The Archdiocese of Vad, Feleac and Cluj organizes this year two series of spiritual courses for the clergy from the nine deaneries within the Diocese. The courses will be conducted in the form of colloquiums, with practical and formative themes. The first series of spiritual guidance courses takes place between April 1-4, 2024, at the Nicula Monastery, Cluj County, and the second series will take place between April 8-11, at the Rebra-Parva Monastery, Bistrița-Năsăud County.
On Monday, April 1, from 2:00 p.m., at the “Assumption of the Virgin Mary” Monastery in Nicula, in the presence of His Holiness Father Andrei, the Archbishop of Vad, Feleac and Cluj and the Metropolitan of Cluj, Maramureş and Sălaj, the first series of courses was opened of spiritual guidance from this year. The courses began with a Te Deum service, in the new church of the monastic establishment.
Next, in the hall of the Conference Center and Patristic Studies “Saint Voivod Ștefan cel Mare” within the monastery, Father Metropolitan Andrei addressed the clergymen present with a word of teaching, advice and spiritual exhortations.
At the spiritual meeting, the following were also present and spoke: the church administrative adviser of the Archdiocese of Cluj – priest Cristian Baciu, who is the coordinator of the courses, the vice-dean of the Faculty of Orthodox Theology in Cluj-Napoca – Fr. university conf. Dr. Adrian Podaru, abbot of Nicula Monastery – Archimandrite Nicolae Moldovan and Archpriest of Gherla – Priest Paul Iulian Isip.
During the four days of the course, the 20 priests participate in the entire liturgical program of the monastery, they will discuss various topics, among which we mention: the role of the priest in today’s society, the importance of confession and preparation for confession, the relationship between confession and communion, confession and spirituality in special cases from a religious-moral and psychological point of view, ways of approaching the penitent according to social-moral categories: young, old, family man, unemployed, passionate, etc. At the same time, the curants also take part in a series of practical discussions initiated by various clergymen, priests and teachers from Cluj theological schools and other special guests.
On Tuesday, April 2, the Most Reverend Father Benedict Bistrițeanul, the Vicar-Bishop of the Archdiocese of Vad, Feleac and Cluj, will be present among the clergy and will give them spiritual advice and pastoral exhortations. At the same time, the following guests will give talks: the exarch of the monasteries of the Archdiocese of Vad, Feleac and Cluj – archimandrite Dumitru Cobzaru, the dean of the Faculty of Orthodox Theology in Cluj-Napoca – archim. university professor Dr. Teofil Tia, ecclesiarch of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Cluj-Napoca – archim. lect. university dr. Simeon Pintea, who is also a faculty member of the theology faculty, the priest of the Orthodox College “Metropolitan Nicolae Colan” from Cluj-Napoca – archim. prof. Samuel Cristea and the director of the Department for the Training of Teaching Staff of the Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca – univ. Dr. Cătălin Glava, as a special guest of these spirituality courses.
The purpose of the clergy courses is to build a dialogue between the clergy and the trainee priests on topics of great importance for the pastoral mission.
More photos HERE
Author: Darius Echim / Metropolis of Cluj
Photo credit: protos. Calinic Stupinean and Fr. Gabriel Creta
Tags: opening spiritual guidance courses priests Archdiocese Vad Feleac Cluj
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