Voices From St Vladimir's Seminary

Caleb Rexford is a first year Masters of Divinity student from the OCA Diocese of the South. He attends St Vladimir's Seminary with his wife and four children. In this episode you will hear about Caleb's journey to Orthodoxy, his experience raising children in the Church, his discernment process leading up to Seminary, and much more about his experience at St Vladimir's Seminary so far.

Have you ever met a true missionary, ministering to hundreds of people and caring for their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs? SVOTS alumnus Fr Simon Menya (M.Div. '19) is one such inspiring figure. In this conversation with Sarah Werner, Fr Simon describes his upbringing in his wartorn home country of Uganda, his conversion to Orthodoxy, his journey to and through the M.Div. program at St Vladimir's Seminar, and the many facets of his ministry in Uganda as an Orthodox priest and as founder of the Northern Uganda Self-Sufficiency Project (NUSSP). Fr Simon conducts church services daily; translates Orthodox service books and other texts from English into the local language, Luo; and travels to many small towns and villages in his region to visit the sick, celebrate the sacraments, and catechize new inquirers. Last fall, he oversaw the completion of a new church building dedicated to St Catherine and baptized 33 catechumens into the Orthodox Faith. In addition to this prodigious work, he works with NUSSP to organize medical treatment and the building of new clinics; improve local water infrastructure; offer secondary schooling for children; and facilitate opportunities for adults to practice animal husbandry and farming, among other professional skills. Listen now to hear directly from a true missionary and servant of Christ, Fr Simon Menya.

In this inaugural episode of the relaunch of the Voices of St Vladimir's podcast, we hear from Dr. Albert Rossi, Director of Counseling and Psychological Services and most senior faculty member at St. Vladimir’s Seminary. Dr. Rossi is beloved by generations of seminarians and well-known to the wider Orthodox world through his podcast Becoming a Healing Presence, his books, and his many, many speaking engagements at parishes, conferences, and youth events over the years. In this conversation, Dr. Rossi speaks with Sarah Werner about his life, conversion process, his relationship with his dear departed wife, his close friendship with Fr. Thomas Hopko, his reflections on his many years at St. Vladimir's Seminary counseling students, and his favorite reading recommendations. Listen now to encounter Dr. Rossi in a one-on-one setting as he shares stories and wisdom from his many years of caring ministry in the Church.

Sponsored by the St. Ambrose Society, a student interest group at St. Vladimir's Seminary, this is a lecture by Dr. Ryan Sampson Nash, the Director of the Ohio State University Center for Bioethics.

Saint Vladimir's Seminary entered into its annual, two-day Lenten Retreat on Clean Monday and Tuesday, March 15 and 16, 2021. Four talks delivered over the two days followed the theme of "Ora et Labora: The Foundations of Spirituality According to the Rule of St Benedict of Nursia." In this final meditation, Fr Nicholas Roth, the Seminary’s Spiritual Formation Director and Ecclesiarch, speaks of “Working Together.”

Saint Vladimir's Seminary entered into its annual, two-day Lenten Retreat on Clean Monday and Tuesday, March 15 and 16, 2021. Four talks delivered over the two days followed the theme of "Ora et Labora: The Foundations of Spirituality According to the Rule of St Benedict of Nursia." In this final meditation, Fr Nicholas Roth, the Seminary’s Spiritual Formation Director and Ecclesiarch, speaks of “Working Together.”

Saint Vladimir's Seminary entered into its annual, two-day Lenten Retreat on Clean Monday and Tuesday, March 15 and 16, 2021. Four talks delivered over the two days followed the theme of "Ora et Labora: The Foundations of Spirituality According to the Rule of St Benedict of Nursia." Saint Vladimir’s Director of Music Harrison Russin reflects on “Working Alone” in this third of the retreat meditations.

Saint Vladimir's Seminary entered into its annual, two-day Lenten Retreat on Clean Monday and Tuesday, March 15 and 16, 2021. Four talks delivered over the two days followed the theme of "Ora et Labora: The Foundations of Spirituality According to the Rule of St Benedict of Nursia." In this reflection, Dr Vitaly Permiakov, the Seminary's assistant professor of liturgical theology, leads a meditation on "Praying Together."

Saint Vladimir's Seminary entered into its annual, two-day Lenten Retreat on Clean Monday and Tuesday, March 15 and 16, 2021. Four talks delivered over the two days followed the theme of "Ora et Labora: The Foundations of Spirituality According to the Rule of St Benedict of Nursia." Saint Vladimir’s Director of Music Harrison Russin reflects on “Working Alone” in this third of the retreat meditations.

Saint Vladimir's Seminary entered into its annual, two-day Lenten Retreat on Clean Monday and Tuesday, March 15 and 16, 2021. Four talks delivered over the two days followed the theme of "Ora et Labora: The Foundations of Spirituality According to the Rule of St Benedict of Nursia." Seminary President Fr Chad Hatfield, in this first reflection, offers thoughts on "Praying Alone."

Saint Vladimir's Seminary entered into its annual, two-day Lenten Retreat on Clean Monday and Tuesday, March 15 and 16, 2021. Four talks delivered over the two days followed the theme of "Ora et Labora: The Foundations of Spirituality According to the Rule of St Benedict of Nursia." In this reflection, Dr Vitaly Permiakov, the Seminary's assistant professor of liturgical theology, leads a meditation on "Praying Together."

Saint Vladimir's Seminary entered into its annual, two-day Lenten Retreat on Clean Monday and Tuesday, March 15 and 16, 2021. Four talks delivered over the two days followed the theme of "Ora et Labora: The Foundations of Spirituality According to the Rule of St Benedict of Nursia." Seminary President Fr Chad Hatfield, in this first reflection, offers thoughts on "Praying Alone."

On January 30, 2021, New York Times bestselling author Rod Dreher delivered the 38th Annual Father Alexander Schmemann Memorial Lecture. Dreher’s lecture, “Living in Truth: How the Communist-Era Suffering Church can Prepare Us to be Dissidents,” defined the challenges and explored the gifts the suffering church has for a complacent West. His talk coincided with the publication of A Voice for Our Time: Radio Liberty Talks, Vol. 1, featuring an English translation of Schmemann’s broadcasts into the Soviet Union that began in 1953. This first volume of the two-part series, being published by St. Vladimir’s Seminary (SVS) Press, features a foreword by Dreher.

On January 30, 2021, New York Times bestselling author Rod Dreher delivered the 38th Annual Father Alexander Schmemann Memorial Lecture. Dreher’s lecture, “Living in Truth: How the Communist-Era Suffering Church can Prepare Us to be Dissidents,” defined the challenges and explored the gifts the suffering church has for a complacent West. His talk coincided with the publication of A Voice for Our Time: Radio Liberty Talks, Vol. 1, featuring an English translation of Schmemann’s broadcasts into the Soviet Union that began in 1953. This first volume of the two-part series, being published by St. Vladimir’s Seminary (SVS) Press, features a foreword by Dreher.

Addressing members of the Orthodox Inter-Seminary Movement (OISM), St. Vladimir's Seminary President Fr. Chad Hatfield offer some thoughts for future ordained and lay leaders who will be serving in an "aggresively anti-Christian" world. His insights and suggestions for further reading will be of interest to the seminarian and non-seminarian alike.