Under the leadership of Bishop Daniel, the clergy of the Eastern Diocese gathered at three regional retreats during the season of Great Lent. The retreat for the Midwest took place at the Jesuit Retreat Center in Parma, OH (March 15-17); for New England at the Bethania II Spiritual Retreat and Conference Center in Medway, MA (March 30-April 1); and for the Mid-Atlantic region at St. Raphaela Retreat Center in Haverford, PA (April 5-7).
The theme of the retreats was “Refreshed by the Living Water.” Each retreat began with a reflection led by Bishop Daniel on Psalm 42: “As a hart longs for flowing streams, so longs my soul for thee, O God.”
Guest speakers at the retreats included Bishop Gregory Mansour, Bishop of the Eparchy of St. Maron of Brooklyn (Midwest); Bishop John Abdalla, Antiochian Orthodox Bishop for Worcester and New England (New England); and Archbishop Mor Dionysius John Kawak, Patriarchal Vicar of the Syriac Orthodox Archdiocese for the Eastern U.S. (Mid-Atlantic). Each guest speaker developed the theme in a unique way, sharing insights from their pastoral experiences, using Bible studies and active discussions with the clergy.
On the last morning of each retreat, Diocesan Director of Ministries Fr. Mesrop Parsamyan instructed the clergy on the basics of meditation according to the traditional monastic practice of the Armenian Church, and led the clergy in a discussion of Jesus’ sermon on “Rivers of Living Water” (John 7:37-39).
As in past retreats, the clergy prayed the Jhamerkoutiun each morning and evening. New to this year’s retreat was an evening spent at the local Armenian Church (St. Gregory of Narek, in Richmond Heights, OH; Holy Translators, in Framingham, MA; and St. Sahag and St. Mesrob, in Wynnewood, PA) for a Lenten meal and film discussion.
Because the Mid-Atlantic retreat coincided with the Feast of the Annunciation to the Holy Virgin Mary (April 7), the badarak was celebrated by Fr. Arakel Derian, pastor of St. Mary Church in Livingston, NJ, and the priests received Holy Communion together. Each of the retreats concluded with Bishop Daniel’s remarks on the necessity of receiving the “living spiritual water,” to energize the clergy in their important mission of ministering to their respective flocks.
Click here to view photos from all three retreats.
Above: Clergy of the Eastern Diocese and guests participating in this year’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Lenten Retreat.