Two Decades in establishment of a Monastery are very important to notice, not in the growth of the buildings or the growth in number of Monks but in the kind of the proper Monastic life that had been achieved by the Monks.
It is known very well that All of us as Servants of God are supposed to do certain work in our Lives as Monks/Fathers, but we should always keep in mind, that we are completing each other and all are entering into Others’ work, as it was said by our Lord Jesus Christ: “I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors” (John 4:38).
Without any doubts, I am indebted to the hard work that was made (1995—2006) by the first 2 Monks/Fathers: Fr Pavlos Anba Bishoy and Fr Bishoy St Anthony, who came first to establish the Monastic life and they in turn, are also indebted originally, to Fr Tadros El Bakhomy who also laboured tirelessly (1993—1995) in establishing and building the first and main Buildings of the Monastery which are: The Church, the Hall, Four Cells, a Kitchen and a Bathroom. May God bless them All. Amen.
But a Monastery is not measured by how big it is as in area and Buildings and not by how many Monks are there, but mainly by how the Monks/Fathers live in purity, in love, in Christian Virtues, in an ascetic Life and being dead to the World by all means.
I have the honour to have been ordained as a Monk and Priest at the Original Monastery of St Anthony in Egypt and now as a Bishop of St Shenouda Monastery in Sydney. This is not just a mere coincidence, but I considerate it as a message and responsibility from God that we have to pass on; all the beautiful and rich teachings of these great Saints; St Anthony and St Shenouda, to our young Generations and to the Australian Community at large.
We as Monks/Fathers, young and old who live here at St Shenouda Monastery, should be of a good example to All who come and visit us, to convey to them that living with Christ and in the Christian Ethics, is not hard or impossible as others may think, but rather enjoyable and possible. May God bless & keep all the Monks here.
The World today is full of evil things and under the bondage and the deceit of the Devil, conveying the message, that Christian Ethics is an old fashion, out of time and not relevant to the 21st Century, which is completely wrong.
I take this opportunity to thank each and every one who shared and laboured in establishing and building this beautiful Monastery of ours. May our Gracious Lord Jesus Christ bless and reward them All with His love and the Heavenly Rewards. Amen.
Thank You & God bless You All.
Bishop Anba Daniel.
Abbot of St Shenouda Monastery.
Saturday 1/8/2015.
