RESTORATION OF THE ST SAVA MONSATERY (NEW KALENIC)

Upon the unanimous desicion of the judicial council  on March the 7th 2017, according to which the Appeals Court of NSW confirmed the judgment of the Supreme Court of NSW of 2015 relating to the St. Sava monastery near Canberra, this monastery has been returned to the spiritual management and guidance of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand. 

The celebration of Easter Monday in the St Sava monastery New Kalenic was the most eloquent sign and signal the Serbian people have had enough of divisions and that it is time for unity to come to life, so necessary for the survival of our people in the Fifth continent, tired of constant divisions. Streams of people came to the Holy Archpastoral Liturgy. Old and young, all with the power of the Resurrected Christ according to the laws of spiritual magnetism, all in one spirit and in perfect order filled the largest temple of our Church in the Fifth continent, praying for the good and salvation of our St. Sava people. Even though there was not enough time to notify the people of this Easter prayerful assembly, according to some estimations there were present up to two thousand people. Since then His Grace Bishop for Australia and New Zealand the Right Reverend Siluan together with his collaborators, the Diocesan Executive Board and faithful people, commenced organising the spiritual and material restoration of New Kalenic, which is slowly becoming one shining jewel in the spiritual crown of our St. Sava church in Australia. As it has been mentioned many times, the wish of the Bishop, as well as all Serbs of Australia, is that the entire effort of restoring the Holy place be rewarded with the reality that it remains, in all glory and historic significance, to the joy and perusal of the future generations of the Serbian people, who will be proud of the fact that their predecessors left this monastery to them as a true direction of faith and traditions of the old land, the Serbian lands from whence they came from, which they love and are very proud of. 

While visiting the monastery numerous times, and since recently often residing in the same, Bishop Siluan together with two of his collaborators in the renewal of the Monastery, archimandrite Petar (Bishop's Chancellor and Monastery abbot) and cross-bearing archpriest Djuro Djurdjevic (dean of the Cathedral of St. George in Cabramatta), surveyed the monastery grounds and buildings, planning what and how should be done on the spiritual and material renewal. Father Djuro, who is the organiser of works as well as the tradesmen who adhered to the call of the Serbian Church, gave an immeasurable contribution to the organisation of the Easter Assembly, as well as to all that was done in the past six months. It was especially important that in the midst of works to Novi Kalenic the Church Assembly of the Metropolitanate was held in the period of the 8th to the 10th of September, and for the complicated organisation of following contents father Djuro was given the task with his collaborators. For the organisation of Services during the Assembly, Father Petar was given the task. 

It is necessary to mention that in the meantime, in spite of financial difficulties, the mending and painting of the rooms of the Bishop's residence and the monastic complex, done by diligent workers, members of the bocce club who gather at the monastery. They gave their effort as a sacrifice and gift to the monastery, with the promise that they will continue to support the renewal of the Holy place. Amongst other things they refreshed and did the necessary mending to the monastery's "small hall". Apart from meetings and lunches, in this hall for many years the Serbian youth gathered at the St. Sava children's camp, for which there are numerous accounts and beautiful memories even since the late Bishop Petar, whose remains lay at the monastery crypt. 

The most complex and expensive works in the St. Sava New Kalenic monastery were done on the monastery church of St. Sava. Due to the church leaking in many places, so that water would seep down the walls, and at the same time threaten the grave of Bishop Petar, the priority was repairing the roof in order to stop the further ruining of plaster boards and walls, as well as the marble tiles on the floor. After examination the places of leaking were found on the roof, after which repair works were done, and then the works on the interior could commence. These works involved the replacement of a few plaster boards in the convex ceiling, as well as the complete reconstruction of the cupola, which due to rotting threatened to fall. After reconstruction work to the cupola, the church was painted and refreshed with a new colour, while the marble floor was cleaned in detail and polished.  

Those who conducted the works donated them from their personal means. Beside the diligent organiser Fr Djuro, for months on end hours and hours of hard work went by; the erection of scaffolding, mending the roof, replacing of plaster boards, painting and detailed cleaning of the church. We owe a special thank you to brother Ratko Milicevic from Canberra who donated all scaffolding, machines and a large part of the work force from his personal means. We are also thankful to Mr Djuro Zekanovic from Sydney, who payed his workers, as well as his brethren who helped him: Dario Moconja, Ljubomir Stojanovic, Miodrag Tosanovic, Ljubisa Malinovic, Milos Zekanovic. We are also grateful to his and other workers who mended the roof and other areas inside the church in preparation for the painting of the church. We are grateful to Mr Mirko Stekovic and Radenko Jovanovic and their workers: Dejan Stjepanovic, Dejan Sazdanovic, and Mico Pekic, Goran Bogojevic, Bratislav Davidovic, Tihomir Milovanovic, Leko Ratkovic, Radomir Miloradovic, Vlado Vranic, Stojan Stekovic, Branko Stekovic, Sretko Novakovic, Ilija Grujo, Miodrag Kovacevic, Danny Popovic, Milenko Skenderija, for donated materials and all the work in the church. We are grateful to Mr Stevan Filipovic, Dusan Zec, Vojin Zec, Dragan Perisic, Stanisa Nikolic, Branko Jevtovic, Ilija Batar, Djordje Zolotic and Momcilo Graovac for painting the residence and small hall. We are also grateful to Mr Vlado Maricic, butcher from Sydney for assistance with food. We are thankful to all for all the effort and love demonstrated toward the Holy place. 

To have a clearer picture of the amount of effort and sacrifice given for the renewal of the Holy place, it is sufficient to mention that the works to date in the Monastery according to some estimates  is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. 

The Saint Sava monastery is also being renewed in the Sacramental sense. The faithful are again donating to the church service items, icons and books necessary for the Holy place. We must mention here that we also owe thanks to all those who participated, not only in the fashioning of the monastery church, but also renewing and maintaining the buildings and monastery grounds. Firstly, we are grateful to the servicer of the monastery cross-bearing archpriest Jakov Jovic and his wife Borka, sister Gordana Ivancevic and her husband Dragomir, sister Rada Miljus, brother Slavko Arandjelovic (popular Bajo), Luka Arandjelovic, Teodor and Ruzica Bozic, John Palavestra and family, Slobodan Zec, Ilija Veselinovic, Momo Grahovac. 

Gratitude for diligence also is due to the Federation of the Circle of Serbian Sisters headed by their president Milica Kozlina, as well as brother Petar Kozlina the diocesan treasurer who assist the monastery continuously in accordance with their possibilities. 

When all construction works were done everything had to be cleaned, which was what brother Milorad Mile Rajic took charge of together with his wife Olivera, son Nikola, sister Mara Jelic. They did all of this in their own expense: cleaning and polishing of the monastery church, as well as cleaning the paths and walls around the monastery, that were black and green from mould. In this task they were greatly assisted by Jovan Batar who gave his donation in materials, as well as one large water tank for washing, as a gift from the owner of Jovan's company where he is employed as a manager. The company's name is "Capelo", whose owner is Mr Capelo. 

To all the above named, and may we be forgiven by those whom we failed to mention, which in no circumstance is on purpose, thank you. We are grateful to all known and unknown donators who gave their effort to this holy place under the spiritual protection of Saint Sava, who in the Kingdom of Heaven rejoices for each advancement of the Serbian people. 

We call upon all brothers and sisters, without exemption, who wish to help the Kalenic monastery, to call the Abbot of the Holy Monastery or Father Djuro who coordinate the work, because there is much more work and for all. 

In such a nicely refurbished monastery, including the monastery church and adjacent buildings, God willing we will in the month of January 2018 in the period between the 21st-26th have the children's camp. We will timely inform our St. Sava children and parents about this. Following the children's camp in the days of 26, 27, and 28 January, surely with the central part of the celebration of our Father and Protector of our Holy Monastery Kalenic, we will have the St. Sava Youth Festival. 

We take this opportunity to firstly invite our children who dance in their folkloric groups, and then the faithful God-loving Serbian people to meet in those days at prayerful communion in our Monastery of Saint Sava in Elaine, as well as in the newly-restored Monastery of Saint Sava New Kalenic- the two jewels of love of our ancestors towards our eternal Arch-hierarch Saint Sava, as well as all generations of our people in the Fifth continent.  

Let us prayerfully come together headed by our leader of faithful Serbs in the country of Australia, His Grace Bishop Siluan, at the Holy Hierarchical Liturgies, firstly in Kalenic on the 27th and then on the 28th of January 2018 in the St. Sava Monastery in Elaine, to celebrate our Heavenly Protector. 

May this renewal be to the glory of God, and to the good of all Serbs all across the Fifth continent. May the renewal of the Monastery lead to the Monastery renewing us! 

For us all to live in unity St. Sava help us!