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V. Rev. John Kowalczyk

Learn more about Fr. John's background, education, and academic focuses.

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Senior Lecturer & Director of Vocations & Spiritual Formation

V. Rev. John Kowalczyk

St. Tikhon's Seminary Director of Vocations, Fr. John Kowalczyk

V. Rev. John Kowalczyk

Senior Lecturer & Director of Field Education

Pastoral Arts & Praxis


C.Sc. Candidate of Science in Theology, Moscow Theological Academy | Certification in Counseling and Privileges for Psychotherapy, Farview State Hospital | M.S. Religious Education, Marywood University | Diploma, St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary

Mitered Archpriest Fr. John Kowalczyk serves as Director of Vocations & Spiritual Formation and Director of Field Education & Prison Ministry at St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary. He has served as a Lecturer in Pastoral Praxis since 1986 and previously served as Interim Chair of Pastoral Theology. In addition to his work at the Seminary, he serves as Director of Training and Spiritual Care for Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry, and is a Prison Chaplain at SCI Waymart. Ordained to the Holy Priesthood in 1975, Fr. John served for nearly four decades as pastor of St. Michael’s Church in Jermyn, Pennsylvania, and previously served as Chancellor of the Diocese of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania. He holds a Candidate of Science in Theology degree from the Moscow Theological Academy, an M.S. in Religious Education from Marywood University, and a Diploma from St. Tikhon’s Seminary. His work focuses on vocational discernment, pastoral formation, prison ministry, and spiritual care.

Email

Connect with Fr. John.

fr.john.kowalczyk@stots.edu

Phone

Mon-Fri 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

570-561-1818, ext. 106

CV

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Download CV(downloads file)

Academic Profile

Research Interests

  • Pastoral Theology | Prison Ministry | Spiritual Care and Counseling | Vocational Discernment and Formation

Recent Publications

“Healing through forgiveness: giving our whole lives as an offering to God.” With Corina Gheorghiu, in Suffer with You: Lessons on Forgiveness from Prison, edited by Luke Taylor Gilstrap with Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry. South Canaan, Pa.: St. Tikhon’s Seminary Press, 2026.

“The canonization of Fr. Alexis Toth by the Orthodox Church in America.” St. Vladimir’s Theological Quarterly, 38(1994):424–431.

“Diocesan pilgrimage to Russia.” Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate, 11(1989):20–23.

An Orthodox View of Abortion. Minneapolis, Minn.: Light and Life Publishing, 1977.