St Ambrose of Milan Orthodox Cathedral

10/01/2024

A Simple Exorcism for Priests
Prayer Against Satan and the Rebellious Angels
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The archbishop exhorts priests to say this prayer as often as possible, as a simple exorcism to curb the power of the devil and prevent him from doing harm. The faithful also may say it in their own name, for the same purpose, as any approved prayer. Its use is recommended whenever action of the devil is suspected, causing malice in men, violent temptations and even storms and various calamities. It could be used as a solemn exorcism to expel the devil. It would then be said by a priest, in the name of the Church and only with a Bishop's permission.
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Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Most glorious Prince of the Heavenly Armies, Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in “our battle against principalities and powers, against the rulers of this world of darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places” (Eph., 6,12). Come to the assistance of men whom God has created to His likeness and whom He has redeemed at a great price from the tyranny of the devil. Holy Church venerates thee as her guardian and protector; to thee, the Lord has entrusted the souls of the redeemed to be led into heaven. Pray therefore the God of Peace to crush Satan beneath our feet, that he may no longer retain men captive and do injury to the Church. Offer our prayers to the Most High, that without delay they may draw His mercy down upon us; take hold of “the dragon, the old serpent, which is the devil and Satan”, bind him and cast him into the bottomless pit ... “that he may no longer seduce the nations” (Apoc. 20, 2-3).

Exorcism
In the Name of Jesus Christ, our God and Lord, strengthened by the intercession of the most pure Virgin Mary, Mother of God, of Blessed Michael the Archangel, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul and all the Saints. and powerful in the holy authority of our ministry, we confidently undertake to repulse the attacks and deceits of the devil.
Psalm 67
God arises; His enemies are scattered and those who hate Him flee before Him. As smoke is driven away, so are they driven; as wax melts before the fire, so the wicked perish at the presence of God.
V. Behold the Cross of the Lord, flee bands of enemies.
R. The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the offspring of David, has conquered all.
V. May Your mercy, O Lord, descend upon us.
R. As great as our hope in You.
(The crosses below indicate a blessing to be given if a priest recites the Exorcism; if a lay person recites it, they indicate the Sign of the Cross to be made silently by that person.)
We drive you from us, whoever you may be, unclean spirits, all satanic powers, all infernal invaders, all wicked legions, assemblies and sects. In the Name and by the power of Our Lord Jesus Christ, + may you be snatched away and driven from the Church of God and from the souls made to the image and likeness of God and redeemed by the Precious Blood of the Divine Lamb. +
Most cunning serpent, you shall no more dare to deceive the human race, persecute the Church, torment God's elect and sift them as wheat. + The Most High God commands you, + He with whom, in your great insolence, you still claim to be equal. “God who wants all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (I Tim. 2:4). God the Father commands you. + God the Son commands you. + God the Holy Ghost commands you. + Christ, God's Word made flesh, commands you; + He who to save our race outdone through your envy, “humbled Himself, becoming obedient even unto death” (Phil.2:8); He who has built His Church on the firm rock and declared that the gates of hell shall not prevail against Her, because He will dwell with Her “all days even to the end of the world” (Matt. 28:20). The sacred Sign of the Cross commands you, + as does also the power of the mysteries of the Christian Faith. + The glorious Mother of God, the Virgin Mary, commands you; + she who by her humility and from the first moment of her Conception crushed your proud head. The faith of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and of the other Apostles commands you. + The blood of the Martyrs and the pious intercession of all the Saints command you. +
Thus, cursed dragon, and you, diabolical legions, we adjure you by the living God, + by the true God, + by the holy God, + by the God “who so loved the world that He gave up His only Son, that every soul believing in Him might not perish but have life everlasting” (St. John 3:16); stop deceiving human creatures and pouring out to them the poison of eternal damnation; stop harming the Church and hindering her liberty. Be gone, Satan, inventor and master of all deceit, enemy of man's salvation. Give place to Christ in Whom you have found none of your works; give place to the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church acquired by Christ at the price of His Blood. Stoop beneath the all-powerful Hand of God; tremble and flee when we invoke the Holy and terrible Name of Jesus, this Name which causes hell to tremble, this Name to which the Virtues, Powers and Dominations of heaven are humbly submissive, this Name which the Cherubim and Seraphim praise unceasingly repeating: Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord, the God of Sabaoth.
V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come to you.
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with your spirit.
Let us pray.
God of heaven, God of earth, God of Angels, God of Archangels, God of Patriarchs, God of Prophets, God of Apostles, God of Martyrs, God of Confessors, God of Virgins, God who has power to give life after death and rest after work: because there is no other God than Thee and there can be no other, for Thou art the Creator of all things, visible and invisible, of Whose reign there shall be no end, we humbly prostrate ourselves before Thy glorious Majesty and we beseech Thee to deliver us by Thy power from all the tyranny of the infernal spirits, from their snares, their lies and their furious wickedness. Deign, O Lord, to grant us Thy powerful protection and to keep us safe and sound. We beseech Thee through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.
V. From the snares of the devil,
R. Deliver us, O Lord.
V. That Your Church may serve You in peace and liberty:
R. We beseech You to hear us.
V. That You may crush down all enemies of Your Church:
R. We beseech You to hear us.
(Holy water is sprinkled in the place where we may be.)

09/24/2024

The Difference Between Marriage and Civil Union
In the Orthodox Catholic Church, we believe that marriage is ordained by God. We believe that it is a union of one man and one woman, a union in which God is personally present and active.
In the Book of Genesis, God said “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make a helper for him suitable for him” (Genesis 2:18). So, as we are told in Genesis 2:22, God puts Adam into a deep sleep, during which He removes a rib from Adam’s side and from that rib, He fashions a woman, a female companion for Adam.
It is interesting to note there that God created Adam from the dust of the earth. But He created, or fashioned, woman from the rib of Adam. Why is this significant? Because it shows that a woman is the equal of man in dignity and beauty. A woman is of the same flesh as man, and therefore is one with man.
When Adam awoke from his sleep, his eyes gazed upon the naked woman standing before him and what he saw was a beautiful creature. We know what his reaction was from reading the creation narrative in Genesis. Eve did not stand before Adam in a white wedding dress, but in the purity and beauty of her nakedness.
“And they shall become one flesh.” Here, we see the first image and manifestation of human sexuality. God intended for man to be sexual. Sexuality and sexual activity are gifts from God; they are an intimate part of who and what we are as human beings. Thus, they are to be treated responsibly and with the utmost respect.
God’s command to Adam and Eve was to “be fruitful and multiply.” This is how God designed and intended the human race to progenerate and continue. Sexual in*******se becomes a necessary activity between a man and woman who are physically and emotionally able to join together and procreate.
God also decreed that what He has joined together, no man may put asunder. God designed marriage to be something sacred, beautiful, and enduring. By His design and involvement, marriage becomes a covenant relationship between a man and a woman that cannot be broken. Of course, when all this was done, Adam and Eve were still pure and had not yet committed the sin of disobedience that had separated them from God and brought humanity into a fallen and broken state. Nevertheless, marriage is still intended to be for a man and women until death do them part.
Marriage, as we know it in the Church, involves three people: God, a man, and a woman. It is a covenant relationship that binds the three together in a common purpose. Christian marriage reflects the relationship that exists between Christ and His Church. Christ is the Bridegroom, and the Church is His Bride. The two are inseparable. They are one Body. In the same way, a man and woman are joined by God and live as one body, inseparable and always showing their love for one another by self-giving and sacrifice. That is why we bless marriages in the Church.
A man and woman come together in the Church to witness their love and to seal their covenant agreement with one another in God before His presence and with the Christian community as witnesses to the fact. Marriage, therefore, is a Sacrament, a Holy Mystery in which God, a man, and a woman, agree to work in partnership for a special purpose. God abundantly blesses this union with His grace and the gifts of the Holy Spirit so that the married couple will glorify God by their married life.
What the Church does in the name and presence of God is completely different than what the secular state does. Marriage involves God. A civil union does not. Whereas marriage is a sacred relationship in which God is actively involved, a civil union is merely a legal act which joins two people under civil law and endows them with certain legal protections and rights under civil law. Marriage is based on trust and faith. A civil union is based on man-made laws that are intended to ensure that the couple in question are recognized in civil society as a valid legal entity.
For the believing and faithful Orthodox Catholic Christian, marriage is a vertical relationship which places God at the top. Civil unions are horizontal. That is to say, it is merely between the two parties signing the marriage certificate before an authorized civil servant.
“Marriage”, as defined by the secular state, is a completely man-made construct. It has no relationship whatsoever to the original meaning of marriage, which is a Mystery designed and established by God. The meaning of Christian marriage and secular marriage are totally different and are in many ways, diametrically opposed to each other.
For this reason, as a bishop, I am very concerned about the redefining of the definition of marriage, especially when it comes to same-sex unions. In those state where same-sex marriage is legal under by enacted law, it would be both prudent and necessary for bishops to prohibit their priests from acting as delegates of the State in the issuing of marriage certificates. My basis for saying this is my belief that in acting as a delegate of the State in issuing marriage certificates, the Church becomes complicit in the radical redefinition of marriage which opposes the fundamental teaching of the Orthodox Catholic Faith.
As Orthodox Catholic bishops, it is incumbent upon us to teach the Orthodox Catholic Faith without compromise. Our faithful need to be taught that marriage is, first and foremost, a Sacrament and not merely a legal contract. The Orthodox Catholic Church has never taught that marriage is in the contract. Rather, we believe and teach that marriage is in the blessing given by the Church and God’s presence through it.
One very important aspect to consider is that for Orthodox Catholic Christians, marriage is profoundly related to Baptism and the Holy Eucharist. Yet, today, many Orthodox Catholic jurisdictions do not offer a Nuptial Divine Liturgy. The prevailing custom is for the bride and groom to take Holy Communion together either on the Sunday before their wedding or the Sunday after. It would be theologically sounder if the Eucharist were brought into the Orthodox Catholic Marriage Rite so as to more profoundly manifest the relationship between the Holy Mystery of Matrimony and that of the Eucharist. It is for this reason that, in 2005, we developed in our Italo-Greek Orthodox Church, a nuptial liturgy that includes both the Rite of Marriage (Crowning) and the Eucharist.
It is necessary for us in the Orthodox Catholic Church, especially in the face of the ever-changing societal trends toward marriage, family, and sexuality that we stand firm in our beliefs and praxis regarding marriage and the administration of the Sacrament, and that of family and sexuality.
Let us not forget that we are the Light-bearers. It is our charge to bring the Light of Christ to all people. regardless of the adversity, struggles, obstacles, and persecutions we may encounter along the way, we must never advocate our baptismal responsibility to bear witness to the truth at all timers.
+Archbishop Stephen

09/17/2024

Where do all the aborted babies go?....

09/14/2024

Before Thy cross we bow down and worship O Master and Thy Holy Resurrection we glorify! We adore Thee O Christ and we praise Thee for by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world!

09/01/2024

08/08/2024

https://nypost.com/2024/08/08/us-news/undercover-video-allegedly-shows-planned-parenthood-scandal/

Schutt-Aine can be seen on the video telling Nguyen, “You told me about the proposition, and so now every time a do a D&E (dilation and evacuation abortion), I’m like, ‘Oh there’s some lungs, t…

08/06/2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XonFO1NblU

08/06/2024

“It is my prayer for you that God will open your heart, and you yourself will do what you can to meet Him. You will find there happiness you never dreamed possible before; your heart will join your head in recognizing the true God, and no real truth you have ever known will ever be lost.”

— Fr. Seraphim Rose, letter to a convert