Years ago, back in the days before gidgy-Gidgy-Gadgie-GADGETS TAKE TWO: Years ago, back before google -Googly- GOOGLEDY- gOoGlE OKAY. TAKE THREE: A long time ago, a friend of mine said, “You know, Tony Snow’s a black guy.” “No way,” I said, “he sounds so, so …” “I know,” he replied, “he sounds like a white guy — but he’s black!” Mind you, this was back when there was but a voice on the radio without a face on the tellie... Read more

An historic concert commemorating the 90th anniversary of the murder of the last Russian Czar Nicholas II, the Czarina Alexandra, and their children took place in Moscow today, July 16th, in Christ the Savior Cathedral. The text of the concert, composed by Bishop HILARION (Alfeyev), expresses the combined grief, repentance and hope of the Russian people. The complete libretto of the concert may be accessed on-line here. Taken from the DOWAMA Clergy Brotherhood daily email. Read more

That’s Fr John “Waylon” Monto on guitar, DJ Leigh in da house, and Fr Joseph “Willie” Huneycutt on the mic at Camp St Raphael, Session 2, 2008. “DOWAMA Don’t Let Your Campers Grow Up to be Clergy” I’ll post more pics soon but, for now, here’s an audio snapshot of last week’s CSR.2 … The Orthodixie Podcast on Ancient Faith Radio. Oh! And, whatever you do, don’t miss the final number – “Gotta Go to Camp Now!” UPDATE: The video... Read more

While online a while back, I found one of these fun sights where all you have to do is list some nouns, verbs, and adjectives, then click a button, and Voila: Official Camp Letter! I don’t know why (maybe because he had just celebrated 25 years as Bishop and His name day), but I chose His Grace, Bishop ANTOUN. I entered his name, my name, and the words: confession, sorta, ugly, communion, tailgate, lie, swore, tired, hairy, stole, slippery, swim,... Read more

Is His Grace saying that the Patriarch of Constantinople offers a weak and poor witness of the Faith and that if the Russian Church withdraws from the World Council of Churches the Orthodox witness to the ecclesiastical world at large will be diminished?Bishop Hilarion of Vienna and Austria: Immediate withdrawal of the Russian Orthodox Church from the WCC should only weaken the Church’s positions Moscow, June 30, Interfax – Withdrawal of the Russian Orthodox Church from the World Council of... Read more

New York Times article – September 15, 1895 MINISTER FOR SYRIANS—- Christian Church to be Filled by a Damascus Preacher.— WILL ALSO VISIT OTHER CITIES— [The photo, above, shows St Tikhon, center, with his two vicars – left Bishop Innokenty and right St Raphael] Bishop of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands Asked the Emperor of Russia to Make the Appointment. Among the foreign colonies the Syrian colony is one that is attaining importance, as it has been steadily growing in... Read more

Sometimes just plain ol’ reality is far better and more “creative” than fiction. For example, my interview with the “Big Banana” was priceless — though the Big Yellow One probably thought it was right on the money. I‘m hoping to one day get a report that the Small Town Heroes came to play some Byzantine Bluegrass at an Orthodox Tent Revival. This story (Choir Eye for Retired Guys), parading as an actual story, is also worth a try. Then there’s... Read more

Taking a posting break from humour (I told you this wasn’t the funniest blog), several have written me to trumpet the following piece. I’m all in favor of Orthodox and Catholic joint efforts — working together — toward the Kingdom, and I generally find our relations in the blogosphere a great blessing. Yet, forgive the paraphrase, as things now stand (I mean what has changed?), you cannot call the Church your Mother … while acknowledging two Papas. Orthodox leader suggests... Read more

My teen-aged daughter is, of course – by default – a Priest Kid (or PK for short). A while back, on a retreat down in the border town of Pharr, Texas, she met another gal, a PK, and they became long-distance friends. Recently, she told me of a T-Shirt that this girl and some other PKs were marketing which featured, on the front in big letters: P. K. And on the back it read: “We believe because we HAVE to!”... Read more

Awards notwithstanding, this is still not the funniest blog. Sometimes, there’s a rant or two. But some, funny or not, seem worth a read … Kids at Christmas. Aren’t we all? It’s obvious: Cows Can’t Spell. Sometimes I simply post FWDs from folks. The one about Gilligan’s Island brought in a lot of traffic. Making fun of Southerners, even for Southerners, is always fun (not to mention Blondes). There are times when humour fails and rants are in order. Forgive... Read more