DAVIESS COUNTY, MO [DOM] – From October 31 through November 2, clergy from the Diocese of the Midwest, Kansas City Deanery met in retreat at the Holy Archangel Michael and All Angels Skete in Daviess County, Missouri. Present for the retreat were the Archpriest Paul Jannakos, Diocesan Chancellor, Archpriest Timothy Sawchuk, Dean, Archpriest James Dank, Archpriest Michael Medis, Priest Jacob Van Sickle (Retreat Leader), Priest Justin Mathews, Priest Basil Ferguson, and Priest Ephrem Tauck. This retreat focused on being present at the daily liturgical services of the monastery, priestly renewal, study of the priesthood in the writings of St. Gregory the Great, and discussion of personal challenges and opportunities that are part of parish life.
This was another retreat following last years’ pilot at Holy Dormition Monastery in Rives Junction, MI, offered in the Kansas City Deanery as a next step to fulfilling the diocesan strategic plan developed in 2020. The diocese is working toward offering small retreats on an ongoing basis throughout the diocese, so that there is at least one within a reasonable driving distance of every clergyman who desires to attend.
“This retreat’s setting at Archangel Michael Skete proved to be one of its highlights, based upon the positive feedback we received from participating clergy,” commented Fr. Paul. “We will continue to seek out new settings for further retreats in the various regions of our diocese and to improve the administration of these retreats in order to better serve our clergy.”
These retreats are one of the ways that the Diocese of the Midwest seeks to fulfill the mandate of the Orthodox Church in America to provide ongoing pastoral education for its clergy.
Plans are already in the making for two more clergy retreats in 2023.
