Dear friends,


We have now entered the third week of Holy and Great Lent, and so as Holy Week approaches, and as we prepare to participate in the Holy Sufferings and Glorious Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I would like to remind you of some important ways our Church helps us intensify our spiritual struggle and to live these great events in our Christian lives.

Firstly, most of you will be participating in the Holy Sacrament of Communion (taking the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ). Please prepare yourself for this important Sacrament. If you are going to commune, be present and participate in the service! If you need to know what times there will be a service, you can download the April/Holy Week schedule from our website (www.stparaskevi.org.au).

Secondly, part of participating in Holy Communion is to prepare ourselves spiritually beforehand by visiting a Spiritual Father for Holy Confession. I would like to remind you that not all priests have the authority to hear confessions, that is why, to help you I will list some priests who do hear confessions. I will list some English speaking priests for those who find it easier to communicate in English, but also some Greek speaking priests, for those who are comfortable in Greek. Please note that this is a very busy period for confessions and you may find it difficult at times to get in contact with the priest immediately. Please call well in advance of Holy Week and if for some reason your call is not answered PLEASE BE PATIENT and LEAVE A MESSAGE EXPLAINING THE REASONS FOR YOUR CALL or SIMPLY CALL BACK. As I mentioned, it is a very busy time for father confessors...there are only few of them and MANY of us.

(The following Father Confessors are fluent in English)
His Grace Bishop Iakovos, 9696 2488
Very Rev. Fr Evmenios Vasilopoulos, 0408 003 002 (Transfiguration of Our Lord, Thomastown)
Very Rev. Fr Elias Kentrotis, 0417 562 279(St. Haralambos, Templestowe)
Rev. Fr Chris Dimolianis, 0417 596 001(St. Eustathios, South Melbourne)

(The following Father Confessors know English but are more fluent in Greek)
Very Rev. Fr Synesios Frangos 0419 870 063 (St. Paraskeve, St. John the Merciful, and St. Barbara, St Albans)
Rev. Fr Spyridon Vandoros, 9359 4404 (St. Nektarios, Fawkner)
Rev. Fr Athanasios Triantafyllou, 9387 7693 (St. Vasilios, Brunswick)
Rev. Fr Antonios Krinas, 0407 525 385 (St. Panteleimon, Dandenong)
Rev. Fr Spyridon Bonias, 0407 861 523 (Holy Monastery of "Axion Esti", Northcote)
Rev. Fr Eustathios Papadopoulos, 9350 5559 (The Presentation of Our Lord, Coburg)
Rev. Fr Alexandros Korlos, 0412 662 183 (St. Nicholas, Yarraville)
Rev. Fr Doukas Georgalas, 0400 734 499 (Theophania, Frankston)

For more information of the Holy Sacrament of confession and why we as Orthodox Christians believe it to be a very important part of our spiritual formation please follow the following link http://www.goyouth.org.au/confession.php
 
Trusting that this information is sufficient to help you prepare yourself for these Holy days, I wish you all strength from God to continue your spiritual struggle through Great Lent.
 
God bless you all,
Fr Demosthenes. 

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