Clergy from the Romanian Orthodox Metropolis of the Americas discussed the family’s role in the Church’s life at their annual conference, held late last week at All Saints Parish in Scarborough, Toronto, Canada.
The gathering opened with addresses by Metropolitan Nicolae of the Americas and Bishop Ioan Casian of Canada.
Fr Petru Neaga, parish priest of the Annunciation Cathedral in Olmsted Township, United States, and Presbytera Nicole Neaga then delivered a presentation entitled The Priest’s Wife: A Partner in Pastoral Ministry, Not Merely the Priest’s Spouse.
The clergy also discussed practical aspects of family life, children’s religious education and parental involvement in the life of the Church.
Fr Nicolae Codrea, parish priest of the Descent of the Holy Spirit Church in Windsor, Ontario, together with Fr Emanuel Ionuț Țencaliuc of the host parish and Presbytera Flavia Țencaliuc, presented a paper entitled Our Family: The Little Church at Home.
Mission, sacrifice and challenges
Among those who addressed the clergy were Fr Prof. Daniel Benga and Presbytera Cristina Benga.
Participating online, they highlighted the mission, sacrifices, and challenges priests’ families face.
Each session was followed by plenary discussions and conclusions, giving participants the opportunity to share pastoral experiences, identify common challenges and reflect on practical ways to strengthen parish life.
During the Divine Liturgy on the final day of the gathering, Metropolitan Nicolae and Bishop Ioan Casian blessed the narthex of the host church, which had recently been extended and refurbished.
The concluding presentation was delivered online by Fr Maxym Lysack, parish priest of Christ the Saviour Church in Ottawa.
His presentation was entitled From Decline to Renewal: Principles for Transforming a Historic Parish into a Multicultural Community.
The next clergy conference of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolis of the Americas will take place from 26 to 28 August 2027 at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saints Constantine and Helen in Chicago, Illinois, United States.
