From our St Matthew Clergy

Week 3 

Each year at the beginning of Great Lent the St Vladimir's Seminary faculty, staff, and seminarians come together to pray and listen to a series of spiritual talks. This year, Dr Peter Bouteneff presented a four-part series titled “The Social Self and the Inner Life: Reflections on Communion, Introversion, Extraversion, and Compassion.”  St Vladimir’s Seminary welcomes you to listen to these meditations. Dr Boutneneff explains how to cultivate compassion and prayer in a community and how to balance your inner life and communion with others.  We pray each talk will help strengthen your relationship with God, with each other, and with yourself.

https://www.svots.edu/headlines/2023-lenten-retreat

Week 2
Fifty Five Maxims for Christian Living

The 55 Maxims have been widely shared and widely quoted.  Listen directly to Father Hopko (Memory Eternal) talk about these practical guidelines with this link to Ancient Faith Podcasts or read the Transcript.  While these maxims are relevant to all of us throughout the entire year, we feel that are especially pertinent as we make our individual journey through Lent. In his own words these are, “55 things that a believer, very simply, would do if they were really a believer and were really obedient to God and wanted to live the way God would have us live.”

The 55 Maxims

Protopresbyter Thomas Hopko, was Dean Emeritus of St Vladmir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in New York and one of Father Constatine's professor during his time there. 

Week 1

Lenten Podcasts:  Three of Father Tom Hopko's Podcasts from the Ancient Faith Mysteries website. We selected these three podcasts to help with your preparation for your journey through Lent. We also encourage you to pursue the rest of Father Tom's works on Ancient Faith Mysteries. 

 "The Book of Acts / The Gospel of John" podcast
http://www.ancientfaith.com/podcasts/hopko/the_book_of_acts

"Read the Bible During Lent" podcast
http://www.ancientfaith.com/podcasts/hopko/read_the_bible_during_lent 

"How To Read the Bible" podcast
http://www.ancientfaith.com/podcasts/hopko/how_to_read_the_bible

About Fr. Hopko
Protopresbyter Thomas Hopko was a prominent and renown OCA priest and theologian. He was the Dean of Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary from September 1992 until July 1, 2002 and taught dogmatic theology there from 1968 until 2002. In retirement, he carried the honorary title of Dean Emeritus.  Among other published writings, he also was responsible for three popular Podcasts: 

Speaking the Truth in Love
The Names of Jesus
Worship in Spirit and Truth

Father Tom was one of Father Constantine's professors at St. Vladimir’s. Fr. Tom visited us and preached the sermon not long before his passing.