Pastoral Retreat 2026
A Time Set Apart for Prayer, Reflection, and Pastoral Renewal
Step away from the constant demands of parish life and return to the shared rhythm of prayer, learning, and brotherhood.
A Time Set Apart
Stepping away from the demands of parish life to return to the essential rhythms of prayer, learning, and brotherhood
The annual pastoral retreat creates intentional space for priests and bishops to step away from the constant demands of parish life and give focused attention to their pastoral ministry.
This in-person gathering establishes a shared rhythm of prayer, collaborative learning, and meaningful conversation. These rhythms are often difficult to sustain amid the growing pace and activity of parish life today.
Set within a dedicated retreat environment, clergy are invited to slow down, listen carefully, and engage deeply with one another in a way that supports clarity, renewal, and perspective in priestly work.
When & Where
September 29 – October 2, 2026
University of Saint Mary of the Lake
1000 E Maple Ave
Mundelein, IL 60060
Returning to the University of Saint Mary of the Lake following the 2024 gathering reflects a continued commitment to establishing a regular and recognizable rhythm for clergy retreats.
Registration is now open. Secure your place using the link below.
A Shared Rhythm of Retreat
An intentional balance of prayer, reflection, and conversation shaped by the life and work of the Church
September 29
Tuesday
Optional early-bird stay, with activities in the Chicago area
- 1:00 – 6:00 PM
Registration - 6:15 PM
Dinner - 7:15 PM
Opening Prayer and Welcome - 8:15 PM
Wine and Cheese Reception
September 30
Wednesday
- 8:15 AM
Breakfast - 9:30 AM
Morning Prayer - 10:00 – 11:30 AM
Session with Fr. John Parker - 12:30 PM
Lunch - 2:00 – 3:30 PM
Session with Mother Christophora - 4:30 PM
Great Vespers for the Eve of the Protection - 6:15 PM
Dinner - 7:45 – 8:30 PM
Optional Special Interest Workshops (Sign up in advance!)
October 1
Thursday
- 10:00 AM
Hierarchical Divine Liturgy - 1:00 PM
– Lunch (at the monastery)
– Free afternoon (opportunity to explore Chicago) - 3:45 – 4:30 PM
Optional workshops (sign up in advance) - 6:15 PM
Banquet
October 2
Friday
- 8:15 AM
Breakfast - 9:00 AM
Check out - 9:30 AM
Morning Prayer - 10:00 – 11:00 AM
Panel Discussion - Departure
Featured Speakers
Archpriest John Parker has served as Dean of Saint Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary in South Canaan, Pennsylvania since 2018. Prior to this, he served for fifteen years as pastor of Holy Ascension Church in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.
He holds a Master of Divinity from Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry, as well as both a Master of Theology and Doctor of Ministry from Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary.
From 2011 to 2018, he served as Chair of the Department of Evangelization of the Orthodox Church in America and also served for five years on the board of the Orthodox Christian Mission Center.
His work includes numerous podcasts, essays, and speaking engagements across the country and internationally. He has been married to Matushka Jeanette since 1993, and they have two sons.
Title of talk: “Radical Growth and a Return to the Roots of Discipleship”
Mother Christophora is the third and current abbess of the Holy Transfiguration Monastery in Ellwood City, PA, following Mother Alexandra and Mother Benedicta, and has served in that role since 1987. Born into an Orthodox family in Pennsylvania, she was active in parish life from childhood and later earned a degree in psychology from Penn State before working for several years in the addictions field. After first visiting the monastery in 1981, she was drawn deeply to the monastic life, becoming a novice in 1983 and taking her monastic vows in 1986. As abbess, she continues to serve as spiritual mother of the community, overseeing its growth, welcoming pilgrims, and speaking at retreats and events throughout the Church.
Title of talk: “The One who Endures to the End will be Saved” – Clues from the Cloister
Workshop Guests
Learn from experienced clergy and ministry leaders through workshops designed to encourage faithful pastoral service, strengthen parish life, and offer practical insight for the work of ministry today.
The following workshops are optional.
Fr. Matthew Francis
Preaching in a Time of Spiritual Hunger
Recognizing and Naming the Harvest in Front of Us
About This Workshop
Parish priests balance many responsibilities, which sometimes feel more urgent than the spiritual preparation for Sunday’s homily.
Whether it’s pastoral care to families in crisis, catechetical teaching, the Church building project, or the next Baptism, Wedding, or Funeral… all these noble tasks can divert our attention and enthusiasm from the Scriptures. At the same time, the Church’s relentless, one-year lectionary returns us – again and again – to the same Epistle and Gospel passages. How can we approach them faithfully, with hearts and minds shaped by Holy Tradition, and yet also with fresh eyes and ears – attentive to the people we are preaching to?
This workshop is not a ‘how-to’ of some kind of ‘new-and-improved’ model for preaching, but rather is intended as a check-in for us all as practitioners of the ministry of preaching. How does our own spiritual preparation nourish liturgical preaching that feeds the souls of the people we are serving? We will explore this question – and more – as we seek to foster greater spiritual friendship around the Scriptures and our shared work of speaking “a word in due season.”
Fr. Kirill Sokolov
Nurturing Growth in Faith in an Age of Artificial Intelligence
Between Algorithm and Incarnation
About This Workshop
“…My words will by no means pass away” (Mt 24:35). AI is changing our world quickly in nearly any dimension imaginable including the way Orthodox pastors must think and act in caring for their flocks. In this workshop, we will discuss how our parishioners are already using AI (including growing cases of AI psychosis!), the pastoral ramifications, and discuss resources and opportunities in a time when the Orthodox faith, its practices, and good pastoral care are desperately needed.
Fr. Raymond Browne
Harvest in Hard Soil
Ministry in Established, Plateaued, or Aging Parishes
About This Workshop
Harvest in Hard Soil: Ministry in Established, Plateaued, or Aging Parishes.
A presentation based on two decades of field work in established and aging parish and an established and dying parish- what worked and what did not. The focus will be on the pastoral approach of the priest, discernment and encouragement of lay gifts and talents for building up the life of the parish, the essential ingredients of prayer and patience. No programs, no gimmicks, no universal solutions, just the fruit of experience which may be of help and encouragement to others in similar situations.
Fr. Christopher Foley
Making Space
Cultivating a Culture of Invitation and Hospitality
About This Workshop
In the Divine Liturgy, we pray, “Let us commend ourselves, one another, and our entire life unto Christ our God.” How do we become the answer to this prayer? As our parishes grow, how do we welcome new members and develop relationships with more people? How do we foster a community of cooperation and flexibility where parishioners are discouraged from falling into the trap of entitlement? In this workshop, we will reflect on and discuss how to nurture and create a culture of hospitality in our hearts and our parish communities.
Dr. Randa Anderson
Digital Discernment
5 Key Principles for Clergy
About This Workshop
This workshop will equip clergy with practical principles for increasing digital discernment, both for themselves and the people they pastor. Drawing on the wisdom of Met. Tikhon and podcast guests, we will explore ways to curb unhealthy connections to smartphones and media while staying grounded in what truly nourishes the soul. Whether you’re overwhelmed by constant connectivity or simply seeking a deeper Orthodox framework for engaging the digital world, this workshop offers both practical guidance and spiritual grounding.
About Dr. Randa Anderson: Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Host of the CrossRoad Institute’s Podcast, “Digital Discernment.”
PJ Gorman
Money, Mission, and the Harvest
Funding Growth Without Fear
About This Workshop
This workshop invites Orthodox leaders to see fundraising as a pastoral responsibility, not as a burden but as an extension of discipleship that forms people in trust, generosity, and participation in God’s work. This presentation aims to equip clergy and their parishes to cultivate a culture of giving rooted in trust rather than scarcity. With practical strategies alongside theological clarity around stewardship, clergy can guide their communities to fund growth boldly while remaining rooted in their sacred calling.
Fr. John Parker & Fr. Paul Witek
The Convert and the Cradle
Discerning and preparing men for seminary and ministry
About This Workshop
The seminaries describe an ideal or model graduate, but who is an ideal or model *candidate* for a vocation to the priesthood?
This workshop will explore the work of a team of clergy led by Saint Tikhon’s Seminary leadership who are preparing a guide to help every parish priest navigate this vital path. The workshop will discuss the biblical traits for ministry, as well as the details of the practical handbook we offer to the wider church.