Diocese of Ottawa News Archive
Bishop ALEXANDER Visits Camp Transfiguration
On August 17-18, 2009, His Grace Bishop ALEXANDER visited Camp Transfiguration, which was held this year at a new location central to our diocese, at Camp Kenebec in Arden, Ontario. On Wednesday, August 19, His Grace celebrated the Divine Liturgy assisted by Fr. Joseph Purpura and Fr. Iskandar Younes. Other clergy from our Diocese that were present that day are Fr. Boulos Moussa, Fr. Gregory Murphy, Fr. Mark Arsenios Wyatt and of course Fr. Michael Shaheen who stayed at Camp Transfiguration throughout the whole duration of camp (August 16 to 22). Fr. Ghattas Hajjal also visited the camp later on Friday. Fr. Anthony Bahou from Dallas, Tx, made a surprise visit from Wednesday to Friday.
4th Annual Diocesan Clergy Retreat
4th Annual Diocesan Clergy Retreat of the Diocese of Ottawa, Eastern Canada, and Upstate New York
His Grace, Bishop ALEXANDER, invited the clergy of his diocese to gather at the Manoir D’Youville, a retreat and conference center located south of Montreal on the Ile Saint-Bernard, for a time of spiritual renewal, theological education, and companionship on September 16-19, 2008.
The special guest lecturer was Dr. Christopher Veniamin, Professor of Patristics and Liturgical Theology at St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary. His presentation was based on readings from the collection of letters and spiritual counsel of St. Silouan the Athonite, compiled by St. Silouan's spiritual son Elder Sophrony of Essex. Archimandrite Sophrony, the spiritual elder of the Monastery of St. John the Baptist at Tolleshunt Knights, England, was also the spiritual father of Dr. Veniamin. Dr. Veniamin spent much of his adolescent years visiting and praying with the brothers at St. John’s, seeking the true theology of praxis during his school holidays and summer vacations. In our retreat, he used the technique of reading passages from the book St. Silouan the Athonite to the gathered clergy as a way of encouraging discussion of the deep spiritual meanings which underlie the seemingly simple words of the text.
The Diocese of Eastern Canada and Upstate New York hosts Bishop BASIL of Wichita
During the weekend of August 17, 2008, His Grace Bishop BASIL of the Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America visited St. Elias Cathedral in Ottawa, Canada. His Grace was invited to co-officiate along with our Bishop ALEXANDER at the wedding of Camille Baba and Ramia Ibrahim. Bishop BASIL presided over vespers at the cathedral on Saturday and concelebrated the divine liturgy on Sunday with Bishop ALEXANDER. They were assisted by Fr. Ghattas Hajal, the dean, deacon Dimitri Choueiry and several clergy in attendance for the wedding. The liturgy was chanted by the Byzantine choir of the cathedral, headed by Nader Hajjar, guest chanter Rasim Almaseeh and others who came for the wedding.