My beloved Faithful Clergy and Laity (Young and Old) of our God-Protected Diocese:

As we begin Holy and Great Lent this year on February 23rd, I want to share with you a few thoughts so that we may journey through this reflective period and arrive at the Great Feast of Feasts, PASCHA to receive the Resurrected Christ.     

We are reminded that there can be no true fast, no genuine repentance, no reconciliation with God, unless we at the same time reconcile with one another.  In this holiest period of the ecclesiastical year, we should honestly examine our relationships with our families, our Church families, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and the society in general.      

JOHNSTOWN, PA (Cross-Jurisdictional Group)- The Annual Spring Young Adult Retreat will take place from Friday March 13 – Sunday March 15, 2026 at Camp Nazareth in Mercer, PA.  The Spring Young Adult Retreat is hosted by the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese, Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Pittsburgh Y2AM., Orthodox Church in America Archdiocese of Pittsburgh and The Ukrainian Orthodox Church, USA.  The retreat is open to all Young Adults ages 18-35.

JOHNSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA — The American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese will host its Annual Diocesan Altar Boy Retreat from June 28 to July 1 at Christ the Saviour Cathedral and Seminary in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.

Participants will take part in daily prayers and services, educational sessions led by Clergy and Seminarians, and activities that foster brotherhood and leadership. Servers will be given an opportunity to tour the new Seminary, and take a day trip to Pittsburgh. The retreat also provides an opportunity for Altar Boys to meet peers from other Parishes and build lasting friendships rooted first in common faith.

JOHNSTOWN, PA  [Diocesan Chancery] -- The Diocesan Chancery is pleased to release the schedule of  this year's Diocesan Lenten Retreats for youth and adults, hosted in various regions of the Diocese.  The details are as follows:

Eastern Region Diocesan Adult and Youth Lenten Retreat -  Sat March 14, 2026   9:30 am– 5:00 pm   Holy Ghost Orthodox Church, Phoenixville PA.  Teen & Adults - Theme: Steadfast in the Storm: Keeping the Faith in Times of Turmoil -Speaker: Archpriest Timothy Hojnicki Youth Ages 6-12 - Theme Your First Liturgy : Finding Peace. Speaker: Fr. Andrew Wythe

Today I greet you with great joy and love in the Name of our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ. Let us give thanks to Almighty God, by whose grace we have been given this opportunity to celebrate the Birth of His Son.

As we look around ourselves, we find mistrust, suffering, hatred, homelessness, drug overdoses, crime, and senseless killings and the absence of peace and love in our homes, neighborhoods, cities, country and in fact the whole world. This reality in our lives makes us to want to cry out for God's help, assistance and intervention.