DIOCESE OF CHICAGO & THE MIDWEST: 4 August, 2008
The Diocesan Pastoral School Holds Second Graduation

On Sunday, 14/27 July, at Holy Protection Cathedral, in Des Plaines (near Chicago), the second graduation of the independent study Pastoral School of the Diocese of Chicago & the Midwest took place. The previous evening (Saturday), the candidates took their oral examinations, during which their dissertations were judged and their knowledge of various theological disciplines was verified. The Examining Committee—presided over by His Grace, Peter, Bishop of Cleveland, and consisting of Protopriest Andrei Papkov, Protopriest Martin Swanson (Director of the School), and Priest Gregory Joyce—found the candidates' knowledge satisfactory and authorized them to receive the appropriate certificates. This year, certificates were issued to: Subdeacon Victor Ganson (Boston), Subdeacon Michael Merron (Ann Arbor), Subdeacon Siluan Hefler (St. Louis), Reader Andrei Vlasenko (St. Louis), and Subdeacon Jonathan Whittaker (Princeton). On Sunday, after the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, His Grace, Alypy, Archbishop of Chicago & the Midwest, presented the certificates to the graduates, following which "Many years!" was sung for them.