the time, take a listen to this. If you don’t have the time, listen anyway. (About half way through – Molly Sabourin punched me in the belly. I mean, she hit a little too close to home. But, that’s just me. Who knows, though I wasn’t listening for it, maybe she said something about for you?) Read more

[W]ith a sense of our Church’s obligation before God and History in an age when the unified witness of Orthodoxy is judged crucial and expected by all, we invite and call on you fraternally that, with the approval also of our respective Holy Synods, we may proceed to the following necessary actions: 1. To advance the preparations for the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church, already commenced through Panorthodox Pre-Conciliar Consultations. 2. To activate the 1993 agreement of... Read more

Funny. It was Fr Charles Caldwell at Nashotah House who first introduced me to the spiritual warfare involving the Passions and the Virtues — PALE GAS, even — and he was an opera lover who’d married an opera singer. (I dedicated Defeating Sin to him.) Now this. On another note, and please forgive me here, I heard a really bad joke the other day. Ready? Q. What’s the difference between an Episcopal Bishop and an Orthodox Bishop? A. Lipstick Anyway,... Read more

The other day I met an honest to goodness Orthodox Christian Anarchist. I’d bought a newspaper in hopes of solving the Crossword Puzzle and scanning the Comics. I was leafing through the other sections when, in the Classifieds, I found the following job listing: OCAL: Orthodox Christian Anarchist at Large seeks willing accomplices … This was followed by an 800 number – stating that there were representatives available in all areas. What the heck is an Orthodox Christian Anarchist? I... Read more

Forgive me; I rarely post these forwarded things. But, ever so often comes one worth a read. Law of the Garbage Truck One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car backed out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other... Read more

Anthony Esolen, over at TOUCHSTONE’s Mere Comments, has posted some dating rules. Here’s a few; feel free to add a few of your own (here or there). 13. Never marry a woman who does not laugh at your jokes or your buffoonery. That is one of the nicest ways in which men “serve” women, and women respond by taking delight in the antics. That is why God made impersonators of Marlon Brando, Sean Connery, and Homer Simpson. It may in... Read more

When someone asks you how Orthodoxy is different than their own brand of Christianity, just say: “Oh, Orthodoxy’s a lot harder than whatever it is you do.” What? You gave up potato chips for Lent? Try Meat, Dairy & Oil! Your church service lasts 50 minutes? We go for over 2 hours! Oh yeah, so you’ve had trouble reading the whole Bible? Well you oughta see ours — it’s even bigger! You fasted 3 days to fit into your wedding... Read more

In an article posted here, Patriarch Bartholomew is quoted as saying (to the Plenary Assembly of the European Parliament): “We are all brothers and sisters with one heavenly Father and on this beautiful planet, which we are all responsible for, there is room for everyone.” Maybe it’s just me (at least some may say), but is this sentence, spoken to a secular gathering, Orth correct? Read more

Wealth is not a possession, it is not property. It is a loan for use. Those things only are our own, which we have sent before us to the other world … only the virtues of the soul are properly our own. — St John ChrysostomThanks to Fr Josiah Trenham. Read more