Orthodox Volunteer Corps Embodies Spirit of St. Maria of Paris

Photos: Anastasia Friesen/Harry Parks

PITTSBURGH — Inspired by the life and witness of their patron saint, Mother Maria of Paris, the Orthodox Volunteer Corps (OVC) is forming a new generation of Orthodox young adults committed to service, justice, and compassion. OVC volunteers, placed in cities like Boston and Pittsburgh, are embracing the dual call of their patron — active care for the suffering and prophetic witness in the face of systemic injustice.

Her life of service was two-fold, Boston OVC volunteer Harry Parks noted to the Orthodox Observer, referencing the saint’s efforts to feed and protect refugees and Jews in Nazi-occupied Paris, while also living as a poet and nun.

“... The more we go out into the world, the more we give ourselves to the world, the less we are of the world,” he quoted from her writings.

Parks, 23, spent the year at the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute working alongside Iris Eileen Coloma-Gaines to expand legal protections for Limited English Proficient (LEP) individuals. Their advocacy included redrafting legislation to improve language access across Massachusetts — a crucial effort in a city with a large Haitian-Creole-speaking population.

“In some circumstances you can end up agreeing to things that are to your disadvantage but you don't entirely understand because you don't speak the language,” Parks explained.

Meanwhile, in Pittsburgh, OVC volunteer Anastasia Friesen, 24, served as a caseworker at Catholic Charities, providing direct support to mothers and individuals experiencing homelessness.

“There is a huge physical load required to get these things done,” she said, recalling weeks of packing food boxes and delivering Christmas gifts to over 500 children.

One of Friesen’s most profound experiences came through her ongoing support of a client named Deserae, a mother of three facing post-partum depression and deep personal trauma. The youngest child is also suffering a heart defect that prevents Deserae from working. 

“We weren’t going to solve all the problems,” Friesen said, “but alleviating some can create bandwidth for others.” Her year culminated in being offered a full-time position at Catholic Charities.

Both Parks and Friesen highlighted the paradox at the heart of OVC’s mission: meeting urgent human needs while also addressing the larger structures that perpetuate suffering.

“We learned about this concept of radical hospitality,” Friesen said. “... Going beyond yourself to create space — create space for others and create space for Christ to work through you, to then serve others.”

As OVC continues its mission, the legacy of Saint Maria of Paris endures — not just in memory, but in action.

Previously, UOJ reported that, working alongside the Uganda Orthodox Church and the St. Nektarios Education Fund, IOCC volunteers replaced the school’s damaged roof with stronger materials, installed new ventilation, and fully rebuilt its hand-operated water pump and well.

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