Winter, 2003

the O R T H O D O X
FROM HIS GRACE:
Penance--healing
“Behold, my child, Christ standeth here invis-
ibly and receiveth thy confession: wherefore, be
not ashamed, neither be afraid, and conceal
thou nothing from me: but tell me, doubting
not, all things which thou hast done: and so
shalt thou have pardon from our Lord Jesus
Christ. Lo, His holy Icon is before us: and I am
but a witness, bearing testimony before Him of
all things which thou dost say to me. But if thou shalt conceal anything
from me, thou shalt have a greater sin. Take heed, therefore, lest, having
come to the hospital, thou depart unhealed.”
The exhortation above, extracted from the full of- fession in Church, that we do confess to God, and that
the Priest is only God’s witness to the confession. The
fice of Confession, is customarily read by a Priest who
Priest witnesses both that the penitent is obeying the
is standing in the Church before the Icon of Christ, “Not-
Scriptures, which clearly state, “Confess ye your sins
Made-by-Hands,” as the office requires, with an Or-
one to another” and that it is, in fact, God Who hears
thodox Christian making his confession. [A New Mar-
such Confession.
tyr, the Priest Valentin Svetsitsky, one of the members
I feel another aspect of this exhortation is also ex-
of the Religious Philosophical Society in St. Peters-
tremely important. In the last few decades of the last
burg in old Imperial Russia (along with other leaders
century, a brilliant Greek Orthodox Priest, Father
of the so-called Russian Religious Renaissance, such
Hierotheos Vlachos, gathered around himself a small
as Sergius Bulgakov, N. Berdiaev, etc.) stressed, in his
group of Orthodox people, parishioners and others from
long publication against so-called General Confession
various walks of life, not so different from the “Reli-
in 1929, that the office requires, and even states, that
gious Philosophical Society” at the beginning of that
the Priest leads one person, and not more than one, be-
century, and discussed together with them important
fore the Icon before beginning Confession.] In the so-
issues of Christian life, of what is called in Scriptures,
called Living Church, the above introductory exhorta-
the Way. The insights which he and these people were
tion fell into desuetude, as did Confession itself. It is a
given by Grace burst the bonds of the small group and
wonderful exhortation. It answers many questions about
the Priest wrote several books on those insights. (One
Confession, including the ones raised by those who at-
of them is called “Orthodox Psychotherapy”!) Their
tempt to excuse their avoidance of Confession by ref-
insight was this: the activity that began in the 19th cen-
erence to the identity of the Priest. It cannot be over-
tury that developed into modern psychotherapy and that
emphasized that Confession is to God. Many who avoid
informs modern psychiatry, that is, healing those with
Confession like to state that they don’t “need” to con-
troubled or sick souls (the “psyche” in psychiatry, psy-
fess to the Priest because they confess to God! This
chology, psychotherapy means “soul.”), is nothing new:
exhortation (and a Priest who does not avail himself of
the Orthodox Church, in fact, what Jesus Christ Him-
it, it seems to me, is rather foolish, to do so) very clearly
self does for man, is engaged above all else in that ac-
explains that it is in the Mystery of Penance, in Con-
tivity, Healing, or Therapy. Christ came to heal man, to
V I S I O N W i n t e r , 2 0 0 3

restore him to his original health, and, as so many of the

healing miracles teach us, the healing was co- terminal
with forgiveness of sins.. I encourage the seekers in our
In This Issue
diocese who read books to seek out the works of Vlachos Volume 9, Number 2
in order to benefit from the insights in them. I am writ-
ing of him and his work now, because the exhortation
From His Grace
witnesses, rather poignantly to their insights. The last
Inside Cover
sentence “Take heed, therefore, lest having come to the
hospital thou depart unhealed,” very definitely points
Military Service addition
to this function of not only Penance, but of the Church:
2
hospital, spiritual hospital. Some, most notably Mrs.
Hapgood, in one of the earliest translations into English
Interview: Who is Mary Caetta?
of this office, chose to translate “vrachebnitsu” as “phy-
3
sician.” While that is a possibility, I feel it tends to mis-
lead, since the person hearing it might very well misun-
The Spiritual Dimension of Vespers
derstand it, and think that the “physician” is none other
4
than the Priest! What an idea! The Physician is Jesus
Christ, but the word, if translated “hospital, does not
Travel Journal: Orthodoxy in Bombay
mislead anyone.
6
“. . . the activity that began in the 19th A Parish School
century that developed into modern psycho- 9
therapy . . . is nothing new: the Orthodox
Church, in fact, what Jesus Christ Himself Merry Christmas Forever
does for man, is engaged above all else in a story by Sonia Jason
13
that activity.”
Editor’s Box
Confession concludes with the so-called ‘absolution’. 15
The present form, used in our Church, allows the Priest
to add his own forgiveness and absolution (something St. Paul’s Las Vegas Celebrates 15 Years
we are all required by Scripture to do, not just at con- 16
fession, but “seventy times seven”), right after praying
that the Lord will forgive the penitent all his sins and Matushki Retreat
offenses. The Apostle James teaches us (ch.V: 15-16), 17
“And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord
shall raise him up: and if he have committed sins, they 2003 Diocese of the West Contributors
shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to an- 18
other, and pray one for another that ye may be healed.”
I encourage all to heed the words of the exhortation in Update on Monastery of St. John
the office of Confession, to review them even at home 20
before going to Church to hear them from the Priest,
and I pray that our Great Physician and Therapist, our Announcements
Lord, God, and Saviour, Jesus Christ will accept our 21
prayers and heal us of every disease and infirmity; that
is, of our sins.
+Bishop Tikhon The cover shows images from the 2003 Diocesan
Assembly held October 6-8 at Holy Resurrection
Eis Polli Eti Despota! Church in Tacoma, Washington.

1
the O R T H O D O X
Military Service
Addition
Alexei Razsadin, Lieutenant in Navy Special Forces
who graduated the Michaeltorena Church school in
1994, and from the Naval Academy in 1998, was
shipped to service in Iraq on August 22nd, and will
likely be there for one year.

Orthodox Christian Maternity Home

The Official Publication of the with four pregnant women in crisis
Diocese of the West of the needs Assistant Housemother
Orthodox Church in America Housemother must be:

Diocese of the West Mature in faith and good standing with

650 Micheltorena Street her local parish
Los Angeles, CA 90026-3612 Emotionally stable
Good physical health
Publisher Financially self-supporting
His Grace Bishop TIKHON Have driver’s license
Bishop of San Francisco and Have sense of calling providing
the Diocese of the West spiritual and practical support for
women facing difficult life choices
650 Micheltorena Street
for herself and her child. Teaching
Los Angeles, CA 90026-3612 God’s design for nurturing children
Phone: (323)666-4977 in the context of marriage and two-
Fax: (323)913-0316 parent families.

Address all stories & comments: Housemother is live-in volunteer

Editor-in-Chief If interested please contact:
Priest Isaac Skidmore
475 N Laurel St. Martha and Mary House
Ashland, OR 97520-1112 P.O. Box 1680
Phone: (541)488-3748 Escondido, CA 92033
Phone: (760)741-7050
Fax (establish voice contact first): (541)488-3748
marthaandmaryhouse@hotmail.com
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Send All Address Changes to: WWW.OCADOW.ORG

Mary Caetta
For the latest information on the Diocese of the West
25 Captains Cove
Information on all parishes, institutions and depart-
Oakland, CA 94618-2311
ments
Email: mcaetta@limsys.com
Archived issues of The Orthodox Vision
Complete letters of instruction from His Grace
The Orthodox Vision is published three times a year by the Dio-
cese of the West. It is free to all parish members and outreach And much, much more
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2
V I S I O N W i n t e r , 2 0 0 3

Who is . . .
Mary Caetta?
Talking cents with the Diocesan Treasurer
Mary Caetta is a prominent contributor and participant at all Diocesan gatherings. She has been Diocesan
Treasurer since 1992.
She was born in Cleveland, Ohio and ematics. I received that degree from John Carroll Uni-
baptized at St. Michael’s Russian Or- versity in Cleveland, Ohio. My children were six, four,
thodox Church when it was on Union and two years-old when I graduated.
Avenue.
I left the teaching profession in 1978 and moved to
California with my children. I took a job as a com-
Orthodox Vision: First of all, are you as highly orga-
puter programmer in Azusa. In 1987 I completed a
nized in your personal life as you are in your handling
Master’s degree in the Manage-
of figures?
ment of Information Systems.
When I was elected to the Dioc-
Mary Caetta: I think I am orga-
esan Council, Father Michael
nized, but my husband Jim might
Regan wanted to be relieved as
disagree. I had to learn how to or-
Treasurer of the Diocese, I volun-
ganize and delegate when my hus-
teered to take on the job.
band and I were raising my three
children and his two children. He She lives in Oakland,
taught me how to delegate respon- California and works
sibility to my children. I used to for Chiron Corporation
make their lunches for school un- in Emeryville, Califor-
til he insisted that they could learn nia--a biotech company
how to do that. My daughter Liz specializing in
was responsible for laundry, my biopharmaceuticals,
daughter Jennifer was responsible vaccines and blood
for getting dinner started, and our testing.
sons took care of yard work. Now
I keep all my work, diocesan, Vision: Are there parallels be-
church and personal activities, Mary and a couple of her favorite things
tween the thinking you use in your
tasks, and due dates on one calen- profession and the way you ap-
dar (MS Outlook). I always look proach the Faith?
for ways to improve my ability to accomplish more with
less effort. Mary: When I decided to enter back into the Ortho-
dox Church, that decision was a result of my seeking
Vision: How did you decide to become an accoun- to discover why I had become so dissatisfied in the
tant? Protestant mainline churches I had been attending. The
thought process that I followed at that time to identify
Mary: I am not an accountant by profession. After I the source of my dissatisfaction is similar to the thought
graduated from college, I taught junior high mathemat- process I use at work.
ics. I wanted to teach high school, so while I began a I am a software engineer/systems analyst by profes-
family I started to work on a Master’s degree in Math- sion. When I am assigned a project, the first thing I do
(Continued on next page)

3
the O R T H O D O X
THE SPIRITUAL DIMENSION OF VESPERS
By Rev. Deacon Michael Savko
St. Herman’s Orthodox Church, Oxnard, CA

In my experience, weekly participation in Vespers enhances the enrichment that Orthodox faithful experience
from the Liturgy on Sunday. The majority of Orthodox are familiar with the yearly liturgical cycle, which in-
cludes the Feast Days, the Sundays after Pentecost, and the pre-Lenten, Lenten and post-Easter cycles. Atten-
dance at Sunday Liturgies provides the faithful with some insight into the meaning of the Feast Days and the
cycles if they pay close attention to such changeable portions of the Liturgy as the Tropars, Kondaks, Epistles, and
Gospels. This insight, though, as valuable as it is, pales in comparison to the liturgical wealth available in the
Vespers services. Vespers provides insight into the liturgical year and the meaning of each Sunday and Feast Day
that many of the faithful are unaware of. By attendance at the Liturgy alone, the faithful see only the tip of the
iceberg, and would enrich their spiritual lives immensely by actively participating at the Vespers services.
First a look at its structure: In addition to the unchangeable portions of Vespers, there are the changeable por-
tions called, in Church Slavonic, Stichiry. These chanted verses occur twice during Vespers for Saturday evening
and an additional time for Feast Day Vespers. In all, close to 20 stichiry are sung during each Saturday Vespers
service. During the pre-Lenten, Lenten and post-Easter cycles and Feast Days, they delve into various aspects of
this particular day in considerable detail. The stichiry are centuries old and were composed by such illustrious
Byzantine hymnographers as St. John of Damascus and St. Roman the Melodist. Space prohibits the hundreds of
examples available to illustrate the liturgical richness of the stichiry, so let this one example suffice. The follow-
ing is the Tropar from the Liturgy for the Feast of the Annunciation, and just one of the 20 plus stichiry contained
in the Vespers for this feast.

TROPAR
Today is the beginning of our salvation, the revelation of the eternal mystery! The Son of God becomes the Son of
the Virgin as Gabriel announces the coming of Grace. Together with him let us cry to the Theotokos: Rejoice, O Full of
Grace, the Lord is with you.

STICHIRA
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice: for the Son who is coeternal with the Father, sharing His throne and like
Him without beginning, in His compassion and merciful love for mankind has submitted Himself to emptying, according to
the good pleasure and the counsel of the Father; and He has gone to dwell in a virgin’s womb that was sanctified before-
(Vespers, continued next page)

(Mary, continued from previous page)
is try to identify the real problem that needs to be solved.
That is not as easy as one might think. The symptoms
are usually more obvious and easier to “cure”. Yet if
only the symptoms are removed, the core problem con-
tinues to pay havoc with business or scientific processes.
Vision: Do you structure your spiritual life using some
of the same principles you use to balance the books?
Mary: To “balance” the books means making sure
that all the numbers agree and “make sense”. My spiri-
tual life has to make sense in the current context of my
life. I constantly attempt to make my spiritual prac-
tices be in agreement and in balance with each other
i.e. I can’t omit anything and I cannot overdo or neglect
any one area.
I have not always been successful at keeping every-
thing in balance. I really love to attend church services.
Since moving to the Bay area, there have been times
that I have missed Feast Day celebrations. On those
days, however, I do put the icon of the feast in my prayer
corner and chant the festal troparion and kontakion.
When I was doing consulting, it was a little easier to set
my own schedule.
She and husband Jim and celebrated
their 25th Anniversary in October. He
is a substance abuse counselor, and was
chrismated into Orthodoxy in 1997. They

4
V I S I O N W i n t e r , 2 0 0 3
hand by the Spirit. O marvel! God is come among men; He who cannot be contained is contained in a womb; the Timeless
enters time; and, strange wonder! His conception is without seed, His emptying is past telling: so great is this mystery!
For God empties Himself, takes flesh, and is fashioned as a creature, when the angel tells the pure virgin of her conception:
“Hail, you who are full of grace: the Lord who has great mercy is with you.”

Note for yourself how much more information is Do you desire a more intimate knowledge of the saint,
available in the above stichira compared to the Tropar. saints, or sacred event commemorated on each day of
And this is but one of many stichira the year? During Vespers, and in par-
in the Annunciation Vespers! ticular during the stichiry, the saints
But what about all those Sundays are described and venerated in detail.
after Pentecost with the repetition of Many Orthodox lack familiarity with
the same Tropars every 8 weeks ac- the monthly cycle and are unaware
cording to the 8 tones? There is a ten- of the saints that are honored daily.
dency for the faithful to be lulled into Such unfamiliarity can be turned
complacency by this if it were not for around by faithful attendance at Ves-
the fact that the Tropar is of such short pers, in which a number of stichiry, a
duration. However, attentiveness to Kondak and final dismissal prayer
the stichiry at Vespers during the Pen- mention the saint specifically.
tecostal cycle reveals an interesting Singing of the Vespers stichiry for
phenomenon. Throughout the stichiry the saints is also a profound teaching
for the 30 plus weeks the constant aid to children in an age when chil-
theme is the Resurrection. And what dren otherwise seek super-heros on
is Sunday but the Day of Resurrec- television. It is fitting that we Ortho-
tion! This is the real message of the dox Christians come to appreciate our
Sunday Liturgy and so often this is saints and venerate them as models
not comprehended by the faithful. of virtue to be emulated. Though bi-
Regular attendance and attentiveness ographies of the saints can be read to
at Vespers can shake off this compla- Father Deacon Michael Savko
children, it is more meaningful for
cency and add new spiritual dimen- children to attend Vespers with their
sions after a few short weeks of hear- parents and observe the veneration
ing stichiry describing the Resurrection in detail. For- given to saints in the context of our worship together.
tified with this renewed spiritual dimension obtained Parents can encourage their children in this regard by
at Vespers, we participate in the next day’s Liturgy reading beforehand to them the information about the
with a new outlook.
(Vespers, continued on page 8)

and/or diocesan tasks must be done that evening. My

attend Holy Trinity Cathedral in San
priorities on Saturdays are my husband, my dogs, Di-
Francisco.
ocesan and home tasks. Sundays are for worship and
socializing at Holy Trinity Cathedral.
Vision: How do you balance personal and professional
time, as well as that required by your activities in the
Vision: Does the "career" life sometimes create con-
diocese?
flicts of priority or time for one who is an Orthodox
Christian?
Mary: I think it is a matter of setting priorities. I have
to do my professional work according to a project plan.
Mary: Absolutely! Sometimes I have missed vigil
Due dates never move, thus some days are very long.
services or vespers because a meeting at work has run
When I get home from work, I prepare dinner or bring
very late.
dinner home and spend time with my husband. He goes
to work very early, so around 8:00 PM or so I go to my
Vision: Would you say there’s a spiritual side to ac-
study and begin to sort mail and decide what personal
(Continued on page8)

5
the O R T H
Travel Journal:
Orthodoxy in Bombay
by Alexei Tcherkassov
translated by Peter Schwalbenberg
Business took me to India. During the week I sat in of-
fices of our business partners, and there was no time to see
anything, but on the day off I went to Bombay. I found
there the Indian “Orthodox” church. Its exact name was
“Orthodox Church Center.” It’s about 45 kilometers from
the city center in what my taxi driver described as a middle
class neighborhood.
The name was interesting: they trace their history from
the apostle Thomas who in the year 52 evangelized this
country. It seems this church (the Malankara Orthodox Syr-
ian Church, http://www.orthodoxsyrianchurch.com) split at
some point from the Syrian Orthodox Church, which did
not accept the decrees of the Council of Chalcedon of 451.*
Its current head is Catholicos Baselios Marthoma Matthew
II.
Sunday service starts at 7:30 and lasts three hours. By
6
O D O X
about 9 AM the church is quite full—two or three hundred
people. There were only Indians, and I was the only pale-
face there. The service was conducted in the local dialect as
opposed to the government language Hindi. The words of
the hymns were not comprehensible, but “Amen” and “Al-
leluia” needed no translation. Although 90% of the parish-
ioners do not speak the language of their former colonizers,
once a month there is a service in English.
Judging by the plaque by the entrance the church was built
in 1989. Next to the church is a school with a huge quantity
of children in a separate building. In the church there is no
iconostas, but rather a curtain sets the altar apart. The cur-
tain has crosses of the single rather than Russian triple-bar
variety.
As far as I could make out the service, they have an ab-
breviated form of confession. The priest puts his hand on
the head of the believer and says the prayers of forgiveness.
But they do not kiss the cross and gospel. Communion is
just as in our church. But the warm wine after is poured
from a teakettle into the mouth of each communicant rather
than distributed in a separate cup. And there is no bread at
this stage.
*Editor’s note: The Malankara Orthodox Syrian
Church is not in communion with the Churches that rec-
ognize the authority of the Seven Ecumenical Councils.
The Malankara Church accepts the declaration of the Coun-
cil of Chalcedon (451) regarding the two natures in the
one person of Christ, but rejects the epithet Theotokos,
Mother of God (defended at the Council of Ephesus, 431),
when referring to Mary.
V I S I O N W i n t e r , 2 0 0 3

The large icon of St. Thomas shows a genuine Arabic

sage.

The influence of the east is clear. For example, one takes

off one’s shoes before entering the church. Men stand on
the left of the altar, women to the right. During the sermon
all sit on the floor, legs crossed, to listen.

I witnessed an interesting practice. In the middle of the

service, the priest seemed to transmit the blessing ofthe Holy
Spirit from his hand to those of the servers, who in turned
passed it on to the parishioners closest to them. Each pa-
rishioner received the “spiritual blessing” from their
neighbor’s hand, cupped into a boat-like shape, and passed
it on. There were two or three minutes of rustling in the
church while this transpired.
Modernity is creeping in little by little. Fans were every-
where—it is the tropics, after all. Instead of the choir, there
was a full-voiced soloist in a sari with a microphone, ac-
companied by a synthesizer. Everyone sang along with her.
Everything about the service struck me as unusual and
strange. Yet my heart was light: I said all the Slavonic
prayers I could remember. I prayed for the health of those
close to me. At some point my spirit joined completely with
the florid rhythms of a faraway land. And then I felt not a
foreigner, but in the home of my Father.

Alexei Tcherkassov lives in Redwood City, CA, and attends

Christ the Savior Church in San Francisco

7
the O R T H O D O X
(Vespers, continued from page5)
saints from the Prologue from Ochrid or other such books.
Vespers by definition means evening. This is the official evening service of the Church. It is but one of the
many services that could be celebrated during the daily cycle of public worship which dates back to the Judaic
cult prior to Christ. The Jews came together for prayers at certain times of the day, and the Christians perpetuated
this practice by establishing a daily cycle to include the 1st, 3d, 6th, and 9th hours, Vespers, Matins, Liturgy, etc.
Today, strict observance of the daily cycle usually takes place only at monasteries. It would be very difficult in
today’s world to attend all the services of the daily cycle. Certainly, very few such fortunate people come to my
mind! Attendance at Vespers or Vigil, however, affords the faithful the opportunity to attend at least one other
service, knowing that Vespers is being celebrated throughout the Orthodox world as the start of the next liturgical
day .
Orthodox faithful who attend Vespers have already experienced its remarkable benefits. The time has come for
others to share in this united worship as well. Pastors can stress the value of Vespers in sermons and in the parish
bulletin. Those who currently attend Vespers can share their experiences with others and encourage them to
attend so that they too may add new spiritual dimensions to their lives.
For years now, faithful attendance at the Liturgy and frequent communion have become commonplace, thanks
to years of inculcating and stressing the same in sermons by our pastors and bishops. The time has come to
expand our awareness and appreciation of the Liturgy by stressing the vast spiritual benefits that can be derived
in active participation of the Vespers or Vigil services!

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(Mary, continued from page5)
counting? Is there a spiritual side to your work?
Mary: Most definitely. Accounting is keeping track
of God’s gifts and the use of those gifts. Father Thomas
Hopko once gave a lecture regarding work and the Or-
thodox approach to work. That book, in addition to my
father’s early influence, has made it possible for me to
do my best in the time I have and with the resources at
my disposal.
Both my parents were Orthodox Christians. They took
personal pride in doing their own work well. My mother
was a waitress for many years and retired after working
for 25 years in an automobile assembly plant. She was
one of the “awful working women” of the 1950’s. My
father was a tool inspector. He was so conscientious
about doing a good job that he taught himself algebra.
Neither of my parents graduated from high school.
When I was working my way through college as a
long distance telephone operator, I complained to my
father that it was boring just sitting and waiting for a
call to come in during the late evenings. In those days,
an operator answered a call by putting a plug in a phone
jack. He suggested that I make a game out of seeing if
I could be the first to catch a call. That idea really
worked for me! I never spent a boring evening after
that. I was rated an excellent telephone operator.
Vision: What types of influence and "witness" does

8
V I S I O N W i n t e r , 2 0 0 3

A Parish School
by Suzanna Tregarthen

An experiment in Orthodox education is underway in Colorado Springs

By the grace of God I found myself standing before spiritual binding that holds this story together and fi-
some 100 smiling faces on September 7 and announc- nally produced a school is a wonderful, delightful, holy
ing that the first week of school had gone without a mystery. To be sure, the outline - the part that I know
hitch. The smiles belong to my brothers and sisters in and can relate - contains its share of delights. God will-
the parish of Ss. Constantine and Helen Orthodox ing, I will have the words to tell them.
Church in Colorado Springs.
The “school” is St. Herman The Vision
of Alaska Orthodox Chris- The idea of forming an
tian School, which had offi- Orthodox school was part of
cially begun when the bell the parish backdrop when
called students to chapel at my husband, Tim, and I first
9:00 a.m., Tuesday morning, attended Ss. Constantine and
September 2, 2003. Helen nearly four years ago.
“I don’t know exactly how Other goals pushed their way
it happened or who all con- to the top of the priority list,
tributed,” I told the parish, however, among them, a
“but somehow the desks are larger building in which our
all in place, the library in or- parish family could worship.
der, the fence around the Nonetheless, discussions
playground has been built, In class about a school took place,
and the children are reciting randomly and without speci-
their lessons.” Of course, my statement was only par- ficity, over the next two years. These discussions in-
tially true. I do know how it happened-at least I know evitably drew my attention. I had been involved in edu-
part of the story. I have records that show how and cation administration in Colorado Springs for fifteen
when materials were purchased, I know who donated years, first at the University of Colorado and then at
their labor for the fence project, I sat with the “book Colorado College, and at the time, I was principal and
group” as library materials were cataloged. But the junior high teacher at a small private school my chil-
(School, continued on next page)

an Orthodox Christian have in the workplace? away from the stress of work?

Mary: I like to show my coworkers that I care about
them personally. They always seem so surprised and
pleased when I remember some little incident about
which they were concerned or worried. I have my icons
on my desk at work and I have a calendar from Holy
Trinity Cathedral on my cubicle wall. When people
ask about what kind of church I attend, I give a brief
explanation. It would be inappropriate for me to en-
gage in any religious discourse at work. Indeed, there
really is little time to breathe between meetings and
tasks.
Mary: My husband and I love to walk the dogs and
take them for a run in the park. Their frolicking causes
us to roar with laughter. We are fortunate to have one
granddaughter near us. My daughter Jennifer and her
husband Roland live in Felton. Their daughter Areya
Lynn is a real charmer. Visits with my daughter’s fam-
ily are wonderful happy occasions. Roland is a con-
sultant and Jennifer is working on a PhD in software
engineering.
My son Roger and his wife Nikki live in Reisterstown,
Maryland. I spent time with them in May after the birth

OV: Do you have hobbies and interests that take you (Continued on next page)

9
the O R T H O D O X
(School, continued from last page)
dren attended. The Mission
Once our new temple, Holy Theophany, was completed As Orthodox Christian parents and educators of the
in June 2002, discussions regarding a school took on parish, we determined the mission of St. Herman of
form. We now had, for one thing, a physical space in Alaska School: “to join in partnership with students
which to operate, the small temple where our services and parents to encourage, equip and engage one another
had previously taken place and the basement below spiritually, physically, intellectually and emotionally for
which still serves as our fellowship hall. A few “minor” Orthodox living”. English teacher that I am, I will parse
questions still needed to be answered regarding such that statement in an attempt to reflect the spirit of it.
things as curriculum, en-
rollment, marketing, staff- “. . . encourage, equip
ing, and funding. As our and engage one another
priest, Fr. Anthony Karbo, spiritually, physically,
reminds me, however, intellectually and emo-
when God wants us to tionally. . . .”
make dramatic changes in
our lives, He makes the As Orthodox Christian
changes possible. educators, we felt it our
In my situation, it wasn’t duty to generate young
a winning lottery ticket people who love learning
that made change, the es- not for learning’s sake,
tablishment of a new but for the sake of salva-
school,immanent. On the tion. We chose the
contrary, a series of fam- “Classical” education
ily medical problems, model with its emphasis
what some might think of
Morning Prayer on dialog, history and
as “lemons,” made the so- reading, as best suited to
lution obvious: It was time to make lemonade. our purposes. Our classes would be designed around an
Less than a year later, St. Herman School’s student approach that emphasizes the examination of the self in
body (12 full-time, and 5 part-time students) and fac- relationship to God and God’s people. Our approach
ulty said our morning prayers together and got down to would place a high value on the teaching/learning rela-
the business of fulfilling our vision. tionship, seek to engage all of the senses, challenge stu-
dents to live virtuously, would be interdisciplinary, in-
(School, continued on next page)
(Mary, continued from previous page) yourself, exercising a prominent role in the diocese,
of their second child, Elise. Their son David is now that may be less acute for a man?
three years old! Roger is a physicist and Nikki is a
stay-at-home mom. Mary: I can’t think of any. I have always worked
around and with men. In high school I was the only
Vision: What do you read in your "spare" time? girl in my math class. I taught at a Jesuit High School
which had no girls at that time. Up until the last five
Mary: I am learning Russian and enjoy reading Rus- or ten years, there have been few women in software
sian fairy tales. Three of us study with a teacher in her engineering. I just try to do a good job and remember
home on Monday nights. I also love to read mysteries that I am not in my professional environment.
(on planes), history, or spiritual works. I would like to I do try to be careful about what I wear at meetings.
spend more time working on my family’s genealogy, That is a carry over from teaching…in the old days
but I just cannot squeeze that in. when teachers never wore slacks, sleeveless blouses
or sleeveless dresses. Some women might wonder
Vision: Are there special issues for a woman, such as why I do not wear a scarf in church. I prefer to wear a

10
V I S I O N W i n t e r , 2 0 0 3
(School, continued from previous page)
spire a life-long desire and ability to learn, and celebrate human creativity.
The classical, “Christian” approach would involve our students in more than simply reading a canon of works
passed down through the generations. It would develope in them the ability to discern between those ideas that
are conducive to salvation and those which are not (c.f. St. Basil the Great). We wanted to foster in our students
the wisdom to pursue “with all... strength” that which would prepare them for eternal life and to pass over “as of
no account” that which does not.
St. Herman School would place a heavy emphasis on reading and prayerful reflection, reading and more reflec-
tion, more reading and even more reflection. To that end, we would ask our participating families to curtail such
things as excessive electronic entertainment,in order to give their children and themselves time and intellectual
space to slow down, read thoughtfully, reflect prayerfully and work nobly. We felt our Orthodox children needed
refuge, not from mere physical dangers of the world, but from the astounding “noisiness” of the world around
them. We at St. Herman School desired for our children the opportunity for studiousness, detachment, not that
they might escape their world, but that they might engage more truthfully in it.

“. . . for Orthodox living. . . ”

Our preference for Classical education is conditional on the assumption that this education is truly Christian. It
was obvious to us that a solid Classical education most certainly produces great intellects, but we recognized that
an intelligent mind can be used for evil as well as good. We are trusting that in an “Orthodox” Classical educa-
tional setting our children can learn to do as Saint Basil urges: to discern between that which is “honey” and that
which is “poison” in any setting. “Honey,”is that which prepares a man for eternal life. It is our premise that a
thoughtful reading of Classical literature, under the tutelage of an experienced Orthodox teacher and by the grace
of God, will lead our students to delight in the honey that prepares them for both earthly and eternal life.
We felt strongly that the Orthodox teacher’s greatest aid and asset in would be centered around and grounded in
the life of the church, enabling our families to participate in the church’s yearly and daily cycles.

“ . . . partnership with students and parents. . .”

As Christian educators we felt that parents were ultimately responsible for preparing their children for adult-
hood. As a learning community, we at St. Herman School would strive to be one source of support for our parents
in this challenge. We would actively encourage parents to participate in their children’s educational and spiritual
formation. St. Herman School thus meets only three days per week, leaving parents to oversee coursework and
(School, continued on next page)

regular hat if anything. I grew up wearing a babushka
(head scarf) to school. My grandmother wore a
babushka while she was gardening. We always “dressed
up” in our best for church. That meant wearing a hat,
dress, stockings, gloves, and purse. I still have a nice
supply of white gloves. Maybe someday they will be
in style again.
Vision: Do you anticipate doing what you're doing
(in the diocese) for some time into the future?
Mary: I have been treasurer for 10 years. If I am not
nominated and elected to the Diocesan Council, I can-
not serve as a Diocesan Officer. I have prepared oper-
ating procedures so that someone else can take over
when I am not re-elected. At this time, I do not antici-
pate turning down a nomination for another term. Only
God knows how long I will serve the Diocese in this
capacity.
Vision: What principles can Orthodox Christians can
keep in view when looking at how they handle the re-
sources God has given them.
Mary: God has given us talents as resources. Here
are some financial principles that could apply:
Sometimes you have to spend money to save money
– don’t always buy the cheapest, especially for your
(Continued on next page)

11
the O R T H
(School, continued from previous page)
Making Pizza
provide supplemental lessons at home. Parents who
enroll their children at SHS also register with the local
school district as “home schoolers.”
The Sacrifice of Time
Anyone reading this article, wondering if a school
might be possible in their parish, might rightly ask, can
the “parish” afford it? The answer in our parish’s case
is that our school revenue, what little of it there is, came
solely from enrollment fees, fund raisers, donations and
the few students who are actually tuition paying. Of
course, this is not enough to run a school, so by the
arithmetic of this world, we should not be operating.
And this is where the story comes back to lemons.
If God wants to give me lemonade, He can either pro-
vide the money for me to buy it, or He can drop lemons
on my head. St. Herman School operates today without
paying one dime for teacher salaries. Our participating
(Mary, continued from previous page)
parish….or use your head to save your feet…as my
mother used to say.
Don’t try to spend what you don’t have – acknowl-
edge that there are some talents you have not been given.
Here are some from Suze Orman that I think are help-
ful. I’ll leave the implications regarding talents to your
imagination:
Truth Creates Money, Lies Destroy It
Look at What You Have, Not at What you Had
Invest in the Known Before the Unknown
Money Has No Power of Its Own
Vision: Is tithing, in some form or another, a helpful
12
O D O X
families provide service to the school to fully offset
their children’s tuition fees. As for me, my husband,
Tim’s, chronic illness - one of the medical problems to
which I alluded - resulted in his total disability and sub-
sequent long-term hospitalization. Tim’s productivity
and caution in his earlier years assured that the chil-
dren and I have disability income sufficient for our
needs - enabling me to be a full-time “employee” of St.
Herman’s. Each teacher likewise has their story to tell
of how God made it possible for them to participate.
The grounds, the materials, even a delightful chapel
for the children, all of these things have come and keep
coming from a trusting parish community willing to
risk, and quick to respond. God’s calculus resulted in
our having more than we needed to get the project
started, with little to no cost to the “parish” (i.e. church
budget). Can it be sustained? As an educator in the
notoriously fickle Colorado Springs economy, I know
extremely “well-endowed” schools that annually skate
on the edge of financial ruin. I am familiar, too, with
the dismal “survival rate” of new ventures in the ag-
gregate. “Can it be sustained?” is the question anyone
running a new institution or program asks himself ev-
ery quarter. The parish of Ss. Constantine and Helen
has developed a file of such questions: “Can we build
a new temple?”; “Can we afford a mortgage?”; “Can
we sponsor a group to Alaska?”; “Can we put a last-
minute group together for Project Mexico (a scheduled
group dropped out without warning)?”. With respect
to running St. Herman of Alaska School, the answer to
the question of sustaining our school is, emphatically,
“No.”
No, “we” can not sustain it, but we locally have seen
time and time again, God can.
principle for personal stewardship? Does it become less
viable during challenging economic times?
Mary: I started to work toward tithing by computing
what percent of my take-home salary I was giving to
the Church and various charities. Each year thereafter,
I pledged 1% more. Pledging is very powerful! Un-
fortunately, many people do not have the courage to do
so. As I increased this percentage each year, strangely
or miraculously, I never missed that which I gave away.
If you build up the practice of making your pledge pay-
ment the first payment out of each paycheck or income
of any kind, then during hard times, you will be less
inclined to delay that payment. There is no shame in
admitting that you cannot meet your pledge if you be-
V I S I O N
Merry Christmas, Forever
A real-life holiday lesson
By Sonia N. Jason
My dying mother-in-law wanted just one thing for
Christmas. Just what she had yearned for on other holi-
days: all her children together again. But busy and care-
lessly uncomprehending lives went their separate ways
until it was too late. Or so it appeared.
Mute and bed-fast from a series of strokes, Elizabeth
gazed at the tiny tree I set on the bedside table. Val-
iantly, she struggled to communicate. Frustrated tears
coursed down her cheeks because she could not. But I
understood.
“You want to go home for Christmas, don’t you?”
Her eyes opened wide and then closed to indicate she
understood my words. “I’ll try,” I promised, more idly
than sincerely.
Later that same day my office phone rang as I worked
frantically to catch up with my work. “You have 72
hours to remove your mother-in-law from the hospi-
tal...” and the administrator went on to explain that
Medicare rules did not permit patients to be kept in the
hospital when recovery was not possible.
Panic-stricken, I called family members. All urged
me to take on the responsibility because of my social
work background. And also, although this was left un-
said but hinted at, it was easier for a daughter-in-law.
Easier? Oh, not so. For this love we shared was hard-
won and therefore, doubly precious. And now I was
losing the last of my four possible parental love sources
and the empty places would leave a void forever. Also,
come unemployed, your income ceases, or your medi- to enjoy reading from my father. He used to take my
cal expenses have risen. Instead reformulate your brother and me to the library on Saturday’s. Books were
pledge, but do make a pledge.
She graduated from Case Western Re-
serve University and received Masters
degrees from John Carroll University in
Cleveland and Claremont Graduate School
in Claremont, California.
Vision: How does one develop competency? Can you how to socialize with those who are not their peers. This
give advice to people, young and old, who might won- lack of socialization will make it difficult for them to
der how to identify their talents and use them in service understand what constitutes proper behavior (and dress)
to God?
W i n t e r , 2 0 0 3
I feared her death would un-
earth a long submerged
mourning for my own
mother who had died a
decade before. And so it
was to be, but not yet
that Christmas.
Why did I persist
in a plan to bring a
comatose woman
home to die? All the
medical experts said she would not know the difference.
And yet, I was compelled. None of us could really un-
derstand, not even my priest, Fr. Sergei Glogolev, whom
I believed knew everything.
“But she can’t die in a nursing home among strang-
ers,” I sobbed. “And she can’t die before Christmas.”
Father Sergei paled at my intensity. And he tried to
reason, telling me that some things are beyond human
control. Yes, I nodded to all he said. So logical. But I
simply could not accept another Christmas loss as I
had others. All I asked him to do was to pray for this
one thing, and he agreed, but added that we had to ac-
cept what happened as God’s will. I assented to that
much.
The compassionate doctor approved my plan and
promised to make a home visit in a few days. Later, I
realized he knew that would not be necessary, but it
(Christmas, continued on next page)
Mary: I enjoyed learning and doing my best. I learned
very important to him. My parents told me that I could
do whatever I set my mind on. I believed them.
The young should find the Church a safe place in which
to test and practice their talents. The skills that are de-
veloped to serve God in the Church will be forever use-
ful. They will also be extremely valuable outside the
Church community. Young people often do not learn
(Continued on next page)
13
the O R T H
(Christmas, continued from previous page)
helped me in the face of opposition to have his author-
ity to rely on.
The agencies said there were no nurses available dur-
ing the holiday season. Period. I begged them to try,
and one named Cora responded to their call. She had
not had a job in four years and I did not ask why. It was
enough that she would be there for night duty.
Setting up hospital paraphernalia was time-consum-
ing and before I knew it, three days had passed and it
was Christmas Day. We gathered around Elizabeth’s bed
and she responded to our greetings with a great struggle
to open her eyes and fix her gaze upon each of her four
children in turn. and then, alone, each of us lingered to
say a private farewell as Christmas Day ended with the
blue-green glory of a southern California dusk.
I touched my finger to my lips and then to her seamed
cheek and noted that her breathing was again coming in
rasping gasps. “Merry Christmas forever,” I whispered,
not to her mind, which was beyond reach, but hoped
that her spirit heard my salutation.
She lifted heavy eye-lids and gazed at me, then turned
her head slightly to the right towards the wall, to the
pictures of her children as they had been long ago. As
her eyes closed again, the effort had increased in her
ragged breathing. Desolate, I tip-toed out.
Another day passed and we began to believe that she
might be with us for a longer time. But the following
day, it was 2:00 a.m. when I woke up with a start. It was
not a dream, nor was there any sound. But it was as it
had been when my own two children were small and I
felt something tangible reach out for me even before
the cry of distress that usually followed. Now once again,
I waited in the dark stillness for whatever would come
(Mary, continued from previous page)
in a professional environment. The Church commu-
nity provides a wonderful opportunity for young people
to learn how to socialize with adults and senior citi-
zens. Youth should not be shy about asking them ques-
tions!
People of all ages will find that there is much work to
be done in the Church. Begin with the small things that
do not require a blessing from your priest. Pick up trash,
clean up after coffee hour, say hello to the visitors to
your parish. If you cannot recognize that a person is a
visitor, then you do not know your parish well enough.
You should learn the names and faces of those who are
members. Be aware of who is not at church and tell
them you missed them when you see them again.
14
O D O X
next.
The phone jarred the deep quiet. “She passed away,”
Cora was telling me, “peacefully...beyond belief...so
much that I can’t help crying.” The sound of soft weep-
ing eddied through the line into my ear and heart.
We were there in minutes and just before they came
to take her away. Elizabeth’s face was smooth in death,
like a child’s. Cora stood beside me and touched my
arm gently.
“You knew, didn’t you, that I am a recovering alco-
holic?” I nodded, even though I had not known.
“Well, something happened here and I did not have a
drink since I took this case, so it wasn’t my imagina-
tion, but...” and her voice faltered.
I barely listened. There were papers to sign, direc-
tions to be given to the funeral director, and tears I had
to suppress for now. However, Cora continued in a
barely audible voice.
“Something...a presence was there as she was pass-
ing. It was beautiful and peaceful. I said a prayer and
she gave a couple of easy breaths and just stopped and
that was it.” And she described, by contrast, other diffi-
cult cardiac cases she had handled and why this was so
unusual. She seemed to expect me to have an explana-
tion. I did not, nor did I care about other deaths and
their variations.
At dawn, my husband and I drank some coffee and let
the tears flow. In relief at suffering ended. In regret. In
the terror of abandonment when the eternal child within
feels the parent’s departure.
But later that day my priest-friend bade me rejoice.
“She did not die on Christmas Day...and you were
together again—truly so!”
(Christmas, continued on next page)
Vision: Your work involves the presentation of infor-
mation as much as it does the handling of records and
computation of numbers. Does this come naturally to
you, or is it just a necessary consequence that you tol-
erate so you can get across the information you need
to?
Mary: I have had a lot of opportunities to learn how
to make presentations. I took public speaking in high
school. I learned how to break down information into
manageable chunks when I taught high school math-
ematics. In my current profession, I am expected to
make presentations on very short notice. Talking be-
fore a group of people is almost second nature to me.
V I S I O N
(Christmas, continued from previous page)
“Oh, it was too late!” I wailed then.
But today as I read the unexpected letter from Cora, I
wonder. The note was brief and yet said so much.
“Each Christmas I relive that one of seven years ago
when the presence of love that surrounded your mother-
in-law was so strong, it changed my life. Things have
been anything but easy since then, yet not once have I
been tempted to take a drink. And I know I never will
again.”
Now I recalled my priest-friend’s smile of reassur-
ance at my doubts and can comprehend it and his words:
“Love is never too late. It is always on time.”
This Christmas there is one less as a sister-in-law has
joined her mother. But never again will Christmas be a
time of dread. From now on it will be for me, as it has
been for Cora, a day to celebrate the discovery of a
priceless treasure.
The unseen but keenly felt presence of love that eased
a death at the same time regenerated the life of a stranger
who just happened—or so it seemed—to be there. And
now, after seven years, it was reaching back to heal a
still frozen over spot of emptiness in my heart by an-
swering unspoken questions.
The timelessness and awesome awesome power of
love...does it matter where and how it is manifested—
whether in the heart of a dying old lady...or in a tiny
newborn child?
Sonia and her husband are members of the Holy Virgin
Orthodox Cathedral in Los Angeles.
Vision: Has technology advanced your work? Has it
been difficult to incorporate technology? (Does it some-
times take as long to learn how to use it as it would take
to do things the "old" way?)
Mary: I have purposely integrated technology into my
job as treasurer. It would be impossible for me to handle
the financial matters of a growing diocese without the
proper tools. I am a “techie” at heart, so learning to use
the tools is not a problem.
Vision: The All-American council included a great
deal of discussion regarding "Fair Share" as a way of
determining what each diocese owes to the national
15
W i n t e r , 2 0 0 3
editor’s box Christ is born! Glorify Him!
Would you like to see your photo on the
cover of our next Orthodox Vision? Sub-
mit pictures, either by e-mail, or in print,
by March 1st, and it will be considered!
Pictures should depict themes appropriate
to Pascha and/or Spring. Pictures not se-
lected for the cover may still be included throughout the
inside of the next edition.
Thank you for the stories submitted for our Winter edi-
tion. We need a continual flow of articles, to keep our
magazine interesting and informative.
For the next edition, please consider submitting:
homilies and meditations upon Scripture
personal stories
recipes for Paschal foods
letters to the editor
web-site, movie and book reviews
stories illuminating your experiences of Pascha
. . . all this, in addition to the categories invited in our
last issue.
Your servant in Christ,
Fr. Isaac Skidmore
church administration. Could you explain Fair Share
in layman's terms?
Mary: The Fair Share is the tax that the Orthodox
Church in America (OCA) levies on the majority of its
dioceses to support its operating expenses. At the July
2002 All American Council, the majority of parish del-
egates approved a resolution setting the tax rate at a
maximum of $85.00 per parishioner for the next three
years. That rate was below what was originally pro-
posed but more than what had been set for the previous
year, i.e. $65.00 per member. The OCA put the burden
of collecting the tax and the parishioner count on each
Diocese. In the case of the Diocese of the West, I have
(Continued on next page)
the O R T H
St. Paul the Apostle Orthodox Church Celebrates 15 Years
By Priest Eric George Tosi, Rector
St. Paul the Apostle Orthodox Church in Las Vegas,
NV celebrated their 15 years of founding on October
25 to 26, 2003. Present at the celebration was His Grace
TIKHON, Bishop of San Francisco and the Diocese of
the West and His Grace NIKOLAI, Bishop of Sitka,
Anchorage and Alaska. His Grace
Nikolai was the founding priest of the
parish in 1988.
This seminal event was in recogni-
tion of the years of hard work and dedi-
cation of the members of the parish.
St. Paul’s was founded as the first all
English parish in Las Vegas and be-
came the fastest growing mission in
the Orthodox Church in America since
autocephaly was granted in 1970. The
mission grew rapidly serving in vari-
ous locations until the present location
was purchased in 1994. By the Spring
1995, the beautiful church and hall
were built and consecrated by His Be- Eucharist at St. Paul celebration
atitude THEODOSIUS on May 13,
1995. The church quickly became a center for activ-
ity.
The parish has an incredible mixture of people of all
backgrounds. There are numerous Russian and East-
ern Europeans, Middle Eastern, Eritrean and Ethiopian
families as well as a sizeable number of converts. This
mixture has made worship at St. Paul’s truly a repre-
(Mary, continued from previous page)
that responsibility. The Diocese does not receive “a cut
of the action” for this service to the OCA. All Fair Share
taxes, usually referred to as assessments, are collected
by the Diocese and passed on to the OCA. The Dio-
cese must pay the full Fair Share amount due each month
even though it may not have collected the full amount
from the parishes.
Vision: Sounds like you think the process needs some
refinement?
Mary: I think the current process is the result of many
compromises. The method of funding the OCA has to
be satisfactory to those parishes whose members have
16
O D O X
sentative experience of Orthodoxy in America. In ad-
dition, in the fifteen years, the parish has seen over
400 baptisms and chrismations and has sent three stu-
dents to Seminary.
The celebration began with the Vigil service on Sat-
urday evening presided by His Grace
TIKHON and His Grace NIKOLAI.
Priests from the other Orthodox par-
ishes in Las Vegas were present. The
Hierarchical Divine Liturgy was on
Sunday morning and over 350 people
were in attendance. Former clergy
from the parish as well as others from
the Diocese were also present includ-
ing Archpriest Ian MacKinnon, Chan-
cellor of the Diocese. His Grace
TIKHON delivered the sermon in
which He spoke of the joy and hard-
ships of building a parish in Las Ve-
gas. He encouraged the faithful to
maintain their Orthodoxy and to be
place of refuge for those seeking the
Truth. Following the Liturgy, a luncheon was held in
the parish hall. His Grace NIKOLAI spoke of his joy
in building up the parish and his hopes for the future.
The great joy of the weekend, allowed the parish to
reflect on their past and to plan for the future. In doing
so, God has blessed the present. Truly, St. Paul’s has
become an “Oasis in the Desert.”
not taken financial responsibility for their own parishes
as well as those parishes whose members pledge and/or
tithe. It has to be satisfactory for large parishes as well
as small missions. The resulting “democratic” com-
promise inevitably causes dissatisfaction.
Vision: You said earlier that you “entered back” into
the Orthodox Church. Had you stopped attending at
some point?
Mary: Yes. I had not developed a strong connection
to our parish community. We did not live close to our
parish and my parents took us to church only on Sun-
days. Because of the distance and lack of transporta-
tion, I was not able to be involved in any youth activi-
V I S I O N W i n t e r , 2 0 0 3

and the transition into young adulthood.

Clergy Wives Hold Annual Retreat Fr. Joseph’s vast knowledge and experience as a priest,
By Matushka Christina Tosi father and educator provided for a most interesting talk with
plenty of discussion and “food for thought.” The theme con-
The annual gathering of clergy wives was held May 15 to tinued after dinner Friday night with the Akathist service to
18 at the Life Giving Spring Retreat the Mother of God, Nurturer of Children.
Center in Boulder City, Nevada. This Saturday morning was devoted to
year’s theme was raising children in the another discussion and then lunch.
Church. Archpriest Joseph Hirsch was During lunch there was an organiza-
the guest speaker. Quite a few women tional meeting to discuss plans for the
were able to take advantage of the early next retreat. A cruise on Lake Mead
start and arrived on Thursday. That was the afternoon’s outing and we
night was for relaxing, acquainting and thank Mr. Joseph Vranish of St. Paul’s
watching the lunar eclipse, a special parish for arranging this relaxing
bonus. event. It was then off to St. Paul’s in
After morning prayers and breakfast, Las Vegas for the Vigil. Divine Lit-
Friday’s session began with a welcome urgy was celebrated at St. Paul’s on
from the Chancellor, Archpriest Ian Sunday morning. We thank the St.
MacKinnon. After Fr. Ian’s short but Paul Holy Myrrhbearers for provid-
inspirational talk, the now familiar ing a wonderful luncheon. It was then
Matushki at Life-Giving Springs time to depart back to our homes.
“round the room” began, where each
Matushka takes a turn to speak of the The Life Giving Spring Retreat
joys and challenges of the past year. Fr. Joseph then began Center was a wonderful host and as usual many thanks goes
his reflections on children and their growth in the Church. to Priest Lawrence Gaudreau and his staff for the excellent
He addressed many points including how the Orthodox view food and board. We also thank the St. Paul parish for pro-
a child’s development and how we learn differently during viding transportation for the entire weekend. The annual
these stages. There was a particular emphasis on teenagers (Matushki, continued on page 20)

ties or learn about the faith. When I was in college, I in English! I was dumbfounded, embarrassed, and
began to learn about other faiths. After I was married, grateful. The words were so powerful. I thought I was
I became active in the Presbyterian and Lutheran so intelligent, yet I was ignorant of what had been pre-
church. After moving to California, I became inter- sented to me at birth. I was grateful that I could under-
ested in Self-Realization. I was still spiritually rest- stand the words. Sometime later, I had confession and
less. Something was missing. communion.
The seeds of Orthodoxy, the I became a member of St.
prayers of my parents, and the John of Damascus Church in
memories of Paschal celebra- Poway, California and plunged
tions created an undercurrent in wholeheartedly into learning
my spiritual life. After a Self- about the Orthodox Faith. I at-
Realization service, I noticed tended Late Vocation classes
that I did not feel strange about for three years. I am very grate-
placing my hands together and ful to those who continued in
greeting members of that con- the faith while I wandered.
gregation. Why then, should I What a precious treasure they
feel that crossing one’s self was have preserved! What a pre-
strange? My rational mind took cious treasure they have made
over, and I thought that I owed more understandable to those
it to myself to find out more Mary and Jim whose native language is En-
about the faith of my parents. In glish!
the yellow pages, I found a Romanian Orthodox mis-
sion in Claremont. I attended my first Divine Liturgy Vision: Thank you, Mary.

17 Mary: You’re welcome!

the O R T H O D O X
Diocese Thanks 2003 Contributors
The Diocese of the West thanks the following for their contributions to the Stewards of the West program for 2003. Your
gifts allow the Diocese to support our seminarians and our charitable institutions such as the Martha and Mary House,
Raphael Houses in Portland and San Francisco and The Life-Giving Spring Retreat Center in Boulder City. Steward of the
West are direct participants in the Diocese’s charitable work.

“Torch Bearers” ($1,000.00 per year or more) Frederick P. Hayes

Alex & Bonnie Prescop Lois Mary Herring
Dimitry Holl
“Standard Bearers” ($500.00 to $999.99per year) Harold Homyak
Mary Louise Caetta Robert & Kathy Hunt
Robert & Olga Hughes Marilyn Jaeger
Eugene & Dorothy Nowik Wesley & Cynthia Jessup
Pamela Rohrmann Russell & Lynn Jones
Alexander Sawchuk VRev Paul Kasaty
Vitaly & Natalia Kasperovich
“Sustaining Member”($100.00 to 499.99 per year) Mark & Elizabeth Kautsky
St. Mary (Holy Dormition) Church – Calhan CO Edward & Vera Klavzar
St. Andrew the Apostle Church – Delta CO Nick Korens
St. Herman of Alaska Church – Little CO Gai & Tamara Krupenkin
Synaxis of the Theotokos Mission – San Francisco, CA Thomas & Janice Kvamme
Ed & Stacy Aaron Walter H. Laws
Anonymous Rev. Kevin & Elizabeth Lien
Anonymous Mr. & Mrs. Mark Linnehan
Fr. Leo & Matushka Rafaela Arrowsmith VRev Ian & Nina MacKinnon
George & Svetlana Artemoff Linda L. Martin
Willard James Ballard Kapitalina Masche
M/M Constantine Baranoff Lynn C. McEntire
Marina & William Beld Monastery of St. John
Bishop TIKHON (Fitzgerald) Myrrhbearers Alter Society
Blair & Pamela Body Linda Novak
Walter Boorikin Edward & JoAnn Oppermann
Ted & Elizabeth Brinegar William & Rosemarie Osolinsky
Ruth Burkett Our Lady of Kazan Skete
Ann Chach Barbara Owens
Tatiana Childhouse Christine Peterson
Beverly Clark Mr. & Mrs. Paul Prybyla
Randal W. Crawford Andre & Anna Riazance
Lawrence Dibble Allen Richardson
Mr. & Mrs. Diederich Carol Rosen
Laura Draskovic Ivan Roubal
Kevin & Sinead Duffy K. Sakovich
Julia Erickson Dn. Gabriel & Jeannette Seamore
Dn. David & Janet Fabula Sisterhood of HVM
Lee R. H. Fitzgerald Robert Solodow
Shawn Fowler Hennok & Rosemary Soot
Lori Friedman Beatrice Spelker
Rev. Lawrence & Katherine Gaudreau St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church – San Diego
Margarita & Seraphim Gisetti Robert Stuemky
Leo & Irene Gregory Draginja Surbatovich
Yvonne Hajdu-Cronin VRev Boris Symeonoff
Kaleria Hayashi Ervin Szevery
VRev Gregory & Walentyna Szyrynski

18
V I S I O N W i n t e r , 2 0 0 3

VRev Eugene Tarris Vincent Hramzoff Mr. & Mrs. Schepmann

Mr. & Mrs. Karl Thienes Mr. & Mrs. Gregory Hughes Leila Scott
Lana K. Thomson George Jankowski Stacy Seitz
Natalie Vasilev Nick & Elizabeth Jannakos Alexander Serotuk
Mr. & Mrs. John Vilke Vera Jansone George Sharkody
John & Katherine Vitko Maria Jordan Igor & Alla Sharonoff
Ronald Vroon Paul & Hatsuko Jula Lydia Shirik
Joel & Elizabeth Wallace Duane Julien Boris Sinelnikov
Nadine Wood Nikolai & Inna Kaliakin Alexander & Catherine Sirpis
John & Ann Worobey Nina Kants Natalea Skvir
Kathleen Karsen Leon & Claudine Snyder
“Donors” ($1.00 - $99.99) Lucy Kashtenko Photini Sorial
Scott & Kateryna Adams Robert & Linda Katrenich Konstantyn & Elizabeth Stasevich
Sarah Aley Mary V. Khafer Julie Studentzoff
Rev. & Mrs. John Anderson JoAnn Kluge Patrica Swerda
Andrey & Karin Aristov Kenneth & Nonna Kojin Marie Sysock
Julia Azrael George Komashko Natalie & Michael Tar
James & Eva Baker Paul & Marie Kopcha Iona Tepes
George & Sunday Ballas Joyce Kulina Olga Thomas
Vladimir Belikov Rosemary LaCondo Elizabeth Thong
Mr. & Mrs. Rodney Berg Irene Leonoff Allen & Lois Todd
Wladimir Boiko Boris Levenetz Merced Tomelloso
Mr. & Mrs. Preston Booker Anthony & Maria Lizotte Johanna Tovik
Timothy & Natalia Buchanan Anna Lozano Anthony & Forest Trojanovich
Gisela Butcoff Richard J. Mahlke Pavel V Tyutin
Boris Butyrin Alexander & Lisa Malaniak Daniel Tzucanow
Michael & JoAnn Cahenzli Helen Malecki Nancy Van Dyken
Bernard Thomas Calderon Joanna Mannion Kathryn Wallace
William & Alexandra Carrico Maria Marich Adam & Helen Wanaski
Chelle Clements Zara Markaryan Donald & Carolyn Welsh
James & Laurel Counts Martha McGrath Ioannis & Photini Wiles
Katherine Cozzens Paul Melnikov Davi Wingate
Nonna Crook Joseph & Joyce Mikita
John & Linda Degnan Fred Miklasevich Orthodox Stewards
Samuel Denda Joe Mitchell of the West
Anthony & Patricia Doherty Julie Molnar
Galina Dontsova Charles Morse
Anthony & Claudia Dubovik John & Sandra Newmaster
Daniel Eriksen Rev. Joseph & Lynda O’Brien
Valentina Erofejev Anne Pekovich
Alvin & Muriel Eurich Bryan & Julia Phillips
Michael & Amy Foat-Langston Andrei & Margarita Piatnitski
Lucy Franke Claudia Pilutik
Victoria Franke Olga Potapenko
Henry & Alice Gaviglio A.D. Prevel
Algerd & Nadia Geralt Alexandria Priestly
Irene Gill William E. Reed
Margaret Golitzin Agnes C. Rentz
Fr. Lawrence
Eugene & Veronica Gorodetskaia Elena Rhine Gaudreau
Anthony & Tula Gouletas Rev. Michael Rome
Dorthy Grudzina Mary Saadeh
701 Park Place
Gary S. & Kathleen Holowach Kenneth & Carolyn Sabel Boulder City, NV
Elizabeth Horner Dimitra Sacks tel. 702-293-7208
19
the O R T H O D O X
(Matushki, continued from page17) dustries, which are technically illegal at Point Reyes:
retreat will again be held next year at the Life Giving Spring candles, wood and metal shops, wine making, and such.
Retreat Center and we continually invite all clergy wives to We have not settled on a specific location for the Skete.
participate. We also thank Fr. Ian for his steadfast support We at the Monastery ask our friends and benefactors to
for this important chance for the clergy wives to relax and assist us with the purchase of property, which will eventu-
talk about their particular ministry in the Church and to Fr. ally develop into a monastic community for at least 20
Joseph for his always-insightful talks. May God Grant Them people. The immediate need is for a large house, with a
Many Years! Please remember to pray for all the Matushki couple of out buildings, on 40+ acres of land. We estimate
of the Diocese for their strength as they support their hus- this will cost between $250,000 and $400,000.
bands’ diverse ministries. If you are able to assist us with a major donation, in real
property, cash, stocks or securities, please contact Fr. Jonah.
ANNOUNCEMENT:
St. Eugene’s Developments
THE DATES FOR THE WESTERN DIOCESE We recently learned, from architect Todd Jersey, that we
ANNUA MATUSHKA CONFERENCE HAVE BEEN can develop our current site within “green” guidelines pre-
scribed by Marin County, using environmentally conscious
CHANGED—
buildings that will bypass otherwise exhorbitant fees for
study and licensing.
THE NEW DATES ARE: New buildings can be designed, using passive solar heat-
Thursday-Sunday, October 21-24, 2004 ing, super-efficiency, and utilizing lumber from our own
Life Giving Spring Retreat Center property. This is inexpensive, durable and efficient. Con-
Boulder, Nevada struction could even begin as early as next summer. Our
projected costs PRESUME much volunteer labor. We will
We are asking all Matushki to be sure need your assistance! The first phase will be a 6 bedroom
to mark their calendars, and plan to residence. Later phases will follow.
purchase roundtrip airline tickets to We currently have $75,000 towards this goal, and need
Las Vegas as early as July or August another $50,000.
You can establish Orthodox monasticism in the West with
2004, in order to get the best airline
work and donation, and contribute to the incarnation of
fares and scheduling. the Gospel of Jesus Christ, expressed in a thriving Ortho-
dox monastic community.
An Update on Development of St. John’s Monastery
from Fr. Jonah Paffausen, Abbot
The Monastery of St. John of San Francisco in Point Reyes,
California, needs your assistance.
We have two major projects: the rebuilding of St Eugene’s
where the Monastery currently is based; and the acquisition
and development of other property, where we can put a large
monastic complex. The current buildings in Point Reyes
are decrepit, and need to be replaced. We need a place where
we can expand our life and operations to accommodate new
vocations.
Special Christmas season prices!
Skete of the Monastery of St John
After discussion about the Point Reyes site, the St.
Eugene’s Committee/Friends of the Monastery decided that
it’s best to expand our operations by the development of a
skete in a different location. The Brotherhood wants to pur-
sue Humboldt County.
St Eugene’s at Point Reyes will continue to function as
our Bay Area location, with a focus on hospitality, retreat
and education ministries, and a base for three or four broth-
ers. The Skete, at another location, will become the focus
of our income generating activities, with the shops and in-

20
V I S I O N
Announcements
Priest Christopher Swanson, released by His Eminence,
Very Most Reverend Archbishop Peter, is received under
the Omiphorion of His Grace Bishop TIKHON and assigned
as Acting Rector to the Saint Elizabeth Mission, Poulsbo,
WA., effective July 1, 2003. Father Christopher previously
served at St. John the Baptist in Passaic, NJ. He is a gradu-
ate of St. Vladimir's Seminary. He arrives with his wife,
Matushka Thea, and three children.
July 9th marked His Grace Bishop TIKHON’s 25th an-
niversary of ordination to the priesthood. While no special
services were held, it was suggested that donations be made
to diocesan charities by those wishing to honor the occa-
sion.
Priest Athanasius Shaw, having completed his studies at
St. Tikhon’s Seminary, is assigned as Acting Rector to the
Holy Ascension Mission, Olympia, WA, effective July 15,
2003. He, arrives with his wife, Matushka Anna, and their
two children, Hannah & Nina. Fr. Athanasius is the first resi-
dence priest to serve at Holy Ascension, which has been over-
seen for many years by Fr. John Pierce, of Holy Resurrec-
tion in Tacoma.
Vladimir Labick, father of Matushka Elaine, and father-
in-law of Archpriest Stephan Meholick, fell asleep in the
Lord following a long illness on July 17th. The funeral took
place on July 18 at St. Michael Church in Jermyn, PA. His
Beatitude, Metropolitan Herman presided.
On Saturday, July 19, Archpriest Michael Margitich cel-
ebrated the 50th anniversary of his ordination to the Holy
Priesthood. Bishop TIKON celebrated the Divine Liturgy
at St. Seraphim's Church in Santa Rosa. Many Years to the
beloved Archpriest Michael and Matushka Eleanor!
Archpriest Michael Prokurat fell asleep in the Lord on
July 23rd, 4:45 PM, in Houston, after a long and difficult
struggle with cancer. The funeral was conducted on Mon-
day morning, July 28th, at Holy Trinity Cathedral, San Fran-
cisco, where Father Michael had been attached for many
years while pursuing a secular career in Texas. Archpriest
Victor Sokolov, Archpriest Ian MacKinnon, and Father
Michael's long-time friend and scholarly associate,
Hieromonk Alexander (Golitzin), conducted the services.
Memory eternal to the servant of God, Michael, Archpriest,
who has fallen asleep, and prayers for Matushka Margaret
21
W i n t e r , 2 0 0 3
and their family.
Congratulations to Fr. Lawrence & Katherine Gaudreau
on the birth of their new baby boy, Michael. Michael was
born at 1:09 PM, after 20 hours of labor, on Tuesday, Au-
gust 19th, in Henderson, NV.
The Mitred-Archpriest Michael Zelneronok passed
away on Monday, Sept. 8th, Feast of the Nativity of the
Theotokos, in Crystal River, Florida, where he had been liv-
ing in retirement. Fr. Michael was the founder of St. Nicho-
las parish in Saratoga, had served in San Diego at the St.
Nicholas parish there, as well as elsewhere in our Diocese
for decades. Memory Eternal to the Mitred Archpriest
Michael!
The Deacon Elias Union, released by His Beatitude, Most
Blessed Metropolitan Herman, was received under the
Omiphorion of His Grace Bishop TIKHON and attached as
deacon to St. Sussanah Mission, Sonora, CA, effective Oc-
tober 9, 2003.
At the meeting of the Holy Synod, convened at the St.
Sergius Chapel, Oyster Bay Cover, New York, October 20-
23, His Grace, Bishop TIKHON, proposed the election of
an Auxiliary Bishop for the Diocese of the West. He nomi-
nated, with the concurrence of the Diocesan Council of the
Diocese of the West, Archimandrite BENJAMIN (Peterson).
The Holy Synod agreed to the proposal. The nomination of
Archimandrite BENJAMIN will follow usual procedures for
investigation and preparation.
The beloved Archpriest Paul Kasaty died at around 9:45
PM on Friday October 24th, following a long struggle with
pancreatic cancer. Fr. Paul served for many years at St.
Nicholas Church in San Diego, where the funeral was held
on October 30th, His Grace Bishop TIKHON presiding.
The faithful of the parish hosted a reception following.
Memory Eternal to the Archpriest Paul!
Correction:
It was reported In the Summer issue of The Vision that
Reader James Brown was elevated to the Sudiaconate on
February 15th. We failed to mention, however, that he was
subsequently elevated to the Holy Diaconate at the Hierar-
chical Divine Liturgy that immediately followed.
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