Fr. MATTHEW Christopher, OCR, obf
| Fr. MATTHEW Christopher, OCR, obf GCP, OCR, obf | |
|---|---|
| Born | |
| 🏡 Residence | Mother of God, Our Lady of Unfading Wildflowers Monastery |
| 🏳️ Nationality | American |
| 💼 Occupation | Abbot |
| 📆 Years active | 2014-Present |
| 🏢 Organisation | Orthodox Community of Saint Brigid |
| Style | The Reverend Father |
| 🏡 Home town | Arlington, Washington |
| Title | Hieromonk |
| Movement | Autonomous Sacramental |
| 👩 Spouse(s) | Fr. Uriel Patrick-Joan, obf |
| 🏅 Awards | David Lowes Achievement Award - 2013 The Portland IP to IP Award - 2014 The Ogden Monarch Award - 2014 |
| 🌐 Website | ocsb-monastics.org |
| Twitter= | |
Christopher Kennedy, OCR, obf (The Reverend Father, né Jennings) is an autonomous Orthodox Abbot and Priest.
His biography reads: "Originally from Washington State, Fr. Matthew Christopher is devoted to the teachings of Jesus Christ in the Gospels, emphasizing the universal love that calls us to love God and our neighbors above all else.
During his youth he discovered God's grace and love in his local Eastern Christian Church. This experience led him to be baptized and chrismated in the Antiochian Orthodox Church, marking moments when he first felt a monastic and clerical calling. Unfortunately, due to his sexuality, Christopher faced rejection from the canonical Orthodox Church, which caused him to take a 10-year hiatus from organized religion.
Finding solace and acceptance in a local Episcopal parish known for its inclusiveness, Fr. Matthew embraced the Anglican Communion, and during a private moment of prayer at his Episcopal parish, he made a vow to dedicate his life to the service of the Church if the compulsion to drink was lifted not knowing the path that would take him on. Fr. Matthew and his husband both were Franciscans with the Order of Saint Francis within the Anglican Communion.
In his pursuit of theological education, Father Matthew Christopher and his family were received into an autonomous Eastern Orthodox jurisdiction in 2018, and with training under his Hierarch, he was subsequently ordained to the Diaconate on the Feast of Saint Patrick the Enlightener of Ireland in 2019. Seeking further theological education, Father Christopher, his husband, and their family relocated from Seattle to Toledo, Ohio, where they also established the Orthodox Community of Saint Brigid[1] in the winter of 2020. On October 2nd, 2021, during the Hierarchical Visit of His Beatitude, the Most Reverend Metropolitan John Gregory, Father Matthew Christopher, obf was tonsured to the degree of Stavrophore/Life Professed and Abbot of the Eastern Order of the Protecting Veil. Fr. Matthew currently serves as Parochial Administrator of Saint Dymphna Eastern Catholic Chapel as well as accepted the position as Pastoral Associate of the Cathedral Parish of Solomon's Porch[2] in July 2023. On the Afterfeast of the Theophany of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and the Synaxis of John the Holy Glorious Prophet, Baptist, & Forerunner 2024, The Reverend Father Matthew Christopher, obf was ordained to the holy priesthood by the hand of His Beatitude, the Most Blessed and Reverend Metropolitan JOHN GREGORY at the Cathedral Parish of Solomon's Porch in Phoenix, Arizona.
Fr. Matthew has sat on the Board of Directors for the Boy Scouts of America Order of the Arrow - Local Lodge, the Imperial Sovereign Court of Snohomish County (Member, Secretary, Vice President), The Episcopal Church – Local Parish (Junior Warden/Vice President), as well as gained additional ecclesiastical experience through his tenure at the Episcopal Cathedral in Seattle, Washington.
Fr. Matthew has been living one day at a time by the Grace of God since October 23, 2012."
Father Matthew Christopher serves the Convergent Catholic Communion as the Director of Digital Communications.[3]
Eucharistic Communities[edit]
| Title | Community | City | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Co-Founder | Saint Dymphna Orthodox Catholic Church | (Est. Seattle, WA) Phoenix, Arizona | 2018- Present |
| Abbot | Orthodox Community of Saint Brigid | 2020- Present | |
| Co-Founder | Mother of God, Our Lady of Unfading Wildflowers Monastery | Peoria, Arizona | 2021- Present |
| Curate | Cathedral Parish of Solomon's Porch PHX | Phoenix, Arizona | 2023 - Present |
Significant Dates[edit]
- 10 Aug 2003 - Baptized, Chrismated - Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch
- 17 May 2014 - Reception, Anglican Communion - Saint Mark's Episcopal Cathedral
- 23 Jun 2018 - Novice II Vows, Religious Brother - Order of Saint Francis (Anglican)
- 17 Mar 2019 - Ordained to the Diaconate - Autonomous Eastern Orthodox Church
- 14 May 2021 - Ordained to the Minor Orders - Ancient Apostolic Church of Alexandria
- 14 May 2021 - Ordained to the Sub-diaconate - Ancient Apostolic Church of Alexandria
- 14 May 2021 - Ordained to the Diaconate sub conditione - Ancient Apostolic Church of Alexandria
- 02 Oct 2021 - Tonsured Stavrophore - His Beatitude, the Most Reverend Metropolitan JOHN GREGORY
- 07 Jan 2024 - Ordained to the Priesthood - His Beatitude, the Most Reverend Metropolitan JOHN GREGORY
Media[edit]
- Oriental and Occidental as One with Christopher Maximus, Sacramental Whine podcast [4](March 2021)
