Our Pastor, Father Justin was born in Manchester, NH and grew up in Winterport and Portland, ME. He returned to Manchester to attend St. Anselm College and began worshipping at Our Lady of the Cedars Melkite Greek-Catholic Church. Upon graduation, after a year of waiting tables in Portland, Father Justin entered St. Gregory the Theologian Melkite Seminary in Newton, MA and was ordained a priest on May 28, 1995. As a deacon, he served St. Ann Church in Danbury, CT. His first priestly assignment was in Harlem NYC serving the homeless at Emmaus House. After nearly two years, Bishop John Elya transferred Abouna Justin to Holy Cross Church in Orange County, CA. After a year as associate there, Bishop John assigned Father Justin to St. Philip the Apostle Mission in San Bernardino, CA, where he also taught at Aquinas Roman Catholic high school. 20 years later, Bishop Nicholas Samra transferred Father Justin to St. George the Great Martyr Church in Birmingham, AL. Father Justin took over as pastor on September 1, 2017, after 29 years of faithful service by Archimandrite Frank Milienewicz who continues to assist at the parish as pastor emeritus.

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Father Justin is a Professor of Patristics and Pastoral Theology for the Byzantine Catholic Seminary, an instructor in the Melkite Diaconal Training Program and serves on the Seminary Board. He holds a Ph. D. from the University of California and a D. Min. from Fuller Theological Seminary. He is one of the founding spiritual fathers for the Melkite Association of Young Adults which he served for 24 years. He co-wrote a Safe Environment program with Deacon Michael Mobley that was the standard training for protection of children in the Melkite Diocese of Newton until last year. He has recorded two albums of Melkite Music that are available for free download on www.melkite.org. He co-founded and served in the Lazaros Ministry which, for 17 years, served a weekly meal to the homeless and working poor in San Bernardino, CA.

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An avid Star Trek fan, Father Justin spends his free time with Miss Lily, his dog, exploring the numerous parks and excellent restaurants and breweries in Birmingham.