Alumni E-News from St Vladimir's Seminary
June 2004
Volume 4, No. 7

Dear Friends,

We pray that your summer is going well and that is a time for rest and renewal.  Let me update you on some of the events of the last month.  Before I do, however, I am happy to notify you that Fr Paul, after being hospitalized for one month for complications following knee replacement surgery, returned home on Saturday, June 26.  Although he still needs antibiotics administered daily through a porta-cath for the next four to six weeks, he is doing much better.  This gives us a great deal of relief since we have missed his presence in the chapel and in the daily administrative responsibilities he performs so competently.   Please continue to keep him in your prayers.

SEMINARY CLERGY ATTEND OCA CONFERENCE AT ST TIKHON’S

Frs John Behr, Timothy Blumentritt, and Steven Belonick attended the Pastoral Ministries Conference from June 2-4 at St Tikhon’s Seminary.  The conference featured a number of seminary graduates including, Protopresbyter Daniel Hubiak, Very Rev Alexander Garklavs, who chairs the Pastoral Ministry Department (OCA), Very Rev Andrew Morbey, and Rev John Hopko. 

FACULTY MEETS TO DISCUSS "THE GOOD PASTOR"

From June 8-10, the seminary faculty and invitees met to initiate a study of a topic of monumental importance for the future training of pastors.  The study, entitled “The Good Pastor,” was one of many clear initiatives of the seminary’s Strategic Plan 2010.  For more information, please visit:
http://www.svots.edu/Press-Releases/2004-0611-good-pastor-retreat/index.html

LITURGICAL INSTITUTE AND YOUTH INSTITUTE HELD

The Liturgical Institute drew over seventy participants from around the country to discuss the theme: “Does Christian Marriage Have A Future.”  Very Rev John Breck delivered the keynote address.  Members of the faculty presented papers on the theme.  His Grace, Bishop Tikhon of South Canaan (OCA) was present on Wednesday and Thursday and presided at the Vigil and the festal Liturgy for the Nativity of St John the Baptist.  The Youth Institute was held concurrently.  The high school juniors attended many of the lectures and discussions.  Their week included a trip to the Chancery of the Orthodox Church in America, St Paul’s Greek Orthodox Church in Hempstead, NY, and Holy Trinity Church (OCA) in Brooklyn, NY.  They also visited the Metropolitan Museum to view the Byzantine Exhibit.  Fr Alexander Rentel, Assistant Professor of Church History and Canon Law, accompanied the group and provided a lively commentary during the tour.

Visit the seminary website for the news release:
http://www.svots.edu/Press-Releases/2004-0627-summer-institute/index.html.

For information how to purchase recorded lectures, visit:
http://secure.svspress.com/product_info.php?products_id=2010

SEMINARY STAFF HONORS BARBARA DRILLOCK

Members of the seminary staff honored Barbara Drillock on Monday, June 28 at a luncheon in her honor at a local restaurant.  Barbara has worked for the seminary since 1963 and is retiring with her husband, David this July.  Dean Erickson and Ted Basil remembered her long and dedicated service to the seminary, often without any fanfare.

ALUMNI NEWS

Thomas Dykstra (’88) received his Ph.D from the University of Washington in June 2004.  The title of his dissertation was “ ‘Josephism’ Reconsidered: The Monks of the Iosifo-Volokolamsk Monastery, 1479-1607.”

Larissa Volokhonsky , an unclassified student during the early 1980’s, and her husband Richard Peaver have made major publishing news with their newest translation of Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina.  While the book was first published 126 years ago, the Penguin edition, specifically chosen by Oprah as her latest book club pick, is a new translation published in 2001. The publisher had been selling between 10,000 and 15,000 copies of the award-winning translation each year, pre-Oprah; Penguin’s current in-print total is 961,030.  The translators will do a radio satellite tour, and Oprah will air 14 promos throughout the summer to keep the interest high.  On May 31, the book ranked 26,206 on Amazon.com; by the end of the day, after being broadcast on Oprah as her classic pick, it was #1.

Very Rev. Paul R. Ziatyk ('64), pastor of St John's Orthodox Church, (OCA), New Kensington, Pa. was honored recently on the occasion of the 40th Anniversary of his  ordination to the Holy Priesthood with a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, concelebrated by the Most Blessed Theodosius, retired Archbishop of Washington and Metropolitan of All America and Canada, and His Eminence, the Most Reverend Kirill, Archbishop of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania and the Bulgarian Diocese.  Prior to coming to New Kensington, Fr Paul served as pastor of the Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church in Denver, Colorado. Congratulations!

FACULTY NEWS

John Barnett, Associate Professor of New Testament, was a conference speaker at St Gregory of Dapev Institute, an Armenian Orthodox Camp for youth in Elverson, PA.  Professor Barnett spoke to teens about reading the Gospel of Luke, using, in particular, the Parable of the Good Samaritan and the story of Martha and Mary as his guide; to the clergy about preaching the Gospel of Luke; and to the General Assembly on the topic “Creationism and Evolution – What does the Bible Say?”

Rev John Behr, Professor of Patristics, was the keynote speaker at the Celebration of Orthodoxy Festival on June 12 at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Bridgeport, CT. His keynote was entitled "Challenging our Past".

Veselin Kesich, Professor of New Testament, Emeritus, recently traveled to Belgrade with his wife, Lydia.  To read a description of his travels in his own words and to view a photo, please visit the seminary website at: http://www.svots.edu/Faculty/Veselin-Kesich/articles/belgrade-travelog.html

Protopresbyter Thomas Hopko, Dean Emeritus, will be the speaker at the Antiochian Parish Life Conference at St Luke Church, Garden Grove, CA from July 2-4, 2004.

Dr Paul Meyendorff, Fr Alexander Schmemann Professor of Liturgical Theology, participated in the semi-annual meeting of the Orthodox Catholic Theological Consultation held at Holy Cross School of Theology in Brookline, MA, June 1-3. Participants reviewed the reception of the agreed statement on the Filioque (published in the most recent issue of the St Vladimir's Theological Quarterly), and began discussions focusing on Petrine primacy. On June 22-27, he traveled to Paderborn, Germany, for the initial meeting of an unofficial Orthodox-Catholic group whose aim is to revive the international dialogue and to further Orthodox-Catholic relations.

Dr Albert Rossi, Adjunct Professor of Pastoral Theology at St Vladimir’s Seminary, was recently invited to join the ranks of Come Receive the Light Orthodox radio program as a regular commentator. His new segment, “Living as an Orthodox Christian Today,” will be broadcast on a regular basis.  To read more about Dr Rossi’s new segment, visit http://www.receive.org/index.php?menu=3&submenu=65&id=5.

Very Rev Paul Tarazi, Professor of Old Testament, is currently in Australia to lecture at a biblical conference and a conference of theological schools.  He will travel to Lebanon and Syria in the month of August to deliver a number of talks to the respective archdioceses in those countries.  For a description of his travels and talks, please visit the seminary’s website at: http://www.svots.edu/Events/faculty-speaking.html.

IN MEMORIUM

Ralph Geeza, one of the founders of St Vladimir’s Theological Foundation, fell asleep in the Lord on June 22, 2004.  The SVS Theological Foundation provided financial support to the seminary from 1968 to1993.  Ralph served as one of its directors for twenty-two years, and as its president from 1984-1991.  He is survived by his sons, Ralph Jr (SVS ‘91) and Michael, and four grandchildren.  May his memory be eternal.

ALUMNI GATHERING

Date: July 17, 2004
Location: Fort Worth, TX
Host: Fr Basil Zebrun, St Barbara Church
Faculty/Staff: Fr Steven Belonick

Date: July 20, 2004
Location: Saskatoon, SK
Host: Laurie Rodger, Dianne Storheim
Faculty/Staff: Deacon Kevin Smith

CLASS REUNION

ALUMNI CLASS REUNION

SCHEDULE

October 10-12, 2004