A new beginning for

the Dormition of the Mother of God Parish[1] - Timmins, Ontario

During October 9-13, 2023, His Grace Bishop Ioan Casian, accompanied by the monks from the Diocese - Protos. Maxim Morariu, exarch of the monasteries, Protos. Corneliu Andrașco, the parish priest of the Cathedral of St. George and St. Andrei Șaguna from Windsor and Hieromonk Polycarp, the hegumen of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and St. Ephrem the New Monastery in Mono - and the Nun Ana Bulgariu from the Diocesan Center - paid a pastoral visit to the Dormition of the Mother of God Parish in Timmins, Ontario, one of the oldest parishes within the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada.

Currently, the parish does not have a permanent serving priest, but HG Bishop Ioan Casian, the priests present there and some of the priests from Ontario come here periodically to keep the candle of Orthodoxy burning, to perform the Holy Liturgy and other religious services and to give spiritual assistance to the small community here.

The liturgical program of these days consisted in the celebration of the Holy Liturgy and the Parakleisis of the Mother of God on October 11 and 12. The faithful had the opportunity to venerate the relics of St. Constantin Brâncoveanu, St. Grigore Dascălu, St. Andrei Șaguna and St. Irodion from Lainici brought from the Diocesan Cathedral. Pastoral visits were made to the members of the community who, for health reasons, cannot attend church services.

In the afternoon of October 12, the parish General Assembly took place. During the meeting, the minutes of the last two meetings of 2019 were approved. The report on the pastoral activity of the last part of the year 2022 and 2023 was presented. The financial report for the years 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 was approved. There were discussed the issues the parish faces actually and were made proposals to resolve them and revitalize parish life. Initiatives were also proposed to help spiritually and strengthen the faith of the small Orthodox community here. At the same time, the new members of the Parish Council were elected.

It should be mentioned that, since 2017, the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada has been actively involved in supporting the repair and maintenance works of the church and the parish house, works carried out through the efforts and love of both members from the city of Timmins and a group of priests and believers from the Toronto, Montreal and Hamilton areas. Everyone's effort was also directed towards sustaining the presence of a permanent parish priest.

Currently, the church requires extensive restoration work on the towers and roof. The social hall requires a series of improvements due to damage caused by water and moisture infiltration.

Also during these days, a monastic synaxis took place, during which spiritual, but also administrative aspects of the life and activity of the few monks and nuns who chose to serve the Church and Orthodoxy in these lands were discussed. From the desire to help the parish and the historical community of Timmins, the three priests, with the blessing, support, participation and at the invitation of HG Bishop Ioan Casian, decided to come and serve periodically, to meet the spiritual needs of the parish and to help guide and strengthen the Orthodox community here.

Everyone's hope after the few days spent in the middle of the Orthodox community in Timmins is that these moments will constitute a new beginning for the revival of spiritual life and the salvation of this church dedicated to the Mother of God, one of the oldest founded by the first Romanian generations that arrived on the Canadian lands and where the prayers, love and tears of those who served and lived in it, are found in the spirit of peace and tranquility that reigns here.

All who wish to help and join in this work may do so by the following means:

• Email transfer: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• me/OrthodoxChTimmins
• CEC for St. Mary Orthodox Church Timmins
• CEC for the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada, specifying donation for St. Mary Orthodox Church - Timmins.

(notes by Nun Ana)

[1] Founded by Fr. Gligherie Moraru in the 30s, the parish was shepherded over time by: Hieromonk Teofil Maxim, (1934-1958), Rev. Fr. John Jifcu (1958-2017) and Rev. Fr. Orlando Stelian Geonea (2019-2022).