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The Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand of the Serbian Orthodox Church has taken over the management of the New Kalenic Monastery near Canberra, including visits to the Monastery, following a prolonged court case which began in 2011 and concluded in 2017 with a decision of the Supreme Court of New South Wales. This decision regulates the relationships between the Metropolitanate and the Property Trust of the “Free Australian New Zealand Diocese”.

An invitation from His Grace Bishop Siluan, to the annual St. Sava College picnic on the 1st of October 2018, and a reflection on the significance of Saint Sava's College for us as a community.

On Sunday 12^th of August 2018, at St. George Serbian Orthodox Church Cabramatta, the Serbian Orthodox Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand held its first spiritual talk for the Orthodox youth, which addressed the question: Why is it important to go to church? The event was Pan-Orthodox, with many in attendance; from within and outside the Serbian Orthodox Church.

On Saturday 7^th July, the feast-day of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist, the Saint Naum of Ohrid Serbian Orthodox parish in Broadmeadow (Newcastle) celebrated both its patronal feast-day (or “slava”) – Saint Naum is commemorated on 3^rd July – and the fiftieth anniversary of the foundation of the parish.

Last night our parish joyously received His Grace Bishop Siluan for Lenten Vespers served by Fr Miodrag and attended by local clergy. The service was followed with a talk given by Fr Rade on the theme of judgement.

On Sunday, 25th February 2018, 7 pm, at the Greek Orthodox Parish of St. Nicholas Marrickville, His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos, Primate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia, presided at the Inter-Orthodox Vespers of Orthodoxy, assisted by His Grace Bishop  Siluan (Serbian Orthodox Church), His Grace Bishop Seraphim of Apollonia, Priests of other Orthodox jurisdictions and with the participation of all our Clergy in Sydney . At the end of the Service, a Procession of the Holy Icons took place inside the Church, after which “The Synodikon” of the 7th Ecumenical Council was read out in various languages.

This gospel is read on the Sunday before the Great Lent, called Cheese Fare Sunday or Forgiveness Sunday and it is the last of the preparatory Sundays. Also, this Sunday is called the Sunday of the Lost Paradise since we remember the expulsion of Adam and Eve from it. Because of their disobedience, Adam and Eve were cast out of Eden. That is the direct consequence of committed sin, that being the negative use of free will given from God, and of man's breaking the commandment about lent (Genesis 2:16). Everything God created and placed in Eden is perfect including the Tree of knowledge of good and evil. God forbids Adam and Eve to eat from the Tree of knowledge simply because they were not mature enough. If they became ready God would allow eating from the Tree because humans are created and invited to become gods (John 10:34). However, that is supposed to happen through the process of deification in communion with God, not by force or by separation from God like Adam and Eve tried to do. The Great Lent is actually the bridge to connect humankind with the lost Paradise. Through the Great lent we are trying to correct the error committed by the first people. We are trying to become children of our heavenly Father through Christ, obeying everything God commanded, and looking up to Christ – not to Adam as an example. Jesus Christ is the new Adam who is in everything obedient to His Father. Lent is not only about abstaining from animal products and being a vegan for a while. It is more about complete change of mind (metanoia) and turning to God the Father through Jesus while practicing Christian virtues. Through lent we are trying to make good our fallen human nature that became selfish and self-centered through separation from God. Being descendants of Adam and Eve we also became heirs of death and corruption. However, by trying to do exactly the opposite of what Adam and Eve were doing, that is, practicing virtues they lacked, we are getting closer to the only source of true and everlasting life – God. Every virtue expels sin and death from a man, and takes him closer to Paradise. From the Sunday of the lost Paradise, by fasting and doing Christian virtues we live Christ - like life, until through Palm Sunday and Great Friday, we finally reach and recover lost Paradise on Easter. Humankind regains immortality and eternity through Resurrection of Christ.

This Gospel is read on the second Sunday before the Great Lent, also called Meat Fare Sunday or Sunday of the Last Judgement. That is the Sunday when we stop eating meat, and remind ourselves that God who immensly loves people has also to come as the Judge. During His first arrival He came as a servant. His second arrival is going to be completely different. This time He is arriving in His glory, with all the holy angels with Him, and He will sit on the throne of His glory. «All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.» As we can see here, the whole of humanity is going to be judged and divided into two groups. «And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.» Sheep were always regarded as a symbol of obedience and meekness. They always loyaly follow their shepherd and they are easily kept together as a flock. The sheep represent righteous people who follow Christ as their own Shepherd. In the Gospel according to St. John Christ reveals his role as «sheep shepherd». He says: «the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.» (John 10:3-4). «His voice» was heard and followed by righteous people who spoke the words spoken by Christ – The Holy Gospel. On Judgement Day it will be not difficult for Him to separate those who followed Him from those who didn't. Jesus perfectly knows every single man: «I am the good shepherd; and I know my sheep, and am known by My own» John 10:14. An especially important statement for our understanding of this Gospel is the following claim: «There will be one flock and one shepherd.» This refers to Christ as the head of the church. «And He is the head of the body, the church..» (Colossians 1:18). The Church is the community of faithful people who follow Christ and His Gospel. Symbolically, «sheep» who follow the «shepherd and his voice».

 Communique 2018