www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall what is the retirement age

of eastern rite priests?


:p

Dewi,

Certainly nothing set in stone.

Matta or Pavel may be able to recollect the advanced age at which Father George Brianchaninoff of the Russian Greek-Catholic Center in Australia retired just a few years ago.

Father Stephen Hrynuck, a priest of the Ukrainian Archeparchy of Philadelphia retired just recently, at 97, after pastoring Ss Cyril & Methodius UGCC in Olyphant, PA, for 57 years.

There are many more, Catholic and Orthodox, who continue active service until an advanced age or who, on retirement, regularly serve parishes that are temporarily without a priest or need coverage for vacations, etc.

Many years,

Neil

Fr George did not so much as retired, as gradually deteriorate until when he kept falling over and falling heavily when the Archbishop had him put into an old peoples home. Here he is being very well looked after. Fr George was born in Russia during the Russian civil war right on the Manchurian/Siberian border in the early 1920s. Fr Geroge was very grateful for the support of Fr Lawrence Cross and Mr Geoff Horgan (Iconogapher and from time to time Magistrate) who looked after Fr's affairs.

Who was his local bishop?

Father Archimandrite George is likely among the last survivors of the emigres from the Russian communities [stmichaelruscath.org], Catholic and Orthodox, at Harbin. Shortly after his birth, the family fled to Harbin, where he was raised, attended the Lyceum, and served as an acolyte at St Nicholas Chapel before entering the Congregation of the Marian Fathers. May God bless and keep his faithful servant.

Many years,

Neil

Fr George's father was killed when the Red Army captured his home down of Blagoveshchensk. His sister was separated from him and his mother when they fled into Manchuria. His sister (stayed Orthodox)was later located and joined the family in Harbin. Fr recalled a number of times what life was like under the Japanese occupation and the creation of the puppet state of Manchukuo. Father still had the passport issued by that country which he had used to travel to Europe just before WWII. Father was the one who told me that there were no Chinese in the Byzantine Rite in China simply because they were not allowed to accept Chinese Converts unlike the Orthodox. All converts among the various ethnic groups in China were to be taken by the Latins, they were only allowed to take in Orthodox. Fr looked after his mother until her own death in Melbourne. His sister who was always close to him had married a British soldier in China and was herself in India in transit, when WWII broke out. She died a few years ago in England. The late Fr Peter Knowles OP said on many occasions that he was convinved that 'Shangri-la' was really Harbin. The Harbin people in Australia are all very close to each other regardless if they were Orthodox, or Catholic.