Reverend Joseph Raptosh, Academic Dean of the Byzantine Catholic Seminary and pastor of Resurrection Byzantine Catholic Church in Monroeville, has recently completed eight years of study with the Pittsburgh Psychoanalytic Institute and has been awarded the psychoanalytic counseling credential. His training has included study of human psychodynamic development and assessment of the forces within human personality.  He describes the benefit of this study as making him able to see the potential in people, getting to the dark shadows that might be hindering their lives and setting them free.

In conjunction with his work in pastoral counseling he believes that this new knowledge will assist him in the further ability to work with clients both within and outside of the church and to be a liaison between the church community and the psychological medical community at large. As pastor in a parish and as professor at the seminary these abilities will assist him in greater pursuit of his priestly function in healing the brokenness of the human condition by applying the balm of grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Prior to these studies, Fr Joseph completed the Doctor of Ministry degree at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in 2001.

Very Rev. Archpriest John G. Petro sees Father Joseph’s additional skills as cutting edge advances in areas not explored in such a way in the Seminary before.  He said, “Father Joseph brings freshness to pastoral care and counseling.  His studies have blended contemporary knowledge in psychology and human development with the works of classic philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle and by so doing has brought clarity to the great spiritual Tradition of the Church Fathers."

The faculty, staff and seminarians of Byzantine Catholic Seminary congratulate Father Joseph for enduring the eight years of study with such dedication and devotion and bringing the depth of his knowledge and faith to the people in his care.