March-April 2020 ‘And the disciples were first called THE NARTHEX Christians in Antioch’ (Acts 11:26)

The Orthodox Church of St of Canterbury, Parkstone, Poole, Dorset BH14 9JG The Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of the British Isles and Ireland. Archbishop: Metropolitan Silouan The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East. Patriarch: His Beatitude, John X

Parish Priest: Fr. Chrysostom Tel. 01202-602628 email: [email protected]

Asst Priest: Fr Filip Tel. 01308-868543 email: [email protected]

Asst Priest: Fr Alexander Tel. 07765417610 email: [email protected]

Subdeacon David Tel. 01209-217499

Parish web site: www.saint-dunstan.org Archdiocesan web site: www.antiochian-orthodox.co.uk

might have a sum of knowledge it all amounts to a giant Ponzi scheme,

How Ironic! equivalent to what is contained in an handing on to any future generation a

issue of one of our more serious, cultural divide that, I fear, will have

Irony is a subtle mode of speech modern newspapers. He might even be overwhelming consequences. Douglas where words are purposefully used in regarded as a polymath and a member Murray’s book, The Strange Death of contradiction to what is really intended. of a learned society. By now, however, Europe, and the writings of

For example, what sounds like praise is the continuous advance of science and conservative thinker, the late Sir Roger

really condemnation. Irony has a special technology in our own day means that Scruton, point out that this all amounts no one can justly claim to be a true to the failure of our politicians to place in Anglo-Saxon humour. Before they were famous the comedy duo, Morcombe polymath, with a profound grasp of believe in the value of European and Wise spent many nights in bed & several sciences. The best we can really culture, seeing themselves as only breakfast accommodation whilst touring have now is a good general education managing decline since WWII. This too with their act. After staying at one and an expertise in one or two area. But is part of a death cult. It is as if, particularly ghastly establishment, they what alarmed me recently was that, in following the ironic advice in that wrote in the visitors’ book, “We shall tell response to the debate around the poem by Brecht, our politicians had our friends.” recent Extinction Rebellion protests, indeed abolished the people and I cannot help experiencing a sense social media have promoted a elected another. of irony when I consider much of the movement among couples who say they This is not to suggest that western world’ s response to the very real now wish to have no children, so fearful there should be no immigration, or crisis that is current in the Islamic world, have they become of the earth’s future; that foreign cultures and religions especially as expressed in our public media. they cannot bear the idea of bringing should be absent from Europe. The It is commonplace to hear the failed Islamic children into a world where the difficulty lies with the sheer number of State (Isis) being described as a death cult. environment is too hostile for human such arrivals, amounting, in fact, to a It was certainly that, sharing certain life. How ironic; a death cult indeed! colonisation where they have no similarities to the Marxist revolutionaries I have mentioned before the incentive, let alone possibility, of who, in the past, were prepared to die for perverse political coup, subtly conducted integration. And what are we to make their political vision, imagining that they by the LGBT lobby, where autonomous of the previous government here were building a new world. (It must be thought among nearly everyone in the under Mrs May, who took in a small remembered that in Mohammedan great institutions of this nation has been proportion of young Muslim refugees thought, the concept of martyrdom is quietly usurped. Alongside the very from the conflict in Syria yet, as a much broader than in , where sinister perverting of children and young matter of policy, refused Christian we have no use in our witness for the people who have been led to imagine refugees? Clearly, as is shown in our sword. Christians who died fighting Nazism that ‘they are in the wrong body’ (just own congregation, the Orthodox in the Second World War were not martyrs wait for the law suits against parents that Church is flourishing here through but had been obliged, necessarily, to will follow in about twenty years people from Eastern Europe and choose the lesser of two evils.) time...) we find another manifestation of elsewhere, coming to work and settle The irony comes in as much as the the death cult. There is no irony when I in Britain. They are, of course, truly western media, whilst rightly condemning say that I know exactly what I mean by welcome, and coming from Isis as a death cult, overtly promote and a normal family; one that naturally traditionally Christian cultures, fit in reflect the current western world’s very produces children, generally speaking. well with the British way of life. But it own version of such a cult, through We need not be surprised that is staggering that our government championing a whole series of social prosperous countries are experiencing institutions (unlike certain other changes through cultural politics. falls in their birth rates among their western countries) discriminate against The first of these ideas, making its indigenous people, alongside the rise in the faith that made this nation: own special contribution to the West’s very the proportion of the elderly. Here, another strange manifestation of a own death cult, is the feverish activism perhaps, the pursuit of higher living cultural and social death wish. around man-made climate change. With an standards has pushed to the sidelines the A further example is the legal even greater sense of irony, I wonder perfectly natural urge to reproduce. provision of medical abortion under whether the Extinction Rebellion is more Particularly over the last thirty years virtually any circumstance. Europe has an obligatory fashion choice for many, politicians in Europe have tried to deal long accepted this form of mass- rather than a rational and properly with this decline in available workers murder as normal whilst, at the same scientific analysis of the situation. This is in with mass immigration from Asia, taking time, couples unable to reproduce part because there will always be a divide, no account of the cultural and practical naturally spend thousands on IVF now, between experts with real knowledge consequences. Bearing in mind that these treatment, in order to have the baby of a particular subject on the one hand, people in turn will require housing, they so much desire. (How ironic! and the general public on the other. In the social, educational and medical services, There’s an obvious solution to my eighteenth century a well-educated man and will themselves eventually grow old, mind!) I am of course aware of the

sensitive and personal nature of this Building Maintenance SERVICES particular issue for some, due to their My recent absence from the Church Vespers is normally served on Saturdays at particular circumstances. But it is due to health reasons, and inability to take 5.00pm and on Wednesdays at 6.00pm. interesting to see how, in America, it is still part in meetings, has highlighted the fact that (Please enter by the side door) a live political matter. How refreshing to Fr. Chrysostom is available for we need more and younger volunteers to Confession afterwards or by appointment. see their President (whatever you think of help with the tasks of checking, maintaining Orthros is served before the Divine Mr Trump) standing up recently against and renovating such an important building, Liturgy on Sundays at 8.45am this particular manifestation of the death not only for our Parish, but also for the cult. If you suspect the President’s motives larger community of Poole and March here, he is, nevertheless, on the right side Bournemouth. Currently, the bulk of the Sun 1st Sunday of Cheesefare (Compare what St Paul says in Phil.1:15- work is undertaken by 3 - 4 volunteers, Divine Liturgy 10.30am 17). some of whom are over 80 years old! Mon 2nd Beginning of the Great The final irony in all this is that, I would therefore like to ask Fast in a secular age (where the Christianity anyone who can contribute to this task, or Sun 8th First Sunday of Great Lent that actually created the Europe we know who would like more information, urgently Sunday of Orthodoxy Divine Liturgy is treated with official disdain) the current to get in touch with one of the Priests, or and Procession of Icons 10.30am western death cult emerges with all the directly with me through Fr Filip’s email Sun 15th Second Sunday of Great attributes of a religion. It has its world address. This would involve giving up about Lent St Gregory Palamas Divine view, its saints and sinners, its seers and 2 to 6 hours (depending on level of Liturgy 10.30am prophets; its own virtues and vices, its involvement) of your spare time every Sun 22nd Third Sunday of Great own orthodoxies and heresies, and of month. A keen brain, good literacy and Lent Divine Liturgy & Veneration of course, it very own apocalyptic visions. numeracy, and dedication, are the main the Cross 10.30am From its Gnostic fantasies of pre-existent requirements, as well as good computer Wed 25th The Annunciation souls maliciously inserted at conception skills, although technical knowledge of Divine Liturgy 11.00am [No Vespers into the ‘wrongly gendered body’, to its buildings and their maintenance would of at 6.00pm] collective guilt for the despoliation of the course be most appreciated, as would a love Sun 29th Fourth Sunday of Great planet, it functions as a religion. for this incredible building which is unique in Lent St John of the Ladder So now for the gospel, the Good the UK! Divine Liturgy 10.30am News! We do not need to be anxious over You would be joining a small but any of this. It might seem that Christians dedicated team of both volunteers and APRIL are caught, Odysseus-like, between Scylla professionals. Don’t think “I can’t do Sun 5th Fifth Sunday of Great Lent and Charybdis. The threat from terrorism anything for this” as it is more important St Mary of Egypt Divine Liturgy that takes inspiration from the Qur’an and that your heart is in it than any professional 10.30am the Hadith, might seem statistically knowledge you might have. Sun 12th Entry of Our Lord into remote, but the death cult infecting our Yours in Christ, Jerusalem (Palm Sunday) own political and social establishment is Kh. Annemieke Divine Liturgy 10.30am an all too present danger. Yet neither of Passion Week these can have ultimate consequences for  15th Great and Holy Wednesday those whose faith is in Christ. Those who Anointing Service 7.00pm believe in the Creator, the mystery of With the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Silouan, 16th Great and Holy Thursday Salvation, The Resurrection, the Second announcing the start of Vesperal Divine Liturgy of the Coming, the Final Judgement, and the Mystical Supper 11.00am Kingdom of God, do not need to fear The Antiochian Orthodox Christian Orthros of the Twelve Gospels those who kill the body on the one side, 6.30pm or those who have lost faith, even in Community 17th Great and Holy Friday themselves, on the other. Meanwhile, of Vespers of the Shroud 4.00pm however, given we have public and social Saint Birinus and Saint Thekla Orthros (Lamentations Service) media that are now so ‘Woke,’ to the at 6.30pm point where they are positively Yeovil 18th Great and Holy Saturday insomnious, is anyone bothering to ask the God willing, Father Filip aims to start an Midnight Office, Rush Procession, question as to why we have so many Orthodox mission in Yeovil, Somerset, both Orthros and Divine Liturgy of Pascha young people in anxiety, poor mental to proclaim Orthodox Christianity and to 10.00pm health and who self-harm? Or maybe that minister to the spiritual needs of the Sun 19th HOLY PASCHA is what happens when you have a religion Orthodox Faithful currently residing in and Vespers of Love 2.30pm based upon phobias rather than faith. We around the Yeovil area. The first service will Sun 26th Second Sunday of Pascha must certainly begin with the fear of God be Great Vespers on Saturday 14 March at Thomas Sunday Divine Liturgy (the beginning of wisdom) but that is all 19.30pm 10.30pm we fear. For the rest, we can put our faith By kind permission of His Grace Bishop in Him. Meanwhile, as for the death cults, Declan Lang of the Roman Catholic Diocese like Eric and Ernie, we shall tell our of Clifton and Fr Jean-Patrice Coulon, Parish friends... Priest, monthly Vespers will be served at the Fr Chrysostom Roman of the Holy Ghost,  75 Higher Kingston, Yeovil BA21 4AR.  For further details please contact Fr Filip.

Choir Membership • Are you an experienced singer? St Birinus, died 650AD, feast day, 3rd December, • Are you able to sight-sing from music? came from Italy and was the apostle of . • Would you like to join the church Holy Protomartyr and Equal-to-the-Apostles, choir, singing at the Liturgy? Thekla, (1st cent.) was from Iconium and a disciple If so, please contact Presbytera Olympias at of St Paul. Feast day, 24th September. church or tel. 01202-602628 