The Metropolitan has appointed Father Ronald Barusefski of the Eparchy of Passaic as the Byzantine Catholic Seminary鈥檚 new Director of Human Formation, effective August 1, 2022.聽 Fr. Barusefski鈥檚 appointment follows three years of exemplary and dedicated service in the role by Fr. Joel Barstad who is looking forward to parochial ministry in his home Eparchy of Phoenix.
Fr. Ron Barusefski is a vocation of Holy Ghost Byzantine Catholic Church, Jessup, Pennsylvania. He entered B.C.S. in the fall of 1981 and was graduated cum laude from Duquesne University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philosophy and Theology in 1985. After completing four additional years of theological study at the Seminary, he was ordained to the priesthood on Pentecost Sunday (and Mother鈥檚 Day), May 14, 1989 by the late +Most Rev. Michael Dudick, then Bishop of Passaic.
In the fall of 2011, after many years of parochial ministry, Fr. Barusefski began canon law studies at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He graduated with his licentiate in canon law on May 17, 2014, after completing his thesis entitled 鈥淭he Competency of the Council of Hierarchs of the Byzantine Ruthenian Metropolitan Church USA Sui Iuris.鈥� Fr. Ron was then named pastor of St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Church in Bayonne, New Jersey, and administrator of St. Mary鈥檚 Byzantine Catholic Church in Jersey City, New Jersey, and administrator of St. George Byzantine Catholic, Newark, New Jersey. He was also appointed Vice-Chancellor and Adjutant Judicial Vicar of the Eparchy of Passaic.
In the summer of 2015, Fr. Barusefski was sent for doctoral studies in canon law at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas. After completion of his first year of doctoral studies, Fr. Ron was appointed the Director of Apostolic Formation and member of the External Formation Faculty at the Pontifical North American College in June 2016. While being responsible for the many different pastoral ministries afforded to the seminarians including parish and campus ministry, catechesis, and care for the poor and sick, he also shared the Byzantine Tradition with regular celebration of the Divine Liturgy and other liturgical services, as well as discussions and presentations. After completing his five-year term of office at the NAC in June 2021, Fr. Barusefski returned to full-time doctoral work. He is currently completing his dissertation entitled 鈥淭he Role of the Council of Hierarchs with special reference to the Byzantine Ruthenian Metropolitan Church sui iuris in the United States鈥� with the goal of defending it in June 2022.
黑料不打烊 eagerly and enthusiastically welcomes Fr. Ron Barusefski to his new ministry with an assurance of prayerful and fraternal support.