Why does the Nicholean Church exist?

Bishop Bryan D. Ouellette in ecclesia Patriarch Nicholas III's homily on the Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time 2012, offered during the Ordination Mass of Very Reverend Michael Thorne.

New website for the Holy Nicholean Catholic Church

Please come take a look at the new internet home of the Holy Nicholean Catholic Church!

WWW.NICHOLEAN.ORG

Dr. +Bryan D. Ouellette’s audio message for November 7, 2011

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

The Death of Tradition?

We are now living in such a time when it is believed by the vast majority that internal, subjective, individualistic, “free-lance” spirituality has made obsolete the more traditional forms of church community and tradition. In fact, to many in our contemporary world, the word ‘tradition’ invokes a nebulous, irrational fear. In keeping with this fad, incidentally, countless people are falling away from “traditional religion”, calling it a “disease” and a “toxin” inflicted upon mankind by “malevolent” religious dictatorships like that of the Papacy, as if the function of the Pope is to personally make each and every person in the world as miserable and as unhappy as possible. Observing all of this as a religious authority myself, I cannot help but ponder the questions: has traditional religion become ineffectual? Are the Sacramental Graces contained within sacred operations like Baptism and Eucharist no longer applicable? Does this world even deserve them anymore?

The name chosen for this blog [Vestiges of Christianity] was carefully selected and, I believe, appropriately reflects the type of ministries performed at the two churches under my care. It is then ironic to consider that in light of our contemporary spiritual climate, I too may be in the process of becoming another vestige of Christianity. It would be highly deceptive of me not to suggest that the Office of Patriarch carries with it the unusual aura of a museum curator. The primary, fundamental purpose of our ministries is to serve, but how does one serve those who don’t think they need what we possess?

It is unquestionable that 1,700 years of Roman Catholic authoritarian domination of the western world combined with at least 500 years of reactionary theology is to blame for much of what we are seeing today. Crusades and inquisitions have become synonymous with priesthood, sacraments, and honest ministry. Additionally, media-manipulated church-related sexual scandals haven’t helped matters any. I see it every day that I step out into public dressed in ministerial uniform. The white collar is like a neon sign sending a [not-so] subliminal message to great numbers whispering things like, “beware, fear, distrust, avoid, run!” In fact, the uniform has become such a barrier to connecting with people, I now only use it when representing the Church in a public function or when serving a participating member of our small community.

And yes, the numbers of those who still, despite everything else, wish to be served by the Sacramental Graces are existent, but small. The donations are even smaller, particularly in churches the size of ours. People are sometimes willing to give something of their time, but financial support is often “asking too much”. It has reached a point where people expect churches to manufacture their own capital, and much of this is due, I believe, to the depreciating market value of spiritual intercession. Why go to a priest when you can ask God yourself? It’s like asking, why go to a doctor when you can let your immune system handle the infection? Well, sometimes it can’t! However, it is interesting that when someone is physically sick or dying, suddenly the priest is temporarily elevated from village idiot to modestly relevant, although once the services are performed, the prayers are said, and the grief runs its natural course, the priest returns once more to the outer limits of obscurity.

So what is to be done? How do we, as clergy, help people who will not listen to us to come to understand that personal spirituality is no replacement for the Sacramental Graces of the Church?

My answer may surprise my readers.

It is my contention that this fad must run its course before its damage can be reversed. It should be noted that I am hardly arguing against personal spirituality, but rather affirming that personal Christian spirituality without the Sacraments of the Church is horribly incomplete. Regardless, the climate of ministry has changed and we must adapt to those changes by applying strategic solutions. The Holy Nicholean Catholic and the Holy Imperial Russian Orthodox Churches were founded as a countermeasure to many of the problems I have listed in this article. The first strategy we implemented was to establish an infrastructure to preserve the sacred ancient traditions of Christianity. For those of you who are familiar with and appreciate George Lucas’ Star Wars, what we are doing is not unlike Yoda training Luke Skywalker to become a Jedi decades after the Empire’s near-successful attempt at eradicating all Jedi Knights. My apologizes for the pop-culture reference, but in light of these topics, I find it strangely accordant with the current mentality.

Our second strategy has been to consolidate our efforts to work only with select groups in relatively small numbers. While it is the strong desire of some of our ministers to operate large parishes and conduct extensive active ministries, the perpetual lack of financial support our ministries receive prevents us from doing the things we really want to be doing, like feeding the poor, clothing the naked, etc. The sad and unfortunate result is that most of our ministers must work secular jobs and invest their own monies into any and all of the works they perform. This is neither efficient nor constructive, but is rather the reality of ministry today in a small church established in a culture that does not think it needs us.

Finally, our third strategy, yet to be implemented [and hopefully will not be], is to reserve the possibility that if conditions remain as they are, to convert the Churches into an exclusively contemplative monastic community. It is no secret to those who have studied the mysteries of the Church that its sacred rites were once reserved for only the priestly class. Perhaps, then, it is fitting that it is to the priestly class that they shall return? Most requests our churches receive from the public are from individuals seeking ordination. Almost none are from those seeking to become members of its laity. This result alone justifies the need to consider this third strategy.

Salvation and spiritual development is everyone’s problem. In the shadow of inevitable death, something we all must face sooner or later, one would think it would be of primary importance to nearly everybody, yet our life in the modern world has removed the stench of death to such a degree, the majority behave as though they shall live forever. The acquisition of wealth replaces the need for God as often a fat wallet provides far more temporal security. Yet as unwholesome as things currently are, I remain hopeful that this work that we are doing will continue for posterity. I trust in the process and expect that one day in the future, the world will need us again and will find it within their hearts to support the ministerial institution so that the corporal works of mercy may resume and be distributed to the masses. Until then, however, we shall exist not unlike the Jedi Knights, resisting annihilation by defending, protecting, and preserving the traditions the world would rather forget it requires.

Blessings to all in Christ,

Patriarch Nicholas III in mundo +Bryan D. Ouellette, Ph.D.

Holy Nicholean Catholic Church

Holy Imperial Russian Orthodox Church

Trinity Sunday

"There are different gifts but the same Spirit; there are different ministries but the same Lord; there are different works but the same God who accomplishes all of them in everyone." 1 Corinthians 12:4-6

Perhaps we would be doing the world a great service to remember that St. Paul uses the word "everyone" and not "Christians".

Patriarch Nicholas III

Happy Pentecost!

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.

Open Adult Baptism

Our tradition has approved an "extraordinary form" of Baptism which offers the Sacrament freely to the adult in the same manner as the Sacrament is given to an infant. Ultimately, it is our hope that all individuals that come to us for Baptism choose to become fully initiated into the Mysteries as catechumens, however, we feel that unbaptized adults are greatly in need of the Grace Baptism provides regardless of that adult's particular commitment to the Church.

Any individual that has been deprived of the Sacraments for an extended period of time is at great spiritual risk. To further place at risk such an individual by enforcing a substantial religious commitment that he or she may not yet be able to meet, we feel, is irresponsible. Therefore, it is our position that the Sacrament of Baptism can, when the situation calls for special care, be conferred without any particular catechumenate training. Our tradition reserves the Sacrament of Confirmation for such occasions, preferring to leave the Sacrament of Baptism as an example of the freedom of Christ's love.

In keeping with this practice, parishes of the Holy Nicholean Catholic Church are prepared to offer the Sacrament of Baptism at every (or any) liturgy to anyone who wishes to receive it without any obligation whatsoever.

Happy Laetare Sunday!

A short note from Patriarch Nicholas III...

Today, on this special Sunday of Lent, the Church softens the discipline of the Lenten observances in order to remind us of the great joy that awaits us at the end of this symbolic desolation. The spiritual journey is a difficult and perilous one. It is wrought with dangers on all levels. Some have lost themselves entirely in the process. But for those who remain diligent and persevering, the mystery of Easter awaits us. And it is a mystery that will expand our spiritual awareness beyond the limits of our greatest expectation. Rejoice! Christ is in our midst!

A More Complete Soteriology

Within its understanding of theology, the Holy Nicholean Catholic Church strongly asserts that salvation requires a triple formulation of Faith (πίστιν), Works (ἔργα), and Knowledge (ἐπίγνωσις). Protestantism has a long history of affirming its incomplete doctrine of Sola fide (i.e., faith alone is all that is required). In St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians he states, “For by grace (χάριτι) you have been saved through faith (πίστεως); and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God (2:8).” Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for such theology to be utilized outside of its original context. This manifests a certain theological premise without further essential consideration. Later, in verse 10, St. Paul writes, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works (ἔργοις), which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” By this elaboration, it is clear that while salvation is attained via Grace (a free, unmerited gift from God) through Faith, man is not saved by the good Works he performs, but rather for the good Works he chooses to undertake.

In the Book of James, the Brother of Jesus writes, “What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith (πίστιν) but he has no works (ἔργα)? Can that faith (πίστις) save him (2:14)?” And later in verse 26, St. James writes, “For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith (πίστις) without works (ἔργων ) is dead.” What is demonstrated here is a clear continuation of the thoughts of St. Paul above. Salvation is freely given by Grace through one’s Faith, but true Faith is unattainable without the good Works that produce it.

Finally, in the Second Book of St. Peter, the apostle writes, “seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge (ἐπιγνώσεως) of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust (1:3-4).” And then in verses 5-7, “Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith (πίστει) supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge (γνῶσιν), and in your knowledge (γνώσει), self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.” St. Peter forms a perfect synopsis of the Faith, Works, and Knowledge theology that our sacred tradition maintains. It can only be through the divinization of humanity (i.e., theosis) that humanity is truly saved; furthermore, theosis can only be achieved through a strong Faith, reflected by the good Works that produce it, and accomplished by a direct Knowledge merited via a first-hand relationship with God.

It is also important that we provide a final word about ἐπίγνωσις (transliterated to epignosis) [see 2Peter 1:3]. The Holy Nicholean Catholic Church wishes to distinguish itself from the contemporary Gnostic community that uses the word “gnosis” as a means to reflect the esoteric liberation and enlightenment of some ancient Christian theology. While our own theological interpretations strongly support the need to understand what ancient Gnostics taught and believed, our tradition should not be confused with Gnosticism as either an ancient or modern system. Ancient Gnosticism had a very strong propensity to assume that this soteriological Knowledge was only available to a certain elite. Our tradition, however, teaches that while this Knowledge may not be accessible to all, it is available to all who apply themselves through a praxis of Faith and Works. We attempt to emphasize this difference by use of the word “epignosis” rather than “gnosis”. Epignosis carries the Greek prefix “epi” which means a certain ‘fitting upon’ through a specific form of contact. This prefix then intensifies the word gnosis by emphasizing that true gnosis occurs via an appropriate, proper, yet direct, experiential relationship with God. In other words, true gnosis is a specific type of experience that only occurs given a specific approach. This is the fundamental mystery of God that our tradition teaches and protects. Exoterically, such an epignosis is facilitated through the administration and reception of the Sacrament of Eucharist and the eventual theosis that is produced by this Sacrament. Esoterically, however, it occurs beyond praxis, beyond tradition, and beyond any application of the will.

All my blessings,

Patriarch Nicholas III in mundo +Bryan D. Ouellette, Ph.D.

Holy Imperial Russian Orthodox Church

Holy Nicholean Catholic Church

Holy Monastic Order En Deus

Consecration Reception of Bishop Bryan D. Ouellette, Ph.D. in ecclesia Sovereign Patriarch Nicholas III

Consecration Reception of Bishop Bryan D. Ouellette, Ph.D. in ecclesia Sovereign Patriarch Nicholas III from Holy Monastic Order En Deus on Vimeo.

After the Consecration and Patriarchal elevation of Bishop Bryan D. Ouellette, Ph.D. in ecclesia Sovereign Patriarch Nicholas III, Tsar Peter Alexander Mikhailovich Romanov performed a rare esoteric ceremony to celebrate the occasion before the reception which has been preserved on video here.

Consecration of +Bryan D. Ouellette, Ph.D. to the Office of Bishop

Today, we celebrated the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple (in place of February 2) through which Bishop Mansell Christian Gilmore Consecrated +Bryan D. Ouellette, Ph.D. to the Episcopacy of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church in the Russian Orthodox Tradition.

Additionally, Bishop Ouellette was elected to and accepted the Patriarchate of the Holy Imperial Russian Orthodox Church operating in exile under the royal line of
Царь Питер Александр Михэйлович Ромэнов (Tsar Peter Alexander Mikhailovich Romanov) and was also named Patriarch of the Holy Nicholean Catholic Church, taking the name Nicholas III under the line of Russian Patriarchs. To represent this healing between eastern and western Christian traditions, Bishop Ouellette wore the western mitre with his eastern vestments. At his Patriarchal elevation ceremony, Bishop Ouellette will wear the mitre of the east which is representative of the Byzantine crown.

Man, Myth & the Occult: A Complete Introduction to Gnosticism Part 5: Valentinianism

Today, Father Bryan Ouellette speaks about the Valentinian School of Gnosticism. Who were the Valentinians and what was their relationship to orthodox Christianity? Find out why history remembers the Christian Gnostics to be the followers of Valentinus and his theology.

Original Air Date: December 17, 2010

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Advent Sunday

Dear Friends,

Today marks the first day of the Western Liturgical year and also the season of Advent. The prayers and scriptural readings of the Church on this day remind us to keep vigilant for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. But what exactly are we waiting for? Is it the Parousia? Is it the return of the Historical Jesus? Is it the Eucharistic Christ? Or could it be the mythic Christos?

I contend that any and all of these options apply.

Advent is a time to listen. It's a time to put our noisy prayers aside and just sit in the presence of God, waiting for his voice to speak to us. While Lent is the season for emptying oneself of the unnecessary, Advent is a careful measure of many deliberate moments when we allow God to fill us with perfect Grace. This is achieved by waiting. We look for God in every moment. We embrace silence so as to listen. We allow our reason to accommodate our faith and trust. And most importantly we give ourselves room to accept that when God finds us, the encounter is his and his alone to direct. This may lead us to any given series of unexpected results. Our role in this is to surrender our expectations. When God finds us, the experience is almost never as one would anticipate. This is why the Gospels express the excessively humble origins of the Savior. Messiahs are supposed to be kings, military commanders, and conquerors. How easy it is to miss that which one is not expecting.

Such is the spiritual journey of our lives. Such is Advent.

Blessings to you all in this Holy Season,

Fr. Bryan

A New Blog

Dear Friends,

It was announced this past week that the Valentinian School of the Universal Church of Autogenes was dissolved into a series of Universalist paths maintained by the new Universalist Gnostic Communion led by Bishop Mansell C. Gilmore. This new structure, along with the Consecration of Father Abbot Bryan D. Ouellette, Ph.D. to the Episcopacy, allows for the Holy Monastic Order En Deus to become a fully independent sacramental ministry. This independence will make it possible for the the Order to better serve its members according to the sacred and venerable traditions of high liturgical Christianity.

Additionally, this blog which once served as the central hub for the Valentinian School will now serve exclusively as the private blog for the Holy Monastic Order En Deus. Its new title: "Vestiges of Christianity" reflects the spirit of the Order in its effort to preserve the lost traditions of ancient Christianity while simultaneously moving to reconcile these traditions with the larger orthodox churches.

Another aspect of this change is mirrored in the new structure of the Holy Monastic Order En Deus. It will no longer maintain the two Andreasine and Valentinian paths. Rather, it will now become one unified ancient Christian monastic Order operating in the modern world under the functionality of an eastern and western rite. The eastern rite will absorb everything that was once the Andrasine path including the Russian Orthodox autocephaly, while the western rite will become a truly diversified form of independent Roman Catholicism.

It is our hope that this new independent restructuring under our future Bishop, Father Abbot Bryan D. Ouellette, Ph.D. will better connect us with our roots while also allowing for a new freedom of expression.

Consecration Ceremony of Bryan D. Ouellette to Bishop

Dear Friends,

Bishop Mansell Gilmore of the Universal Church of Autogenes has announced that he will be Consecrating Father Bryan D. Ouellette, Ph.D. to the Order of Bishop, specifically under the Apostolic lineage of the Russian Orthodox tradition (please view the Succession list here if you are interested in the history of this particular lineage: holymonasticorder.webs.com/apostolicsuccession.htm . The event will take place at the Clerical Retreat Center in Atlanta, Georgia on the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple to be celebrated on Sunday, January 30, 2011 at 2PM Eastern. Additionally, Monastic Novices Brother Thomas Moreland and Reverend Peter Smith will both be Ordained to the Diaconate and elevated to Simple Vows.

Below is an itinerary of ceremonies. You are all invited to attend this wonderful event, but seating is limited. Please RSVP by calling 207-370-9077 by November 15, 2010. Father Bryan asks that any gifts for his Consecration be offered as a donation to the Holy Monastic Order En Deus to help defray the costs of the ceremony and the bulk of the financial burden which falls on the Most Ancient Church of the Rose and Cross.

Thank you and we look forward to seeing you all there!

--
MindBrainBody Project

The Consecration of Father Bryan D. Ouellette, Ph.D. + to the Russian Orthodox Bishopric &
the Ordinations of Brother Thomas Moreland & 

Date: Sunday, January 30, 2011

Time: 2:00 P.M.

LOCATION: Clerical Retreat Center in Atlanta, Georgia (directions will be given to RSVPs)

Schedule of Events:

• Office of Oblation
• Introductions
• Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom for the Feast of the Meeting of the Lord: The Purification of the Holy Theotokos (Introductory rites)
• Consecration of Fr. Bryan to the Order of Bishop
• Confirmation of Brother Thomas Moreland
• Ordination of Brother Thomas Moreland & Reverend Brother Peter Smith to the Order of Deacon
• Elevation of Brother Thomas Moreland & Reverend Brother Peter Smith to Simple Vows
• Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom for the Feast of the Meeting of the Lord: The Purification of the Holy Theotokos (continued)
• Dinner

A Note from Fr. Bryan:

The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is an ancient liturgy going back to the days of the early Church itself. It has always been the central religious expression of Russian Orthodoxy. For those of you who have never experienced a Church service of this kind, it is my goal to help make you all as comfortable as possible with it.

First of all, this isn't a Roman Catholic Mass (although the Confirmation of Brother Thomas, and the Ordination and Elevation of Brothers Thomas and Peter will be of the Latin Rite in order to honor their spirituality). Eastern spirituality is very much dependent upon individual practice. While it is customary for the congregation to stand throughout the entire Divine Liturgy, it is not necessary. There are places during the Liturgy where it is entirely appropriate to sit and other times where it is better to stand. Eastern Christians do not kneel at Sunday Divine Liturgies. When in doubt, follow "Matushka" Tracey who will be cantor for this event. When she sits, feel free to sit. When she stands, please stand.

You will find that Eastern Christians bless themselves with the sign of the cross frequently throughout the liturgy. If you wish to participate in this expression, but are unfamiliar with the eastern method, please ask me to show you during the Introductions segment before services begin.

It is customary in Russian Orthodoxy to bow when the priest blesses the congregation with the incense.

Nearly the entire Divine Liturgy in the east is chanted by both the priest and the congregation. Tracey will be providing everyone with handouts to follow along. While certainly not necessary, we encourage you to respond with the cantor. Don't worry if you don't know the chants, many of the responses will come easy after you hear them a few times. Some, however, are more difficult. What is important is that you do what is comfortable for you.

Finally, I would like to add a note about Holy Eucharist (Communion). Central to the Christian faith is Eucharist. In the mind and theology of the eastern Church, this is not merely blessed bread and wine offered in remembrance of Christ, but the ACTUAL body and blood of Christ Himself. The Russian Church, therefore understands this sacrament to be the very presence of God in physical form under the appearance of Bread and Wine. It is ordinarily assumed that those who choose to receive Eucharist have already been baptized into the Christian tradition. Baptism is usually the first step to initiation into the Christian mysteries and we highly respect this process. However, no one (not even a priest or a bishop) has a right to stand between a person and their God. In light of this understanding, I would like to offer you all the following recommendations when we reach this point in the Liturgy.

If you have never been baptized but wish to receive Holy Eucharist on this day, please contact me privately and I will be more than happy to baptize you through either a full ceremony or a short and simple private ceremony (according to your own preferences).

But! (And this is a huge but!)

If you find yourself unbaptized at this liturgy and something compels you to go up and receive the Eucharist, I will not turn you away from receiving this indescribable mystery of the Church. Go with your heart. It's usually right.

So with this I extend to you the blessing of God and I greatly look forward to seeing all of you who are able to attend.

With Much Peace,

Rev. Bryan D. Ouellette, Ph.D. +

P.S. I also would like to offer a sincere thank you to Dr. Michael Jon Kell for making this event possible. Much love to you, Michael,as always.

Consecration to Bishop

Dear Friends,

Bishop Mani Gilmore formally announced this weekend to the Universal Church of Autogenes that I am to be Consecrated to the Order of Bishop. I am deeply humbled by this announcement. To be chosen to become a successor to the Apostles is both a frightening and wonderful appointment. I will do my best to serve Gnosis, those coming to Gnosis, and those whom have yet to discover Gnosis well.

The date will be announced soon, but the Consecration will most likely take place at our clerical retreat center in Atlanta, Georgia. All are invited to attend. In preparation for this most sacred of events, I will most likely not have the time to post to this blog as regularly as I am accustomed to. I, therefore, ask for your patience and your prayers during these final weeks of preparation.

All my blessings to you,

Fr. Bryan

A Complete Introduction to Gnosticism Part IV: Sethianism

Today, Father Bryan Ouellette speaks with Bishop Mani Gilmore about classical Gnosticism. Who were the "Sethians"? Who are they today? What did they believe and how does it apply to our modern practice?

CLICK HERE TO LSITEN

Our Lady of Sorrows

Today, as we remember the seven sorrows of the Theotokos, let us pray:

Sun of Justice, the immaculate Virgin was the white dawn announcing your rising, grant that we may always live in the light of your coming. [from the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary]

The Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross

Today the Church celebrates the Seventh Century victory of Emperor Heraclius of Constantinople in his success of recovering the relic of the True Cross stolen by the King of Persia, Chosroes II, restoring it to its original placement in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem.

The faithful recall this history as they reflect upon the meaning of the Cross of Jesus Christ. As Gnostics, we often find it tempting to dismiss this conventional soteriology, but I strongly caution against such oversights. Gnostic wisdom traditions that only reflect upon "the Revealer" aspects of Jesus Christ can very quickly lose the Jesus Christ of faith altogether. Perhaps this is what they are hoping to do, but such an approach often leads to an unbalanced result. I suspect that this might have been why so many early Christians of antiquity attempted to separate the person Jesus from the Aeon Christ. Keeping this firmly in mind, however, it is my contention that the ancient Gnostics didn't have a literal Separationist Christology as is commonly assumed; rather, I would argue that this was a metaphorical way of indicating that the historical Jesus and the Savior Christ should be dealt with equally, but differently.

On this feast of the Cross, I invite all of you to ponder what this 2,000 year old Sacrifice means to you.

Fr. Bryan

In memory of St. John Chrysostom

"Wisdom (Sophia) from above is first of all innocent. It is also peaceable, lenient, docile, rich in sympathy and the kindly deeds that are its fruits, impartial and sincere. The harvest of justice is sown in peace for those who cultivate peace." James 3:17-18