St Philip's Associates

On the Feast of St. Nicholas, December 6th, Father Abbot Nicholas received 14 new Monastic Associates, and our first parish chapter, that of St. Philip the Apostle Melkite Greek-Catholic Mission in San Bernardino, CA. Among this group was our first clerical Associate, Father Justin Rose. Pictures can be found here. These Associates will spend the next three years in what we are calling a "novitiate" before making a final commitment to live as Monastic Associates according to their state in life.

What follows is the service used for this wonderful event. If anyone is interested in becoming a Monastic Associate, please contact Father Abbot Nicholas.

RECEPTION INTO THE ASSOCIATE NOVITIATE

At an appropriate time after the Dismissal of Vespers, or some other Divine Service, the candidate(s) come before the Abbot or a priest delegated by him
 to receive his/her/their three-year commitment as novice Monastic Associate(s).

Priest: Blessed is our God, always, now and for ever, and to the ages of ages.

Superior: Amen. Glory to you, our God. Glory to you.

Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of truth, present everywhere, filling all things, Treasury of blessings and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, cleanse us from every stain, and, O Good One, save our souls.

Reader (or singers): Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (x3)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; now and ever and unto the ages of ages. amen.

All-holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, cleanse us from our sins. Master, pardon our iniquities. Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for your name’s sake.

Lord, have mercy. (x3). Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Priest: For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and to the ages of ages.

Reader (or singers): Amen. Lord, have mercy (x12). Glory. Now and ever.

Superior: + O come, let us worship and fall down before the King, our God. + O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, the King, our God. + O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ himself, the King, our God.

The candidates approach the Priest, making three bows to the ground, while the following is chanted:

Reader (or singers): Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us; for we sinners, lacking all defense, offer you, as our Master, this supplication: have mercy on us.

Glory.

Lord, have mercy on us, for in you we have put our trust. Do not be very angry with us, nor remember our iniquities. But look on us now, as you are compassionate, and rescue us from our enemies. For you are our God, and we are your people; we are all the work of your hands, and we have called on your name.

Both now.

Open the gate of compassion to us, blessed Mother of God; hoping in you, may we not fail. Through you may we be delivered from adversities, for you are the salvation of the Christian race.

Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord!

Singers: Lord, have mercy.

The Abbot (or Priest) says the following prayer:

We give you thanks, O Lord our God, who, according to your great mercy, have brought your servant [handmaid] N. to this commitment of life in prayer, asceticism and charity out of love for you and for the building up of your Kingdom. Count him [her] worthy to embrace rightly the angelic estate according to his [her] state of life. Protect him [her] from every snare of the devil and make him [her] worthy to become your holy temple. Teach him [her] always to remember you and your commandments. Give to him [her] humility, love, meekness and generosity of spirit. We ask this through the prayers of our all-holy Sovereign Lady. the Mother of God and ever-Virgin Mary, Searcher for the Lost, and of all your saints. Amen.

Then the Abbot or Priest gives to the candidate(s) a prayer rope, saying nothing,
and then the Dismissal.
Or, if the candidate is a celibate cleric, the Abbot (or Priest)
says also this second prayer:

Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord!

Singers: Lord, have mercy.

Abbot (Priest): Receive your servant the Priest [Deacon] N. under your saving yoke, O Master, and count him worthy to be numbered among the flock of your elect. Clothe him with the garment of sanctification, gird his loins with chastity, manifest him to be a champion of every kind of abstinence and perfect in him, and in us, the gift of your spiritual graces: through the prayers of our all-holy Sovereign Lady. the Mother of God and ever-Virgin Mary, Searcher for the Lost, and of all your saints. Amen.

Then the Abbot or Priest tonsures the candidate(s), saying nothing, and gives to the him (them), in addition to the prayer rope, the Riassa, leather Belt and Kalimavka, saying nothing, and then the Dismissal.

Dismissal

Abbot (Priest): Glory to you, O Christ, our God, our hope, glory to you.

Singers: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Father bless!

Abbot (Priest): May Christ our true God, through the prayers of his all-pure and holy Mother, through the intercessions of the holy, glorious and all-praised Apostles, of the holy, glorious and triumphant Martyrs, of our venerable and God-bearing Fathers and Mothers who have shone in the ascetic life, [of Saint N. (to whom the Church is dedicated),] of Saint N., whose memory we keep today, and of all the Saints, have mercy on us and save us, for he is good and loves mankind.

Then, turning to the icon of the Savior, the Superior says:

Through the prayers of our holy fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us!

Singers: Amen.