Holy Theotokos of Mercy Community

A Religious Hermitage
within
The Orthodox-Catholic Church of America

Located in
Three Rivers, MA

The Reverend Hieroschemamonk Barbara (Martzall)
The Reverend Hieromonk Myrella (LeClair)

About Our Jurisdiction

"The clergy of the Orthodox-Catholic Church of America are a diverse group of men and women who have responded to a calling into sacramental ministry in a myriad of settings which include parishes, hospitals, nursing homes, jails and prisons, spirituality centers, monasteries, social centers, home chapels, etc. Our common task is to live within the Great Orthodox Tradition in an American way, praying for one another and ministering the Holy Mysteries to people who find themselves hungry for God and have yet to be welcomed at the Holy Table. We count the beginning of our autocephalous church to be January 1, 1910."
                -- From the Sanctoral Cycle of The Orthodox-Catholic Church of America

About This Community and Our Ministry

We are two canonically ordained priests and professed monks, in the Orthodox monastic tradition, within the Orthodox-Catholic Church of America. The Community is a dependency of the Skete at Crosswood Centre in Auburn, IN. We thus report directly to the Metropolitan of the Orthodox-Catholic Church of America. Each of us hold outside jobs to support ourselves, our ministry, and the Orthodox-Catholic Church of America. Thus we live directly in the world but try to not be of the world.

Do not love the world or the things in the world.
If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world -- is not of the Father but is of the world.
                 -- I John 2:15 - 16

Our ministry is two fold: 1) We have been led to a contemplative ministry (ministry of prayer for the ONE body of CHRIST); 2) teaching spirituality and Orthodox theology.

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;
one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
on God and Father of all, Who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
                 -- Ephesians 4:4 - 6

This ministry includes prayers for spiritual, emotional and physical healing as well as prayers of remembrance and intercession for those who have died. In doing God's work within this world we not only offer prayers but we also provide sacramental visits (when requested) within our area. We welcome your prayer requests. We as monks have also taken on the role of teaching spirituality and orthodox theology.

If you are interested in more information concerning The Orthodox-Catholic Church of America please see the link to the left. You are also welcome to send us an email with your questions concerning our ministry.