ARCHPASTORAL MESSAGE OF HIS BEATITUDE, METROPOLITAN HERMAN FOR THE 2008 SEMINARY APPEAL
To the Venerable Hierarchs, Reverend Clergy, Monastics and Faithful of the Orthodox Church in America
Dearly Beloved in Christ:
Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!
“We have to understand the responsibility of the Orthodox in America and to know what the Church really needs. We need a school of prophets who would have a spiritual and intellectual strength, able and desirous of going into the world to carry with them the true knowledge, and the true understanding.” - Father Georges Florovsky
This year, the three seminaries of the Orthodox Church in America - St. Vladimir’s, Crestwood, New York; St. Tikhon’s, South Canaan, Pennsylvania; and St. Herman’s, Kodiak, Alaska - are celebrating anniversaries.
St. Vladimir’s and St. Tikhon’s Seminaries are marking their 70th year of service. Both were established in 1938, at a time when the need for a theological school in North America was critical. Nearly two decades earlier, St. Platon’s Seminary in Tenafly, New Jersey, was forced to close due to the financial constraints facing the Church after the 1917 Russian Revolution. With the establishment of many new parishes in the 1920’s and 1930’s and the growing number of American-born faithful, the Church faced the need for well educated clergy. With the establishment of these two schools, the need was met - and continues to be met. Today, both seminaries, with a strong tradition of pastoral formation and fully accredited, remain completely committed to educating the Church’s future pastors, choir directors, educators, and lay ministers.
St. Herman’s Seminary is celebrating its 35th year of ministry. Established in 1973 to train clergy, readers, choir directors, and educators to serve the unique needs of the vast Diocese of Alaska, the Seminary continues to make a major impact on the life of the Church. Over the years, the school has trained dozens of clergy and lay ministers
who, despite the many challenges of Alaskan life, faithfully tend to Our Lord’s vineyard.
Those who established our seminaries not only possessed a vision for the building up of the Body of Christ, the Church, but also took responsibility for funding each school’s mission. And, as each school grew and matured, the cost of providing quality theological education and formation has steadily grown. With increased enrollments, the need for additional classrooms, housing, library resources, and faculty also increased. Providing financial assistance to students who otherwise could not afford to pursue seminary studies continues to be a concern, especially as many seminarians today are married. Yet, in good financial times and bad, the faithful of the Orthodox Church in America have always responded generously to the call to support the ongoing work of our theological schools.
It goes without saying that we are living in precarious financial times - not unlike those that ultimately led to the closing of St. Platon’s Seminary some 80 years ago. Yet we are confident that you, the faithful of our Church, will once again recognize the good work of our seminaries and respond generously to the 2008 OCA Seminary Appeal. Your gifts will be fully distributed directly to our three seminaries and, combined with the gifts of so many who support them directly, they will ensure that our theological schools will have sufficient resources to continue and expand their ministries today and well into the future.
Thanking you in advance for your generous response. We pray that Our Risen Lord will continue to bless you for your wise, generous, and responsible stewardship.
With God’s Blessings,
+HERMAN
Archbishop of Washington and New York
Metropolitan of All America and Canada
OCA 2008 Seminary Appeal flyers in PDF format can be downloaded in two sizes: 8.5” X 11” and 8.5” X 5.5”.