Sermon by Metropolitan Archbishop Paul during Pontifical Divine Liturgy, 8th April 2000, at Eastern Orthodox Church of the Theophany, Mayfield West, Newcastle, Australia

It almost appears that we Orthodox try to keep our church secret. We keep the old languages that the young do not understand.

I say to the grandmothers when they ask me to speak with them “you should be helping me to help your grandchildren to know and understand their faith, your faith.”

We have to get out of our very close circle. God sent us to the western world for a purpose. Behind God’s plan there is a reason. We are sent to fill a vacuum, to fill an emptiness, to preach His Word and make disciples.

Many think immigration is running away from poverty and oppression. But that is on the surface. If we keep the young away from responsibility, how are they going to learn? We must not be a church with a secular company mentality, where the old hold on to power for as long as possible.

In Australia especially the Orthodox church has failed to seek salvation for the young. Here we are much behind.

Ours is a living religion : to live our faith in our everyday life. That is why we are here. We experience the wisdom and love of God in the liturgy here in church and then we must go out and live the wisdom and love of God in all that we do outside the church.

This is our liturgy after the liturgy. This is why we are orthodox.