07/14/2026
‘Formed in Tradition: Alumni Across the Globe’ Today we pick up on our series by turning your attention to the first-ever graduate of Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary’s graduate program, Priest Daniel Franzen, M.Div., Class of 2020. Fr Daniel is presently serving in the US Military as a Command Chaplain aboard the Navy’s USS CHAFFEE (DDG 90) stationed in Naval Base San Diego.
Below, Fr Daniel walks us through the process of why he chose to come to seminary in Jordanville, and shares what his experience was like studying here, and finally explains why financial support of the seminary should remain a high priority, both now and into the future:
“In 2018, I was in the process of earning an M.Div degree at St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Seminary in nearby South Canaan, PA when HTOS debuted her M.Div. program. After much thought, prayer, and discussion, I decided to transfer and finish the degree at Jordanville. As a cleric of the Russian Church Abroad, it simply made sense. This is not a criticism of STOTS whatsoever, but simply an acknowledgement of my formation in Orthodoxy (in ROCOR) up to that point, and an expression of the loyalty to and love I have for the Church Abroad. HTOS offered not just an excellent education, but an entire Orthodox orientation, as it were, that is simply not available anywhere else. As I reflect on the decision to transfer to Jordanville in 2018, I can only say that it was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life and I will always be grateful to those who facilitated it – especially His Grace Bishop Luke and Archpriest Alexander Webster.
Not only was I welcomed by the administration and the monastics, but the entire community embraced me and my family. I also received an excellent education. I had professors who challenged me academically and for that I will always be grateful. As I was already ordained to the priesthood, I was able to serve regularly, and the Jordanville rubrics became second nature. My family and I lived in monastery housing just down the road from the main campus and I often walked to and from class or the services. I have fond memories of the many very cold, very dark walks to the cathedral in the early morning when I was the serving priest.
As a student, I was certainly very busy. As I mentioned earlier, I served regularly (usually the Sunday evening/Monday morning cycle), attended classes everyday, made good use of the library, and read and wrote a lot. I drank more coffee than I thought possible throughout it all, and had the constant love and support of my wife and oldest daughter. We made – and still have – many friends there and countless fond memories of all of it.
It was only when I left that I probably began to realize just how much Jordanville – the entire experience – impacted my life and thought. Whether it was the liturgical rigor, the challenges in the classroom, the harsh winters, the wonderful friends and their support, a seminary experience at Jordanville results in more than a mere diploma. It is undoubtedly a life and ministry shaping experience. The Greek term χαρακτήρ (character) means that which “depicts the imprint stamped by a die or seal and, by extension, the precise expression of the substance that produced it.” If this be so, then it is certainly the case that Jordanville forms the character of a man. And ideally, that man will be an expression of the place that formed him. I think everyone who graduates from HTOS bears that responsibility and strives to do just that.
It is by now a commonplace that there is a shortage of priests throughout North America in all the Orthodox jurisdictions. I do not know the situation in Europe or Australia/New Zealand. And while there are many distance education options available these days, there is no replacement for attending a seminary in person for a duration of several years. Supporting Jordanville will enable the Church Abroad to assist prospective clergy with tuition, books, and living expenses to attend seminary full-time. And while it is not easy to do – especially financially – the goal should be a full seminary formation and education at Jordanville for prospective clergy of ROCOR.
Not only this, we live in a society (in the U.S.) that increasingly rages against tradition and inherited morality and which is certainly becoming increasingly hostile to traditional Orthodox beliefs and morals. In our age of radical individual expression and deviancy (of the kind I will not mention here), Jordanville stands as a bulwark against the self-centered, mammon worshipping society around us. Priests, in order to faithfully execute the ministry God has called them to, must first be well-prepared and spiritually armed to do so. This preparation is twofold: first, the priest must be positively formed in the Truth of our faith. He must have a solid grounding in Scripture, dogmatics, liturgics, history, canon law, and pastoral ministry. He must become brilliant in the basics. Secondly, he must be aware of the challenges that await him in that same parish ministry. What will be the temptations and tendencies of his flock? What are his parishioners who live in the world – as they must – facing day in and day out as they struggle for virtue and eternal life? He will only be able to assist his parishioners and lead them to Christ – as he must – if he is both brilliant in the basics and informed and on guard against the "principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Eph. 6:12).
I think Jordanville naturally attracts and will continue to attract serious men who wish to devote their lives to Christ and His Church in the coming decades. May God grant the seminary faculty, the monastics, and the entire community the richest of spiritual blessings and peace for their role in shaping countless clerics of the Church Abroad. And may it continue to do so until our Lord returns.”
