Author: Abbot Tryphon

My dear mother was diagnosed with dementia, back in 2003. Soon after the diagnosis I moved her from Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho, and into an assisted living place on Vashon Island, where I could be involved in the supervision of her care. The dementia progressed for the next four years,

The chief sign of a priest If a priest is not himself filled with the Holy Spirit he will be unable to impart genuine Orthodoxy to others. If a priest is not working on the acquisition of a humble and contrite heart, he will have failed in his priestly ministry,

Imparting the faith as a missionary people The first missionary monks to the North American came to a land where Orthodoxy had never been. Their encounter with the native peoples was one of mutual respect. They did not greet their new neighbors as pagans, but as a people who’s experience

With authority comes responsibility When people are hurting, and seeking professional help, they are vulnerable, and the trust they place in the professional makes them particularly open to exploitation. This is why we must have institutions and lines of authority that hold professionals accountable. We can not allow anyone who

With the blessing of Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco and Western America, I have accepted the invitation of Archbishop David of Sitka and Alaska, to participate in the Saint Herman of Alaska Pilgrimage, and to deliver the Pastoral Retreat for his clergy. This trip to Alaska will be my first,

Proper attire in the House of God The Church is our home, a place where we should feel comfortable, and at ease. It is also God’s house and is a temple set aside for worship of the Holy Trinity. Although times have changed and we have become a very casual

God’s temple must be entered with awe and fear We must practice reverence in the temple, whether during services or when we step into the church to light a candle and venerate the holy icons. The temple is the place set apart for the worship of the Holy Trinity and

Complaining is in opposition to the message of the Gospels A bad attitude has the ability to keep us from growing spiritually, and can even impact the way we live, and hurt those around us. It is therefore important that we learn to keep a positive attitude, for negative thinking

We must free ourselves from the illness of religion The Church must act with an authority that is grounded in love. Since the Church has the authority to make her people the children of God, she has the authority to forgive, and the capacity to love. And just as her

Our Cat Hammi was a loving furry gift from God Every evening I tried to spend an hour or so in the library, sitting in front of the fire place with our beloved Norwegian Forest Cat, Hammi. He slept in the library, and was most happy when the entire monastic