Very Rev. Fr. Donald E. Shadid, D.Min.

Parish Priest 

Fr. Don was born and raised in Peoria, IL. He was baptized and chrismated at All Saints Greek Orthodox Church and has been active in church all his life (altar server, church school, Jr. Choir, GOYA, etc.).  Fr. Don graduated from Illinois State University (B.Sc.). While in college, he started an Orthodox Campus Ministry, under the guidance of Fr. Mark Stevens (OCA), and worked as a “Campus Ministry Associate”.  With the blessings of His Eminence, Metropolitan PHILIP, Fr. Don began his M.Div. Studies at St. Vladimir’s Seminary (SVS) in the Fall of 1981.

The next summer found Fr. Don at the Antiochian Village as a seminarian, cabin counselor & Nature/Ecology Director.  It was there that Janet Abdalah (sister of His Grace, Bishop JOHN) was assigned to Fr. Don’s nature hikes for “crowd control,” and as they say, “the rest is history”. They are honored to say that they are Antiochian Village Marriage #3!

After graduation from SVS in May 1984, Fr. Don worked full-time at the Antiochian Village as Assistant Camp Director & Program Director at the newly constructed Heritage & Learning Center, under the mentorship of the late Fr. John Namie (Memory Eternal!).

Fr. Don was ordained to the Holy Priesthood in April 1986 and in June of that year was assigned to the Pastorate at St. Mary Antiochian Orthodox Church in Johnstown, PA.  Fr. Don & Khouria Janet have been blessed with two wonderful sons: Rev. Fr. Christopher (Holy Cross Seminary – M.Div. and University of Pittsburgh – MSW) who is the Assistant Director at the Antiochian Village Camp; and Stephen (Duquesne University, Pharm.D.) who is a Pharmacist and is active at St. George Cathedral in Pittsburgh, PA.

In addition to his ministry at St. Mary in Johnstown, Fr. Don has been involved in numerous ministries & organizations: Spiritual Advisor – E.R. Fellowship of St. John the Divine; Spiritual Advisor of the Antiochian Women of The East (Dioceses of New York & Washington, D.C. and Charleston, Oakland & The Mid-Atlantic); Treasurer – St. Sophia Orthodox Christian Academy [a Pan-Orthodox Pre & Elementary School housed at the St. Mary Johnstown parish]; Treasurer – local Orthodox Clergy Association; Assistant Scoutmaster – BSA & Venture Scouts – BSA; Board Member & Secretary – local Professional Christian Counseling Ministry; OCF Regional Chaplain & Scholarship Committee of the Eastern Orthodox Committee on Scouting.  Fr. Don also earned his Doctor of Ministry Degree through the Antiochian House of Studies and Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in 2003.

Fr. Don enjoys his family, doggies and all animals, the outdoors, movies, bagpipes, classic country music, waterskiing, and talking about the Orthodox Christian faith. (He used to dream about discussing Orthodoxy with Elvis, Johnny Cash & Mel Gibson!) He is so very thankful to God for all of his blessings and all of his crosses too!  Nish-qor Allah (Thanks be to God)!