New Monastery in New Mexico

Fr. Hieromonk Joshua Anna, newly received into the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, is in the process of founding a new Western rite monastery under the oversight of Metr. Hilarion. A donor has given 48 acres of high desert land, located at the foot of the Mazano Mountains (a spur of the Rocky Mountains), east of Belen. From 30,000 to 50,000 cement blocks have been pledged for construction of the monastery, and an accomplished architect has pledged to donate his services.

Fr. Joshua is a founder of SGOMA, the St. George Orthodox Military Association. (This organisation was pointed out to me last Sunday by the wife of a military officer who is attending our Russian Orthodox parish in Austin.) He has also founded the St. Maria the Martyr Hospitality Outreach, to help the needy and homeless.


above: Hieromonk Joshua

Fr. Joshua has the idea of supporting Orthodox missions by making available to them a travelling adobe-brick-making machine (not true adobe, since it's 8% cement for greater strength). The machine could arrive at a place where a mission needs a chapel, the parishioners can be trained how to make the materials to build a simple chapel. Then the apparatus can move on to help the next needy mission.

Our readers are asked to pray and intercede for Fr. Joshua and the new Monastery of St. George, that they may bring forth fruit in their spiritual labours, extinguish all the fiery darts of the most wicked one, and demonstrate to many souls the true path which leads to the Kingdom of Heaven.

Don't forget, the monastic Fathers can be helped in their struggle by your support of them.

Ad multos annos.


above: Novice Vladimir, subdeacon

REFERENCES
SGOMA http://www.orthodoxmilitary.org/Home_Page.html
St. Maria Hospitality Outreach: http://tinyurl.com/23jfpd6
Facebook: "Hieromonk Joshua" and "Subdeacon Vladimir"