Alumnus Publishes Reflections on Major Feasts

SVOTS alumnus Fr. Rodney Torbic ('01 D.Min.) started out simply collecting notes for his adult education classes at St. George Serbian Orthodox Church in Carmichaels, Pennsylvania. He ended up publishing a book. His recently released title, Reflections on the Major Feasts, was deemed worthy of publication by the Clergy Brotherhood of the Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America in December 2010.

Wednesday evening Fr. Rodney publically presented the new title at a gathering on our campus. The President of the Clergy Brotherhood, Protopresbyter Djokan Majstrorovic, who also is the rector of St. Sava Cathedral in New York City, introduced the book and acknowledged its value for "students, clergy, and the faithful."

Fr. Rastko Trbuhovich, also a seminary alum ('73 M.Div.) and one of the editors of the book, accompanied Fr. Rodney to the presentation. Fr. Rastko briefly summed up the contents of the work-introductions to each major Orthodox feast with verse-by-verse reflections on scripture-and praised its ability "to reach different levels, from the spiritually basic to the spiritually challenging." Fr. Rastko is pastor of St. Stephen Serbian Orthodox Church in Lackawanna, New York.

Since 1986 Fr. Rodney has been the Director of Christian Education for the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Eastern America, and he is known among his flock for his prolific writing and tireless teaching. Comments from his "fans," some of whom traveled from as far as Pittsburgh to be at the presentation, attested: "Father will hold a class even if only one person is present." "Father's teaching is always 'simple,' but not 'simplistic.' "

Source: www.svots.edu