Dear friends in Christ God,
Christ is in our midst!
In the Church, which is both a Divine and human institution, there is but one leader, our Lord, and Savior Jesus Christ. Through His Holy Apostles the validity of the Holy Orders, known as "Apostolic Succession," has flowed down over the centuries to our bishops, and through them to all Clergy.
By virtue of his many years of education, training, experience and the grace bestowed upon him at the time of his ordination, the priest is prepared to assume his parish duties. The Priest is the leader of the parish and responsible for the souls under his care. His chief role is to provide leadership in all facets of parish life. Activities such as educating the young, serving the sick, conducting worship services, performing marriages and baptisms, counseling the troubled and aiding the needy are all part of the Christian Mission.
A word should be added about the misconception that evolved in the early years of our Archdiocese whereby it was believed that a parish should be administered by a 'division of duties." That is, the priest should take care of all "religious matters," and the parish council "should handle everything else." This division of parish life into "spiritual" and "secular" spheres is not valid in Orthodoxy, and whether the subject is fundraising, publicity or administration, spiritual values must underlie all decisions and policies for which a parish is ultimately responsible.
It is most important to note that the church is a 'hospital,' a place of healing. Remember that our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ is "the Physician of our souls and bodies." We attend and participate in the divine services and Mysteries (Sacraments) of the Church so as to be healed and sanctified by the grace of the Holy Spirit. The Church is where we are renewed, strengthened spiritually and comforted by God Himself. It is the church that we run to when we are filled with grief, sorrow, despair, confusion, and when one feels lost and afraid. It does not matter what kind of personal, marital, or family crisis we are going through. The Church provides security, wisdom, safety, and peace. It is a harbor where one is protected from the stormy seas of life.
Your priest is always there for you. The title or name 'Father' doesn't apply only when he is conducting a sacrament but the priest is your spiritual father willing to serve your every spiritual need and come to your aid. When one is ill the Orthodox Christian turns to his/her priest to be offered prayers and to be anointed with holy unction. When one is troubled because of something serious that he or she has done, he offers the Sacrament of Repentance and Confession. When one is preparing to be married in the Church he meets with the priest to discuss not only the marriage ceremony but also to receive counseling. If there are serious marital issues before we run immediately to the attorneys to apply for a civil divorce we meet with our parish priest with the hope that with his help there can be reconciliation between husband and wife and save the marriage. The priest is there at times of the death of a loved one to give the family support and comfort. The priest is there to counsel the young people of the parish who may have issues i.e., school, health, drugs, alcohol, moral, spiritual, other, etc.
Your priest is not there to be judgmental, to be critical or to condemn anyone. Your priest is there to be a loving and caring father. To encourage and to guide you to make the right decision for yourself. It is not, however, appropriate to exclude him altogether from your life. Your priest must not be the last one to find out through the grapevine that there is something seriously wrong with you or a family member. It is also necessary to trust him and to respect his advice to you.
May God bless all of you always.
With agape in our Merciful Lord,
+Father George