The 61st New England Diocesan Assembly will convene on October 25-26, 2024, hosted by Dormition of the Virgin Mary Church, Cumberland, RI.  Registration begins on Friday morning at 8:30 A.M. Clergy and Lay delegates are reminded that this is a two-day assembly, and all are expected to be present for the entire assembly.

To the Reverend Clergy and Faithful of the Diocese of New England,

Christ is Risen!

At the Diocesan Council Meeting on May 21, 2024, we discussed at length our continued search for a property that would provide Diocesan Offices and a residence for the Bishop. We reviewed two recent possibilities we had identified but ultimately decided were unsuitable.

As you are probably aware, in today's market, good properties move quickly. The Council considers that the process of identifying a suitable property, inspecting it with the committee and then with the Council, and then calling a special Diocesan Assembly to approve the purchase, would take so much time that we would lose the opportunity even to make an offer.

With this in mind, and with the consultation and approval of the Diocesan Council, and under my authority as Bishop of New England in accordance with OCA Statutes Art IX, sec. 3 b, I am calling for a Special Diocesan Assembly to be held on Saturday, June 15, 2024 at Holy Trinity Orthodox Church in New Britain, CT. The sole purpose of this meeting will be for the Assembly to authorize the Diocesan Council to acquire property for the Diocese (OCA Statutes Art IX, sec. 4 d) with a purchase price not to exceed $650,000.

The Assembly will begin with the Divine Liturgy at 8:30 AM, with the plenary session following a small breakfast after Liturgy. As is the case with our Annual Assembly, each parish is to send clergy and lay delegates to represent it at this Special Assembly. The clergy delegates are to be the clergy assigned to each parish, and the lay delegates are to be those most recently elected in each parish. Any parish without assigned clergy is to send one lay delegate.

Accompanying this letter are the registration package and the agenda, as well as a financial analysis of the impact of purchasing property, of renting property, and the financial implications of having a full-time Bishop, as a reference to help make an informed decision.

In Christ's service,

+Benedict

Bishop of Hartford and New England

(download the letter, agenda, registration forms)

With the blessings of His Grace, we are thrilled to announce the launch of a new young adult group within our diocese! This initiative aims to foster community and fellowship among young adults across our diocese through monthly activities. It’s a wonderful opportunity for participants to share their journeys, connect with peers, and explore our beautiful diocese together.

Monthly Activities & Vespers Visits Each event is designed to be casual and focused on fellowship. After each gathering, we'll have the chance to visit different parishes for Vespers, making each meeting not only a time for fun and relaxation but also spiritual enrichment. Moreover, by rotating locations, we hope to accommodate young adults from various areas, ensuring that everyone can join in.

Summer Plans Here’s what we have lined up for this summer:

·       May 18th: Join us for a hike at Pawtuckaway Mt. We meet at the North Mountain Trail in Pawtuckaway State Park, NH, at noon. Following the hike, participants may head to St. Nicholas in Salem, MA, for Vespers at 6 PM.

·       June 15th: Our adventure continues with a hike at Sleeping Giant State Park in Hamden, CT. We start at 200 Mount Carmel Ave, Hamden, CT 06518 at noon, with Vespers to follow at Sts. Peter and Paul.

·       Potential July 13th Event: We're planning a relaxed beach day at Charleston Beach, RI. Spend the day by the sea, and around 5 PM, we may journey together to St. Nicholas in Norwich for Vespers.

Stay Connected To keep updated and connect with fellow group members, join our group chat: Diocese Young Adults Group Chat.

Leadership His Grace has appointed Dimitrios Rentel as the coordinator of this vibrant group, under the guidance of Fr. Moses Locke, the Director of Diocesan Youth & Young Adult Ministry, and Assistant Director Ephraim Mosher.

We invite all our young adults to join these gatherings. Let us pray that this group blossoms into a robust network that not only supports each member but also enriches our diocese. Your participation and prayers are greatly valued as we embark on this exciting journey together!

Christ is risen! Indeed He is risen!

To the Clergy and Faithful of the Diocese of New England,
Greetings in the Lord!

Over the past few weeks of the Fast, by engaging us with readings and fasting and works of charity, the Church has prepared us for the Great Feast of the Lord’s Resurrection. And now that we have arrived at Pascha itself, let us joyfully proclaim that Christ is risen.

And in the Liturgy today, let us, with uplifted minds, “enjoy the Master’s hospitality and the Table of Life Immortal in the upper room; and let us hear the exalted teaching of the Word, whom we magnify” [Canon of Holy Thursday, Ode 9, irmos].

As St John Chrysostom says, “Enter all of you into the joy of our Lord! … You that have fasted, and you that have disregarded the Fast, rejoice today! The table is rich-laden; feast royally, all of you! …  Let us all partake of the feast of faith! … Let no one mourn his transgressions, for pardon has dawned from the grave. Let no one fear death, for the Savior’s death has set us free! … Christ, being raised from the dead, has become the First-fruits of them that slept. To Him be glory and might unto ages of ages!”

May the joy of this day ever remain with all of us!

With love in Christ,

+Benedict

Bishop of Hartford and New England

[download pdf]

Dear Brethren in Christ,

On this auspicious day, we humbly petition our Merciful Lord to bestow upon our esteemed Archpastor, His Grace, Bishop Benedict, abundant years filled with health and continued fruitful ministry within our beloved Diocese. As he commemorates the anniversary of his birth, we celebrate the blessings he brings to our spiritual family.

Wishing you a joyous and blessed Birthday, Vladika!

To the Clergy and Faithful of the Diocese of New England,
Greetings in the Lord!

Over the past few weeks the Church has given us examples to prepare us for the Great Fast: Zacchaeus shows us eagerness to see Christ; the Publican and the Pharisee show us pride to be avoided and humility to be cultivated; the Prodigal shows us repentance and the Father shows us mercy; the Last Judgment tells us what Christ expects us to do - I was hungry, you fed me; I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you welcomed me; I was sick or in prison and you visited me.

Today as we begin the Great Fast, we are guided by two great saints of the Orthodox West: Saint Benedict, whose feast we celebrated this past Thursday, and Saint Patrick, whom we remember today. These two saints lived many centuries ago, Benedict in an Italy where Christianity was strong, but paganism had not yet died out, and Patrick in an Ireland almost if not quite entirely pagan. Benedict founded monasteries and wrote a Rule that is a guide to living the Gospel and easily adapted for the use of those in the world. Patrick preached the Gospel and converted a nation to the Orthodox faith.

Both of these saints are examples for us, since our world is becoming less Christian and more pagan, and we can follow both: Benedict in his asceticism and self-discipline, and Patrick in his missionary zeal.

Benedict in his Rule says that the life of a monk ought always to have about it the character of a lenten observance, but few have the strength for that. Then he urges his people, in the days of Lent itself, to do away with the negligences of other times-and all of us can take that to heart.

So  let  us welcome the season of the Fast with joy, and embrace the opportunity to do away with those negligences of other times in the things Christ told us he wants to do, by observing the fasts more closely, by increasing both our liturgical and private prayer, and by giving alms as we are able – and at least one saint pointed out that by keeping the fast and thus eating less costly and simpler foods, we save some money that is then available for the poor-and thus, as Benedict says, let us look forward with great joy to holy Pascha.

In Christ,

+Benedict

Bishop of Hartford and New England

(download pdf)

To the Clergy and Faithful of the Diocese of New England,

Greetings in the Incarnate Lord!

The birth of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ reminds us once again that He now shares with us the flesh that He created in the beginning, and that as a result of His sharing our flesh, that very flesh is enthroned at the right hand of the Father.

Our very body, then, is the image of Christ.

And so by our lives we strive to act as being that image would require. And we do this by faithfulness not only to the Commandments gifted on Sinai, but even more to the Beatitudes and to the works commended in our Lord's telling of the great judgment (Matthew 25.36 and following).

Calling to mind, then, that we have daily work to do in His name, whether in small things or great, and that we are His image, we remember also with joy that His help is ever present to us, since "Christ is born to raise up again what fell in days of old: His image."

I greet you with the joy and blessings of the Nativity!

In Christ,

+Benedict

Bishop of Hartford and New England

Download file

In an atmosphere of unparalleled joy and spiritual fervor, we celebrated the consecration of Archimandrite Benedict as the Bishop of Hartford and the New England Diocese, held in the magnificent Boston Orthodox Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. This momentous event, deeply rooted in ancient liturgical traditions, brought together clergy and laity in a resounding affirmation of our unity in faith. Bishop Benedict, ordained amidst the reverent gaze of sacred icons and the heartfelt prayers of the faithful, was adorned in the episcopal regalia, symbolizing his new role as a shepherd of God’s flock. The cathedral resounded with the thunderous chants of “Axios! Axios! Axios!” - a Greek acclamation declaring “He is worthy!” - echoing our collective acknowledgment of his divine calling. This historic day marks not just a new chapter in the life of Bishop Benedict but a reaffirmation of our commitment to the apostolic faith, guided by the teachings of the Bible and the wisdom of our Orthodox tradition. As we embark on this journey under Bishop Benedict’s guidance, we pray fervently for his ministry to be a beacon of Christ’s love, a faithful steward of the Church, and a nurturing father to the clergy and faithful of our diocese. Many Years!

Video:

The Consecration of Bishop Benedict as Bishop of Hartford and New England
Consecration and Enthronement of Bishop Benedict
Bishop Elect Benedict, Nomination, Confession of Faith and Vespers

Photoalbum

Dear Fathers, Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Please see linked the invitation to the consecration services and banquet of Bishop Elect Hieromonk Benedict. Please distribute these freely to your faithful. For those who are unable to attend personally we will be live-streaming the services, which can be accessed by clicking on the links in the invitation.

Also to purchase tickets for the banquet, click on that link in the invitation to register for the banquet and to pay. The hotel requests that these be made by Nov. 19.

In Christ,
Archpriest John Kreta
Chancellor, Diocese of New England

On Tuesday, November 7, 2023, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America, meeting under the presidency of His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Chicago, IL, at its Regular Fall 2023 Session, canonically elected the Reverend Hieromonk Benedict (Churchill) as the Bishop of Hartford and the Diocese of New England. Father Benedict had been nominated by the Diocese of New England by their special nominating assembly on October 28, 2023.

Official letter to the Diocese

Glory to Jesus Christ! What a monumental and awe-inspiring occasion we were graced with last evening! Following the soul-stirring Vigil service at the sacred grounds of St. Tikhon's Monastery, our dearly esteemed nominee for the Bishop of New England, Fr. Benedict Churchill, was tonsured a Rassaphore monk! How splendid and humbling it is to witness a servant of God stepping into a new phase of deeper commitment and spiritual awakening. May our Good Lord, the giver of "every good gift and every perfect gift" (James 1:17), shower Priestmonk Benedict with abundant blessings, grant him many years, and endow his ministry with heavenly wisdom. Our hearts are aglow with anticipatory joy for the spiritual fruit this dedicated servant will bear! Many Years!

Three Saints Orthodox Church in Ansonia, CT will again be hosting a Concert of Sacred Music, sung by seminarians from St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary in South Canaan, PA on Sunday, December 4th at 4 PM.

As with last year, to honor our former chancellor and beloved pastor emeritus, we will be funding “The Very Rev. Mitered Archpriest Nicholas Timpko St. Tikhon’s OCA Seminarian Memorial Scholarship”. A further blessing has been offered in the form of a $5,000 matching grant from a donor in our parish. There is no admission fee, but donations will help fund the scholarship, to help prepare priests and leaders within the Orthodox Church.  Please see the Flyer Posted on your Church Bulletin Board for more information. 

Donation checks made out to Three Saints Orthodox Church (with STOTS written on your memo line) may be mailed to: Three Saints Orthodox Church, ATTN: Scholarship, 26 Howard Ave, Ansonia, CT 06401

Don’t hesitate to contact Rdr. Peter Romanovsky at 203-305-5683 or pwromanovsky89@gmail.com for more information or look us up at threesaintschurch.org.

May our good Lord bless you for your generosity!

The 58th New England Diocesan Assembly will convene on October 29-30, 2021, hosted by Christ the Savior Church, Southbury, CT.  Registration begins on Friday morning at 8:30 A.M. Clergy and Lay delegates are reminded that this is a two-day assembly, and all are expected to be present for the entire assembly.

The Tentative Schedule for the Assembly is here.  Please dowload the registration forms (clergy, delegate, observer, lay council member).

The 56th New England Diocesan Assembly will be on October 25-26, 2019, at St. Alexis Church, Clinton, CT.

DNE Youth Event @ All Saints -- Hartford on Fri, June 21st

Have you ever wondered, "Why do we exist? What's the point of it all...?"
Do have questions about the meaning of life --- or the meaning of your own life?  What is a "life worth living...?"

Join us for worship, a "fast-free Friday" dinner, fellowship, and a discussion on the purpose, meaning, value, and key to our lives -- with St. Maria of Paris as our guide. 

RSVP by e-mail (FrJames@AllSaintsHartford.org ) no later than Monday, June 17th. 

On Friday, February 22nd at All Saints in Hartford, all our Orthodox Youth are invited to a "Rally after Rally" event from 6:30pm-9:30pm. In addition to having time for fun, food, and fellowship, our Youth will be continuing a discussion on the theme from Youth Rally (John 10:10b --"I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.") Having looked at doing this "daily" in October & "weekly" in December, we'll now be looking at how to live an abundant life "Seasonally." We'll be using the service of the Presanctified Liturgy and the Prayer of St. Ephraim, as a starting point for looking at how the  yearly cycle, including Great Lent, gives us a fuller and more beautiful life that helps us grow to appreciate and enjoy the years, and the months, and the days, and the moments that make it up.

Schedule:
Friday, 22 February 2019 @ All Saints Orthodox Church--Hartford, CT
6:30pm Vespers
7:15pm “Fast-Free” Dinner & Fellowship
7:45pm Discussion – “Living an Abundant Life -- Seasonally”
8:30pm Group Activity / Fellowship
9:15pm Night Prayers (Small Compline)
9:30pm Dismissal

Archpriest John Hopko, Rector and Director, has announced that it is now time to put together the adult staff for Youth Rally 2019 in the Diocese of New England of the Orthodox Church in America. Fr. John says, “Youth Rally is looking for mature, faithful, self-sacrificial, Orthodox Christian adults who are willing to volunteer to serve at Rally, especially as cabin counselors, but also as health staff, and in other leadership capacities. Our youth participants make Rally, but our selfless, generous, hard-working adult staff members make Rally possible.” For more information, please, use the link below.

Join us on February 24th, 2018 (“Clean Saturday" - the first Saturday of Great Lent), at All Saints Orthodox Church in Hartford, CT for a day-long Lenten retreat for Orthodox Christian adults in the New England area. 

The retreat is entitled: Becoming Fire - Christian Living in Turbulent Times, and will be led by Dr. Al Rossi from St. Vladimir's Seminary. (Flyer for download)

The 54th New England Diocesan Assembly will convene on October 27-28, 2017, hosted by St. Jacob of Alaska Mission, Northfield, VT.

Please dowload the registration forms, hotel information and draft of last years assembly minutes.

 Lenten message from His Grace, Benedict

The Diocese now has two YouTube channels. The first channel will be featuring the Diocesan Choir (https://www.youtube.com/@DNEChoir)

The second channel will be for Diocesan general use (https://www.youtube.com/@DioceseofNewEngland). Please subscribe to these channels to keep uptodate on what is posted.

Images, Videos, and Articles of the Uncovering of the relics of St Olga may now be found under Resources: Around the OCA

The Diocese of New England invites you to join us on August 9th through the 15th this summer in NH for Camp St. Herman! Camp St. Herman is an opportunity for children (grades 4-12) from across the diocese to come together in a safe place to learn about the faith of our fathers, participate in the sacraments and make lasting friendships. The program of Camp St. Herman is modeled after the program of the Antiochian Village (Pennsylvania) of the Antiochian Archdiocese, and continues the tradition of the annual Diocese Youth Rally of the OCA Diocese of New England. Camp is held at the St. Methodios Faith & Heritage Center in Contoocook, NH.

For details and registration, visit https://www.campstherman.org
You can also find more on the camp’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/CampStHerman