Alumni E-News from St Vladimir's Seminary
May 2005
Volume 5, No. 5

Dear Friends,

Amazingly, the school year has come to a close. It culminated in commencement exercises on Saturday, May 21 when 29 graduates were acknowledged. A number of the graduating class will be assigned to parishes while others have been accepted to prestigious institutions for further study.  The day began with Liturgy at which Metropolitan Herman presided.  Serving with him were sixteen clergy. At the commencement exercises Metropolitan Herman was joined by His Grace, Bishop Dimitrios of Xanthos (GOA), and His Eminence Zachariah Mor Nicholovous, Assistant Metropolitan of the American Indian Diocese of the Indian Orthodox Church.  A highlight of commencement was the address delivered by Dean Triantafilou, Executive Director of International Orthodox Christian Charity (IOCC), who based his remarks on the truth that to love God is to love people. The day was wonderful in every way, and we are grateful to God for guiding our footsteps throughout the entire year.  Visit:  http://www.svots.edu/Press-Releases/2005-0524-post-commencement/index.html.

Let me share with you some of the events and news, which took place over the last month.

REV HARRY PAPPAS TO JOIN SEMINARY FACULTY

The seminary is delighted to announce that Fr Harry Pappas will join the seminary faculty as professor of Pastoral Theology in the fall of 2006.  For the past ten years, Fr Pappas has been pastor of St Mary’s Church (GOA), Minneapolis, MN.  He is a 1980 graduate from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology and received a doctoral degree from Yale University in Old Testament in 2000.  Fr Pappas brings academic achievement, a number of years of pastoral experience, and counseling skills to the position.

METROPOLITAN HERMAN PRESIDES AT PALM SUNDAY VIGIL

Metropolitan Herman, the president of the seminary, visited the school on Palm Sunday evening to preside at the Vigil service.  Accompanying him were Protopresbyter Robert Kondratick, Fr David Brum, Secretary to the Metropolitan, Fr Basil Summers, Martin Paluch, South Canaan Support Staff, and Gregory Sulich, Information Technology.  For further information, please visit: http://www.oca.org/PHOTOindex.asp?formMonth=April&formYear=2005&SID=11&section=search&x=22&y=13.

YOUTH INSTITUTE

For the seventh consecutive year, the seminary will host a Youth Institute for those completing their junior year of high school.  The program runs concurrently with the summer Liturgical Institute (June 18-24) and provides the students with an exceptional opportunity to deepen their faith within a seminary context.  We ask our alumni to identify and encourage young people in their parish communities who are serious about their faith to attend.  The program is free except for travel expenses.  For more information and download of application forms and parental consent forms, please visit: http://www.svots.edu/Press-Releases/2005-0126-youth-institute.html.

SEMINARY CHORALE SETS OUT FOR LIMITED ENGAGEMENTS

The St Vladimir’s Seminary Chorale, which toured Florida over the winter break, visited a limited number of parishes during the Lenten season.  They sang the responses to the Liturgy at Holy Trinity Church, Stroudsburg, PA on April 10, followed by a Deanery Vespers Service at Ss Peter and Paul Church, Manville, NJ where Metropolitan Herman presided.  In addition, they sang the responses to the Liturgy at Holy Trinity Church in New Britain, CT on April 17.  Following commencement, the chorale, which is comprised of 4 women and 8 men, is traveling to a number of Midwest cities from May 22 to June 4.  Their tour will include a visit to St Tikhon’s for the 100th anniversary of the Memorial Day pilgrimage.  To see their itinerary, please visit: http://www.svots.edu/Events/chronological/2005-0328-chorale-spring.html

ROMANIAN ORTHODOX BISHOPS VISIT CAMPUS

A delegation of three Romanian Orthodox bishops, His Grace, Bishop SILUAN, Auxiliary of the Romanian Metropolitanate of Western and Southern Europe, His Eminence, Metropolitan SERAFIM of the Romanian Metropolitanate of Germany and Central Europe, His Grace, Bishop SOFIAN, Auxiliary of the Romanian Metropolitanate of Germany and Central Europe, visited the seminary on May 10.  They previously had visited the OCA Chancellery in Syosset, NY where they met with Metropolitan Herman and Archbishop Nathaniel.  On their visit to the seminary SVS alumnus and OCA Archivist Alexis Liberovsky accompanied them.   Dean John Erickson and Fr John Behr met with the bishops and provided them with a tour of the campus resources.

ORTHODOX PEACE FELLOWSHIP TO HOLD ANNUAL CONFERENCE

The North American branch of the Orthodox Peace Fellowship [OPF] will hold its annual east coast conference at Saint Vladimir's Seminary July 29-31, 2005. The conference theme, "Salt of the Earth, Light of the World: Living the Similitudes in Our Communities," will focus on establishing and expanding a variety of Orthodox social outreach ministries.  For further information, please visit: http://www.oca.org/News.asp?ID=783&SID=19

DATES SET FOR FALL 2005 CLASS REUNION

The Alumni Board has secured Monday, October 17 to Wednesday, October 19 as the dates set for the second Alumni Class Reunion.  The Class of 1980 is celebrating its 25th anniversary and the Class of 1945 is celebrating its 50th anniversary.  An information packet will be mailed after Pascha to describe the schedule and pertinent details.  This year, the alumni will honor Fr Thomas Hopko, Dean Emeritus, for his many years of labor at the seminary.  In addition, faculty will provide a workshop, practical in nature, to help those attending in their ministry.  MARK YOUR CALENDARS and join us.  Last year’s participants were delighted to attend.  Below, please find the schedule of events for the reunion.

ALUMNI BOARD MEETS VIA TELECONFERENCE

The Alumni Board of the seminary met via teleconference call on Monday, May 16.  Items discussed included an overview of the seminary news and progress, future alumni gatherings, alumni presence at the upcoming All-American Council (OCA) in Toronto, reunion plans, finances, password protection for the alumni website, and a pilot project to develop alumni chapters.

SEMINARY REPRESENTATIVES ATTEND MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR ARCHBISHOP IAKOVOS

The seminary representatives joined Metropolitan Herman, members of the OCA’s Chancellery staff, and local OCA clergy at the Holy Trinity Cathedral, New York City to serve a Memorial service on April 14 during the viewing of the late Archbishop Iakovos.  His Eminence, 93, fell asleep in the Lord on Sunday, April 10.  Attending the service were Dean John Erickson, Fr Steven Belonick, Deacon Kirill Sokolov, first-year student, Daniel Belonick, and Andrew Deutschen.    

FACULTY/STAFF NEWS

John H Erickson, Dean, Peter N Gramowich Professor of Church History, will speak at an inter-Orthodox conference devoted to the theme “Christ He Who Is: Towards a Common Christology,” Sigtuna, Sweden, June 2-4, 2005.

Rev John Behr, Professor of Patristics, led the SVS Institute in Saskatoon, Alberta.  He provided a number of lectures on St Athanasius and the formation of Nicene theology, from Friday evening, May 20 to Monday morning, May 23.

CONGRATULATIONS TO NEW PARENTS AT THE SEMINARY

Rev Alexander Rentel (’95) and his wife, Nancy (’95) are parents of their third child, Daniel George, born April 26, 2005.  We congratulate them and their children Demetrius and Maria.

ALUMNI/STAFF NEWS

Fr John Platko (’73) fell asleep in the Lord on Monday, April 18.  Fr John was 57 and was the pastor of Holy Trinity Church, Overland Park, KS for twenty-six years.  Our sincere sympathies go out to his wife Aphrodite, and his two sons, Nicholas and Justin.  Memory Eternal!

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