The Homeless and the Church

Dear Friends,

As most of you are aware, the Holy Nicholean Catholic Church, the Holy Imperial Russian Orthodox Church, and the Holy Monastic Order En Deus ceased all formal operations late last year as it became impossible to administrate an international network of churches without vital and consistent levels of financial support. During this crisis, we had to leave the central hermitage and essentially nullified all ministerial certifications issued. Additionally, I attempted to step down from the Office of the Patriarchate and return to secular life for the good of my family and health. Neither course of action, however, was very successful. My request to resign was rejected by the governing body and despite reducing the activity of the Churches down to one liturgy a week in the private chapel at my place of residence, the Churches continue to attract a great deal of attention. Some of these individuals are looking for what we have seen in the past. Many desire justification of their egos through the accumulation of titles or the authority of ordination without the slightest desire to commit to the lifetime responsibility of serving the churches that acknowledged their vocations. In fact, my attempt to step away from the Episcopacy was in direct response to my inability to trust the intentions of so many of my candidates. Again, without the resources to run extensive international background checks and require long-term discernment programs, our Churches were left at the mercy of far too many self-serving charlatans. In the end, the doors had to be closed in an effort to stop this reprehensible cycle.

In the interest of hope, I did permit the Church websites to remain active as long as they contained minimal content and explained that we would no longer be taking applications for the priesthood. I wanted this last point to be unmistakably clear. No matter what the future of these Churches would be, I wanted it known that I would not allow these Churches to become religious institutions with miles of clergy and no congregations to serve.

Many months have past in that time and while I am no longer burdened with stacks of worthless applications for the priesthood, I have noticed that there are still genuine people reaching out, looking for some of what we used to offer. It is my wish that I could continue to serve them. This is why, after all, I accepted Holy Orders in the first place. Yet, the funding issue looms over these Churches like a bad stench that never goes away. I simply cannot return to financing most of these operations out of my own pocket. If my health were better, I would perhaps feel differently, but as it stands now, I know I am making the only decision that can be made. One would think such a realization would be sufficient, however the Will of God often manifests itself against our expectations and as Bishops, we have little choice in the matter but to respond to His call. Never has this been more evident than last night when I took my wife out to celebrate our eleventh anniversary.

We went to a fine restaurant downtown. We drank a 13 year old Amarone that had been sitting in our cellar for over half that time. We dined on suckling pig and roasted lamb, cooked to perfection over an open wood-burning fire pit. The dinner was prepared in four courses. We gave the maître d' a taste of our very special wine and he reciprocated by sharing several tastings of an equally special wine on the house. In fact, much of this meal was "on the house" as we are members of a VIP dining club that sends us gift cards from time to time. Everything was absolutely perfect. At least until we walked outside to collect our car from the valet.

Immediately upon existing the restaurant, we were met with numerous requests for money by Atlanta’s shameful and excessive homeless population. I explained to them that I did not have any cash on me (I often do not carry money) and proceeded to walk away. Another man pleaded with me, literally begging for something to eat, explaining that he hasn’t eaten in days and that he was hungry. As I reflected upon myself, feeling my own stomach filled with some of the finest food and wine on this planet, I could not help but take pity on such a disgraceful display of desperation. It was disgraceful, not to the extent that this poor man had to beg me for something to eat, but a disgrace that a city like Atlanta, with so much internal wealth, does so little to help these souls. It did not take me long to realize what must be done. I told the man to gather his friends and to meet me at the gas station across the street. I then proceeded to liquidate the remaining funds in the Church bank accounts and purchased as many quality food items that I could with those monies. When I gave them the food I purchased for them, it was like a frenzy of birds, pushing each other out of the way to get that next bite of bread. In this moment, man was reduced to animal and it was sad.

By and through this experience, I am changing the Church dynamic. We still receive donations (albeit very small and infrequent) into the Church accounts for prayer requests and Masses said for special intentions. I am no longer going to hold this money for some undetermined point in the future when the Churches resume ordinary operation. I am, therefore, going to take this money, and place the sum total of it toward feeding the homeless. I will visit downtown Atlanta as many times as it takes to give away everything I can buy and will personally hand out what I can to the people I can find on the street. In light of this, I am asking you, all of you, to please consider donating regularly to the Church as this is now its new mission and will remain so from this point forward. It’s easy to give, just visit nicholean.org and click on the donation button on the menu bar.

Church is about service, not the glories of an acquired priesthood. It’s about time my Churches actually do something of value. Perhaps this is a start.

Sincerely in Christ,

+Bryan D. Ouellette, Ph.D.
Patriarch Nicholas III
Holy Nicholean Catholic Church
Holy Imperial Russian Orthodox Church
Holy Monastic Order En Deus

Special Announcement: The Future of Nicholean Catholicism

Listen to internet radio with Vestiges of Christianity on Blog Talk Radio

In this very important special annoucment, Bishop Bryan D. Ouellette issues a report about the future of the Holy Nicholean Catholic Church, the status of the Patriarchate, and the ultimate outcome of the Church's restructuring.

New Church Restructuring Announced

The Patriarchate of the Holy Nicholean Catholic and Holy Imperial Russian Orthodox Church is announcing a complete restructuring of the Church dynamic effective immediately. As of today, all ministers, deacons, and priests, whether in active or inactive status must reapply to the new foundation ministry organized to bridge the gap between both the external and internal ministerial authority. Any minister, deacon, and/or priest who received ordination under the authority of the Holy Nicholean Catholic and/or Holy Imperial Russian Orthodox Church and fails to reapply to the new ministerial authority by September 30, 2012, for renewal of their ministerial license, will be automatically laicized with all of the rights and privileges of their current Orders revoked. All ministers must reapply by submitting in writing a request for a new license at office@nicholean.org. Reapplication will require a mandatory training program before reception of a new license to practice is issued. All current licenses for active ministry are now in a state of complete suspension. Any minister, deacon, and/or priest deciding not to reapply and found operating an active ministry independent of the Churches will be declared a schismatic operation and found to be illicit and invalid on the basis of failing to follow proper excardination procedures. As with all motions associated with the new restructuring of the Church, there will be no exceptions to these actions.

It is distressing to the Patriarch that he has been forced into declaring this action, but such is the state of things within the Independent Sacramental Movement, and to some extent, within the greater conventional Church as well. This new structure is designed to strengthen the Church by reeducating its ministers with new and better understandings of Sacramental theology.

If you wish to determine the active ministerial status of any minister, deacon, priest, and/or bishop operating under the Sacramental authority of Patriarch Nicholas III, whether it be within union or outside of the union of our Churches, please contact our chancery office at office@nicholean.org or call 207-370-9077.

New Vocational Policy

Effective immediately and by order of Patriarch Nicholas III in mundo +Bryan D. Ouellette, Ph.D., the Holy Nicholean Catholic Church, the Holy Imperial Russian Orthodox Church, and the Holy Monastic Order En Deus will no longer accept applications for Holy Orders. Vocations to priesthood, including all minor and major orders will be granted by direct invitation of Patriarch Nicholas III himself. Candidates will be hand selected only from active members of the local congregation in the Atlanta, Georgia area. In order to secure against the frequent and relentless abuses found within the Independent Sacramental Movement, all candidates will be required to complete a free private seminary/mentor-ship program lasting several years before approval for ordination to the priesthood is granted. This policy also includes all incardinations. So as to assure the protection of our Sacred tradition and integrity of the mysteries under our care, there will be no exceptions to this policy.

Resolutions of Christian Ministry

Listen to internet radio with Vestiges of Christianity on Blog Talk Radio

On this installment of Vestiges of Christianity, Bishop Bryan Ouellette brings conclusion to his thoughts from the last show by entering into a short discussion about how one reconciles the challenges of Christian ministry in America on both a practical (external) and philosophical (internal) level.

Does Catholicism Hate Women?

Catholicism often gets erroneously blamed for being misogynistic on the basis that it does not ordain women to the priesthood. I would like to point out, however, that Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism all have similar doctrines at work within their world-systems. Even more primitive shamanic religious forms exhibit this characteristic.  While I think it is obvious that virtually all cultures are patriarchal in expression and that it is natural that religion would follow the local cultural identity, there may very well be something more psychological at work here.

Feminism often fails to value or even positively recognize the inherent instinct of males to protect females. Our mating practices are based on this, as are nearly all aspects of our interpersonal activity, including our biology. I then suspect that because dealing with God on the level of priest (or its cultural equivalent) is a highly dangerous business, the role of spiritual intermediary would naturally fall to the male on an evolutionary basis.

In respect to this thought, I personally feel it is a ludicrous, highly derogatory accusation on the part of those who criticize Catholicism in this way. It is always helpful to explore the biological origins of potentially problematic human behavior. Often, the answer to the problem (sometimes even the solution) can be found in such a way. Ask yourself: when was the last time you made a fully rational decision, based only upon good, solid, objective judgement? Then consider how often our judgement, as a species, is produced out of "monkey-brain" emotionalism.

The choice to either spiritually evolve or remain complacent is ultimately in the hands of each and every individual, yet regardless of which choice you decide to make, always remember the consequences of your actions are also yours, no matter how much effort you put into finding a scapegoat, be it through religion, the government, traditionalism, or liberalism.

+Bryan D. Ouellette in ecclesia Patriarch Nicholas III

Nicholean Catholicism: Part 7

Listen to internet radio with Vestiges of Christianity on Blog Talk Radio

Today, Bishop Bryan Ouellette in ecclesia Nicholas III concludes his series on Nicholean Catholicism with a special 90 minute episode. The bishop explains in detail the Nicholean interpretive theology on the subjects of Excommunication, Married Clergy, Chastity, Marriage After Ordination, Female Clergy, Divorce, Esoteric Arts & Sciences, and Gnosticism.