St. Tikhon’s seminarians honor former Dean, assist NY/NJ Diocese Parish Relief Fund
The student community of Saint Tikhon’s Seminary here donated $1,000.00 to the newly established Diocese of New York and New Jersey Parish Relief Fund in honor of the consecration and installation of the diocese’s new ruling hierarch, His Grace, Bishop Michael, who served as the school’s Dean for nine years.
“Because of the love and generosity Bishop Michael has shown to the seminarians and to so many others, we—and our families—wanted to show our appreciation to him by donating to the new parish relief fund,” said STOTS student body president Todd Justin Mokhiber.
Establishment of the fund was announced by Bishop Michael on May 8, the day of his consecration to the episcopacy.
“I want to share the abundance of what I have been given [by initiating] a fund to assist parishes that are struggling financially to be able to properly provide for their priests with salary subsidies,” Bishop Michael said, adding that gifts he had received on his consecration would be used for this purpose. “I cannot tell you how moved I am that seminarians, with such little financial means of their own, would be so generous in their kindness. I will always treasure this outpouring of their love, and it will live on in the priests and their families whom they will have helped.”