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What's in a Name?

Theodochos as the "God-ReCeiver"

The title bestowed upon the Holy Righteous Simeon serves as the cornerstone of this Ministry of Stewardship. It invokes the image of those led by the Holy Spirit into the Sanctuary, yearning for the dawning of the promised Christ.

 

In the Mystery of the Presentation, we witness a profound convergence of faith:

 

  • The Holy Family enters the Temple in humble poverty and radical trust, seeking to fulfill all righteousness.
  • St. Simeon, a soul consumed by love for the God and guided by the Spirit, awaits the realization of the Divine Promise.
  • St. Anna, the prophetic widow who keeps watch through prayer and fasting, is filled with the Holy Spirit as they unite within the Father’s House. 

It is our fervent prayer that this ministry serves as the sacred threshold where these three types of souls meet. Bound by a shared longing to uphold the traditions of our faith and a singular desire for the Greater Glory of God and His Church, we invite you to join us.

A THREEFOLD MISSION TO STEWARDSHIP

For Those Discerning the Married Priesthood within the Catholic Byzantine Rite

We invite men who are currently discerning the Married Priesthood, and have begun the process to apply within the Eparchy, to enter this ministry in a spirit of simplicity and holy abandonment. As you lay your concerns and the needs of your domestic church before the Lord, do so with the firm conviction that He who calls you to “leave all things” is faithful. In choosing to follow Christ, you may trust that His Providence will sustain you and your family as you labor in His vineyard.

For Patrons of the Priesthood

We call upon those moved to support the Byzantine Married Priesthood to behold in these families a living icon of the Holy Family. Just as St. Simeon recognized and received the Christ-Child with rapture and joy, you are invited by the Holy Spirit to uphold these families through your stewardship. By your generosity, you become a guardian of the vocation, ensuring that those who serve the Altar are supported by the love of the community.

For Intercessors of Prayer and Sacrifice

We invite souls dedicated to hidden service to adopt these families in the sanctuary of their hearts. Through your prayers and sacrifices, you carry their burdens before the Throne of God’s Mercy. Like St. Anna, your unceasing intercession provides the spiritual foundation upon which these families stand as they go forth to follow Christ and serve His people.

 

The Broader Mission

A Mission That Unfolds

Theodochos is structured to grow with the work it supports. The mission unfolds in two phases — the first immediate and personal, the second broader and enduring.

 
Vocations to the married priesthood will continue to rise from among the faithful. So too will the needs that accompany them — formation costs, relocations, family stability, the long quiet years of preparation. Theodochos, in its second phase, will exist so that no family answering this call has to begin from nothing.


What is built around the Towles becomes the foundation built for the many.

Phase 1: The Towle Family's Formation

The first phase of Theodochos exists to support the Towle family's relocation to Austria and the years of priestly formation ahead. This includes the practical needs of moving a family across continents, the costs of seminary life, and the steady provision required so that Lorena and the children are not stretched thin while Nicholas gives himself fully to formation.

Every contribution at this stage carries the weight of a household kept whole.

Phase 2: A Non-Profit for the Many

The lessons learned in supporting one family will not stay with one family. The second phase of Theodochos is the establishment of a nonprofit organization serving discerning families, patrons, and intercessors — a sustained channel through which the Church's faithful can uphold the married priesthood for generations to come.

The Byzantine tradition has long known that the priesthood is not the work of the man alone, but of the family, the parish, and the people. Theodochos will become a structure where that knowledge takes practical form.

Interested in Being Part of Theochodos?

Let Lorena know that you are interested in the future vision of Theodochos. 

TEXT LORENA