The Orthodox Church in North America is in the middle of a worsening clergy crisis. Statistically enduring a deficit of over 100 priests per year, it is time to ask the Holy Spirit to actively recruit men who are willing to serve, suffer, and die for Christ to Holy Orders.
Candidates have a lot of questions.
This webinar is designed to answer them. We will cover topics like,
- Serving in Holy Orders, minor and major,
- Expectations, reasonable, unreasonable, and unreal,
- Canonical Impediments,
- Discernment: understanding the process,
- Education and preparation,
- Formation – the hidden deficit,
- Jurisdictional considerations,
- And more
This webinar is sponsored by the GreatMartyr Euphemia Orthodox Theological Academy, an online theological school since 2018 with students in over 24 countries, and graduates ordained in almost every jurisdiction in America, and many abroad.
The webinar is free, but you must register to attend.
When: Jul 8, 2024 07:00 PM Arizona time
Topic: The Path to the Priesthood
Register in advance for this webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_RRNqn-paR6WWMaTbfiPcIQ
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
I sadly just missed this webinar (only found out about it just now, the day after it aired). Was it recorded? Or will there be a similar webinar in the future? I’m sorry I missed this and would love to re-watch and/or attend a future session if possible.
Hi, curious if this was recorded and if the recording will be posted anywhere? Thanks!
Was this webinar recorded?
Yes, but it will not be publicly available.
Another webinar will be held shortly instead.
This is not a problem unique to Orthodoxy. When church attendance and membership is down across the board across most denominations, it’s not surprising that there’s a deficit of men going into priesthood/ministry.
Add to that the typical poverty level pay of most Orthodox clergy, it’s makes it a difficult prospect to convince men. And you have either be married before you are ordained, or you cannot marry, or cannot remarry if your wife leaves or dies, it’s problematic.
I know of a good Orthodox priest, whose wife died when his children were a young age. He remarried, at least in part, so that the children would have a mother. But he could no longer be a priest. Where’s the sense in that?
If you want men to enter the priesthood, they should be guaranteed a minimum salary at least
Great idea, but where does the money come from? That’s why we always recommend priests have a profession, career, or trade to support themselves.