Father Matthew McDonald

Fr. Matthew McDonald comes to St. Michael’s after graduating from St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary in PA. As a seminarian, he was trained and formed by the St. Tikhon’s monastic community, which was one of the most profoundly healing experiences of his life. On December 21, 2019, he was ordained to the diaconate by Archbishop Paul of blessed memory. On October 18, 2020, he was ordained to the holy priesthood by Bishop Alexis. Fr. Matthew is a convert to holy Orthodoxy. He was raised Baptist and Pentecostal. However, while attending a Pentecostal liberal arts college in Springfield, MO, a friend invited him to come to a Vespers (evening prayer) service at St. Thomas the Apostle Orthodox Church. Although he was not immediately interested in Orthodoxy, the Lord had compassion on him and brought him back to St. Thomas a year later, and this time he fell in love with Orthodoxy. Fr. Matthew and his wife, Christine, converted to Orthodoxy in December 2005. Before seminary, Fr. Matthew spent eight years as a social worker helping children in the custody of the State of Missouri. He spent four years working in a residential facility for teen-aged boys, and then an additional four years working with children as a specialized foster care case manager. In addition to being the Rector of St. Michael’s, he is also the Director of FOCUS Gateway City, an Orthodox social service agency operating out of St. Michael’s. Fr. Matthew is excited to be at St. Michael’s. He looks forward to the transformative work the Holy Spirit will continue to do in the lives of this community and who will be drawn by the Spirit to be a part of our St. Michael’s family, the Holy Orthodox Church, and the Kingdom of God.