Parish Establishes Scholarships for Seminarians Affected by the War in Ukraine

Our parish is honored to share an important step in the ongoing work of the Ukraine Humanitarian Relief Fund, part of our parish mission to support those affected by the Russian-Ukrainian war. Through this initiative, the parish has established two annual scholarships totaling $1,600 for seminarians who lost their fathers during the war.

Each scholarship of $800 per year fully covers a student’s annual stay at the seminary, including tuition, room and board, meals, utilities, and other essential living expenses. This support helps ensure that young men who feel called to the priesthood can continue their formation despite the hardships caused by the loss of their primary providers.

The first scholarship recipient is Volodymyr Slobodyan, currently in his sixth year of study, and the second is Denys Yatsunda, who is in his second year of seminary formation. We are also grateful to share a Letter of Gratitude from the Archbishop of Ternopil, Most Rev. Teodor, as well as from the Rector of the Seminary, Rev. Ivan Rymar, expressing appreciation for the support provided by our parish community.

It is especially meaningful for our parish to support seminarians from Ternopil Theological Seminary (Тернопільська Вища Духовна Семінарія). Over the years, several priests who have served and cared for our parish of St. Demetrius have been graduates of this seminary, including our current pastor, Fr. Stepan Ivanchyk.

Currently, the Ternopil Seminary is home to 129 seminarians from across Ukraine, each discerning and preparing for the priesthood during a time of great challenge for their country and the Church.

If you feel inspired to support this initiative or would like to establish a scholarship of your own, we warmly invite you to reach out to Fr. Stepan. An annual scholarship of $800 is a relatively small contribution that can make a profound difference in supporting a young man’s vocation and the future ministry of the Church.