For several days, the clergy of the St. Nicholas Eparchy of Chicago gathered for meetings, conferences, and prayer at the “Montserrat” retreat house of the Jesuit Fathers in Texas. The purpose of the gathering was to deepen spiritual life, share pastoral experience, and strengthen unity among the priests.
Each day began with the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy and spiritual reflections. During the conferences, they discussed parish life, the founding of new missions, and pastoral ministry in a multilingual environment. Special attention was given to the use of Ukrainian and English in church services, depending on the needs of the faithful.
A special conference session was led by Fr. Hryhoriy Zubach, who guided the discussion and presented important topics related to the life of parishes and missions today.
During this part of the meeting, the clergy spoke about key aspects of parish life: how parishes function, the creation of new missions, and the development of pastoral ministry.
The main speaker was Fr. Andrew Summerson with the topic “Saint Maximus and the Priesthood,” where he emphasized that the priesthood is a great gift from God and a path of spiritual growth.
Fr. Andriy Oliynyk and Fr. Stepan Ivanchyk also shared their experience of parish life, speaking about community growth and the importance of service, talents, and cooperation among the faithful.
A special part of the conference was dedicated to the diaconate. Protodeacon Marko Krutiak spoke about the history and ministry of deacons, and it was also noted that the eparchy has a missionary institute that forms future deacons. Deacon Paul Warila shared his testimony about the mission in Portland and his vocation.
Important spiritual moments were also the testimonies of Fr. Mykhailo Kuzma and Fr. Wayne Ruchgy, who shared their vocation stories, struggles, and how God has worked in their lives.
The gathering concluded with prayer at Holy Sophia Church in The Colony, Texas. The Hierarchical Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Bishop Benedict Aleksiychuk.
The final part of the meeting included reports from the protosyncellus and the syncelli of the eparchy, who presented summaries of different areas of ministry. The gathering ended with a final address and the blessing of Bishop Benedict.
These days became a time of prayer, learning, and spiritual renewal, once again showing the living presence of God in the Church through priests, deacons, and parish communities.
