View source for David (Mahaffey) of Sitka

'''Hieromonk David''' (secular name '''David Sterry Mahaffey Jr'''<ref>http://doepa.org/news_070809_1.html</ref>) is an [[hieromonk]] of the [[Orthodox Church in America]] who was nominated on [[September 15]], 2012 by the delegates to the Assembly of the [[Diocese of Alaska (OCA)|Diocese of Alaska]] as the candidate for election as Bishop of Sitka and Alaska by the [[Holy Synod]].

==Life==
David Mahaffey was born in Altoona, Pennsylvania in 1952. In 1973, he married the former Karen Meterko with whom he had four children.  In 1975, David was received into the Orthodox Christian faith.  In 1997, he received a Master of Divinity degree from [[St. Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary|St. Tikhon’s Seminary]] in South Canaan, Pennsylvania.  In 2003, he graduated from the University of Scranton with Bachelors degrees in Theology and Philosophy. In 2005, he also received his Master of Arts degree in theology from the University of Scranton.

He was [[ordination|ordained]] a [[deacon]] in 1981 and served at various [[parish]]es of the [[Diocese of Western Pennsylvania (OCA)|Diocese of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania]].  He was ordained a [[priest]] in 1993 and was assigned as rector of the Church  of St. Michael in Old Forge, Pennsylvania, serving until 2006, when he was transferred to the pastorate of Holy Trinity Church in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. In 2007, Fr. David's wife Karen fell asleep in the Lord. In 2009, he was assigned rector of St. Nicholas Church in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Fr. David served as a graduate assistant in the Theology Department of the University of Scranton, adjunct lecturer at St. Tikhon’s Seminary, and adjunct lecturer in theology and philosophy at the Melrose Park Campus of Alvernia University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He also has served in a wide variety of capacities in the [[Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania (OCA)|Diocese of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania]], including [[dean]] of the Philadelphia Deanery.

On [[September 15]] 2012 he was nominated by the delegates to the Assembly of the [[Diocese of Alaska (OCA)|Diocese of Alaska]] as the candidate for election as Bishop of Sitka and Alaska by the [[Holy Synod]].

On October 9-11, 2012 the Holy Synod of OCA accepted Archbishop [[Benjamin (Peterson) of San Francisco|Benjamin’s]] presentation of Hieromonk David (Mahaffey) as the nominee for the Episcopal See of Alaska<ref>http://oca.org/news/headline-news/holy-synod-of-bishops-concludes-fall-session</ref>.

==References==
<references/>

==Source==
* [http://oca.org/news/headline-news/diocese-of-alaska-nominates-archprist-david-mahaffey-to-vacant-see-of-sitka Diocese of Alaska nominates Archpriest David Mahaffey to vacant See of Sitka and Alaska]

[[Category:Priests]]
[[Category:Converts to Orthodox Christianity]]