Priest Matti Veli Juhani Wallgren, graduate of St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary (M.Div. 2003) and currently rector of Vaasa Orthodox Church, Diocese of Oulu, Finland, has been elected as the new Metropolitan of the Diocese of Oulu. He will succeed His Eminence Archbishop Panteleimon (Sarho), now retired, as metropolitan.

Father Matti was ordained to the priesthood September 1, 2003, in Jyvaskyla, Finland.  He served as second priest for two and a half years in central Finland and eight and a half years as a Dean of the Cathedral in Vaasa, western Finland.

Archpriests John Behr and Chad Hatfield, dean and chancellor/CEO of the seminary respectively, both expressed their sincere congratulations to Fr. Matti upon his election. "Our close relationship with the Church in Finland is longstanding and we look forward to even closer ties with the Finnish Church through Metropolitan Matti," said Fr. Chad.

Father  Matti will be consecrated as bishop and assume the duties of the Metropolitan of Oulu on January 11, 2015, at Oulu's Holy Trinity Cathedral. 

The Orthodox Church in Finland is an autonomous Church belonging to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and is made up of three dioceses: Karelia, Helsinki, and Oulu. Oulu, the smallest diocese among the three, was established in 1980. It includes five parishes made up of nearly 10,000 members.

Within the entire Orthodox Church of Finland, there are 24 parishes with 140 priests and more than 58,000 members. A convent and a monastery also operate within the church.

Alumnus priest The Very Rev. Thomas Soroka recently led his community, St. Nicholas Orthodox Church of McKees Rocks, PA, in a joyful centennial anniversary celebration. An article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette by reporter Mackenzie Carpenter notes that SVOTS alumnus The Most Rev. Melchisedek (Pleska), archbishop of  Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania for the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), was also present to preside at the services commemorating the parish's 100 years of ministry.

"There are dozens of Orthodox churches in and around Pittsburgh, in varying states of health," wrote Carpenter. "But St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in McKees Rocks — under the leadership of a priest with a background in corporate management training and a knack for social media — has seen its parish grow larger and younger even as the community around it declines in numbers."

Read the story in the Post-Gazette.

One hundred and three clergy and lay delegates representing parishes throughout the Orthodox Church in America's Diocese of the Midwest gathered at Archangel Michael Church in Broadview Heights, OH, on Tuesday, October 7, 2014, for a special Assembly at which SVOTS alumnus The Very Rev. Paul Gassios was nominated to fill the vacant See of Chicago and the Midwest.

Father Paul's name will be forwarded to the Holy Synod of Bishops for canonical election.
 
His Grace Bishop Alexander of Toledo, Locum Tenens, opened the Assembly immediately after the celebration of the Divine Liturgy.
 
For several months, Fr. Paul has served as Administrator of the Diocese of the Midwest.
 
Raised in a Greek Orthodox family, Fr. Paul became a member of the Orthodox Church in America in the mid-1980s.  He received a Master of Social Work degree from Wayne State University and was awarded the Master of Divinity degree from Saint Vladimir's Seminary in 1994.  After his ordination, he served in the Diocese of the Midwest as rector of Saint Thomas the Apostle Church, Kokomo, IN for 11 years and as rector of Archangel Michael Church, St. Louis, MO, for an additional seven months.  In 2007, he was transferred to the OCA's Bulgarian Diocese and assigned Dean of Saint George Cathedral, Rossford [Toledo], OH.

St. Vladimir’s alumnus Archpriest Chaplain Carl Jerome Cwiklinski, CPT CHC USN (SVOTS 1986), was honored upon his retirement from 42 years of distinguished military service. The ceremony took place at Camp Pendleton, CA on Friday, September 18, 2014. His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon and ten SVOTS alumni, including Director of Alumni Relations Protodeacon Joseph Matusiak, were on hand to congratulate him and participate in the celebration of his remarkable career.

The Metropolitan also offered a Service of Thanksgiving in the Camp’s St. John the Forerunner Chapel, assisted by Fr. Jerome.  In 2012 Fr. Jerome and the faithful of the Chapel established a scholarship fund for seminarians pursuing vocations in the Navy chaplaincy. (Donate to SVOTS students and scholarships online.)

Concelebrating were Fr. David Hostetler LT, CHC, USN, Camp Pendleton [Greek Archdiocese]; Fr. Alexander Federoff; Fr. Andrew Cuneo; and Protodeacon Joseph.  Clergy from the Moscow Patriarchate, the Greek and Antiochian Archdioceses, and the Serbian Diocese also, together with Matushka Wendy Cwiklinski (SVOTS 1984), their five children, and many St. John the Forerunner Chapel faithful also were present to honor Fr. Jerome.

Metropolitan Tikhon presented Fr. Jerome and Matushka Wendy with the Order of St. Innocent, Silver Class, and a Synodal Gramota.

The US Navy’s Chief of Chaplains Admiral Kibben conducted the retirement ceremony in the presence of Metropolitan Tikhon and the clergy and faithful and numerous Generals and retired Generals.  Father Jerome was presented with a letter of thanks from President and Mrs. Barack Obama.

“I have to pay tribute to those on whose shoulders I stand, who came before me,” said Fr. Jerome, who addressed the gathering while thanking his devoted family.  “It is because of their sacrifices that I am where I am today.  Among them were the late Bishop Boris Geeza, a predecessor of mine who, after retiring from the Navy, became Bishop of Chicago—it is his chapel here whose legacy I inherited—and Metropolitan Tikhon, my endorser.

“It’s been a privilege to serve with you,” Fr. Jerome continued, thanking his fellow chaplains. “We learn from one another and carry each other’s burdens. We care for one another’s flock as we are allowed to, and if I would impart any advice to current and future chaplains, it would come from my time as an enlisted Marine having empathy with sailors and guardians. In many situations, you will see those people invested with great responsibility, and it is important that we as chaplains, often having come to the service later in life, trust them, not despise their youth, and exploit their zeal that they can output. They are the ones who do the heavy lifting. They are the ones who stand in harm’s way. You can rely on them. Please do!

“And finally, I want to share one of the many blessings I received during my time,” Fr. Jerome concluded. Often, while on my way to Iraq or Afghanistan, I stopped in Landstuhl Medical Center in Germany to visit those in higher level care. When we evacuate people from Iraq and Afghanistan, it is there that they receive treatment. A few years ago, I was there visiting soldiers from Georgia. I came into the room and declared, in Georgian, ‘Christ is Risen!’ And the one soldier being cared for there stood up and responded, ‘Indeed, He is risen’ and made the sign of the cross. The thing is, this soldier had no legs. They had been amputated at the knees, and this soldier’s right arm had been amputated at the elbow, but with his phantom hand he traced the sign of the cross over his body. These are the blessings of serving as a chaplain. And these are the blessings to which I am thankful to God.”

A native of Buffalo, NY, Fr. Jerome joined the US Marine Corps immediately after his 1972 graduation from high school. As a Marine, he served in infantry, reconnaissance, embassy security and, after commissioning, administration. He deployed to the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, and was stationed in Europe as well as the Far East. He was released from active duty in 1982 to pursue his vocation to the Orthodox Christian priesthood.

Commissioned in the US Naval Reserve Theological Student Program (Chaplain Candidate) while in seminary, he attended the Naval Chaplains School at Newport, RI, in 1984. He was ordained to the diaconate and priesthood by His Beatitude Metropolitan Theodosius in 1985, reentering active duty the following year. As a Naval Chaplain, he has served five tours with the Marines, two with the Coast Guard, and two with the Navy.

After his ordination, Fr. Jerome served the US Military Academy, West Point, NY, until his return to active duty. While assigned to the Chief of Chaplains Office, he provided weekly liturgical services at the US Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD. While with the Coast Guard in Alaska, he volunteered as priest-in-charge of Saint Nicholas Church, Juneau, from which he established a mission for Bosnian Serb refugees in nearby Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada. He was attached to St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church, Newport, RI, during War College and, most recently, to Our Lady of Iveron Russian Orthodox Church, Honolulu, HI. He enjoyed a long tenure as pastor of St. John the Forerunner Chapel, Camp Pendleton, CA, from 1986 to 1988, and again from 1999 until 2013.

After the fall of communism, Fr. Jerome participated in early efforts to help reestablish chaplaincies in the former Eastern Bloc.  In 1992, he participated in combined exercises with the Russian Northern Fleet and celebrated Orthodox services on their base near Murmansk. He later made significant inroads with the Russian Naval Border Guard in its exchanges with the US Coast Guard in Alaska. He provided liturgical services to the forces of Bulgaria, Romania, Estonia, Ukraine, and the Republic of Georgia deployed in the Global War on Terrorism. He also kept to an ambitious circuit to serve Orthodox Christian faithful among our own forces. His wartime service includes the liberation of Iraq, the battle for Fallujah, and support of several campaigns in Afghanistan.

In Alaska, Fr. Jerome's official military travel to cutters and stations throughout the state allowed him access to Orthodox villages long without priests. He helped organize humanitarian missions to these remote communities and helped bridge the gap between cultures. These efforts aided government reconciliation with native communities harmed during the Aleutian campaign of World War II and incidents that occurred in the 19th century.

Father Jerome served as Force (Corps-level) Chaplain for I Marine Expeditionary Force and, at the next higher echelon, as senior Marine component Chaplain for Central Command, Pacific Command, and Korea, as well as senior Coast Guard Chaplain for the Pacific. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology (Magna cum Laude) from the University of Maryland, University College (1983); a Master of Divinity (cum Laude) from St. Vladimir’s (1986); and a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies/Foreign Affairs from the Naval War College, Newport, RI (1999).

His military awards include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal (4), the Defense Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Coast Guard Commendation Medal, and several unit citations and campaign medals. He is the recipient of several ecclesiastical awards, including the rank of Archpriest, the Cross of St. Herman, and the jeweled cross.

Father Jerome and his wife, the former Wendy Michelle Pricket of Vicksburg, MS, married in 1984 and have five children—Sophia, Anastasia, George, Theodora, and Tatiana. He is third generation Navy and the first of two generations of Marines.

• For information on giving to the scholarship, visit Give to a Student.
• Read about "For God and Country: Orthodox Education Day, 2011, honoring Fr. Jerome and other military chaplains.

Alumna Dr. Tamara Grdzelidze was recently appointed as the new Georgian Ambassador to the Vatican. The following report is posted with the permission of the World Council of Churches.

Dr. Tamara Grdzelidze, an Orthodox theologian and former staff member of the World Council of Churches (WCC), has been received as the nation of Georgia's new ambassador to the Holy See, presenting her credentials to Pope Francis at the Vatican this September.

From January 2001 through December 2013, Grdzelidze served in Geneva, Switzerland, as a programme executive for the WCC Commission on Faith and Order, which coordinates dialogue among Christian leaders on matters related to theology, doctrine and the nature of the church.

Among the gifts she presented to Pope Francis was a copy of the book A Cloud of Witnesses: Opportunities for Ecumenical Commemoration, a WCC publication which she co-edited in 2009 with Brother Guido Dotti of the Roman Catholic Church.

Grdzelidze is a graduate of Tbilisi University in Georgia, St. Vladimir's Theological Seminary in the United States, and Oxford University in the United Kingdom. She describes her experience of inter-church and inter-cultural dialogue while at the WCC as "a school of international relations" in itself.

Her ambassadorial appointment was made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia.

Grdzelidze explains, "The main task of the embassy is to represent the state in its fullness, especially regarding Georgia's unique Christian heritage and culture. Georgia's most ambitious task is to become a full member of the European family to which it belongs culturally and in many ways historically."

Fifty years after the opening of the Second Vatican Council, Grdzelidze continues to harbour a belief in "real possibilities for more visible unity among Christians," she says, despite evidence all around that ours has become a "less enthusiastic and hopeful world."

Pondering today's challenges to peace among nations and visible unity within the Christian church, Grdzelidze concludes that "what we know for sure is that the gospel message of Jesus Christ, teaching us to love God and our neighbour, is still with us, and we are to interpret the message to the best of our ability."

SVOTS alumnus Fr. Joshua Lollar (2006) and faithful recently took yet another step toward the establishment of a “permanent home” for St. Nicholas Mission in Lawrence, KS.

“We are in the process of remodeling a bungalow on its property for use as a chapel, while plans are made and funds are raised to build a temple,” said Fr. Joshua.  “All interior walls have been ripped out and a support beam has been installed to open up the space for liturgical use.  The community continues to clean up the surrounding property and is excited to begin the process of planting fruit trees for the establishment of a small orchard.”

The community welcomed two converts into the life of the Church in August and continues to pursue a variety of ministries, made possible in part due to funding it receives through the Orthodox Church in America’s Planting Grant program.

“Recently, the Orthodox Christian Fellowship at KU participated in a work project with the OCF chapter from Omaha, NE, at Kansas City’s Reconciliation Services,” Fr. Joshua added.  “The Omaha OCF is led by Fr. Alexander Lukashonok of All Holy Spirit Greek Orthodox Church in Omaha.  Students helped clean out the basement of the building used by the ministry and had time to speak with Reconciliation staff members about ministry in the inner city.”

A number of KU students remained in Lawrence during the summer, so the OCF continued to gather weekly with Fr. Joshua for prayer, fellowship, and discussion of the book, Precious Vessels of the Holy Spirit.” The group also braved the summer heat for a Kansas City Royals baseball game in July,” Fr. Joshua chuckled.

This fall, Fr. Joshua will be teaching his course on Western Religions again in KU’s Religious Studies department.  He also will be traveling to Berlin, Germany in September 2014 to participate in an international conference on the philosophy of Saint Maximus the Confessor, at which he will deliver a paper on Saint Maximus’s understanding of the consciousness of time.  His paper on the contemplation of nature in the Greek fathers has been accepted for inclusion in a volume dedicated to the 500th Anniversary of the repose of Saint Iosif Volotsky, which will be published by the Association for the Study of Eastern Christianity.

"Thanks be to God, things at our mission—the Nativity of the Lord in Shreveport—are moving along at a steady pace," reported SVOTS alumnus Fr. Jason Foster recently. "Over the last six months, we have welcomed 12 new members into the Church via baptism or chrismation, and we have another 11 catechumens and three enquirers."

The Nativity of the Lord Mission is one of several that currently receives funding through the Orthodox Church in America's Church Planting Grant Program. The mission's growth, however, has not been without its challenges, each of which can be seen as a "good thing!"

"On the first Sunday of August, we had 83 people in attendance at the Divine Liturgy," Fr. Jason said. "With so many people packed into 600 square feet of space in the credit union facility in which we meet, one young visiting couple left shortly after they had arrived, no doubt due to crowding issues! This made us revisit our short and mid-range building plans!"

Due to the time and expense involved in construction programs, Fr. Jason and his parishioners are considering other alternatives regarding "sacred space."

"The possibility of moving to a new location is appealing, but everyone is most excited about being able to experience a fuller liturgical life," he said. "Sometimes challenges are positive indeed!"

Mission members are equally thankful that their relationship with the nuns at the Nativity of the Lord Monastery, Kemp, TX continues to deepen.

"During Great Lent, at the invitation of Mother Barbara, Matushka Ashley led our ladies and others in a retreat titled 'Lent: Running the Good Race,'" Fr. Jason added. "Over the summer, our men made two work trips to help with the building of the monastery's new retreat center. And, not to be left out, our children raised $600.00 during their 'Great Physician' pan-Orthodox Vacation Bible School in June and donated the funds to the project. We also enjoyed a visit from the nuns as they joined us for the celebration of the Great Feast of Pentecost."

With the blessings of His Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Denver and His Eminence Archbishop Nikon, OCA, the mission joined with St. George Greek Orthodox Church for the celebration of Holy Week and Pascha.

"It was a wonderful and beautiful time together as we observed a full week of services in their newly renovated temple," commented Fr. Jason, who presided at the services. "Maintaining strong relationships with the neighboring Greek and Antiochian parishes assists us—and them—in carrying out the Great Commission."

Father Jason insists that incorporating various events throughout the year helps strengthen fellowship and friendships."This year, we held our third annual Annunciation Celebration on March 25," he added. "After the Divine Liturgy—in true Louisiana fashion—we enjoyed a crawfish boil, fish fry, fun and games. This is one of the largest events during the year. And in June, we gathered in the woods of Arcadia for a day of prayer, fishing, food and fellowship."

Ministering to children and youth is also central to the mission's life and growth.

"Our youth enjoyed an event-filled summer complete with an overnight retreat that included Bible studies, prayer and a lot of outdoor activities," Fr. Jason said, adding that "as we prepare to end our third and final year on the OCA Church Planting Grant, our hearts are full of joy. Each month, without fail, a check from the OCA arrives, which we place in the offering plate to offer back to God with thanksgiving."

Father Jason enthusiastically anticipates the mission's immediate future.

"My pastoral prayer has always been that the money invested in us by the OCA would produce good fruit in God's vineyard here in Shreveport/Bossier," he said. "Thanks be to God, our 'storehouse' is getting full, and there is no doubt that our Lord has blessed our mission through the OCA Planting Grant. Now, as a mature and stable community, we are called to continue the work of the Gospel."

Seminary Alumnus The Rev. Bohdan Danylo (SVOTS '98) was recently elected as Bishop for the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of St. Josaphat, Parma, OH, an Eastern Catholic communion. Pope Francis appointed the bishop-elect, who is a member of the clergy of the Eparchy of Stamford and the present rector of Saint Basil Seminary.

Father Bohdan Danylo was born on May 22, 1971 in Giżycko, in the province of Suwalki in Poland. After studying philosophy in Lublin, he moved to the United States where he received theological education at the Catholic University of America in Washington D.C. and was ordained a priest for the Eparchy of Stamford on October 1, 1996. 

After a year of service as curate in the parish of St. Michael's Ukrainian Catholic Church in Hartford, CT, he was appointed Vice Rector of the Seminary of St. Basil the Great in nearby Stamford. He continued his studies at St. Vladimir's, and then at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, where in 2005 he obtained his Licentiate in Theology. After returning to the U.S., he served as the Rector of the same Stamford seminary, where he is also the eparchial vocations director. The bishop-elect speaks English, Ukrainian, Polish and Russian.

The Hierarchical Liturgy with the Rite of Ordination and Installation of Fr. Bohdan will be held on Tuesday, November 4,2014, at St. Josaphat Cathedral in Parma, OH. The entire community at St. Vladimir's Seminary wishes Fr. Bohdan many years of good health as he begins his Episcopal Ministry!

On August 7-8, 2014, the Diocese of the Midwest, Orthodox Church in America (OCA), held its first ever "St. Macrina Orthodox Institute Catechist and Diaconal Vocations Conference." SVOTS alumni led several sessions at the conference, attended by 43 students and held at St. Andrew's House, a pan-Orthodox center in Detroit, Michigan.

"The Institute provides an excellent opportunity for those interested in theological education, or contemplating a vocation in ordained ministry, to get their feet wet. It also provides a wonderful opportunity for our alumni to teach," noted Protodeacon Joseph Matusiak, director of Admissions and Alumni Relations at St. Vladimir's and one of the instructors.

His Grace Bishop Alexander [Golitzin] (SVOTS '73), locum tenens of the Diocese of the Midwest, and The Rev. Paul Gassios (SVOTS '94), diocesan administrator, presented lectures. Paul Saieg (SVOTS '13) and Tracy Gustilo (SVOTS '14) led workshops.

Students also took opportunities to meet with Bishop Alexander and Vocations Director, Fr. Elijah Mueller (SVOTS '98). Presentations on Orthodox spirituality rounded out the program.

The Catechist & Diaconal Vocations Program seeks to help local parishes and deaneries within the Midwest Diocese to set up high-quality, rigorous continuing education programs to train men and women to assist in parish and deanery ministries. Program courses include, among others, Old and New Testament Studies, Church History, Patristics, Dogmatic Theology, Ethics, and Liturgical Practice.

The Website for the Orthodox Church in America, Oca.org,  published a story on July 29, 2014 about St. Athanasius Orthodox Church, with rector Fr. Justin Patterson (SVOTS '05).

On Sunday, July 27, 2014, the faithful of St. Athanasius Church here worshipped for the first time in their new church building.

Over 120 people were present at the final Liturgy in the parish's storefront, for the procession (by car) to the new church after the Liturgy, and for the opening of the doors of the church with a Service of Thanksgiving marking the long journey that led to this day. The move into the new church is but the most recent step in the 12-year history of this community.

Saint Athanasius community was founded in 2002 as a mission of the OCA Diocese of the South. On the Great Feast of the Meeting of the Lord, about 25 souls were received into the canonical Church from the Evangelical Orthodox Church. With the granting of both the national and diocesan church planting grants, our first pastor, Fr. David Rucker, was able to devote himself to full-time parish ministry, and the parish grew rapidly.

Saint Athanasius graduated from the church planting grants in 2006, the same year Archbishop Dmitri of blessed memory appointed a new rector, Fr. Justin Patterson, to serve the community.

In 2012, the parish purchased its current property, using the sale of another property to quickly pay down the mortgage and launch a capital campaign. The parish family of St. Athanasius, comprised of about 60 families, raised over $400,000.00 in the past three years. In the fall of 2013, the parish body approved plans and received the blessing of Archbishop Nikon to break ground on the new $974,000.00 "Phase One" project.

Space has been set aside on our parish campus for future phases of construction, which will include a large traditional temple and additional office and educational space.

The building committee has worked diligently to stay within budget for this project and, as of this publication, is on track to meet that budget, as the project wraps up. Saint Athanasius will host a fall open house for local community friends. Archbishop Nikon has offered to preside at St. Athanasius' formal Dedication, slated to be held in early February 2015 in conjunction with the celebration of the parish's 13th Anniversary.

The parish expresses its gratitude Archbishop Nikon for his support during this project, as well as to the OCA and the Diocese of the South for the support St. Athanasius received, particularly during its formative years. The parish family looks forward to supporting the institutions that have made the growth of Orthodoxy in Kentucky possible!