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Looking forward

The V. Rev. Paul Lazor, dean of students, holds the Gospel at the Divine Liturgy celebrated on OrthodoxEducation Day, 2003. (See page 9)

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O N T H E C O V E RSeminarians from SVS and St Tikhon’sSeminary, directed by David Drillock, joinvoices for the United Nations prayerservice held at Holy Trinity GreekOrthodox Cathedral in Manhattan onOctober 6, 2003. For a complete storyplease go to www.oca.org/pages/events.

snAutumn 2003 • volume 1, number 2

Editor: Julia Mason Wickes,communications officer

Advisory board: John H. Erickson, dean;David Drillock, chief financial officer

Art direction: Amber J. Schley Production: Alexander Cadman

Contributing to this issue: Fr ThomasHopko, dean emeritus; Protodeacon PeterDanilchick; Fr Gregory Safchuk; and Dn Jesse Greendyk, advancement officer

Excerpts from God with Us (p. 14) used bypermission, SVS Press

St Vladimir’s Orthodox TheologicalSeminary is a graduate school of theology,whose primary purpose is the preparationof leaders, both clergy and lay, for serviceto the Orthodox Church and the world at large.

Web site: www.svots.edu

Comments about the SVSNews magazine arewelcome. Please e-mail julia@svots.edu.

contentsfeaturesREMEMBERINGOUR LEADERS:1957–1983 As SVS celebrates its 65th anniversary,Fr Hopko reminisces about theseminary’s middle years, inspired by thescriptural command to “Remember thosewho spoke to you the Word of God” • by V. Rev.Thomas Hopko

2A PROCESS,NOT A PRODUCTFifteen years ago, SVS launched its first strategic planning effort. Now, withrenewed effort, we press forward • byProtodeacon Peter Danilchick

6ALUMNI PROFILESVSNews highlights Fr GregorySafchuk, rector of St Mark’s OrthodoxChurch in Bethesda, Maryland, and hisEducation Day homily about how thefaith of our friends and teachers leads usforward in Christ

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at the seminaryCAMPUS CHRONICLESeminary activities 8MEMORY ETERNALSVS extends its sympathy 10CLASS NOTESAlumni news 10DOWN THE ROADEvents calendar 11PILLARSSVS thanks the Kasmers 12READER’S CORNERJohn Breck’s God With Us 13OFF THE PRESSNew releases from SVS Press 14

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RememberingOur Leaders1957–1983AS SVS CELEBRATES ITS 65TH ANNIVERSARY,

FR HOPKO REMINISCES ABOUT THE SEMINARY’S

MIDDLE YEARS, INSPIRED BY THE SCRIPTURAL

COMMAND TO “REMEMBER YOUR LEADERS,THOSE

WHO SPOKE TO YOU THE WORD OF GOD;

CONSIDER THE OUTCOME OF THEIR LIFE,AND

IMITATE THEIR FAITH” (Hebrews 13:7).

by Dean Emeritus Fr Thomas Hopko

Fr Thomas Hopko (second from left) is pictured here with the 1962 octet. SVS Dean of Students Fr Paul Lazor (fifth from left) and ChiefFinancial Officer David Drillock (fourth from left) were also members of this class.

sn AUTUMN 2003 • 3

Later that day we met with Fr Schmemann, Fr DanielHubiak, and Nicholas Ozerov (all of whom, I noted,smoked Camels.) They assured us that we would be mostwelcome at St Vladimir’s but needed to enroll in abachelor’s program at an area college. This requirementsuited me since my father insisted that I obtain a collegedegree. He wanted people to know that if I became a priestit was “by choice,” and not because I was “too dumb tostudy or too lazy to work.” Such was a widely held view inthose days when, as my schoolmate, the late Fr John Psinka,would say, “few were called and all were chosen.”

When I arrived at the seminary the fall of that same year,the door was opened to me by another entering seminariannamed Frank Lazor, later to be known as MetropolitanTheodosius of the Orthodox Church in America. Afterspending my first night, I was awakened by Kostya Kallaur(now a university professor and faithful seminarysupporter) who told me that we had work to do: UnionSeminary was discarding old beds, tables, and lamps whichwould be useful in our apartments. I’ll never forget my firstday in seminary, pushing a heavily loaded dolly many timesacross Broadway while cars screeched by, blowing theirhorns.

The seminary had no refectory so we ate as we could,mostly cooking for ourselves in our apartment kitchens. I(happily) lost thirty pounds my first semester. You can

COMING TO THE SEMINARY

I heard about St Vladimir’s in 1956 from afriend, Frank Kulik, now a psychiatrist inJackson, Mississippi, and a staunch sem-inary supporter. Frank was a freshman atDrew University in New Jersey while Iwas enrolled at a small college in upstateNew York. He phoned to tell me of aseminar he attended at Drew on thetheme of Russian Orthodoxy. He was par-ticularly impressed by one of the speak-ers, a young priest named Fr AlexanderSchmemann, a teacher at St Vladimir’sSeminary in New York City. He suggestedthat we travel to find out more about StVladimir’s during our Easter vacation in1957.

Driving to New York City in my father’sblack and white Chevy (which unfor-tunately, by the conclusion of our trip, needed a newclutch), we approached the seminary’s neighborhood,

Morningside Heights, looking for golden cupolas. Insteadwe found a six-story tenement on the corner of Broadwayand 121st Street. The seminary was housed in severalapartments while its classes were held in rooms (usuallythe boiler room) at Union Theological Seminary. Afterlocating the office and chapel on the second floor, wefound Fr Schmemann’s apartment on the fourth and ranghis bell. A gray-haired woman with black wire frameglasses informed us that Father would be back later. I said toFrank, “I thought you said that Fr Schmemann was young.His wife sure looks old!” However, this wasn’t his wife, buta woman named “Vava” who helped the Schmemannhousehold—its young working “matushka,” three children,and several seminarians.

Met. Leonty (center), a man of striking spiritual nobility andhumility, laid the foundation of the seminary’s library.

“We approached theseminary’s neighborhoodlooking for golden cupolas.Instead we found a six-storytenement on the corner ofBroadway and 121st Street.”

4 • AUTUMN 2003 sn

imagine my joy in going home for winter break with mynew “ascetical seminarian look.”

THE SEMINARY

There were about twenty-five seminarians in 1957. Aroundhalf of us were “pre-theological”(sometimes referred to as “pre-logical”). Approximately ten wereAntiochians sent by Metropol-itan Anthony Bashir. Two part-time students were women, aCopt from Egypt and a convertcalled “Lady Pepys” fromEngland. Frank Kulik and I sharedapartment sixty-three, along witha Japanese, a Serb, a Romanian, apost-WWII Russian refugee and acouple of “Americans” like our-selves. I learned to imitate each oftheir signatures in order to signeveryone’s name on the “sign-insheet” that we slipped underProfessor Serge Verhovskoy’s doorat ten o’clock each night—proofthat we were home by curfew.Professor Verhovskoy (then writ-ten and pronounced “Ver-hov-sky,” with the accent on thesecond syllable) was the provostand also the de facto dean ofstudents.The seminary rector wasMetropolitan Leonty, primate ofthe Russian Orthodox GreekCatholic Church in NorthAmerica, since 1970, the “OCA.”He had assigned himself to thisposition after Fr Georges Florovsky left St Vladimir’s to goto Harvard and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Seminary in1955.

METROPOLITAN LEONTY

Metropolitan Leonty, while still a young archpriest in the1910s, had been dean of an Orthodox seminary inMinneapolis, Minnesota. However, from 1923 to 1938, theRussian government confiscated many properties belong-ing to what was then considered the “American mission,”and no Orthodox theological schools in North Americaexisted during this interval. It was after this period, in1938, that both a graduate school in New York City and a

pastoral school at St Tikhon’s Monastery in Pennsylvaniaopened. Nineteen thirty-eight happened to be the 950thanniversary of the baptism of Kievan Rus by PrinceVladimir. Appropriately, the school was dedicated to StVladimir both to honor the anniversary and emphasize the

school’s missionary character.

I remember well MetropolitanLeonty’s visits to the seminary,and our visits to his cathedral onSecond Street where weseminarians would go to serve,read, and sing. He was a majesticman of striking spiritual nobilityand humility. He loved to joke,asking us, with a smile andtwinkling eyes, if we knew Heb-rew and Greek, taunting us withfeigned severity that it wasimpossible for us to understandthe scriptures without suchknowledge.

Metropolitan Leonty laid thefoundation for the seminarylibrary by securing at his ownexpense the thousands of booksand journals collected by FrAnthony Repella. I catalogedmany of them during the sum-mer of 1960, and afterwards, asmy seminary job. This gave mean air of knowledge of Russiantheological literature that wasquite deceiving, since all I didwas skim each volume todetermine, quite unprofession-

ally, how it should be identified and shelved. MetropolitanLeonty died in 1965 after having officially appointed FrAlexander Schmemann, whom he deeply admired, asseminary dean in 1962. I was blessed to see him on hisdeathbed. I think he should be canonized a saint.

SCHMEMANN AND VERHOVSKOY

Under Fr Alexander’s leadership, St Vladimir’s came to be sojoined with his person and work that it was known,affectionately and not so affectionately, as the“schmemannary.” The connection, almost identification insome circles, of St Vladimir’s with Fr Alexander was under-standable but also seriously misleading in that many others

The Rev John Meyendorff, former dean and professor ofpatristics, played an enormous role in the life of the school.

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played enormous roles in the life of the school. First amongthem was Professor Sergei Sergeevich Verhovskoy, whomeveryone at the school called “Prof.” “Prof” was theseminary’s bulwark and anchor. He lived at the school fromhis arrival from France in 1951 until his death in 1986. Heloved meeting with the seminarians, favoring especially thewomen students and seminarians’ wives, of whom he wasthe most devoted advocate. In addition to teaching he wasprovost and financial officer, largely involved in finding the

Crestwood property that the seminary occupied in the fallof 1962. He loved the Crestwood campus. Woe to the onewho trimmed a tree without “Prof’s” approval!

Prof. Verhovskoy taught dogmatic and moral theology(which he pronounced “feeology”), and lots of otherthings as well. He clearly considered himself the strongest(if not the sole) defender of Orthodoxy on campus. As hishandpicked successor I met with him for several hoursevery week, even after I began teaching in the graduatedivision with him in the early 1970s. “Prof” taught me his

thoughts and convictions about everything, multiple times,before finally turning things over to me. He threatened mewith his “eternal malediction” if I ever taught any of myown ideas as Church doctrine. He promised me the same ifI ever allowed the seminary to cut one minute of the sixsemesters of required dogmatics. I think I’m still out ofharms way in regard to the former threat.

ARSENIEV, KESICH, AND MEYENDORFF

Prof. Nicholas Arseniev taught from the mid-1950s untilshortly before his death in 1977. He was almost totallyblind until near the end of his life when he had correctivesurgery. We couldn’t bear to watch him cross the New Yorkstreets in traffic not only because of his terrible eyesight,but also because he usually walked in a state of mysticalecstasy. He knew about fifteen languages, ancient andmodern, and once asked me in all seriousness if I knewSanskrit! I replied that I hardly knew English. He quoted theGreek New Testament from memory (often holding thebook upside down because of his poor eyesight), Dante inItalian, John of the Cross in Spanish, Goethe in German andPascal in French. When I was an undergraduate at Fordhamand not yet in the seminary’s graduate program, I wasallowed to take Dr Arseniev’s elective courses on mysticism,Russian religious literature, and comparative religions. Iheard many of his lectures before ever having exposure tothose of Fr Schmemann, Prof.Verhovskoy, or Fr Meyendorff.His lectures were always charged with the power of theboundless love of God given to us lavishly, freely, in Christ.

The young Dr Veselin Kesich taught New Testament with DrArseniev, as well as Greek, early Christianity, and Serbian

“These five men were asdifferent from one anotheras could be found on Earth.God truly had a sense ofhumor and divine purposein bringing them together.”

Professor SergeVerhovskoy (left),

also known as “Prof,”was the seminary’s

bulwark and waslargely responsible

for finding theCrestwood property.

Professor NicholasArseniev (right)

knew about fifteenlanguages, ancientand modern, andcould quote the

Greek NewTestament from

memory.

continued on page 11

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STRATEGIC PLANNING AT SVS

A Process,Not a Product

by Protodeacon Peter Danilchick

Fifteen years ago, in December 1988, St Vladimir’sSeminary launched its first strategic planning effort,“SVS2000,” by hosting a workshop for SVS trustees, faculty,and staff. “Strategic planning” was a new concept for theseminary then and a bit controversial. In fact, one bishopattendee said at the beginning of the workshop: “Strategicplanning is for corporate business, not for the Church.”Indeed, a few others shared his concerns. Even former DeanFr John Meyendorff was apprehensive as to what this newmethod might mean. However, after a few days of lectures,group exercises and discussions, most of these hesitationsevaporated. In fact, when Metropolitan Theodosius asked FrJohn his opinion of the proposed plan later, he replied:“Well, we do not expect anything revolutionary to comeout of it…but if it is revolutionary, so be it!”

The attendees first learned that planning must be placed inthe context of Christ and His Church. Planning is simply ask-ing questions: “What are we doing? How are we doing?What should we be doing?” And while those of us whoattended this workshop in 1988 had to ask ourselves suchquestions, it was also essential that we open ourselves to thequestions posed by the Lord. Just as he asks Bartimaeus, theblind man, “What do you want me to do for you?” (Mark10:51) so he asks us. We learned to consider this questionprayerfully. Secondly, we learned that to answer the question,“how are we doing,” we must be absolutely open, honest,and humble. Such openness requires us to invite the inputof everyone who is invested in the seminary. It is not solely“those in charge” who write the plan, but also those whomthe seminary serves and the entire Church body.

After attending the 1988 workshop, one lay trustee said:“Even if we don’t do anything else, this short experience hasshown us all—bishops, laity, faculty, and staff—that we lovethe seminary, feel strongly about its role, and want to help itbetter serve the Church.” Many others echoed this sentimentin the subsequent seminars, surveys, and interviews that tookplace throughout the following year.These activities gener-ated input that SVS leaders considered with care and thenfleshed out into specific goals and objectives for the nextseveral years of seminary operations, beginning in 1990.

SVS leaders carried out the strategic planning process over

the next decade. It was a “process” because it required theseminary to persistently reflect upon its performance. Howhas St Vladimir’s fared in realizing these goals? When onecompares the plan on paper to the tangible results, one cansee clear-cut progress. But the needs of the Church contin-ually evolve. Thus, in late 2001, the Board of Trusteesdecided to initiate another major planning effort,“SVS2010.”

RENEWED EFFORT–SVS2010

During much of 2002, the seminary actively sought theinput of its supporters and friends. SVS conducted inter-views with church leaders, held focus groups at churchgatherings, and mailed surveys to everyone in its database aswell as the current student body.What was the outcome?

The respondents evaluated SVS in seventeen categories. Rat-ings improved overall from the 1989 survey in thirteen ofthese while remaining static in the other four. They pro-nounced the most improvement in the following areas: thelibrary, married student housing, church support, campusoutreach, and financial resources. Among the points ofweakness that the surveys brought to bear were internet/distance education, practical parish training, and support ofalumni.

Even though this “report card” was generally favorable, SVSleaders perceived that the demands of the Church are everexpanding—challenging the seminary to meet them withgreater rigor. “For to whom much is given, much shall berequired” (Luke 12:48). If the seminary fails to press for-ward, then it fails the legacy of its founders, notable teach-ers, alumni, supporters, and benefactors.

Extensive comments were received answering the question“What is to be done?”The following are just a small sampleof these answers:

Develop a distance education program, focusing oncontinuing education for alumni.

“We do not expect anythingrevolutionary to come out ofit…but if it is revolutionary,so be it!”

continued on page 11

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ALUMNUS PROFILE

Fr Gregory SafchukOne of the goals of SVS is to prepare its students to servethe Church. Therefore, the seminary is always pleased towelcome back one of its graduates who has gone on to dojust that. This fall on Orthodox Education Day, the V. Rev.Fr Gregory Safchuk, member of the 1982 graduating class,was at SVS to concelebrate the Divine Liturgy, at which hegave a homily highlighting the theme for the day:“Orthodox Tradition:Yesterday and Today.”

Before giving an excerpt of this sermon, SVSNews would liketo acknowledge Fr Gregory’s activities in brief. After com-pleting his Master of Divinity degree in 1982, he accepted athree-year teaching fellowship at St Herman’s Seminary inKodiak, Alaska. During this period, he was ordained to thepriesthood on May 19, 1984, at the SVS Three HierarchsChapel by His Beatitude Metropolitan Theodosius. After athree-year assignment as Associate Pastor of Ss Peter & PaulChurch in Detroit, Michigan, he was received into the Dio-cese of the West, where he was priest of St Innocent Churchin Tarzana, California, for twelve years and dean of the PacificSouthwest Deanery for ten years. In 2000 he was made rec-tor of St Mark’s Church in Bethesda, Maryland, where hecurrently holds a full schedule of liturgical services, offerspastoral care to all ages, conducts catechetical classes, and is

responsible for all aspects of parochial administration.Among other of his noteworthy capacities in the Church, hewas one of the founding members of the Board of Directorsfor Project Mexico and is now serving the second of two six-year terms of membership on the Metropolitan Council ofthe OCA. SVS encourages Fr Gregory, and all its graduates,“remembering before our God and Father your work offaith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our LordJesus Christ” (I Thessalonians 1:3).

The following is an excerpt of the homily on Luke 5:17-26that Fr Safchuk gave on Orthodox Education Day:

Today we heard a story from the Gospel of St Luke, which describesthe healing of a paralyzed man.A nameless group of people bring himto Jesus, carrying him on his bed. It is a benevolent effort on the partof his friends.We can surmise that they make this effort for two reasons:first,they care for this man,and second,they believe that Jesuscan heal him. It is their belief and love that motivate them to act onhis behalf.This is the basic dynamic of salvation; the fulfillment ofthe greatest commandment: to love one’s neighbor as one’s self.

In this gospel story, faith is revealed as an indispensable condition forsalvation, not only personal faith, but collective faith; for the paralytic is healed as a direct result of his friends’ faith.Moreover,hisphysical healing is a by-product of the forgiveness of his sins:spiritual sickness—sin—is what truly paralyzes a man.We are allparalytics in some sense, and, therefore, all need both healing and helpfrom others. From conception, we are dependent on the care of others.As an infant, my sponsors at baptism made a commitment tohelp me enter into the Church. I was raised in the faith, taught bymany others, both family and friends, from home to church school toseminary—this seminary.

When I arrived here twenty-eight years ago, this fact was made clearto me by Fr Hopko, who said that no man can be saved alone. I wasmet here and embraced by yet another community of friends whocarried me, like the paralytic, closer to Christ. Lessons were offered inthe classrooms, the chapel, and in student life. Many who were myteachers then are now gone, replaced by others who carry on the cycle of education and inspiration. I will always be grateful to thosewho taught me:Fr Alexander Schmemann,Fr John Meyendorff, Prof.Serge Verhovskoy and Fr Cyril Stavrevsky, most recently of blessedmemory.Each in his own way taught the same thing: the faith of theteachers who came before us, from Christ to the apostles—the Word of God. This indeed is the theme for today: “Orthodox Tradition:Yesterday and Today.”

“I was embraced by yet another community of friends who carried me,like the paralytic, closer to Christ.”

Fr Gregory Safchuck serving

communion atthe Education

Day liturgy(above) and

deliveringthe homily.

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CAMPUS CHRONICLEDEAN OF SAINT

SERGIUS INSTITUTE IN PARIS HIGH-

LIGHTS 2003COMMENCEMENT

Protopresbyter Boris Bobrinskoy, deanof St Sergius Institute in Paris and oneof the world's foremost Orthodox theologians, was featured speaker atthe May 17, 2003, commencementexercises. Before Fr Boris delivered his message, Metropolitan Herman conferred on him the degree of Doc-

tor of Divinity,honoris causa and presented himwith the doc-toral cross. Inhis talk, Fr

Boris encouraged the graduates andreminded them of their vocation asbearers of the gospel of Christ.

SVS WELCOMES RECORD-SIZE INCOMING CLASS

In September, forty-five new studentsjoined the SVS student body—thelargest incoming class to date. Thisbrings the total number of students atthe seminary to ninety-five. Of thistotal, forty-one represent the OCA,twelve represent the GOA, and ten rep-resent the AOCA. Other students rep-resent the Serbian Orthodox Church,Russian Orthodox Church Outside ofRussia, the Moscow Patriarchate, theRomanian Orthodox Church, the

Ukrainian Orthodox Church, theArmenian Church, the MalankaraOrthodox Church, and several non-Orthodox churches. Thirty-eight stu-dents are married. On-campus marriedstudent apartments are filled to capac-ity while nine additional apartmentsare being subsidized by the seminaryto house the dramatic increase innumbers of married students.

SVSFACULTYREPRESENTSEMINARYAT ALUMNI

GATHERINGS THROUGHOUTTHE COUNTRY

As part of the seminary's outreach toits graduates, faculty members whotravel across the country often meetwith alumni to report on seminaryactivities and to listen to their con-cerns.Two such meetings took place inthe month of October, with Fr Alexan-der Rentel representing the seminaryat the Diocesan Assembly of the Dio-cese of the Midwest (OCA) in Colum-bus, Ohio, on October 6-8, and Prof.Paul Meyendorff facilitating a gather-ing of alumni at Holy Trinity Cathedralin San Francisco, California, on Octo-ber 12.

Fr Rentel had the opportunity to greetHis Grace, Bishop Job, as well as manyalumni who are members of the Dio-cese of the Midwest. He made himselfavailable to both alumni and prospec-tive students, fielding inquiries aboutthe changes at SVS (new personnel,new facilities, etc.). Prof. Meyendorffmet with a group of eight SVS alumnifrom the Bay area, updating them onrecent developments at the seminaryand discussing some of the proposalsof the new strategic plan, including

the construction of additional marriedstudent housing and efforts to expandthe pastoral formation program. FrVictor Sokolov, rector of the cathedral,served as host, while Randa Aoun, arecent SVS graduate, provided abun-dant refreshments as the gathering offriends continued into the earlyevening. SVS hopes to make such suc-cessful reunions a regular occurrencefor alumni across the country.

LECTURE SERIES HONORSJAROSLAV PELIKAN’S 80THBIRTHDAY

This December 17, Jaroslav Pelikanwill turn eighty. His birthday celebra-tion, however, began in May and willspan the course of eight months,punctuated by several scholarly occa-sions across the country.Various semi-naries have collaborated to host alecture series entitled “Orthodoxy andWestern Culture” to honor this theo-logical luminary. The participatinginstitutions, such as Yale University,the University of Chicago DivinitySchool, and Southern Methodist Uni-versity, each have a personal connec-tion to Jaroslav Pelikan. SVS is honoredto be among them.

As part of the series, on September 14,a sizeable crowd gathered in the Met-ropolitan Philip Auditorium to hear anengaging talk entitled “Orthodoxy andWestern Christianity: The OriginalEuropean Culture War?” given by FrJohn McGuckin. Fr McGuckin is anOrthodox priest, author, and professorwho teaches at both Union Theologi-cal Seminary and Columbia Univer-sity. His salient reflection was on themodern situation of Orthodoxy, whichno longer only thrives in the “East”but is also present in east London, east-ern Pennsylvania, and the east side ofManhattan. Understanding our mod-ern relevancy in such contexts requiresa right understanding of our Tradition,the gospel teaching that we have

sn AUTUMN 2003 • 9

inherited. Ultimately, he exhorted hislisteners to present the full definitionof Orthodoxy—the Church whosecontent is the gospel of Jesus Christ.

SEMINARY INAUGURATES ST BASILTHE GREATAWARD

The St Basil theGreat Award for

Academic Achievement was established in2003 by an anonymous benefactorwho wished to recognize studentswho have excelled in their studies atthe seminary. It will be awarded annu-ally to one senior, middler, and juniorin the Master of Divinity programwho has ranked highest in academicachievement that year. On September14, Dean Erickson presented thisaward for the 2002-2003 academicyear. The recipients were: SloanRolando from the senior class, VitalyPermiakov from the middler class,and Johanna Lind from the juniorclass. May God grant that they, like StBasil, will excel not only in academicsbut also in wisdom and virtue!

ORTHODOX EDUCATIONDAY 2003

On October 4, SVS held its 34thannual Education Day: “Orthodox Tra-dition: Yesterday and Today,” whichbegan with a Hierarchical DivineLiturgy beneath the Main Tent.The vis-iting choir of St Mark’s Church ofBethesda, Maryland, sang theresponses. Large crowds gatheredfrom great distances to worship

together and enjoy delicious food andsweets, educational discussions andlectures, and the opportunity tobrowse the many books published bySVS Press. Children kept busy beneaththe Activities Tent, where plentiful artsupplies allowed them full range ofimagination for take-home treasures.High school students and youngadults also gathered with Fr MichaelAnderson for discussions about theirOrthodox faith.

The afternoon offered festival partici-pants a wide range of sessions toattend. Keynote speaker FredericaMatthewes-Green spoke about what itmeans to be a part of the OrthodoxTradition. Some took advantage of aninstructional tour of the Three Hier-archs Chapel’s iconological program,given by Prof. Richard Schneider fromYork University in Toronto. OCMC’sMaria Gallos gave a presentation on“Tradition and Mission” and KirillSokolov, director of systems at SVS,gave a how-to workshop on starting aparish website. Some SVS faculty helda panel called “Theological Perspec-tives on Tradition”; Dr Al Rossi spokeon “The Challenge of Sexual Abuse”;and Elena Silk spoke on “Oral History.”Peter Jon Gillquist gave an enjoyableconcert.The day ended with Great Ves-pers in Three Hierarchs Chapel.

TransitionsAfter many years of dedicatedservice to the seminary, KennethJohnson, director of advancementhas decided to take a position inthe advancement office of a privateschool in NYC. Ken was at theseminary as a student, as secretaryto the dean, as member and finallydirector of the advancement office.The faculty, staff, students, andhundreds of benefactors withwhom he had personal contact willsorely miss him. We wish him thevery best.

Jerry Solak, an SVS alumnus andthe seminary’s bookstore managerfor more than ten years, hasdecided to leave his position.During these many years, he hasbeen a dedicated, competent, andloyal employee, and contributedmuch to the building up ofpress/bookstore operations. He willtruly be missed, and we wish himthe very best.

Jeanette Hernandez has beenappointed to the newly createdposition of bookstore operationsmanager. She will be responsible fororder processing, inventory,supervision of employees, hours ofoperation, and events.Thedevelopment of the bookstore andacquisitions has been passed to theeditorial depar tment of SVS Press.

Julia Mason Wickes, SVS alumniand former managing editor ofPraxis magazine, joined the staff inSeptember as communicationsofficer. Her responsibilities includeediting the SVSNews, writing pressreleases, collaborating with the webteam, and strengthening theseminary’s relations with themedia.

Fr Stephen J. Hryciniak has joinedSVS Press as director of marketing.He brings with him a wealth ofexperience in strategic planning,financial analysis, editorialacquisitions, marketing, andorganizational development andlooks forward to using these skillson behalf of the press.

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CLASS NOTES� Recent graduate Catherine Wason(’03) was selected as the first recipient ofa scholarship for short-term missionwork with OCMC from the newly estab-lished Louis and Helen Nicozisis Endow-ment Fund. The scholarship enabledCatherine to travel to Romania in Augustand work at the Protection of theTheotokos Family Center.

� Fr Alexander Rentel (’95) andhis wife Nancy (’95) are parents

of a new daughter, MariaTatiana, who was bornAugust 4.

� Fr LawrenceGaudreau (’00)and his wife

Katherine are

new parents to a son, Michael Kingsland,born on August 19.

� Matti Wallgren (’03) was ordained tothe priesthood by Archbishop Leo of Kareliaand all Finland on September 1.

� Sloan Rolando (’03) and his wife,Gina, are parents to a new infant girl, LuciaColleen, born September 2.

� Fr William Mills (M.Div. ’97;M.Th. ’00)and his wife,Taisia, announce the birth oftheir first daughter, Hannah, on Septem-ber 4.

� Peter DeFonce (’97), who was mar-ried on February 16, 2002, to NadezhdaAleksandrovna, was ordained to the dia-conate on September 21 at St MaryChurch in Cambridge, Massachusetts, byhis Eminence, Metropolitan Philip(AOCA).

� Deacon Valentine Vassechko (’92),head of the Department of ComparativeTheology at Moscow’s St Tikhon’s Ortho-dox Theological Institute, was ordained tothe priesthood on September 21 by HisGrace, Bishop Tikhon, Bishop ofArchangelsk and Kholmogory.

� Deacon Jesse Greendyk (’02) and hiswife,Tara, are parents of a new daughter,Abigail Helen, born September 23.

� Rev. Presbyter Joel McEachen (’68)was honored as one of four Orthodoxpriests to receive the Prophet Elias Awardfor rendering outstanding service toOrthodox youth both in Church and inBoy and Girl Scout programs.

Do you have news to share? Alumni News willbe featured here in SVSNews as well as E-News and Web-News. Please contact FrSteven Belonick at belonick@svots.edu.

The seminary would like to remem-ber the V. Rev. Cyril Stavrevsky,who died unexpectedly on Saturdayevening, September 27, as hewaited to begin vespers in the sanc-tuary of his church, St John the Bap-tist, in Rochester, New York. Forthose of us who remember him, FrCyril was a charming man with agreat sense of humor. As dean ofstudents at SVS from 1969-1977,

Fr Cyril was responsible for overseeing the day-to-day life ofeach seminarian, ensuring their well-being as well as super-vising their responsibilities. He had a wonderful way ofengaging each student and the unique ability to reprovewithout offending. He will truly be missed. We extend ourdeepest sympathies to his wife, Margarite, and his childrenFr James (’79) and Ann Carol. May his memory be eternal.

Hooda Germack, longtime friend and benefactor of SVS,passed away on June 14 (pictured to the right with His Beat-itude, Metropolitan Theodosius). She will be greatly missed.

Rev. Adrian Pollard (M.Div. ’90) fell asleep in the Lord onJuly 13.We offer our sympathies to his wife, Xenia, and theirson, Daniel.

Archpriest Michael Prokurat (M.Div. ’73; M.Th. ’74) fellasleep in the Lord on July 23 after a ten-month struggle withcancer.We extend our sympathies to his wife, Margaret, andtheir three daughters and six grandchildren.

Rev. Charles Austin Dinkler, who attended the seminarybetween 1983 and 1985, fell asleep in the Lord on Septem-ber 11 after a long illness. May his memory be eternal.

Archpriest Nicholas Behr, father to SVS faculty member FrJohn Behr, died on September 16 following major surgery;he was 61 years old. We offer our sympathy to Fr John, hissister, Macrina (Behr) Hopko (‘90), and their entire family.

M E M O RY E T E R NA L

and manner they were in completesolidarity about the essentials ofOrthodox Christianity and the mis-sion of St Vladimir’s Seminary.

My purpose in sharing thesememories is to convey a sense of theseminary during these years andhonor its leaders. I write to proclaimthe extraordinary love, commitment,and sacrifices of these exceptionalpeople who, in the humblest ofhuman conditions, gave their lives toa motley gang of political refugees,war veterans, and workers’ kids inorder to equip them for service inChrist’s Church. No words will eversuffice to hymn the wonders of theircountless gifts to us, their spiritualchildren.

sn AUTUMN 2003 • 11

Planning at SVScontinued from page 6

Improve student life by provid-ing forums for communicationwith administration, counselingsupport, additional married stu-dent housing, and financial aid.

Enhance public relations toadvance awareness of seminaryservices.

Ten strategic initiative teams wereasked to develop detailed objectivesbased upon such input as listed above.Each team consisted of one or two“experts” and two or three “question-ers.”The “experts” were generally fac-ulty and staff; the “questioners” weretrustees, alumni, students, and others

who had vital interest in a particularinitiative. All participants should belauded for their excellent cooperationand energetic input.

The Seminary Board of Trustees willreview the list of proposed objectivesin their semiannual meeting inNovember 2003. Those in attendancewill also propose stewardship mecha-nisms to ensure a regular evaluation ofprogress. As said, the strategic plan isnot a “report” to be filed upon a shelf,but a process of rigorous self-evalua-tion and perpetual rededication to theservice of the Church. We thank youfor your support and prayers.

Downthe RoadDECEMBER 26-28, 2003Christmas Retreat for college andhigh school students, featuringpresentations by Mother Raphaela,Prof. Peter Bouteneff, and Dr AlbertRossi on the theme “Lord,Teach Usto Pray”

JANUARY 30, 2004Annual Fr Alexander SchmemannMemorial Lecture with speaker DrAlexander Lingas

MARCH 27, 2004Annual Lenten Retreat

•

•

For an unabridged version of this article, please go to our website,www.svots.edu/Faculty/Thomas-Hopko

subjects. He was the first St Vladimir’salumnus to get a doctorate in Americaand then join the seminary faculty.Over the years he “became an SVSinstitution.” Sadly, because ofscheduling, I took only one NewTestament course from Dr Kesich. Hispresence at the school during mystudent years, and since, has been oneof God’s great graces in my life.

Fr John Meyendorff came to theseminary from France in 1959 andplayed an enormous role in the life ofthe school. He was dean from 1984until 1992 when he retired andunexpectedly died. Fr John sufferedmuch over us—his rough anduncultivated students—and yet howhe loved us, cared for us, and inspiredus not only by his extraordinarylearning, but by his childlike love forliturgical worship and wholehearted

devotion to the service of the Church.

Fr John helped me personally incountless ways. He was my confessor,mentor, friend and (sometimes, sadlyfor me) my severest critic. I babysathis children and, with other seminar-ians (and my future wife), often hadcoffee at his apartment with MatushkaMaika after liturgies. (I never had thecourage to tell him, while workingunder him in the library, that the firstsyllable of the word “duplicate” doesnot rhyme with “cup.”)

These five men were as different fromone another as could be found on theface of the Earth. God truly had asense of humor and divine purpose inbringing them together. They didn’talways like each other and sometimessharply criticized one another in boththeological and practical matters.None was without his personal limi-tations, weaknesses, and sins, but theyworked together marvelously, withdignity. They were able to do so, byGod’s grace, because whatever theirclashes in temperament, formation,

RememberingOur Leaderscontinued from page 5

12 • AUTUMN 2003 sn

Important enhancements are beingmade to the educational facilities atSVS, and we wish to express deep grat-itude to an exceptional couple who ishelping to make this possible.Anthonyand Anna Kasmer have been goodfriends of the seminary family for overtwenty years. As parishioners of StVladimir Orthodox Church in Tren-ton, New Jersey, the Kasmers have hadpriests that graduated from SVS inboth early and recent years—Fr PaulShafran (’45), Pastor Emeritus, and FrMartin Kraus (’01), the current rector.Ann and Tony faithfully attend semi-nary events, consistently contribute tothe annual fund, and offer extraordi-nary hospitality to visitors from Crest-wood. Just recently, Fr Thomas Hopkoand Dn Jesse Greendyk enjoyed a royaltour of Tony’s plastics compoundingplant.

In the last two years, the Kasmers tookbold action to support theologicaleducation at the seminary. Sensitive tomodern realities and the need for theChurch to respond, Ann and Tonyestablished “The Anthony and AnnaKasmer Technology EndowmentFund” in the fall of 2002.Technologytoday touches every area of our life,especially education. In order to pre-pare seminarians adequately for min-istry in today’s Church, theologicaland pastoral training must be aug-mented by technological excellence.The Kasmers demonstrated vision andleadership in making this gift towardcomputers and technological enhance-ments at the seminary.

The Kasmer Fund will help sustainwork initiated by the Lilly TechnologyGrant. SVS can report several upgradesin the area of technology. All studentresidences are now wired for high-

speed connections tothe seminary networkand Internet. Seminari-ans have the capabilityto view course docu-ments online, engagein online discussionswith professors andfellow students, andinstantly search thelibrary’s holdings aswell as databases oftheological journals. Additionally, theBashir Auditorium has been equippedwith an LCD projector and screen forcomputer-assisted presentations. Muchmore is planned for the future, Godwilling, as the seminary’s funds fortechnology grow.

SVS also thanks the Kasmers foranother of their contributions whichwent toward a multi-faceted project inthe Education Building. The formerlibrary area, vacant since the librarymoved to the Rangos Family Founda-tion Building, has been transformedinto the new center for SVS Press oper-ations and the bookstore. A new pack-ing and shipping room was created inthe back to function as the seminarymailroom. All classrooms were reno-vated, and more work is scheduled forthe building, including a zoned air-conditioning system and exteriorcomputer-access security doors.

In many ways—a record-size enteringclass, new programs and faculty, andthese facility enhancements supportedby the Kasmers—SVS is being blessedwith tremendous growth. Our chal-lenge is to be wise stewards of thesegifts and to continue improving tech-nology and all aspects of the educationwe give to our seminarians. SVS istruly grateful to Anthony and Anna

Kasmer, and to the countless generouspeople like them, without whom thecontinued growth to which we arecalled would be impossible.

PILLARSSVS THANKS THE KASMERS

ScholarshipOpportunitiesMost of those called to studyOrthodox theology and to trainfor ministry in the Church needfinancial help. Last year StVladimir’s provided $310,000 inscholarship assistance, thanks toGod and to our many pillars ofsupport who gave generously.The student body is growing,and with this blessing comesgreater financial challenge—anda greater opportunity for youto participate in the prepa-ration of Church laborers.Please consider making a specialgift this year toward seminarianscholarships at SVS.

When using the enclosed envelopefor a scholarship contribution, pleasespecify the gift intention. For infor-mation on this year’s scholarshipprogram, or the opportunity toestablish an endowed fund, contactDn Jesse Greendyk (914.961.8313x343). And thank you!

sn AUTUMN 2003 • 13

J O H N B R E C K

Anyone who has seen a loved onewither away under the effects ofParkinson’s disease or disappear intotheir own darkness because ofAlzheimer’s can only hope and praythat these tragic and devastating ill-nesses soon will be curable. Geneticengineering and particularly thecloning of human stem cells promisesjust such cures, and many morebesides. Who can reasonably opposethe research needed to discover thosecures?

This is perhaps the chief moral issue,and dilemma, of our day.As we all nowknow, Great Britain recently legalizedhuman cloning. It is the first countryto do so, but it surely will not be thelast. Scientists and philosophers in anumber of Western countries areinsisting that the “new medicine,”which will grow out of the successfulsequencing of the human genome,will offer heretofore undreamt of pos-sibilities for healing disease, prevent-ing epidemics, correcting geneticdefects, and prolonging human life.Torealize this medical utopia, though,will ultimately require experimenta-tion on literally millions of humanembryos.

Those who oppose the research onmoral grounds are dismissed as retro-grade: mindless reactionaries who—like pro-life people in general—areout of step with the needs and

demands of modern society and espe-cially of “today’s woman.”To their wayof thinking, however, the exalted rolesof child-conceiving, child-bearing,and motherhood are seriously threat-ened by pressures that will lead to thefabrication of embryos-on-demand.They are acutely aware that little AdamNash was conceived from a geneticallyselected embryo and brought into theworld so that the stem cells from hisumbilical cord could be used to relieveor even cure the Fanconi anemia thatafflicted his older sister. Theineluctable slope, it seems, is gettingslipperier and slipperier.

Just how, as members of the Body ofChrist, are we to evaluate these devel-opments? The problem with the Nashbaby is the same as with the cloning ofembryos, although to a lesser degree.We hardly can raise objections tousing blood from an umbilical cord,especially since Adam was not at allharmed by the procedure. The prob-lem, however, concerns the selectiveprocess that takes the determination ofgametes out of the realm of “naturalselection” and places it into the realmof conscious manipulation. There is aquestion we need to ask ourselves, onethat will seem naive or irrelevant tomany people, including many Chris-tians:What is God’s role in the processof human procreation?

Orthodox Christians, in any case, areconvinced that God is directly andintimately involved in literally everyaspect of human existence and experi-ence. The hairs of the head are allcounted, the lilies of the field arearrayed, the birds of the air are nour-ished, and all by the hand of God.These poetic images are taken veryseriously. They mean that everythingthat occurs in our life and experienceis known by God and, in some fash-ion, comes under God’s sovereignty.

This truth is well expressed by a prayermany Orthodox Christians say eachmorning: “Teach me to treat all thatcomes to me throughout the day withpeace of soul and with firm convictionthat Thy will governs all…. In unfore-seen events, let me not forget that allare sent by Thee.”

If, indeed, we take these words seri-ously, then this means that God is alsodirectly and intimately involved in theprocess of human procreation. Andthis means that we must leave thechoice—the “natural selection”—ofwhich sperm and ovum unite in theprocess of fertilization to the uncon-scious movements of the humanbody—movements that are ultimatelydirected by God.

There is no greater mystery in this lifethan the creation of new life that bearsthe divine image. And by definition,any and every “mystery” or “sacra-ment” derives from God and is to beoffered up to God as a sacrifice ofpraise.

The legal cloning of human embryosin the United States, at least for thetime being, is restricted to the produc-tion of stem cells for purposes of med-ical research…. Hundreds of thou-sands already have been created anddestroyed for the sake of scientificresearch. Whatever the motives of themedical teams, whatever the promisesof the “new medicine,” we mustn’tforget that one most basic, if incon-venient, truth:Those embryos, too, arebabies.

R E A D E R ’ S C O R N E R

Taken fromchapter 10 of Breck’s

God with Usavailable from

SVS Press

odwith UsG

Good and Faithful ServantSTEWARDSHIP IN THE ORTHODOX CHURCHedited by Anthony Scott“This book invites us to exercise responsible stewardship, to share ourresources in a generous but also disciplined and accountable way. To engagein true Christian stewardship, we need a vision:We need to make God’soikonomia, God’s plan of salvation for humankind, the model for our ownhuman oikonomia, for our stewardship of God’s many gifts to us. This volumeanticipates that ideal.”

– John H. Erickson

In this pioneering volume renowned contributing authors endeavor todevelop an Orthodox Christian model of stewardship by drawing onscriptural, patristic, historical, dogmatic, and liturgical foundations.Philanthropia, ultimately, is proven by cheerful giving, in a spirit of love, thesource of which is in knowing the Almighty God.

Orthodox Prayer LifeTHE INTERIOR WAYMatthew the Poor

In this volume a contemporary desert monk imparts to his readers “a wholecourse” on the life of prayer—the fruit of fifty-five years of solitude.

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