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| Photo Courtesy of The Photography Smith |
About
I am the pastor of St. Michael Orthodox Christian Church and founder of St. Columba of Iona Orthodox Monastery in Southbridge, Massachusetts.
This is my personal blog focused on Orthodox Christian Spirituality and occasionally on other topics as I see them through the lens of the Orthodox Christian Church.
I write on a variety of topics that do not always fit into neat little categories. You might find sermons, recipes, pictures and stories about my garden, or anything else that might strike me as worthy to write about.
My goal is to form, inform, and transform you, the reader, as I try and make a difference from my little corner of the world.
I typically try and post two to three times per week. To ensure that you do not miss my newest posts you can subscribe to theRSS feed.
My Biography
I am an Orthodox Priest in the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocesein the Americas and pastor of St. Michael Orthodox Christian Church in Southbridge, Massachusetts. I host of the Podcast Shepherd of Souls on Ancient Faith Radio and was formerly the morning show host on WESO radio in Southbridge. I am Stavrofor Monk and Founder of the St. Columba of Iona Orthodox Monastery.
I recently published a new book by Regina Orthodox Press: Listening to the Heartbeat of God. This book is about having a conversation with God, a divine and holy experience that all Christians are called to enjoy. I try and weave together the Orthodox monastic and Celtic traditions of Spirituality. This book is designed as a "beginners guide" to prayer but with a catch—we are all beginners as we come to God. So there is something true and good here for the youngest child or the oldest holy monk or nun and for each person who desires to pray.
In addition to my pastoral responsibilities, I serve as Chaplain for the Dudley Fire Department and Deputy Chief Chaplain of the Massachusetts Corps of Fire Chaplains. I am the former Orthodox Chaplain at Harvard University and serve on the Board of Orthodox Christian Fellowship the Orthodox Campus Ministry Program.
I have a Master's Degree in Theological Studies from the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology and have been on the Faculty at Nichols College in Dudley, Massachusetts in the Psychology Department teaching classes in Psychology, Sociology and Ethics as well as Quincy College in Quincy, Massachusetts.
I am available to speak on a wide range of topics including but not limited to: Orthodox Ethics, Social Justice, Celtic Spirituality, American Church History, Crisis Ministry, and Ministry and the New Media.
After the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, I was dispatched along with other clergy and laity to the area as part of the Emergency Response Team of the International Orthodox Christian Charities. I was also part of the Critical Stress Incident team deployed to Virginia Tech after the campus shootings. An area of interest and research is the Theology of Crisis and Suffering as it applies to ministry in our world today.
I have written for the Romanian Archdiocese Magazine Credinta on the topics of American Orthodox Church History and North American Saints. I am a contributor to the American Orthodox Institute Blog as well as Orthodoxy Today.
I am a convert from Roman Catholicism with a deep respect and understanding of Celtic and Orthodox Spirituality and how the two very different but similar forms of Spirituality can work together.
I was one of the first Orthodox Priests to use the new media in my pastoral ministry where I try to bridge the gap between the historic ancient orthodox faith and the wired generation by use of Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking sites.
I am a member of the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress, International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, the Massachusetts Corps of Fire Chaplains, and the American Academy of Religion.
Contact Information
Disclaimer
This is my personal blog. The opinions I express here do not necessarily represent those of the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese in the Americas or St. Michael Orthodox Christian Church. The information I provide is on an as-is basis. I make no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this blog and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its use.
