www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall bishops, oooooooohhh

While selecting bishops from the monastery may be the ideal, even among the Orthodox this in some cases is a mere formality. This is not a slam against the tradition but just MOH observation. In the official biography of Patriarch Bartholomew on the EP website, there is no mention of his monastic years:
Biography of Bartholomew [patriarchate.org]


On the OCA website, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Herman, in less than two years as a monk is consecrated bishop. He had been ordained a priest 8 years prior to his episcopal consecration. See official biography:

Biography of Metropolitan Herman [oca.org]

The GO Archbishop of North and South America, Demetrios, has a career marked in academia, and only a brief mention as a member of the "monastic missionary brotherhood of theologians �Zoe�," prior to ordination.

Boigraphy of Demetrios [goarch.org]

I guess my point is that we need a dose of reality check before we think the Eastern Catholic episcopal selections must mirror the "romantic" notions that only a man of a monastic formation can be a good bishop. As noted in the biographies of this three hierarchs, the Orthodox, like the Catholics, value leaders who have "academic and administrative" preparation.

Dear Alex,

There are no formal relationships between these 3 institutions, but perhaps something may develop down the road. There are instances of individual 'cross-overs,' that is to say that some adjunct professors currently teaching here also teach on an ad hoc basis at St. V's and some students from St. Andrew's have found their way here.

More formal relationships or 'outreaches' of MASI are being explored, both within Canada and the US. I am not at liberty to say much more than that presently.

The institute is currently serving as an alternative to Saint Vlad's as a seminary for a few OCA students. Bishop Seraphim has expressed great interest in the institure -though for some reason he has never been formally invited.

To underscore Deacon Montalvo, the relatively new OCA Bishop Nikon for New England and the Albanians within the OCA was a married priest who spent years at a parish in Michigan. After his matushka fell asleep in the Lord, he went to St. Tikhon's in Pennsylvania where he was prepared for eventual elevation.

Widowers with parish experience have long been regarded as potential candidates for the orthodox episcopacy. St. Innocent, who missionarized in Alaska, is yet another example.

Not so. His name appears in our official guest book from a visit of his here in March 2002, in which he mentioned how delighted he was to be here "again," thus indicating of course that he has been here more than once.

But I would be happy to have him back again. Why don't we think of a way we can do this? Invite him to give a public lecture on some topic or other, etc., etc. There are many ways we can do that and I'd be only too happy to see it happen.

Any suggestions?

Dear Adam,

Well, Bishop Seraphim is not only a great Pastor and leader, but he is also very irenical and open to the Ukrainian situation.

He visits Ukraine frequently and is very welcoming of Ukrainians in the parishes he visits (I witnessed this myself).

(His Psalter makes use of "Kyiv" which is more than one could say for the official publishing policy of your Institute .

You should have him come to the Institute more often.

In addition to other things, perhaps he can also teach you Eastern gurus at the Institute to be more sensitive to Ukrainian issues.

Alex

Pray whom did you have in mind?! (This joint was founded by a Ukrainian priest, and the other two people on its staff are both Ukrainian priests.) And about which issues, kind sir? Or was that a reference to this unworthy scribe's views expressed elsewhere--and, just perhaps, taken to be something they are not?