The youth, young adult leaders, and a clergyman of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of St. Josaphat in Parma and the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh gathered on Friday and Saturday, October 6-7, 2023 at All Saints Camp in Emlenton, Pennsylvania for the Fall Youth Retreat.

The theme of this year’s event was “Crystallized in Christ: You Are the Salt of the Earth,” based on the verse taken from the Gospel of St. Matthew: “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:13 (NRSVCE)). The Fall Youth Retreat (FYR) was organized by the Eparchial Youth Committee (EYC) under the leadership of Fr. Lubomir Zhybak, the committee’s head and pastor of Holy Trinity Ukrainian Catholic Church in Youngstown, OH and St. Anne Ukrainian Catholic Church in Austintown, OH as well as the eparchy’s Safe Environment Coordinator, who, unfortunately, was not able to be at the retreat this year, and the following EYC members: Michael Spak, parishioner of St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church in Pittsburgh, PA who coordinated the event and who was aided by his fiancé, Belinda Flores, parishioner of St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church in Pittsburgh, PA, Deacon Myron Spak from Holy Trinity Ukrainian Catholic Church in Carnegie, PA, Michael Levy from St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church in Pittsburgh, PA and his brother Joseph Levy from St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church in Pittsburgh, PA. Anna Oriti, a parishioner from St. Andrew Ukrainian Catholic Church in Parma, OH also helped with the event.

The main presenter at this year’s retreat was a priest of the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh, Fr. Michael Kunitz, pastor of Holy Spirit Byzantine Catholic Church and St. Pius X Byzantine Catholic Church in Pittsburgh, PA. Fr. Michael is also a Campus Ministry Chaplain for the Byzantine Catholic Campus Ministry in the Oakland section (University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University) of Pittsburgh.  The event provided an opportunity for the youth to pray, reflect, and meet others in the spirit of the Eastern Catholic tradition and fellowship. The retreat included the engaging teen-centered talks by Fr Michael, the “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Religious Edition)” trivia game as well as other activities such as prayer trail hike and a bonfire. The participants were likewise able to pray the Hours as well as partake in the Holy Mystery of Confession and the Great Vespers.

This year’s Fall Youth Retreat was a wonderful and prayerful experience for the youth, especially considering a very long hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic with the last FYR held in 2019. It provided an opportunity for the young people to pray, reflect, and meet others in the spirit of the Eastern Catholic tradition and fellowship. Special thanks go to our brothers and sisters from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA in making their beautiful camp available to the retreat participants. The next FYR is scheduled for the fall of 2024.

Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of St. Josaphat in Parma