From a post that Tom made to the Old Ritualists Forum:
Brother Ambrosii passed away in his home on Saturday, April 28, 2012. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, May 1, 2012 at 10:00am at the Church of the Holy Ascension of Our Lord at 12971 Bethlehem Drive NE, Gervais, OR.
Over the years, long before most of the threads and posts regarding the Old Believers and Old Ritualists were gathered into one place, many of you will have read posts here regarding Brother Ambrosii. Father Archimandrite Serge, of blessed memory, Deacon Randy/Diak, myself, and others have spoken often of this humble and dedicated monk.
Brother Ambrose Moorman, OSB, was 77 years old. He celebrated his 56th year of profession a month ago, on April 3. He was a relatively young monk, about 30 or so years old, when he became involved with the Old Believer communities that settled in the vicinity of Mt Angel Abbey in Mt Benedict, Oregon. He spent almost 50 years pursuing secular missions of mercy on behalf of the Old Believers there, Catholic and Orthodox, priested and priestless, guiding them through the maze of government, social service, and educational systems.
He learned Old Church Slavonic so that he could assist Father Theodore (Palczynski) MIC, of blessed memory, in serving the Divine Liturgy according to the Old Rite for the Catholic Old Ritualist community that existed there for about a decade. Brother Ambrose constructed a chapel under the patronage of Our Lady of Tikhvin which, at one time, served as the temple for five separate Old Believer concords (sects) and he religiously lived as an Old Ritualist for these many decades past, maintaining an Old Ritualist-Old Believer museum on the grounds of the Abbey.
It's not difficult to imagine that he is now in Heaven, conversing with Father Serge about their mutual love for the Old Rite and the Old Believer communities.
O God of all spiritual and corporeal beings, You Who trampled death, broke the power of Satan and granted life to the whole world, now, O Lord, grant rest to the soul of Your departed servant, the Monk Ambrosii, in a place of light, freshness, and peace, where there is no pain, sorrow, or mourning.
As You are a gracious God and the Lover of mankind, remember his many years of service to You and forgive him every transgression committed by him in word, deed, or thought, since there is no man alive who has not sinned, for You alone are without sin and You are the Resurrection and the Life, O Christ our God, and we render glory to You, together with Your Eternal Father, and Your most Holy, gracious, and life-giving Spirit, now and ever and forever. Amen.
May the memory of the Lord's faithful servant, the Monk Ambrosii, be eternal and blessed.
