This post was originally published on this site
Clergy wives from across the Orthodox Church in America are registering for the 2026 Office of Pastoral Life Clergy Wives Retreat, “Come Away and Rest,” which will be held July 27–30, 2026, at Antiochian Village Conference and Retreat Center in Bolivar, PA.
With less than three weeks remaining before registration closes, 25 clergy wives have already signed up for this first Orthodox Church in America-wide, in-person gathering of its kind. The early registrations reflect broad representation across the Church, with participants from a range of dioceses, ages, life stages, and ministry settings, including wives of parish priests, retired clergy, and clergy widows.
Reflecting on the early registrants, Matushka Carrie Foley, Director of Clergy Wives Ministry said, “We are excited to see the response. With such a wide range of ages and experiences represented, the stage will be set for rich conversation and organic mentorship.”
The Office of Pastoral Life is encouraging parish councils to help make attendance possible for clergy wives who wish to come. Supporting registration and travel expenses is a concrete way for parishes to care for their clergy families and to affirm the vital role clergy wives play in parish life. Some registrants have been sponsored by a family in their parish, while others signed up only after being approached by a parish council member who let them know the funds were already allocated.
This was the case for Matushka Ruth Lopez, whose husband graduated from St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary this May. The Lopezes and their four young children arrived at their first parish assignment two weeks ago. “I was so touched and overjoyed when I found out I would be able to go to the clergy wives retreat this year! I know it will be a beautiful time full of building community and of rejuvenation,” said Matushka Ruth.
At Holy Trinity Orthodox Church in Detroit, Michigan, Andrew and Danielle Bresinski found a creative way to send their priest’s wife to the retreat despite a tight church budget. Explaining the parish council’s decision to pay for Matushka Karina York’s registration, Andrew said, “Holy Trinity is not a rich parish … we scrape by. Even with that being said, it was a no brainer. We did our research and we saw that it’s supported by His Eminence, Archbishop Daniel and His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon. It’s our job to support the family, our rector and his wife. She is the mother of our congregation. It’s such a huge choice to become a priest. And a lot of people don’t think about Matushka…she makes that choice, too. How often does she get a chance to unburden herself?”
When Andrew returned home after the meeting and told his wife, the sisterhood treasurer, about the vote, Danielle took it upon herself to support Matushka Karina further. She mentioned the opportunity to the parish sisterhood at their meeting the following week. Andrew said, “All were supportive. Everyone was on board. It was unanimous,” and in this way, travel expenses to the retreat will not be a burden, either. Andrew was grateful to help, saying, “She gets to go now and talk…with people who understand her like no one else can.”
The 2026 Clergy Wives Retreat is part of the Office of Pastoral Life’s broader effort to strengthen clergy families and support healthy pastoral life throughout the Orthodox Church in America.
Registration information is available here
About the Office of Pastoral Life
The Orthodox Church in America’s Office of Pastoral Life supports the well-being of clergy and their families, the foundation of parish life across North America. Believing the health of the Church is inseparable from the health of her clergy, the Office offers programs that build resilience, connection and pastoral joy. Programs include Thriving in Ministry peer-learning groups, Financial Health Initiatives, quarterly Synaxis Gatherings, Retreats and Clergy Wives Ministry. In partnership with bishops, dioceses, parishes and our generous donors, the Office of Pastoral Life helps create sustainable conditions in which priests, deacons and their families of the Orthodox Church in America can flourish spiritually, vocationally and personally through every season of parish ministry.
