College Ministry

OCF Opens Search for North American Chaplain

Brookline, MA – May 2, 2012

The Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) announced today that applications are being received for the position of North American Chaplain. The position is being increased to half-time, and will be held by an Orthodox clergyman who will also have the ability to continue to serve a parish or other ministry.

Fr. Michael Nasser, OCF’s current North American Chaplain, shared his thoughts on this development: “With OCF’s new leadership and with a fast-growing awareness among parents and clergy of how vital this ministry to our students really is, I couldn’t be happier that the next North American Chaplain will have more time to be dedicated to this great work.”

OCF is currently restructuring to better guide and support the hundreds of OCF chapters spread out across North America. The new North American Chaplain will work across all Orthodox jurisdictions, providing resources and assistance to the chaplains who work directly with the students on campus.

Eastern Dioceses College Scholarship Application Due June 1st

The Eastern Dioceses 2012 College Scholarship Application is now available for download. This scholarship application is intended only for parishioners from churches that are within the Eastern Dioceses. If you wish to participate in the application process, please complete the application and be sure to include all required materials. All information must be accurately completed and returned by June 1, 2012.

Download scholarship application.

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Spotlight on Student Scholarships: Deadlines are Approaching!

With the 2012-2013 academic year not far off, deadlines are approaching for scholarships for Antiochian students.

The following is a list of scholarships and deadlines:

2012 Harry & Florence Kouri Scholarship for a DOWAMA Graduating High School Senior: May 1

2012 Bill Cohlmia & Joan Cohlmia-Razook Memorial Scholarship for the Continuing Education of DOWAMA Clergy: May 1

Francis Maria Scholarship: May 15

Antiochian Women's Scholarship: June 1

Fellowship of St. John Eastern Dioceses Scholarship: June 1

Fellowship of St. John Diocese of Toledo Scholarship: June 1

OCF Encourages Students to Celebrate a "Real St. Patrick's Day"

This year for St. Patrick's Day, instead of drowning your sorrows in green beer and gorging yourself with cookies shaped like four-leafed clovers, learn a lesson from a three-leafed clover and take a step on the right direction!

Real Saint Patrick’s Day is a program of Orthodox Christian Fellowship aimed at bringing the focus of St. Patrick’s day back to St. Patrick and away from the traditional excessive partying that typically takes place. St. Patrick was a slave in Ireland who escaped and later returned as a bishop to teach the people of Ireland about the true faith. Chapters should do all that they can to use St. Patrick as an example to learn, teach, and serve others. Below are some approaches your chapter can take, based on the life of the Saint, to dedicate the day to prayer, serving and learning. These suggested activities would encourage your OCF and possibly those on your campus to spend the day in more appropriate pursuits given the celebration of a Saint’s feast and being in the midst of Great Lent.

Works of the Order in Action: OCF Conferences

College students at 2011 OCF conference, CaliforniaBy Jennifer Nahas, OCF Executive Director

The 9th Annual Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) College Conferences concluded as they always do – with college students longing for more spiritual nourishment and opportunities to be part of an Orthodox community. Thanks to the generous scholarships provided by The Order of St. Ignatius of Antioch, over one hundred Antiochian Orthodox college students attended College Conference, along with their peers from other jurisdictions. One student explained, “I go to school in Arkansas and cannot tell you how grateful I am, both for College Conference, and for the scholarship The Order provided. There are not many Orthodox students at my school, and being here helps me to remember who I am and why my faith is so important to me.”

OCF is host to three separate conferences. One is held in the south at the Diakonia Center, one in the west at St. Nicholas Ranch, and the largest and most established is held in the east at the Antiochian Village.