Education and true knowledge – What our children are missing in school today

Children in churchAnother school year started this week. Future scientists, engineers, doctors begin their journey today, a journey through rationality and logic in the hope of pushing further away today’s science barriers. During the following school years these children will be taught mathematics, physics, chemistry and other subjects that will reveal to them, step by step… “how Continue reading

The case for early marriage

crowningA very interesting article by Mark Regnerus making the case for early marriage as a  a way to deal with pre-marital sexuality, divorce rates and economical crisis. You can read the article here

One of the most interesting statements of  the article in my opinion is this: “Most young Americans no longer think of marriage as a formative institution, but rather as the institution they enter once they think they are fully formed.”

Keeping our children safe online

internet_safetyOne of the growing parental problems  is the control of our children internet access. With a variety of explicit materials and predators lurking the net more and more parent grow worry about their children accessing the internet. More so with new technology like iphods, iphones, mobile internet, social networking the breadth of the problem has grown exponentially… Continue reading

Anger management – Controlling the escalation of anger

When anger goes out of control, the consequences can be devastating and irreparable. When people have a destructive angry episode, there is a series of steps involved in the escalation of the interaction. We should aim to stop the escalation before it spirals completely out of control. We can learn to break into this chain of behavior at any point to prevent anger from reaching a destructive level, although the Continue reading

Divorce – An Orthodox Perspective – Fr. John Meyendorff

The Orthodox Christian, in traditional view, canonical regulations on divorce and remarriage are based on two presuppositions. 1) Marriage is a sacrament conferred upon the partners in the Body of the Church through the priest’s blessing. As any sacrament, marriage pertains to the eternal life in the Kingdom of God and therefore, is not dissolved by the death of one partner. An eternal bond is created between them-“it is given Continue reading

Further study on the meaning of marriage from a Christian Orthodox perspective

Marriage, an Orthodox Perspective – Fr. John Meyendorf

An excellent study on Christian marriage of the former dean of St. Vladimir Seminary that represents a valuable resource for anyone seeking to understand the Orthodox perspective on marriage. In it John Meyendorff examines marriage in the Church from the contexts of Judaism and the New Testament, the early Church and Roman law, sacramental life, and contemporary society. Specific issues discussed  include: second marriages, “mixed” marriages, divorce, abortion, family planning and responsible parenthood, married clergy, celibacy, and the monastic life. Essential reading for all pastors, it is also useful for parents, newlyweds and those preparing or the sacrament of marriage.

A love divided – the true story behind the movie

LOVE CONQUERS ALL; But for decades a village paid the price of

AMANDA DOHERTY

IT was one of Ireland’s most shocking episodes. The mixed marriage of Sean and Sheila Cloney hit the headlines in the 1950s when it led to the bitter Fethard-on-Sea boycott in Co Wexford.

Catholics refused to buy goods from their Protestant neighbours after Sheila refused to honour the infamous Ne Temere pledge to send her daughters Eileen and Mary to the local Catholic school. So great was the pressure on Sheila that she fled to Belfast and then Scotland with her daughters.

This prompted local priest Fr Stafford to order… Continue reading

The Theology of Marriage and Sexuality -Fr. George Morelli

The writer of Genesis said of Adam and Eve: “And God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it;’ Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh” (Genesis 1:28; 2:24). St. Paul wrote in Hebrews: “Let marriage be held in honor among all . . .” (Hebrews 13:4).

St. John Chrysostom typified the Orthodox Church Fathers: “From the beginning God has been revealed as the fashioner, by his providence, of this union of man and woman, and He has spoken of the two as one: ‘male and female He… Continue reading