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Symeon the New Theologian on the Eucharist

Submitted by Fr. Geoff Harvey on Sat, 05/05/2018 - 9:30am

Icon of St. Symeon the New Theologian

St. Symeon was the Abbot of St. Mamas Monastery in Constantinople. His writings date from around 1003 AD. He came from an influential political family that was swept from government when he was six. Trained to be a government official, he was leading a religious but worldly life in his early twenties.  One night while saying his prayers, His life was dramatically transformed by a vision of the uncreated light. Wanting to follow the calling of God into a monastery, his spiritual father advised him to stay in his courtly role.

On heretics and holiness

Submitted by Fr. Geoff Harvey on Wed, 25/04/2018 - 10:00pm

The genius of Orthodoxy is its ability to grasp such apparently paradoxical teachings as: God is one and three. Christ is fully God and fully man. The faithful are both sinners and saints.  The following article, by Abbot Tryphon of the All-Merciful Saviour Monastery on Vashon Island, explores the reality of the holiness of the Church in the face of apparent evidence to the contrary.

God Led Me Into His Church: Part 6 — Growing in Orthodoxy

Submitted by Fr. Geoff Harvey on Sat, 14/04/2018 - 1:00pm

Growing in Orthodoxy Joining the Church was only the start of a wonderful journey of discovery.  Archbishop Paul had me undertake three years of Orthodox theological training. I learned by correspondence with the Antiochian Village in America, which offered the St. Stephen’s Diploma of Orthodox Studies. That was brilliant. I discovered that there are many subtle theological shifts I needed to get my head around. I had no difficulty accepting them all.

God Led Me Into His Church: Part 5 — Finding the Orthodox Faith

Submitted by Fr. Geoff Harvey on Fri, 13/04/2018 - 11:00am

St Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Church Melbourne

Finding the Orthodox Faith I knew we needed to join the Church. I’d learned from Peter Toon that Christ’s Church exists as a physical reality on this earth. I knew Christ had said the gates of hell would never prevail against it, so I knew that it existed. And I had learned from Michael Harper that the Anglican Communion was simply no longer the Church.

God Led Me Into His Church: Part 4 — The Crisis

Submitted by Fr. Geoff Harvey on Thu, 12/04/2018 - 11:00am

The Crisis I was called to serve at St. Luke’s in the Melbourne suburb of Springvale North. Having served with young Australians for seven years I felt a real calling to reach the young.

God Led Me Into His Church: Part 3 — The Gospel and the Church

Submitted by Fr. Geoff Harvey on Wed, 11/04/2018 - 11:00am

Free to follow the Gospel call My stint in the British Army lasted for over a decade. At times it felt like it would never end, but mostly it was a whir of intense activity. Finally, my time was up and I was able to follow my call.

God Led Me Into His Church: Part 2 — Peace in the Midst of War

Submitted by Fr. Geoff Harvey on Tue, 10/04/2018 - 11:00am

Completing my military training In Sandhurst, I’d picked up the terrible habit of swearing: that’s what Army men did. But following my conversion, the next time I reflexively uttered the Lord’s name in vain: I was utterly shocked and realised what I’d done. That was the last time I took the Lord’s name in vain. I’d become very self-focused during the intense military training. Now I became much more aware of the others around me and my focus began to turn outward.

God Led Me Into His Church: Part 1 — My Conversion

Submitted by Fr. Geoff Harvey on Mon, 09/04/2018 - 11:00am

Father Geoff relates a living history in a 6 part series to be published daily. He describes how God led him over a 50 year period into God’s Holy Church. Early life Ever since I can remember, I have had an awareness of God. Even if He has not always been at the centre of my life, He was always in the air I breathed. But although I’ve always attended church services, it took me a while to discover God’s Church.

Paschal Greeting from Metropolitan Basilios

Submitted by Fr. Geoff Harvey on Wed, 04/04/2018 - 5:30pm

Metropolitan Basilios

Holy Pascha The Christian world celebrates the Glorious Resurrection Feast or Holy Pascha, the Feast of Feasts and Season of Seasons. The feast of crossing from death to Life and from hell to Paradise. The Resurrection Feast is the fundamental event in the life of the church because it is not only about the Resurrection of Christ, but the resurrection of every human being; projecting to the celebration of the Resurrection at every Sunday Liturgy.

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