Giving Tuesday

Today is Giving Tuesday. This is a time when we consider our charitable giving and by the Lord's providence today is also the beginning of the Nativity Fast. Given the Holy Church's very strong tradition of adding almsgiving to fasting, we would ask that you remember the Pastoral School in your charitable giving donations this year. Other charities are important too, but very few of them will help in the formation of new clergy for your parish. The Pastoral School will! Thank you for your consideration. Please visit this page to learn more:

PASTORAL SCHOOL DONATION PAGE

Acquire Dogmatic Theology Textbook before Classes Begin

I will be teaching Dogmatic Theology this fall semester and I am very much looking forward to it. The class is rather fast-paced, and the students should have the main textbook, Orthodox Dogmatic Theology, by Protopresbyter Michael Pomazansky, in hand before the course begins. The book is available from all major Orthodox book stores, including Archangels Books, with whom the Pastoral School has a cooperative relationship:

ORTHODOX DOGMATIC THEOLOGY

The book is also available on line, but if possible, it would be ideal for the students to have this very important book in their personal library. On line versions can be found with a simple search. The other book that will need to be purchased is The Truth of our Faith Volume II – On the Christian Mysteries by Elder Clopa. That one comes later in the semester, but it is not a bad idea to pick it up now, when you are purchasing the Pomazansky book. Here is the link at Archangels Books:

THE TRUTH OF OUR FAITH VOLUME II

Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have questions or concerns.

Fr. Gregory Joyce, Dean

Acquire Canon Law Textbook BEFORE Classes Begin

Fr. Patrick Viscuso, our new Canon Law instructor, would like to have the students who register for the canon law class purchase the textbook for the course by the first day of classes.

The textbook is Patrick Viscuso, Orthodox Canon Law: A Casebook for Study. Brookline, MA: Holy Cross Orthodox Press, 2011, 2nd Edition.

It is available through the http://store.antiochianvillage.org, amazon.com, and other book sellers.

Classes begin September 11, 2017.

Fr. Gregory Joyce, Dean

Ordination of Pastoral School Student to the Deaconate

On Sunday June 19/July 2, 2017 Subdeacon David Carder was ordained to the deaconate at the Holy Virgin Protection Diocesan Cathedral in Des Plaines, IL. Deacon David is a Senior in the Pastoral School and plans to graduate in the spring of 2018. Archbishop Peter of Chicago & Mid-America, President of the Pastoral School, performed the ordination. Please join me in congratulating Deacon David, his parish (All Saints of America in DeQueen, Arkansas), and his family with his ordination! May the Lord grant him many years of fruitful service in His Vineyard!

Priest Gregory Joyce, Dean

Church Slavonic Courses this Summer and Fall

For various reasons we were unable to start the Church Slavonic Course this summer on June 19. Thus, we are offering two options for those who need to/would like to take this course this year:

1. The full course starting July 24 and ending September 9

2. The full course starting on September 25 and ending on November 11

This is an opportunity that may not come again – two options for Church Slavonic at times that we do not usually offer the course. We hope that this works for you – and that you will register for the course, whether you are a Pastoral School student or not. This is one of those rare courses, normally only offered in the Summer Semester, that is open to non-students.

Register by August 1 for the July 24 course at the latest. Immediately would be better. You can do that here if you are not already a student in the Pastoral School:

http://orthodoxtheologicalschool.org/admissions-overview/summer

For the September 25 course:

1. Students of the Pastoral School can register for the course as they do for their other courses

2. Non-Pastoral School Students should contact me (fr.gregory.joyce@orthodoxtheologicalschool.org)

Fr. Gregory

Pastoral School Student Ordained to the Priesthood

On the Sunday 12/25 June, 2017 Deacon Daniel Franzen was ordained to the priesthood at the Holy Virgin Protection Diocesan Cathedral in Des Plaines, IL. Metropolitan Phillip of Poltava & Mirgorod, who was visiting the Diocese of Chicago & Mid-America at the time, performed the ordination. Please join me in congratulating Fr. Daniel with his ordination! The newly-ordained Priest will soon be commissioned an officer in the United States armed forces and will serve as a military chaplain. May the Lord grant him many years of fruitful service in His Vineyard!

Priest Gregory Joyce, Dean

Summer Semester Begins Today

Today marks the beginning of the Summer Semester. Late registration runs through July 2, but honestly, it is important to register early for summer classes. The courses are condensed by about ½, which means that the instructional cadence is about twice as fast as fall and spring classes. So register today if you have not already! Please contact me with questions.

Fr. Gregory