He was at Holy Transfiguration Monastery of Boston when it was part of ROCOR and then went to Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville and then Archbishop Vitaly's Saint Seraphim of Sarov Monastery in Montreal until given a blessing (by Archbishop Andrew, Archbishop Seraphim and Bishop Constantine) to leave to start a skete. he was ordained by Bishop Alypy. he remained in constant communications with all of these bishops for his 31 years in ROCA and with some even after he left ROCA.
Father Andrei, was catechized by Archbishop Averky. He was Archbishop Andrew's cell attendant. Vladyka Andrew instructed him in the Russian language, pastoral and dogmatic theology, and prepared him for the priesthood. Vladika Andrei sent him to Metropolitan Philaret for his examinations, which he passed. he was ordained to the diaconate by Bishop Gregory Grabbe and ordained as a priest by Saint Philaret.