On Saturday June 23 at the Holy Virgin Protection Cathedral, this year's graduates of the DCMA Pastoral School traveled to Chicago to undergo their final examination and present their thesis work.  Fr. Thaddeus Hardenbrook, rector of St. Lawrence Orthodox Church (Vicariate For The Palestinian & Jordanian Christian Orthodox Communities In America—GOA) in Felton, CA presented his work entitled "The Parish as Community: A Community of Essence, Will and Activity".  Fr. Deacon Nicholas Park who is a deacon in our diocese at the church of St. Nicholas in Dallas presented his work entitled "The Mystery of Repentance: History, Theology and Contemporary Practice".  The graduates were presented with their diplomas just before the start of the Vigil service on Saturday evening.  The Pastoral School is quite unique in that most of the course work is conducted online.  It attracts clerics not only from our diocese but also from other Orthodox jurisdictions and was originally put into place by Fr. Martin Swanson.