June 6, 2023
FRS. O'ROURKE AND MERCADO TO LEAD HCHC'S OFFICE OF STUDENT LIFE
Rev. Fr. Patrick O’Rourke and Very Rev. Archimandrite Bartholomew Mercado have been appointed Dean of Students and Associate Dean of Students, respectively, by HCHC President George M. Cantonis with the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Deans of Students play vitally important roles in the life of Hellenic College Holy Cross. They are essential to the fulfillment of the institution's mission, not only by ensuring the quality of campus life for all students in both schools, but also by overseeing priestly and spiritual formation and services in Holy Cross Chapel.
Fr. O’Rourke has served as Chief of Staff to President Cantonis since August 2022. Ordained to the Holy Priesthood in 2016, Fr. O’Rourke served at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in New Rochelle, NY, Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church in Ogden, UT, and Holy Trinity/Prophet Elias in Salt Lake City. Fr. O’Rourke received his Master of Divinity degree magna cum laude from Holy Cross in 2016. He has also created graphic art for HCHC and for other Orthodox publications, both print and digital. In his new role as Dean, Fr. O’Rourke will continue to oversee all of HCHC’s social media except for the Maliotis Cultural Center. Fr. O’Rourke is married to the former Jessica Tindle, a 2014 graduate of Hellenic College. The O’Rourkes are blessed with two young sons, Lucas and Jacob.
Fr. Mercado has served as Chaplain in the Office of Student Life and instructor of Canon Law at Holy Cross since August 2022. He graduated from Hellenic College in 2012 with a BA in Religious Studies and went on to Holy Cross, where he earned two degrees: the Master of Divinity and the Master of Theology. He then embarked on his doctoral studies in the field of Canon Law at the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome. Ordained to the Holy Diaconate in 2017, he returned to the United States in 2020 and served as the Registrar of the Metropolis of New Jersey until 2021, when His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America appointed him as an archivist of the Archdiocese. His Eminence ordained Fr. Mercado to the Holy Priesthood in December 2021 and soon after appointed him Director of the GOA Department of Archives, a position he held while also serving as Proistamenos of the St. George and St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Harlem, NY. Fr. Mercado will continue as HCHC's Chaplain after becoming Associate Dean of Students.
Frs. O’Rourke and Mercado will assume their new positions on June 12, 2023.
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June 5, 2023
On the Great Feast of Pentecost, we celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles which allowed them to preach the Gospel in foreign languages and reunite separated humanity in the "Communion of the Holy Spirit."
Our pilgrims had a reunion of sorts on the feast at the Patriarchal Cathedral of St. George at the Fanar. His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew celebrated the Divine Services, joined by our chaplain and professor of canon law, and his namesake, Fr. Bartholomew Mercado. Also serving were two Hellenic College graduates and Patriarchal Deacons, Fr. Varnavas Grigoriadis (B.A. Religious Studies, 2019) and Fr. Hieronymos Sotirelis (B.A. Religious Studies, 2017). Assisting in the altar was Ioan Gheorgiou, outgoing chapel ecclesiarch and 2023 M.Div. graduate.
From the Fanar, the St. Helen's Pilgrimage will continue in Thessaloniki where intensive Greek language studies await our pilgrims!
Photo credit: Yani Kayakoparan
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June 5, 2023
TUITION-FREE SEMESTER OF FAITH
The Semester of Faith students experience a unique, tuition-free educational and spiritual experience in an Orthodox community. Is it right for you or someone you know? Inquire below!
enrollment.hchc.edu/sof
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