Pithless Thoughts: Fr. Meletios Webber on Priesthood and Spiritual Fathers, Part Three

Saturday, October 09, 2010

Part Three of my interview with Abbot Meletios on priests, spiritual fathers, confession and spiritual direction.
Listen HERE

Athanasia said...: Another good one s-p. I was a bit surprised to here Father say that confession prior to every communion was not something that was required in the tradition. Two priests I've had in my parish say the opposite though it is not practiced by anyone.

Thanks for doing this.; 7:23 AM
Steve Robinson said...: Athanasia, Can I guess that either your priests are converts or you are in a "Russian tradition" parish? I've been involved with priests and monasteries etc. in 4 different jurisdictions and my experience has been that this is far from a universal understanding. I've found that it is usually either Russophile or Ephremite monastery influenced priests that try to get people to go to confession by hooking it as a "requirement" for communion. As Fr. Meletios (and MP Jonah in one of our interviews) noted, they are both sacraments and we should be encouraged to participate in both regularly but the two are not connected *in that way* by the Church.; 9:07 AM
Athanasia said...: s-p, the one priest that I have heard preach about it is a convert from Australia. He's pretty adamant about it.

I spoke to my priest who is Carpatho-Russian and is new to the OCA and he assured me my thinking was not correct. :-)

And yes, I am in a Russian parish - with a priest who thinks pan-Orthodox. It's been a bumpy first year and the beginning of the second year is starting off even bumpier.

Thanks!!!!!; 6:39 PM

Pithless Thoughts