V. Rev. Fr. Peter-Michael Preble is an Orthodox Priest in the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese in the Americas. He is pastor of St. Michael Orthodox Christian Church in Southbridge, Massachusetts and host of the Podcast Shepherd of Souls. Fr. Peter is a Stavrofor Monk and Founder of the St. Columba of Iona Orthodox Monastery.
In addition to the pastoral responsibilities, Fr. Peter is also the Chaplain for the Dudley Fire Department and Deputy Chief Chaplain of the Massachusetts Corps of Fire Chaplains. Fr. Peter also serves as the Orthodox Chaplain at Harvard University and serves on the Board of Orthodox Christian Fellowship.
Fr. Peter has a Master's Degree in Theological Studies from the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology and is on the Faculty at Nichols College in Dudley, Massachusetts in the Psychology Department teaching classes in Psychology, Sociology and Ethics.
Host of the weekly syndicated radio program Shepherd of Souls and author of his own blog Fr. Peter Preble is available to speak on a wide range of topics. Currently he serves as Pastor of St. Michael Orthodox Church in Southbridge, Massachusetts and is Chaplain with the Dudley Fire Department in Dudley, Massachusetts. He also serves as Chaplain to the Orthodox Students at Harvard University and is Adjunct Professor of Psychology at Nichols College in Dudley, Massachusetts.
After the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, Fr. Peter was dispatched along with other clergy and laity to the area as part of the Emergency Response Team of the International Orthodox Christian Charities. He was also part of the Critical Stress Incident team deployed to Virginia Tech after the campus shootings. Fr. Peter has been performing research on the Theology of Crisis and Suffering a topic of particular interest.
Along with the radio program Fr. Peter has written for his Archdiocese Magazine Credinta on the topics of American Orthodox Church History and North American Saints. He is a contributor to the American Orthodox Institute Blog as well as Orthodoxy Today.
A convert from Roman Catholicism, Fr. Peter has a deep respect and understanding of Celtic and Orthodox Spirituality and how the two very different but similar forms of Spirituality can work together.
A pioneer in the use of the new media in his pastoral ministry, Fr. Peter is trying to bridge the gap between the historic ancient orthodox faith and the wired generation by use of Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking sites as well as live streaming of the Divine Liturgy and Podcasts in his day to day pastoral ministry.
Fr. Peter has a bachelors degree in business administration from Eastern Nazarene College in Quincy, Massachusetts and a Master’s of Theological Studies from the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline. Because of his service during Hurricane Katrina and the Virginia Tech shooting, Fr. Peter was awarded an honorary PhD in Pastoral Psychology from American International University.
Fr. Peter is a member of the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress, the Massachusetts Corps of Fire Chaplains, the American Academy of Religion and is a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
On the Blog, Fr. Peter comments on events of the day from the Orthodox Christian perspective. He also uses these pages to teach about the beauty, history and theology of the Orthodox Christian Church.
