NAB Religious Coordinator's Report + Summer 2008

Summer Meetings, Antiochian Village
July 25-26, 2008

 

Beloved Hierarchs, Reverend Clergy, and Dear Sisters in Christ –

Christ is in our midst!

I was unable to be with you at the Mid-Winter Meetings at the Village last February due to my father’s cancer surgery. However, after several touch-and-go months, he is on the road to a full recovery. Thanks to all of you for your continued prayers for his health and that of all my family.

I have been truly blessed to serve as your NAB Religious Coordinator, and hope that you are continuing to enjoy the religious programs that have been created for your spiritual nourishment. Each project that I have undertaken in the past year will be addressed in this report.

Religious Program –

The religious program, Sophia!, continues to be published, and can be used individually or in groups. Although I had originally hoped to send a program out “every other month,” commitments at my place of business led to delays. However, the newest edition has gone to press and is here today for your enjoyment and enrichment.

Those editions of Sophia! that have been distributed since late August 2007 are:

  • September-October 2007 – “Establishing a Prayer Life”
  • November-December 2007 – “Prayer Partners” & How Orthodox Celebrate Christmas
  • January-February 2008 – “Prayer & Illness” & AWE’s Lenten Retreat Announcement
  • March-April 2008 – “Prayer & Fasting” & Upcoming Diocesan Women’s Retreats
  • Summer 2008 – “Prayer & the Saints”

Each edition of Sophia! has also contained a listing of the saints and Icons to the Theotokos whose feast days were commemorated for those particular months. These programs were forwarded via U.S. mail to the Hierarchs and those who did not have access to a computer. The cost for postage per mailing was approximately $4. The reports were also sent via e-mail to all NAB Officers, Coordinators and the Spiritual Advisor, as well as all Diocesan Presidents, Religious Coordinators, and Spiritual Advisors which effectively eliminated large postage costs. All editions of Sophia! are available on the website via www.antiochian.org/women

Orthodox Women Saints –

Updates to the “Orthodox Women Saints” site are still being made. As I reported in February, this is an ongoing, long-term project (there were over 60 postings for just the month of April!). This project was undertaken in the hopes that each day would reflect a different saint, Icon to the Theotokos, or Feast.

I have tried including all saintly women throughout Orthodox history. In addition to those women who lived in the present-day Middle East, women (and icons) from Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Romania, Russia, Serbia, and the Ukraine, as well as saints from Western Europe – pre-schism, have also been added.

In the next year, I hope to “clean up” the site by adding troparia and kontakia to as many pages as possible (as well as cross-referencing those saints who are commemorated on more than one day). Please let me know if you have any suggestions or recommendations for this project.

Orthodox Women’s Prayer Book –

In my February report to the NAB Officers and Coordinators, I had recommended that a pocket-sized prayer book be published for our 35th Anniversary that would include the daily prayers, as well as other prayers specifically geared to Orthodox Women. There have been several books of this type that have been created – and distributed – at Diocesan Parish Life Conferences over the years, and the idea was to consolidate all of them into one publication. I was directed to determine the cost of reproduction, as well as corresponding with His Eminence Metropolitan PHILIP. Unfortunately, I learned that the printing company that was to be used had gone out of business, and other bids that I received were cost prohibitive. I would hope that this project could eventually be considered, but at this time, it is not financially feasible.

Orthodox Women Saints Book –

In lieu of the prayer book “project,” I would propose that each Orthodox saint – or icon – as found on our Archdiocesan website, be printed out and placed in the library at the Antiochian Conference and Retreat Center, in a bound format. The printing of such a publication would come at a minimal cost to the NAB, and could perhaps be compiled in honor of our 35th Anniversary and dedicated to all of our “holy women” who have fallen asleep in Christ. Of course, this task will not be undertaken without your permission.

As always, PLEASE feel free to contact me with any suggestions or recommendations, especially regarding future topics for Sophia! May each of you enjoy the remainder of the summer. My prayers are with all of you for continued good health and spiritual rewards.

Yours in Christ,

Dianne O’Regan, Religious Coordinator
North American Board of the Antiochian Women
doregan@stites.com
(502) 681-0529 (office)
(502) 587-6391 (fax)