Will there be a new TOC monastery in North America?

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Matthew
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Re: Will there be a new TOC monastery in North America?

Post by Matthew »

I will call father Damian and mention it to him and see what he says. He may have already offered the monks accommodation. I will check on it and let you know.

Symeon

Matthew
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Re: Will there be a new TOC monastery in North America?

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I called Fr Damian, and apparently the situation is such that he does not think it possible for anyone of them to move to his monastery. The bishop said that they want to keep all the fathers together who have lived together for all these years, also Fr Damian has no means to pay for their being fed, and only a couple of monks have some kind of retirement income and their money is apparently needed by the other brothers for their support as well. Finally, he said that in fact since his barn is unheated is only useful for summer accomodation there is only room for 2 fathers in his home. So, that idea will not work, sad to say. Also the man that bought his colonial era house is now in financial trouble and because the bank that holds the mortgage went and re-evaluated the value of the house at more than 300,000 dollars his mortgage payments were increased to 2000 dollars a month minimum, and he stands to lose the house to the bank. Someone suggested he simply donate the house back to the monastery, but since he has not paid for it he doesn't actually own it the bank does, and so he can't even give it back to Fr Damian for free. What a mess. But this kind of theivery by the banks of peoples homes is happening all over America now since the housing mortgage crisis started.

Symeon

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Maria
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Re: Will there be a new TOC monastery in North America?

Post by Maria »

Icxypion wrote:

I called Fr Damian, and apparently the situation is such that he does not think it possible for anyone of them to move to his monastery. The bishop said that they want to keep all the fathers together who have lived together for all these years, also Fr Damian has no means to pay for their being fed, and only a couple of monks have some kind of retirement income and their money is apparently needed by the other brothers for their support as well. Finally, he said that in fact since his barn is unheated is only useful for summer accomodation there is only room for 2 fathers in his home. So, that idea will not work, sad to say. Also the man that bought his colonial era house is now in financial trouble and because the bank that holds the mortgage went and re-evaluated the value of the house at more than 300,000 dollars his mortgage payments were increased to 2000 dollars a month minimum, and he stands to lose the house to the bank. Someone suggested he simply donate the house back to the monastery, but since he has not paid for it he doesn't actually own it the bank does, and so he can't even give it back to Fr Damian for free. What a mess. But this kind of theivery by the banks of peoples homes is happening all over America now since the housing mortgage crisis started.

Symeon

Lord have mercy.

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner.

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joasia
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Re: Will there be a new TOC monastery in North America?

Post by joasia »

It's all about money. But, Christ will provide if He wills it. Let us all remember Fr. Damian and the monks in our prayers.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. (Ps. 50)

Matthew
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Re: Will there be a new TOC monastery in North America?

Post by Matthew »

Amen, thank you Joanna. I will pass that on to Fr Damian that people are praying for him. He feels so isolated and like nobody care for him anymore. It was quite a shock to him when after years of being surrounded by the richness of True ROCOR before it fell to the Reds in the MP, and having so much fellowship and support, then he departed from them to stay with Metr Vitaly when he moved to Canada to stay True to Orthodoxy, and from that point on he lost all his friends and supporters who opted to stay with the heretics and judases who wanted to wed the pure virgin bride of Rocor to the spiritual adulterers in the MP. Lord have mercy. Anyways, as I say, he will be greatly encouraged and probably surprised that people he hasn't even met are praying for him.

Thank you all.

Symeon

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