By Steven R. Mullins
Special to the Voice
The Rev. Melina Dezhbod was ordained to the Order of Priests by The Rt. Rev. Laura Aherns, Bishop Suffragan of Connecticut on the evening of Tuesday, Feb. 1 at the Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit in West Haven.
Until her ordiination, Dezhbod, 24 served the parish as a deacon. In her capacity as missional curate, her focus has been overseeing the parish’s outreach programs, reaching out to the underprivileged and teaching confirmation classes to the parish youth and converting adults. She also preaches and celebrate once a month.
Dezhbod works under the supervision of the Rev. Kevin Olds, priest-In-charge.
“I am thankful that the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut asked me to work alongside Mother Melina during her curacy.” Olds said. “Our shared ministry at Holy Spirit has been a delight and I am looking forward with great anticipation to all that God has in store for this new priest in this City of West Haven.”
Olds delivered the homily at Dezhbod’s ordination mass.
Born in Tehran, Iran, Dezhbod, escaped with her family from the Islamic state due to religious persecution. They were refugees when they came to Connecticut in 1999.
“They killed some of the priests and they told me that it’s my turn.” said Dezhbod’s father, the Rev. Esmail Dezbod, who is also a priest in the Diocese of Connecticut “They (Ayatollah Regime) controlled everything, including following and telephone taping.” he said.
Dezhbod was raised in Naugatuck, where she graduated from Naugatuck High School. She later attended St. Joseph College in West Hartford, where she earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work. She later earned her M. Div. from the Virginia Theological Seminary.
“Accepting a call of any kind is never easy. It is scary and there are many unknowns.” Dezhbod said. “But among every call is our purpose; and working to live into it each and everyday.”
Dezhbob is the second refugee priest to be ordained at Holy Spirit in recent years. In 2017, Father Charles Kamano, who was raised Muslim was received as a priest after fleeing west Africa due to his Christian conversion.
Dezhbod said that she felt called to ministry as a sophomore in high school. She began going through the process of ordination in college. She was ordained a transitional deacon six months ago, as is customary prior to priestly ordination.
Dezhbod is also employed as a chaplain at Danbury Hospital in Danbury.