‘They took the first step, leaving everything behind’ – Support St. Vladimir’s Seminary
SVOTS – 8/11/2019
Meet the Youngbloods. The family moved to St. Vladimir’s Seminary from Waco, Texas. Deacon Charles (Charalambos), now in his second year as a seminarian, left behind his career as a detective in the City of Waco Police Department. His wife, Brittany, shut the doors of the dream house they had built on their farm, and the family sold cows, tractors, farm equipment, and even Dn. Charles’ old pickup truck. Even now their daughter, 5-year-old Hazel, regularly asks about her favorite pet, a chicken named “Gladdis,” whom she had to say goodbye to as the family prepared to move to New York and St. Vladimir’s Seminary.
“She used to peck my shoe…because she loves me,” Hazel told us.
Maybe a pet chicken doesn’t sound like much to us adults, but we can all understand how hard it is to leave something so loved behind and adjust to a new home and radically different life—especially for a child. The Youngbloods and so many other seminarians—and their families—have made enormous sacrifices to answer the call to serve Christ and His Church.
They took the first step. Will you take the next step for the Church this Giving Tuesday to make sure seminarians’ training and education is paid for?
As you may or may not know, Saint Vladimir’s Seminary is not funded by any church institution or by the government, so the school relies on the generosity of donors each year to raise funds to operate the Seminary and train seminarians like Dn. Charles. It takes approximately $62,775 to train one seminarian each year—and SVOTS pays around 82% of that cost itself to make outstanding seminary education and formation available to all who are called to serve Christ and his Church.
That’s where you come in! This December 3, on Giving Tuesday, #Give2StVlads! Help us raise the cost to educate just one seminarian this year: $62,775.
Visit our website, here, to learn more and donate as the day approaches.
Thank you so much for your continued support, generosity, and prayers for St. Vladimir’s Seminary.
