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The Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of
America Episcopia Ortodoxa Romana din America |
CONFERENCE AND SPIRITUAL
RETREAT OF ROEA’S CLERGY
7-10 NOVEMBER 2005
Continuing in the established annual tradition,
at the beginning of each November, Southern California hosts the spiritual
retreat of the clergy belonging to Vatra Romaneasca Episcopate. This year, the
gathering took place between 7-10 of November 2005, at “Sacred Heart” Catholic
Monastery, in Alhambra.
Clergy’s Conference/Spiritual Retreat 2005 was
convened by the Diocesan Center in early August. Thus the hierarchs,
clergy and the deacons of our eparchy were able to arrange their schedules to
be present for the event.
The two hierarchs of the Eparchy, His Eminence
Archbishop Nathaniel and His Grace Bishop Irineu, along with 30 active clergy
in our Episcopate’ s parishes and missions from USA and Canada, spent four days
together in spiritual living, daily prayer, and attendance to theological
lectures and pastoral matters. Each day, morning and evening, we took part in
divine religious services in the chapel where the clergy confessed to one
another, benefiting from the valuable time for personal reflection, meditation,
etc.
From the theological presentations, we mention
the following:
I The priest, husband, father and
shepherd, a presentation by P. Cuv. Archimandrite
Joseph Morris, was highly praised by the participants. Divided into four
groups, the clergy thought over the three essential points of the conference:
a. The
hindrances faced in our efforts to preserve the pure image of the holy
matrimony.
b. What
changes should we make in our family life as a result of this conference.
c. What
specific actions should we take in our daily conduct, immediately and in the
long term.
II The tithe – biblical concept,
a presentation by P.C. Deacon and John Bujea. Dr. Bujea brought arguments from
the Bible supporting “tithing”, the way it was applied in The Old Testament,
and in what way it should be universally applied and practiced as in The New
Testament. Topics largely discussed were membership
and pledge as currently
practiced in the Episcopate’s parishes and missions, resulting in a financial
diagram showing the local profit of the parishes and at the national level –
the Episcopate’s profit, if the tithe system would be applied in our
Episcopate’s parishes.
III Foresight: Episcopate and parishes in the
immediate and the remote future, by P.C. Ian Pacurar
Session
I
The debates carried
by the 4 groups on this subject, reached 2 essential aspects:
a. Continuous development of clergy’s
activities among the parishes;
b. Actions connected with youth programs,
locally and nationally.
Representatives of the 4 groups offered summaries of group debates along with
the conclusions as reached by the group regarding the future of ROEA
Episcopate. It was as analyzed from the following angles: Parish membership,
serving clergy, laymen’s participation and serving (old and young) in divine
public Worship, in Episcopate’s parishes, in what language do we hold the
service, parish management, financial status, mission and evangelization,
foreign relations, youth programs and religious education on local and national
level, Christian assistance and Episcopate’s auxiliaries (ARFORA, AROY,
Orthodox Fraternity). In this frame recommendations were made regarding
practical changes inside each parish, all aiming at the spiritual and
material/pecuniary progress of ROEA’s missions and parishes.
IV Foresight: Episcopate and parishes in the
immediate and the remote future, by P.C. Ian Pacurar
Session
II
Each group together
with The Committee of continuous
development of clergy’s activities in their parishes and The Committee for projects regarding youth
programs, discussed and presented their conclusions on various aspects of
parishes and missions’ administrative life.
1. The present necessities at parochial and at
Diocesan level; current evaluation of the faithful and of clergy’s status (of
the adults in general and of the youth in particular);
2.
Current status at Diocesan and parochial
level, regarding SWOTS analysis:
a. Strengths
(Durability/Permanency)
b. Weaknesses
(Sensitivity/Frailness)
c. Opportunities
(Opportunities/Timeliness)
d. Threats
(Vulnerability/External Threats)
3. Enumeration
of some critically strategic problems that should be analyzed and solved by
competent authorities to ensure the success of activities developed by ROEA’s
parishes and missions.
4. Assignment
of the main objectives for 2005-2008, to ensure a clear vision and trajectory
of Episcopate’s works at Diocesan and parochial level.
5. Enumeration
of several major changes that should be implemented during 2005-2008 timeline
with the purpose of achieving the objectives recommended at #4.
6. Resources
needed to implement the strategies mentioned at #5.
7.
Recommendations regarding ROEA Congress
from 2006.
V Reappraisal
of AROY’s Curricula. An impressive visual presentation was given by
Hierodeacon Calinic
(Kevin Burger), the
AROY’s spiritual advisor. The lecture reached every key aspect regarding the
complete success of the recommended programs for youth at Diocesan and
parochial level:
a. Objectives
enumeration (VISION of success; NOW as a starting point.
b. Upbringing
of our youth (faith in God, The Holy Bible, service attendance, unconditional
love, introduction to an alternative
culture)
c. Strategy
enumeration (Christian education, enthusiasm, character, working with the
clergy, the necessity of working with AROY’s national counselor)
d. Hierarchy,
Coordination: ROEA, parish council, the teachers and Sunday school
e. Present
Analysis and Planning for the Future in close co-operation with missions and
parishes’ clergy
f.
The Present: preparation, experience
assimilation, and resources analysis
g. Three
projects: 2 spiritual retreats for the youth, and a visit to “Mexico Project”
h. Religious
Symposiums for the youth
i.
Details regarding “Project Mexico” orphanage
j.
Sunday Schools (current problems analysis)
k. Sunday
Schools (efforts regarding solving the enumerated problems)
l.
Sunday Schools: ROEA’s cooperation with the
deaneries (pecuniary and material resources)
m. The
imperative involvement of the clergy, parents, teachers and other volunteers in
the religious upbringing process of the youth of ROEA Episcopate.
n. AROY
Conventions (parents involvement, promotion solely of positive activities,
etc.)
o. Determine
and accomplish long term objectives (each deanery’s spiritual retreats,
cooperation with OCF, annual visits to “Mexico Project”, annual Symposiums,
“shaping” suitable teachers for Sunday schools, etc.
p. NOW-on
parochial level (propagation of spiritual retreats, persuasion of
parental/volunteers involvement, setting up local activities for the youth,
etc.)
VI Church unity from historical,
theological, and practical point of view. Reverend
Father Remus Grama gave an extensive presentation regarding the church’s unity
throughout Christian history, viewed from theological and pragmatic side,
mentioning Orthodoxy in America in general and the two Romanian dioceses from
the North-American continent in particular. Benefiting from the presence of 4
of the 5 members ROEA’s Committee for bi-lateral dialogue of the 2 dioceses
from America and Canada (Rev. Fathers Grama, Lazar, Mitescu, and Pac-Urar),
participants to the spiritual retreat were given an open, detailed and
convincing report on the present status and the prospective of this dialogue
regarding the reconstruction of the unity of the 2 Romanian dioceses from the
North American Continent.
VII Visit to Holy Trinity Church and “Mexico
Project”. In the eve of the last day of the conference, a group of 18
clergymen, lead by HE Archbishop Nathaniel, paid a visit to the Sunland new property of Holy Trinity Church,
and afterwards performed the Vespers Service at Holy Trinity Church in Verdugo
Rd. – Los Angeles, followed by a fraternal agapae offered by the hosting
church.
On the last day of the retreat, Thursday, November
10th, after the morning session of the conference, 16 clergyman visited “Mexico
Project” in Mexico. The project was founded in 1988 as
a pan-orthodox action that involved young people in housing development for the
poor with the purpose of improving their lives. Since 1996, the project
extended its mission by opening “St. Innocent Orthodox Orphanage in Tijuana”,
sheltering young orphans that were abandoned or runaway children. Founder of
this project is Mr. Greg Yova, son of departed deacon Paul Yova, pillar of ROEA
Episcopate.
On November 11th, with their
spiritual batteries recharged, most of the attending clergymen went back to
their parishes. It is there where they too will share with their faithful their
unique spiritual experiences over the 4 days in Southern California.
Photo-Album Click on http://biserica.org/Pictures/Church/2005/ClergyRetreat/index.html
Fr. Constantin Alecse, dean
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