Newsletter July 11, 2026

What can we learn from America’s first Orthodox bishop?

“I am an Arab by birth, Greek by primary education, American by residence, Russian at heart, and Slav in soul.” — St. Raphael of Brooklyn

Many saintly, dedicated, and faithful servants helped plant the seeds of Orthodoxy in America, but few were as well-prepared for such labor as St. Raphael of Brooklyn. As the quotation above suggests, St. Raphael embodied the evangelical and missionary spirit needed in his own time which is all the more needed in ours as we mark the 250th anniversary of our nation.

Read the entire article: https://www.antiochian.org/regulararticle/2835

Please remember that our full calendar continues to be available at our parish web site. Here is a link:
https://stjfc.org/Pages/Calendar/calendar.php

Full schedule:
https://stjfc.org/Pages/Ministries/Prosphora/Docs/prosphora sched 2026 web.pdf

Full schedule:
https://stjfc.org/Pages/Ministries/Altar/Docs/epistle readers for 2026.pdf

Epistle: ST. PAUL’S LETTER TO THE ROMANS 12:6-14

Brethren, having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; he who teaches, in his teaching; he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who contributes, in liberality; he who gives aid, with zeal; he who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Never flag in zeal, be aglow with the Spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.

Gospel: MATTHEW 9:1-8

At that time, getting into a boat Jesus crossed over and came to his own city. And behold, they brought to him a paralytic, lying on his bed; and when Jesus saw their faith he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say ‘Your sins are forgiven, ‘ or to say ‘Rise and walk?’ But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins” he then said to the paralytic — “Rise, take up your bed and go home.” And he rose and went home. When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.

The Philokalia: The Spiritual Life of the Priest

Metropolitan Basilios (Kodseie) of Australia

Troubles and logismoi (thoughts) cloud the eyes of the soul and prevent one from seeing things clearly, whereas in the condition of silence one can be purified from the passions, be aware of his own spiritual sickness, and finally acquire the ability to discern and judge rightly both things in general and the guiles of the demons in particular. “The ear of the hesychast will receive from God marvelous words” (St. John of the Ladder).

Peter the Damascene writes about silence as follows: “silence is above everything and without it we are not able to purify ourselves and become aware of our sickness or the guiles of the demons; furthermore, we will also not be capable to perceive the power and providence of God within the divine words, both those being chanted and those being read.

Read the entire article: https://thewordmag.substack.com/p/the-philokalia-the-spiritual-life