Archpriest Joseph Fester is the Chancellor of the Diocese of the South and is the senior Associate Priest at the Cathedral with duties including conducting worship services, visiting the sick, hearing confessions, blessing homes, directing Cathedral communication efforts, overseeing the Cathedral Church School program, Adult Education classes, Cathedral administration and other pastoral duties as assigned by His Beatitude. Father Joseph was the dean of the Dallas deanery before being appointed Chancellor by Metropolitan Jonah.

Born on January 19, 1953, Father Joseph graduated from California State University, Northridge in 1979 with a degree in Political Science. He graduated with a Master of Divinity degree from St. Vladimir Orthodox Theological Seminary in 1982. In 1995, Father Joseph was a graduate of the National Planned Giving Institute at the College of William and Mary. He was ordained to the diaconate in 1980 and the priesthood in 1981.

Father Joseph has held several church positions in the Orthodox Church in America including Dean of the Chicago Deanery, Midwest Diocese, Member of the Midwest Diocesan Council, Local clergy chairman for the 9th All-American Council, OCA Director of Church Growth and Stewardship, Executive Director of the OCA Fellowship of Orthodox Stewards, Assistant to the Chancellor and Secretary for the OCA Office of External Affairs and Interchurch Relations. Fr. Joseph was also a member of two OCA Preconciliar Commissions and a member of the OCA Metropolitan Council. He also served on the Executive Board for the Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC) and as the Secretary for the Orthodox Clergy Brotherhood in Chicago and also in Dallas/Forth Worth.

Father Joseph is married to his wife Kathy of 34 years. He and Kathy are the parents of two grown sons Aleksandr (24) and Jonas (23).

Father John Ernest Anderson is Associate Priest at the Cathedral with duties including conducting of worship services, visiting the sick, blessing of homes, performing baptisms, teaching classes, and hearing confessions.

Born on July 30, 1953, Father John attended Portland State College and received a master of divinity degree from St. Tikhon’s Theological Seminary, South Canaan, Pa., in 1995. He was ordained to the diaconate and priesthood later that year. St. Seraphim’s is his first church assignment as an ordained minister. He and his wife, Lydia, are the parents of two children, Joseph and Mary.