Fr. Peter-Michael Preble

Why do we pray for the dead?

noreply@blogger.com (Fr. Peter) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 05:27:29 PST

From the Synarxarion (Explanation) in the Triodion of THE SATURDAY OF THE DEADSoul Saturday On this day, Soul Saturday, according to the order instituted by our Holy Fathers, we call to remembrance all those who have died from the beginning of the ages in faith and in the hope of the resurrection and of life eternal. The present commemoration of the dead is based on the reality that many of our

Sermon ~ Sunday of the Prodigal Son

noreply@blogger.com (Fr. Peter) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 06:22:57 PST

The parable of the Prodigal Son that we heard read in today’s Gospel is a story of a young man who wanted what he wanted when he wanted it. Not unlike what we face in society today. For some people today the concept of what is right and what is wrong is a movable feast or it is only what they believe what is right and what is wrong. This is not new but we have seen this come up more and more in

Future of Orthodoxy in America

noreply@blogger.com (Fr. Peter) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:55:46 PST

The Most Blessed Jonah Archbishop of Washington Metropolitan of All America and Canada If you have been reading these pages you know that the Orthodox Church here in America is working toward what is being called Administrative Unity. At present the Orthodox Church is divided along the lines of language and ethnicity and there is much duplication of efforts. The Church here in America has

Rick Warren tweets: ‘I’d go to jail rather than cave in’ on Obamacare mandate

noreply@blogger.com (Fr. Peter) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:49:38 PST

Ben Johnson LifeSite News LAKE FOREST, CALIFORNIA, February 9, 2012, (LifeSiteNews.com) – Rick Warren, perhaps the nation’s most influential evangelical pastor, has tweeted he would “go to jail” rather than cave in to a government mandate that violates God’s commandments. Pastor Rick Warren, pastor of the 20,000-member Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, tweeted his defiance of the

Rasmussen ~ 50% Oppose Gov't Mandate for Religious Organizations to Provide Contraceptives

noreply@blogger.com (Fr. Peter) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:52:26 PST

Half of voters do not agree with the Obama administration’s action forcing Catholic institutions to pay for birth control measures that they morally oppose. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 39% of Likely U.S. Voters believe the government should require a church or religious organization to provide contraceptives for women even if it violates their deeply held

8 February ~ Cuthman of Steyning

noreply@blogger.com (Fr. Peter) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 04:16:57 PST

He was born around 681 possibly in Devon or Cornwall, or more probably in Chidham near Bosham, about 25 miles from Steyning. His life was one of simple filial piety and charity... According to legend, he was a shepherd who had to care for his paralysed mother after his father's death. Due to their poverty, he built a one-wheeled cart or wheelbarrow (with a rope from the handles over his

7 February ~ Richard of the West Saxons

noreply@blogger.com (Fr. Peter) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 04:15:09 PST

St. Richard of Swabia also known as St. Richard, King of Wessex (Kingdom of the West Saxons) is the brother of St. Boniface. It is uncertain whether or not he was crowned a king in this life, but he is certainly numbered with the "kings and priests" in the Kingdom of Christ. St. Richard was the father of Saints Willibald, Winnebald, and Walburga. He and his two sons left England to undertake a

Mother Teresa's humility list

noreply@blogger.com (Fr. Peter) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 05:07:05 PST

1. Speak as little as possible about yourself. 2. Keep busy with your own affairs and not those of others. 3. Avoid curiosity. 4. Do not interfere in the affairs of others. 5. Accept small irritations with good humor. 6. Do not dwell on the faults of others. 7. Accept censures even if unmerited. 8. Give in to the will of others. 9. Accept insults and injuries. 10. Accept contempt, being forgotten

Another Whack at Religious Freedom

noreply@blogger.com (Fr. Peter) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:58:59 PST

The National Review - In Catholic churches across the country, parishioners were read letters from the pulpit this weekend from bishops in their diocese about the mandate from the Department of Health and Human Services giving Catholics a year before they’ll be required to start violating their consciences on insurance coverage for contraception, sterilization, and abortifacient drugs. But not in

Why we do What we do

noreply@blogger.com (Fr. Peter) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:16:51 PST

If you have been following these pages you know that my parish, St. Michael Orthodox Church in Southbridge, Massachusetts has been hosting a Community Meal for the last two years. The idea of this meal is to provide a meal for members of the community, regardless of the position and economic situation. It is also designed to bring community together. People come to the church hall around 4 pm and

Orthodox Bishops Speak Out Against HHH Mandate

noreply@blogger.com (Fr. Peter) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:19:43 PST

Source: Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops – The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America, which is comprised of the 65 canonical Orthodox bishops in the United States, Canada and Mexico, join their voices with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and all those who adamantly protest the recent decision by the United States Department of Health and Human

Massachusetts Death with Dignity

noreply@blogger.com (Fr. Peter) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 06:00:45 PST

For several years different groups in Massachusetts have attempted to pass a law that would make Physician Assisted Suicide legal in the Commonwealth. One such bill is making its way through the Massachusetts State Legislature at the present time. The aim is to place this on the ballot for the General Election in November. H 2233 An Act relative to death with dignity was filed By Stoughton

The Sacrament of Holy Unction and the Care of the Sick

noreply@blogger.com (Fr. Peter) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 04:40:32 PST

The Most Reverend Ioan Cassian Auxiliary Bishop Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese in the Americas The year 2012 has been dedicated by the Romanian Patriarchate to the Sacrament of Holy Unction and the Care of the Sick. Just as last year we concentrated on the two Sacraments of Baptism and Crowning seeking to discern their meaning, effects, and their ethical-moral repercussions in the life of the

H.R. 1179: Respect for Rights of Conscience Act of 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Fr. Peter) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 08:13:04 PST

Last week I posted an essay about the removal of the Conscious Clause from the Health Care Law. In essence it removes the right of religious institutions, such as the church, from objecting to an insurance policy that allows payment for Birth Control, Abortions, etc. This historic move has never been taken prior to this and it is done a policy of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Week of Christian Unity

noreply@blogger.com (Fr. Peter) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 04:19:30 PST

St. Mary & St. Mena Coptic Orthodox Church All over the world, during the last week of January, Christians come together for the week of Christian Unity. Christians from a variety of confessions come together to celebrate not what divides us but what brings us together. Now I know that some hard core Orthodox readers will say that we should not gather at such services and pray with the “

Rhode Island Council of Churches Sermon

noreply@blogger.com (Fr. Peter) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 03:48:56 PST

Sunday, January 29, 2012St. Mary and Mena Coptic Orthodox Church, Hope, Rhode Island Reverend Clergy, Brothers and Sisters it is a joy for me to be with you on this day in this magnificent Church and to share with you some thoughts. I bring you greetings from my small parish in Southbridge, Massachusetts and I thank you for the invitation to be here with all of you today. Please forgive my voice;

Sermon ~ Sunday of the Canaanite Woman

noreply@blogger.com (Fr. Peter) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 03:44:07 PST

ED: Below is the text of my Sermon for the Sunday of the Canaanite Woman. I ended up not using the first two paragraphs but I kept them as part of the text as I believe it is important. Sunday, January 29, 2012Sunday of the Canaanite WomanSt. Michael Orthodox Church SouthbridgeMatthew 15:21-28 On January 25th Orthodox Hieromonk Basilios Nassar was shot by an armed terrorist group in Hama, Syria

To Hell With You

noreply@blogger.com (Fr. Peter) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 10:32:45 PST

By Bishop David A. Zubik, Roman Catholic Bishop of PittsburghIt is really hard to believe that it happened. It comes like a slap in the face. The Obama administration has just told the Catholics of the United States, “To Hell with you!” There is no other way to put it. In early August, the Department for Health and Human Services in the Obama administration released guidelines as part of the

Prayer at March for Life

noreply@blogger.com (Fr. Peter) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:06:19 PST

OCA - Metropolitan Jonah was honored to lead the opening prayer at the March for Life in Washington, DC this past week. He was invited to do so by Cardinal Daniel DiNardo who leads of Roman Catholic Bishops Office on Pro Life Activities. The text of his prayer is below:“Holy Father, our Creator, Savior, Redeemer and our God, Light and Life of the World, Who didst show Thine infinite love for

Russian monasteries taking a pioneering role in bringing organic food to consumers

noreply@blogger.com (Fr. Peter) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 04:24:50 PST

By Anneli Ahonen in Sosnovyi Bor/Halila On the former sanatorium estate of Halila, cheese is made using methods dating back to the Middle Ages. Orthodox Monk Gavriil is standing next to a huge bull in a cowshed, stroking its back. ”Our products and soil are pure, better than those that have been pumped full of chemicals”, he says. The Optina Pustyn Monastery farm sprawls over a total area of 240

Let us be in Solidarity with Those Who Suffer

noreply@blogger.com (Fr. Peter) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 06:32:06 PST

The economic situation in Romania is deteriorating each day. Yesterday some 3,000 protesters gathered in cities around the country and called for the resignation of the Government. The Prime Minister fired the Foreign Minister due to remarks he made about the anti-government protesters and the situation is getting worse. The new President of the European Union has called on Romania to enact

‎Church Under Attack

noreply@blogger.com (Fr. Peter) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 06:00:12 PST

In the Gospels Jesus warns us that the world will hate us. He is giving us a warning that being a Christian will not be easy and that it will be a fight, every day, for what we believe in. The world is becoming increasingly hostile to the truth of Jesus Christ and I do not see it getting any better. Yesterday I posted an essay on the Huffington Post Religion Page and before my finger was even

We Have Eggs!

noreply@blogger.com (Fr. Peter) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 10:41:34 PST

For those of you who follow these pages you know that several months ago I purchased 6 chickens and a rooster. Each day I go to the coop and look for any signs of eggs. Well today I opened the coop and there were 3 eggs perched on the straw! I guess they realized what their job is after all. One of them was broken so I did not keep it but the other 2 are a good size as you can see from the

SOPA ~ Stop Online Piracy Act

noreply@blogger.com (Fr. Peter) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 04:52:38 PST

Today many of the large sites on the internet have gone dark in protest of the Stop Online Piracy Act presently working its way through Congress. I am all for the protection of intellectual property but in my mind this bill goes way too far. The bill is designed to protect copy-write holders and give them some teeth to go after site that misuse their intellectual property. It also protects

Temptation

noreply@blogger.com (Fr. Peter) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 04:09:22 PST

The Temptation of Jesus We all know the scene, a person standing there trying to make the decision and on one shoulder stands the guy in the red suit and on the other stands the guy in the white suit. They both whisper in your ear on the benefits of doing it the way they want you to do it and in the end we have to make the decision. But is that how it really goes? Well maybe. Let’s take a look