ΝΕΚΡΟΣ ΓΙΑ ΤΟΝ ΚΟΣΜΟ: A whole diocese of the Philippine Independent Catholic Church joined to the Orthodox Church

Δευτέρα 17 Νοεμβρίου 2014

A whole diocese of the Philippine Independent Catholic Church joined to the Orthodox Church

Saint Isidore of Chios Orthodox Mission in Kitakal, Malalag Cogon, Malungon, Sarangani Province.

Philippine Mission of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROCOR)

Περιληψη στα ελληνικά (από την Αδελφότητα Εξωτερικής Ιεραποστολής): Με τη χάρη του Θεού, η Ορθοδοξία στις Φιλιππίνες προχωράει. Στις αρχές του 2014, μια ολόκληρη επισκοπή της τοπικής «Ανεξάρτητης Φιλιππινέζικης Εκκλησίας» μεταστράφηκε στην Ορθοδοξία μαζί με τους δύο επισκόπους της, όλους τους ιερείς της και 28 ενορίες. Το παράδειγμά τους μιμήθηκαν αργότερα κι άλλοι 8 επίσκοποι με το ποίμνιό τους. Οι 53 συνολικά ενορίες προσήλθαν στην Ορθοδοξία κάτω από το ωμοφόριο (την επισκοπική δικαιοδοσία) του Πατριαρχείου Μόσχας. Ας δοξάσουμε το Θεό!

"Ν": Ένα εξαιρετικό νέο, που όμως φέρνει στο νου μας την πολυδιάσπαση της Ιεραποστολής και γενικά της Ορθόδοξης Εκκλησίας, με τις πολλαπλές δικαιοδοσίες, που συνυπάρχουν στον ίδιο τόπο και μερικές φορές ανταγωνίζονται κιόλας... Ας μας επιτραπεί να πούμε ότι, κανονικά, οι Φιλιππίνες υπάγονται στο Οικουμενικό Πατριαρχείο, όχι στο πατρ. Μόσχας. Μακάρι να δούμε κάποια στιγμή μια αυτοκέφαλη κανονική Ορθόδοξη Εκκλησία των Φιλιππίνων ή όλης της Άπω Ανατολής, ανεξάρτητη απ' όλα τα πατριαρχεία μας.
Η ιστοσελίδα απ' όπου προέρχεται το άρθρο ανήκει σε ιεραποστολή της Ρωσικής Εκκλησίας της Διασποράς (ROCOR). Η ROCOR έχει μεγάλη & αξιέπαινη ιεραποστολική δράση σε πολλές περιοχές της Γης. Όμως η πολυδιάσπαση της Ιεραποστολής, όπως είπαμε, αποτελεί αδυναμία, παρότι όλες αυτές οι Ορθόδοξες Εκκλησίες είναι κανονικές.

Orthodox developments in the Philippines

I had a visit this week from Father Kyrill Shkrabul, the Moscow Patriarch priest from Taiwan who has been coordinating catechism for parishes of the Philippine Independent Church in Mindanao. A number of entire dioceses of this church have petitioned the Patriarch of Moscow to be received into Orthodoxy; the Moscow Patriarchate has responded by sending clergy to catechize over fifty parishes all across Mindanao, including some close to us.
I’ve known for several months that Moscow Patriarchate clergy had been doing mission work in the Philippines, but I had not realized the scale of the movement. From their Facebook page:

In the beginning of 2014, a whole diocese of the Philippine Independent Catholic Church headed by their two bishops with all their clergies applied to convert their entire diocese composed of 28 parishes to the Russian Orthodox Church by writing a petition to His Holiness Patriarch Kiril of Moscow and All Rus’. Just few weeks after and with the inspiration of their moves, the whole Aglipayan Christian Church, (another Aglipayan group) led by their 8 bishops and Superiors also write another petition expressing that they are also want to convert along with their entire flock to the Orthodox Church. This became the Russian Orthodox Philippine Mission of the Moscow Patriarchate. On September 18, 2014, this mission officially registered and incorporated in the Republic of the Philippines as the PHILIPPINE ORTHODOX CHURCH (MOSCOW PATRIARCHATE). Now we are presently doing missions in 53 parishes.

Before much longer these communities should be ready for baptism. MP mission clergy intend to send several men to seminary to train for the priesthood; in addition a school is being established here in the Philippines to prepare men for seminary.
Father Kyrill also updated me on the progress of translating into Cebuano both the Orthodox prayerbook and the Catechism of St Nikolai Velimirovich. Both of these will be very helpful for the faithful here in Santa Maria when they are published.
What does this mean for our mission in Santa Maria and in Palo? For one thing, it is an enormous encouragement to have brother clergy of the Russian Church at work near us, and to know that our small missions are not alone: a sizable Orthodox community is coming into existence here in the southern Philippines, and our people will benefit from interaction with their newly-Orthodox brothers and sisters in neighboring towns and cities.
On the other hand, it suggests that the task before us is much greater than we had anticipated. When I petitioned Archbishop Kyrill and Metropolitan Hilarion a year ago to send me to the Philippines, I anticipated being the only Orthodox priest for two small mission parishes in a vast territory where Orthodoxy is unknown. Now by God’s providence it appears I am one of a handful of priests amid over fifty parishes becoming Orthodox, in a movement that has rapidly outgrown everyone’s expectations.
Exactly how I can be of service to clergy and faithful of the Moscow Patriarchate mission, and how our plans and theirs will relate, have yet to be established. But a good beginning has been made in brotherly cooperation, and our parishes have already benefitted greatly from books, icons, and typhoon relief received gratefully from the MP mission.
God is good!

Saint Vincent Church