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Published by the
Russian Orthodox
Church in the USA,
June 21, 2005
WESTERN RITE
MONASTERY IN RHODE ISLAND: FORMER
BENEDICTINE MONASTIC COMMUNITY CONTINUES
WESTERN RITE MISSION IN ROCOR |
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Christminster is
a western-rite monastery of the Russian Orthodox
Church Outside Russia (ROCOR), established in
Rhode Island in 1993 with the blessing of Bishop
Hilarion, then Bishop of Manhattan, who authorized
Dom James M. Deschene (formerly the Prior of the
Monastery of Our Lady of Mount Royal) to continue
the western-rite mission of Mount Royal under the
title of Christ the Saviour Monastery - or
Christminster.
Founded as a Benedictine monastic community in
1910, Mount Royal's mission and work continued as
an independent body until 1962. In that year the
community was received into the patriarchal
Russian Orthodox Church by its American exarch,
Bishop Dositheus Ivanchenko of New York. For
several years, the monks of Mount Royal staffed a
western-rite chapel in the Russian Cathedral of
St. Nicholas in Manhattan, later moving to
Woodstock, New York. Bishop Dositheus' successor,
Archbishop John Wendland, blessed and confirmed
the western-rite observance and mission of Mount
Royal and the leadership of its Abbot, Dom
Augustine Whitfield.
In 1975, under Abbot Augustine, the monastery was
received into the Russian Orthodox Church Outside
Russia by Archbishop Nikon Rklitzsky, who again
authorized and blessed its mission and
observances. In 1993, upon the retirement of Abbot
Augustine, Christminster was founded with the
blessing of Bishop Hilarion of Manhattan to carry
on the work of western-rite Orthodoxy in the ROCOR
Synod.
From its beginnings, this work and mission have
been guided by the spirit of Saint Benedict and
his Holy Rule- the sixth-century foundation
document of Orthodox monasticism in the west. It
was the vision of Mount Royal's founders - a
vision firmly adhered to under Abbot Augustine and
lovingly maintained at Christminster - to preserve
the contemplative and eremitical dimension of the
monastic life as much as possible. Thus one goal
of its mission - still awaiting fulfillment - is
the acquisition of a suitable, secluded property
ensuring tranquillity and silence, and providing
hermitages for monks and guests, with common room,
refectory, library, office and work space, and a
monastic church in which the Liturgy of the Mass
and the Hours are celebrated in full on behalf of
and for the whole Church.
In the meantime, Christminster remains committed
to maintaining the fullness and purity of the
Orthodox faith in its western-rite tradition. On
one occasion, Abbot Augustine had confided to then
Bishop - now Saint – John Maximovitch some of the
hardships of promoting western-rite Orthodoxy.
Saint John's response was a vehement and memorable
one: "Never, never, never let anyone tell you
that, in order to be Orthodox, you must also be
eastern. The West was Orthodox for a thousand
years, and her venerable liturgy is far older than
any of her heresies."
Encouraged and inspired by these words,
Christminster lovingly maintains the western
Orthodox rite, each day celebrating the Mass
according to the ancient rite dating from the time
when the west was still firmly Orthodox in its
faith and observance. The Hours of the Divine
Office are celebrated as set forth in the Rule of
Saint Benedict. The ancient chants of the
western church are used in all services, sung in
traditional, liturgical English, and occasionally
in Latin.
To all Orthodox believers seeking to recover and
maintain the ancient Orthodox tradition of the
west - the tradition that nurtured such familiar
saints as Benedict, Bede, Ambrose, Boniface,
Bridget, Aidan, Patrick, Augustine, Monica and
Columba , and a thousand more - Christminster
offers its prayers, its services and its welcome.
Schedule of Services
SUNDAYS
9:00am High Mass with Sermon
11:15am Brunch
12:15pm Midday Prayer & Angelus
SATURDAYS
7:30am Low Mass
7:30pm Vespers & Compline
Confessions
WEEKDAYS
6:30am Low Mass
8:00pm Vespers (as announced)
Fr. James, Christminster
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