March 24, 2011
Washington, DC: The first day of the Pastoral Conference concluded
On
Wednesday, March 23, after the official opening
of the Pastoral Conference, Their Graces, Eastern American
Diocesan vicar Bishops George of Mayfield and Jerome of Manhattan,
spoke in the parish hall about the work of the Holy Sobor of Bishops
that recently convened in Moscow. The hierarchs took questions from
the clergy regarding liturgical practices, interchurch relations,
administrative work on the part of the hierarchs, and other
concerns.
After lunch, Fr. Victor spoke about the work of the Fund for
Assistance to ROCOR, underscoring the fruitful labors undertaken by
the Fund over the last five years. The Fund was able to provide
financial aid to families in need not only in Japan, Haiti, Mexico,
and Chile, but also in the United States, especially to the families
of deceased clerics. Aid was also provided to youth groups for the
funding of summer camps and pilgrimages. Fr. Daniel McKenzie (rector
of St. Vladimir Church in Miami, FL) then spoke about the situation
in the Orthodox missions in Haiti, and called on all of the rectors
to gather funds in their churches for suffering Orthodox Christians
around the world.
Archpriest Andrei Sommer spoke on the work of the Synodal Youth
Department and its work with young people, including the upcoming
youth conference in Paris, and answered questions on the topic.
Eastern American Diocesan secretary Archpriest Serge Lukianov then
spoke about diocesan life in 2010, after which a photomontage of
important events in diocesan life over the past year was shown.
After dinner, a unique photomontage
dedicated to the life and blessed repose of the ever-memorable
Metropolitan Philaret (Voznesensky), third First Hierarch of ROCOR,
was shown. The photomontage was compiled by the diocesan Media
Office in honor of the 25th anniversary of His Eminence’s repose,
commemorated last autumn. Bishop Jerome then led a moleben and
akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos in the cathedral before the
Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God.
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"Eastern American Diocese
www.eadiocese.org."
Media Office of the Eastern American
Diocese
