Clergy of the Archeparchy of Philadelphia Gather for Annual Retreat
From Monday, September 15, to Thursday, September 18, the clergy of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia participated in their annual retreat at San Alfonso Retreat House in Long Branch, New Jersey.
This year’s Retreat Master was Bishop François Beyrouti of the Melkite Catholic Church in the United States, eparch of Newton, near Boston, MA. Bishop François previously studied at the Sheptytsky Institute in Ottawa, Canada, and took part in a summer course at Holy Transfiguration Monastery in California, offered by the Monks of Mount Tabor.
Throughout the retreat, Bishop François delivered two daily conferences and preached the homily at the Divine Liturgy. His reflections centered on the theme of acknowledging and dealing with our own brokenness. Among his key points:
- All people, clergy and laity alike, experience weakness and sin. Strength comes when we acknowledge our brokenness and turn to the Lord.
- Sacred Scripture and the Holy Eucharist are sources of light and strength, renewing our relationship with Christ and enabling us to minister healing to others.
- From creation through the covenants, commandments, and prophets, the Word of God reveals both His goodness and His saving power.
- Biblical figures such as Jonah illustrate the struggle to fully accept God’s will; true blessing comes when we obey not only outwardly but wholeheartedly.
A highlight of the retreat was the visit of His Eminence Mykola Cardinal Bychok, who served in the United States as a Redemptorist priest at St. John’s Parish in Newark, NJ. Cardinal Bychok met with the clergy and recalled his pastoral service in America before his episcopal ministry in Ukraine.
At the conclusion of the retreat, Archbishop Borys Gudziak expressed gratitude to Bishop François for his pastoral and theological insights. The Archbishop also shared reflections from his recent visit to Ukraine, noting both the tragic suffering caused by war and the unbroken spirit of the Ukrainian people.
