Special Priesthood Formation Cohort in 2025

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At the initiative of His Eminence, Archbishop Benjamin, and with the blessing of the Holy Synod of Bishops, we have been given a special opportunity to raise up additional priestly vocations for service in our diocese as part of the Diocese’s extensive Thriving Parishes Project (TPP).

In a recent memo, parish rectors were asked to nominate pious men in our parishes who already have an MDiv or equivalent degree from a non-Orthodox seminary, who have demonstrated a stable and reliable personal and family character, who have already been of service in some way, and who have no known canonical impediments for this one-time offering.

This cohort will engage in a 2.5-3 year hybrid program combining online courses taught by St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary faculty together with in-person intensives at regular intervals.

The Diocese would like to start forming our cohort for an in-person orientation from February 7-8, 2025, in Colorado Springs, CO. The summer intensive is scheduled for July 28 (evening)-August 1 (afternoon) in Santa Rosa, CA.

Any interested candidate is encouraged to speak to his priest at the earliest opportunity and to reach out to Archpriest Barnabas Powell, Diocesan Vocations Director, at frbarnabas@dowoca.org