The Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of St. Josaphat in Parma Held a Retreat for Its Clergy

The clergy of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of St. Josaphat in Parma, under the leadership of their Eparch, Bishop Bohdan Danylo, had their annual retreat on October 28-31, 2024 at the Bethany Center of the Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Petersburg in Lutz, Florida.

This year’s retreat was led by Very Rev. Chorbishop Anthony Spinosa, Director of the Maronite Catholic Church’s Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon in North Jackson, OH.

During the retreat, Chorbishop Anthony accentuated the importance to go on retreats for the priests, to maintain fellowship with each other, so that they could minister fruitfully to the people entrusted to their care, helping them to become stronger in love and faith. “We [priests] have access to the divine,” stated the retreat master, and it is “the hand of God that sustains us.” Chorbishop Anthony likewise reflected on the service aspect of the priestly ministry. He said that although these words of Lucifer are not in the Sacred Scripture, they are alluded to in there: “I will not serve.” “He wanted to be divine” due to his pride, stated Chorbishop Anthony, but the priests cannot follow his example but the Lord’s Who by His own example showed us how to serve others. The retreat master also pondered on how the parents are the reflection of the Most Holy Trinity, for the parents make sacrifices for their children similarly to our Triune Lord having sacrificed for us. Although there are parents in the world who sometimes act in an evil way vis-à-vis their children, most of the parents act in a good way. He went on to state that some people nowadays say that they are spiritual, but not religious, but what exactly does that mean? “To be spiritual, but not religious is impossible,” said the retreat master. He also stated that although the Church is under attack nowadays, she needs to react to these attacks firmly and courageously, and the priests have a chance to bring those people back to the Church who left it for one reason or another. During the retreat, Chorbishop Anthony likewise reflected on the significance of the Liturgy that is to use “good holy words,” on Christ as “the Light of the Father,” on the questions of one’s conscience and God as Truth as well as on the need to renew the Christian heritage in America.

In addition to the conferences, the retreat participants also took part in the celebrations of the Divine Liturgy and other liturgical services in English and Ukrainian as well as had an opportunity for confession and spiritual talks.

Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of St. Josaphat in Parma