It's come to my attention...

that a handful of seminarians from the Antiochian Archdiocese have been moved from the OCA related seminaries they were about to attend and transferred, through the Archdiocesan offices, to Holy Cross Seminary in Boston. The presumption is that this is a protest against the OCA not silencing the blogger responsible for ocanews.org which has printed articles and information regarding the Archdiocese and our recent struggles.

My sadness is simply this. The very first experience of "ministry" these men, and their families, will have is this event. Yes, serving the Church sometimes means long hours and sacrifice, but there are also many beautiful and wonderful things about it that make it worthwhile and good. Men and families come to seminary with a certain kind of idealism and yes, future events will temper that but the desire to serve, that love of God will also be the fuel that keeps them going when the days are long and the troubles many.

Presuming that the accounts are true this action says to these men and their families "You are a cog in the machine, a piece in the larger game that can be moved for other's reasons." There is a certain truth in that, we do serve our Church but we also serve its Bishops, yet I hope these events will not dampen the fire that brought these men, their wives, and families to this place. I hope they can see beyond the moment and realize the value of what they are called to do and be even if those who are charged with their pastoral care sometimes forget.

Axios and may God grant each of them and their families many years,