On the Frontlines of American Orthodox Missions

Commonwealth: Is it common for priests to have personal financial difficulties? What do you wish more Orthodox Christians understood about the burdens priests carry?

Dn. Chris: It is more common than we think, especially in particular jurisdictions. Some of the time people know but choose to allow these financial difficulties to exist. 

There is definite spiritual benefit to a “financial struggle.” It allows us to rely more on the Lord to get us through tough times. But there is also something to be said about the Biblical calling of St. Paul to not overburden clergy and allow them to live off their spiritual work. 

It is important to understand that each mission is commanded to make disciples of all men to the best of their ability. Easing the personal burdens of the priest so that he is allowed to focus more on this commandment along with taking care of his family is paramount to fulfilling the promise we made to Christ. 

What are the true costs of bivocational ministry for a priest and his family? 

I do not believe there is a cookie cutter answer to this. It all depends on the type of secular work the priest has, the size of his family, whether the priest wife also works. But the common denominator in all these instances is that if the priest is able to spend more time with his flock and own family, the more successful that mission, healthier his family, will be. 

What are the hidden effects of under-supporting clergy?

Without a doubt, stress on his family, and slow but sure burn out of the priest. Of course, with these comes long-term health issues that develop, even in younger priests. 

How serious do you think the priest shortage is in America right now?

If we’re talking strictly numbers, it’s serious. Again, this all varies by jurisdiction. I will leave it up to them to communicate this as they wish. However, I have also heard a few hierarchs say that there has never been a time where we haven’t had a priest shortage in the United States and the Lord has always taken care of His flock regardless. The number one thing we must remember is to keep our faith in the Lord and know that He will take care of anything that we may view as a burden. 

In my opinion, the bigger issue we have in the United States is that we need to have a system in place that is most efficient in getting young men to ordination. I personally feel less and less confident that the seminary system we have set up is as effective as we believe it is. I say this not to belittle our seminaries. I believe they are great. But, if our main source of clergy comes from converts in the United States, how do we make sure we have clergy who have obtained some semblance of the “Mind of the Church?” Does seminary do this? Sometimes I am not sure. And if our clergy is not completely churched, then how do we expect them to church their flocks? I believe there is still way too much “baggage” being brought over into the church from previous heterodox jurisdictions. It is important for clergy to know that they must lean heavily on the writings of the Fathers to leverage their work instead of attempting to overcompensate from a trip or two to Mt. Athos believing now they have it figured out as long as they can tell their stories from abroad. The Church has been nurtured by the Holy Spirit. Everything is in place for us; we clergy just need to rely on the enlightened forbearers (and our Hierarchs) who preserved it for us and continue to repent ourselves. We are only Vessels of Christ. 

What do people misunderstand about the financial realities of church missions?

This sort of ties into the previous question. I don’t believe many understand just how much administrative work there is in growing a mission towards a parish. All of this requires money. It’s a lot. Most of the times, seminaries do not prepare clergy for this amount, or type, of work. So, the priests must rely on volunteers who will bear this burden and utilize their own gifts. We’re a community of saints and we’re all in this together at the mission level. Christ is head of the Church through His Bishops. We must learn to be obedient to our bishops because through them, we are obedient to Christ. This synergy or work gets us through the financial difficulties, not business plans or trying to “outsmart” the system as we would do in the world. It’s about faith. 

Many mission priests also work secular jobs in addition to their responsibilities at a parish. How does that affect their ministry?

As said above, what we need to understand, that unless a particular priest has the type of character that can take on loads of work, and still maintain a presence at his mission and still feel like he can do more, then secular work takes away from his Christly vocation. Speaking personally, I have found that having a busy secular job and then running to a church service sometimes results in a “splintered” mindset. This takes a definite psychological toll on any clergy whether they are priest or a deacon. I believe the vast majority of us would rather spend most of our time with parish family and with our own family at home without having to worry too much about bosses, deadlines, and “woke” environments at a secular job. Of course, this is almost impossible these days, but the closer we can get a mission priest to “Point A” the better it is for the mission. 

What does financial support look like for a mission priest and his family?

It varies by priest. We give stipends monthly, anywhere from $200 to $1000 monthly depending upon their needs. The stipends have been earmarked for their personal needs but we have allowed priests who rather use some or all of that stipend for their mission. 

The most important thing we want others to know about our support is that it is temporary. And there is a rigorous application and interview to be approved to obtain it. We seek zealous, energetic priests who have a plan in place to grow their mission. So, we want to see services on their church calendar other than the weekends. We like to see matching by their parish council, so they understand it is the mission’s ultimate responsibility to take care of their priest in the long run. This money is to get through a bump in the road, not for it to become a line item in their budgets. 

After the first year, the stipends go down by 50%. A third year will be considered if there are emergency circumstances. 

This is the main reason why we need repeating donations. There are many priests out their than can use our temporary support. 

What do you think people miss about missions in America?

I think for many of us it’s difficult to grasp just how much the Orthodox Church is growing in the West at the moment. We have a window of opportunity that the Holy Spirit has given us to truly bring the truth of Orthodoxy to every corner of the United States. It is truly unprecedented. We have no idea long the Lord has given us, so we need to act as Christ flock to make sure these mission priests are supported. 

We also need feedback. There are many places, perhaps, a mission doesn’t belong and maybe should be moved. Hierarchs need to hear this. There are also many military bases around the US where we have no active Orthodox Mission in the vicinity. This should change. Our military members are also hungry for the truth of Orthodoxy. For many of them their military service could represent a difficult period in their lives, especially after combat roles. Are we ready to support them, or are we just paying this segment of our population lip service?

What difference can modest monthly support make for a mission priest?

The biggest difference other than what I have already stated is that young men who are thinking about the priesthood and maybe shying away from it because of fear they may not be able to support themselves and their mission due to finances, them knowing that we exist could give them ease of mind help them move forward with their calling. 

Do you think a pan-Orthodox effort needed to address this problem?

This goes without saying. Jurisdictional unity would solve most of the problems we are facing in the American Orthodoxy. But this is beyond our scope of work. We are, however, ready to assist anyone who needs feedback or the information that we have gleamed through our work with missions. We are ready to work with any jurisdiction who reaches out to us and would like us to support their missions. But it’s important to understand, it takes money for all of this to work. 

What gives you hope as you look at the future of Orthodoxy in America?

Ultimately, the young men and women who I see enter my own parish monthly, having the courage to break from their “comfort zone Christianity”, knowing deep down in their hearts that there is something more meaningful, a deeper faith, a right faith. Without a doubt, they hear the soft voice of the Lord calling them to His Church.