View source for Hieromonk James (McLuckie)


[[File:20090722-HieromonkJamesMcLuckie 1.jpg]]

'''Hieromonk James (McLuckie) (1945-2009)'''



==Early life of Douglas McLuckie==

Douglas McLuckie came from a typical Canadian dual-ethnic background.  His maternal great-grandfather and great-grandmother and their children emigrated from [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Ukraine Western Ukraine] in 1890, and they homesteaded in the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beausejour,_Manitoba Beausejour] area of [https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/manitoba Manitoba].  His maternal grandparents were Joseph and Mary Owsianski.  

However, his father, James Cunningham McLuckie, was born in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotland Scotland] ; and as a young boy, he emigrated to [https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/manitoba Canada] with his family in 1929.  He married Violet Muriel Owsianski in 1944.  

Douglas McLuckie was born in 1945 in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trail,_British_Columbia Trail], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Columbia British Columbia], after which his parents moved 32 km (20 mi) to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castlegar,_British_Columbia Castlegar], where he spent his school years, where he graduated from high school, and where his family home remained.  Douglas also had 2 sisters, Dawn and Debora.

==Higher education==

Having received his B.A. in  [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sociology Sociology] with a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy Philosophy] minor from the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_University_of_America Catholic University of America] in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington,_D.C. Washington, DC], Douglas continued his theological studies in that institution.  

He further noted that throughout his formative years due to his [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukrainian_culture Ukrainian heritage], he acquired a continuing and growing interest in [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Orthodox_Church Eastern Orthodoxy], especially in [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Iconography iconography].  He slowly began to write icons.  During his seminary years, James travelled extensively in order to study [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Christian_art_and_architecture Early Christian] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byzantine_art Byzantine art].  

The interest that Douglas showed in Eastern Orthodox iconography was to some extent nurtured by his awareness of the Ukrainian element in his family history.  Moreover, the study of this iconography is closely interwoven with the Orthodox Christian theology that is portrayed in the icons.  

==Reception into the Orthodox Church==

Shortly after receiving the degree [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bachelor_of_Sacred_Theology Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology] (STB) (and after having found the [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Introduction_to_Orthodox_Christianity Orthodox Christian Faith]), Douglas was received into the [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Orthodox_Church Orthodox Christian Church] by [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Chrismation chrismation] in the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antiochian_Orthodox_Christian_Archdiocese_of_North_America Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese] in 1971.  It was at this time that he received the name James.  

James D McLuckie continued his post-graduate studies at [https://orthodoxwiki.org/St._Vladimir%27s_Orthodox_Theological_Seminary_(Crestwood,_New_York) Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary] in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crestwood,_Yonkers Crestwood, New York] until 1973, through the Antiochian Archdiocese.  During those years, he taught in a high school in Washington DC, and he did a considerable amount of voluntary work in Orthodox Christian education at his home parish in  Washington, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington,_D.C. DC].  

==Ordinations, 1977==

James D McLuckie was ordained first to the Holy [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Deacon Diaconate] ; and then he was ordained to the Holy [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Presbyter Priesthood ]by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elias_IV_of_Antioch Patriarch Elias IV] of [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Church_of_Antioch Antioch] on 3 July, 1977.  

==Pastoral service==

The Priest James D McLuckie was assigned to serve as an assistant pastor in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco San Francisco], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California California].  Later on, he founded the [http://www.antiochian.org/parish/35012 Saint John the Evangelist and Theologian Orthodox Church], in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orinda,_California Orinda, California], near [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oakland,_California Oakland].

Father James was transferred into [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Orthodox_Church_in_America The Orthodox Church in America] in 1989.  

In the  same year. he was asked to establish another community, the Saint Innocent Mission community, which later became the [https://oca.org/parishes/oca-we-fresct Church of Saint Christina of Tyre] in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fremont,_California Fremont], California. (In this very spot, [[Saint Innocent (Veniaminov)]] had visited the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_San_José_(California) Mission San José] in 1836, and he had served regular services.)  

He studied the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_language Russian language] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_culture Russian culture] at [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_State_University San Francisco State University] for some years.

Father James was an accomplished iconographer, muralist, and restorer.  He was also 1 of 4 persons who collaborated in producing “[http://horton.com/books/the-icon-book/ The Icon Book]”, a “classic” published by the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese in the 1970s, and which is still in use today.

'''A stroke ; return and transfer to Canada, 1995'''

On 2 July, 1995, Father James suffered a sudden, unexpected massive heart attack, following a surgery.  There were some post-operation complications, which were then followed by a stroke.  Father James returned to [https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/british-columbia British Columbia], where he passed through rehabilitation therapy, and other treatments.  In the following years, despite his physical limitations, he did active volunteer work with recovering addicts and alcoholics in the [https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/prince-george Prince George] area until he moved to [https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/vancouver?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_fGr-dny5wIVx5yzCh0_dQ9qEAAYASAAEgIxivD_BwE Vancouver].

By the time he had moved to Vancouver in 1996, he had also been officially transferred from the [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Diocese_of_the_West_(OCA) Diocese of the West] to the [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Archdiocese_of_Canada Archdiocese of Canada] (on 16 May, 1995).  

He was at first attached to the [[Johnstown ON Saint Silouan the Athonite Orthodox Chapel 1992-2016 |Bishop's Chapel of Saint Silouan the Athonite]] in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnstown,_Ontario Johnstown], [https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/ontario Ontario].  

On 15 June, 2000,  the Priest James McLuckie was attached to [[Vancouver BC Holy Resurrection Russian Orthodox Sobor 1924 |Holy Resurrection Russian Orthodox Sobor]] in Vancouver.  

After the next heart attack in July, 2006, Father James spent a long time at [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Paul's_Hospital_(Vancouver) Saint Paul’s Hospital] in Vancouver.  However, both before the heart attack, and afterwards in the hospital, as an element of his therapy, he attempted to do some iconography, and he made Crosses with a mosaic on the front surface, which he gave to various people.  All this was extremely difficult to do with one hand alone.  From October, 2006, until 2008, he lived in the [http://www.haropark.org Haro Park Centre] (a home for the elderly) on Haro Street, Vancouver, until January, 2009.  He was then transferred to a retirement home in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamloops Kamloops], which was nearer to his family.  

On 8 April, 2007, Father James McLuckie was elevated to the dignity of [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Archpriest archpriest].  

==Monastic tonsure, 2007==

Not long after this, at his own request, the Priest James McLuckie was [https://orthochristian.com/101607.html tonsured] by [[Archbishop Seraphim (Storheim) |Bishop Seraphim (Storheim)]] to be a [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Monk monk].  He was given the name James (after a different saint).  

In July, 2009, the health of Father James began to deteriorate noticeably, and both his family and the clergy were informed of this development.

==Repose, 2009==

On 22 July, 2009, the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hieromonk Hieromonk] James (McLuckie) fell asleep in the Lord at the age of 64.  

A week before his repose in Christ, the [[Mitred Archpriest Michael and Matushka Elena Fourik |Archpriest Michael Fourik]], rector of Holy Resurrection Sobor, had visited Father James in hospital in Kamloops for 2 days.  During this time, Father James had received the Sacraments of [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Confession Confession], [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Holy_Unction Holy Unction] and [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Eucharist Holy Communion].  He also had an opportunity to talk to [[Archbishop Seraphim (Storheim) |Vladyka Seraphim]], to [[Archpriest Andrey and Matushka Henriette Somow |Father Andrey Somow]], and to Raisa Kolesnikoff by phone (thanks to Father Michael's assistance). 

The Funeral Service for Father James, with the Rite of Burial of a Priest, was served on 23 July, 2009, at the local funeral home in Kamloops by the Archpriest Michael Fourik and the [http://uocc.ca/en-ca/parishes/clergydetails.asp?ClergyID=71 Priest Mykhaylo Pozdyk] of the [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Ukrainian_Orthodox_Church_of_Canada Ukrainian Orthodox Church] in Kamloops.  Matushka Elena Fourik sang the responses.  

The family of Father James invited everyone to a memorial dinner at the close of the services.  


[[File:Grave Marker Father James McLuckie 2.png]]  '''Grave-marker'''


==Reflections==

The Hieromonk James (McLuckie) was a serious Orthodox Christian, the fruit of whose missionary labours remain until the present.  

It was he only amongst his family members who had embraced the Orthodox Christian Faith.  

There are many persons and parish Temples which retain the fruits of his gift for iconography.

Father James was  a loving pastor by nature, and people responded to his Christian love in a constructive way.  This relationship was very evident during the time he spent at Holy Resurrection Sobor in Vancouver, British Columbia.  He had to have help in order to vest when he arrived at the Temple in order to concelebrate the Divine Liturgy with the main priest who would be serving, and he would need this help also to unvest.  He laboured to descend the stairs to the hall afterwards for the regular post-Liturgy meal, and he had many warm conversations with parishioners at such times.  Parishioners also invited him to participate in private meals that marked important moments in the lives of families.  He was a meek, kind, generous person.  

==Reference==

[http://www.holyres.org/en/?p=747 Original article, parish web-site]


'''Additional information :'''

“The Icon Book – A Study of the Liturgical Art of the Orthodox Church for Children and Adults” by Fathers James McLuckie & Basil Essey (Englewood, NJ : Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese, 1981). ASIN : B00NRELO74. 

[[Vancouver BC Holy Resurrection Russian Orthodox Sobor 1924 |Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church in Vancouver, British Columbia]]  

[http://www.holyres.org/en/?p=911 Parish site : birthday visit 2006]

[http://www.holyres.org/en/?p=743 Message to Holy Resurrection parishioners from Kamloops, 2009]

[http://www.archdiocese.ca/content/mcluckie-hieromonk-james Archdiocese obituary]

[https://oca.org/news/archived/in-memoriam-priestmonk-james-mcluckie OCA obituary]

[https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/193907639/james-d_-mcluckie Findagrave reference for Father James Douglas McLuckie]   

[https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/193798125/james-cunningham-mcluckie Findagrave reference for James Cunningham McLuckie]  

[https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/kamloopsthisweek/obituary.aspx?n=violet-muriel-mcluckie&pid=188570555 Legacy.com obituary for Violet Muriel McLuckie]  

[https://www.castlegarnews.com/obituaries/james-cunningham-mcluckie/ Castlegar News obiturary for James Cunningham McLuckie]  

[https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/193798165/violet-mcluckie Findagrave reference for Violet Muriel McLuckie]

[https://www.orthodoxredeemer.org/history Antiochian Orthodox Church of the Redeemer 1986-7 in Los Altos Hills, California]   

[http://stjohnorinda.org/content.php?id=55 Saint John the Evangelist and Theologian Orthodox Church in Orinda, California  (history)]  

[https://www.oca.org/parishes/oca-we-fresct Saint Christina of Tyre Orthodox Church in Fremont, California]   

[https://orthodoxwiki.org/Orthodox_Church_in_America The Orthodox Church in America]   

[https://orthodoxwiki.org/Antiochian_Orthodox_Christian_Archdiocese_of_North_America The Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America]   

[[Archbishop Irénée (Rochon)]]

[https://orthodoxwiki.org/Archdiocese_of_Canada Archdiocese of Canada]   

[https://orthodoxwiki.org/Orthodox_Church_in_America Orthodox Church in America]   

[https://orthodoxwiki.org/Monasticism Monasticism]   









[[Category:Clergy]] [[Category:Monastics]] [[Category:British Columbia & Yukon]] [[Category:AOCA]] [[Category:ADOCA]] [[Category:OCA]]