DIOCESE OF SAN FRANCISCO AND WESTERN AMERICA: April 6, 2011
The Lenten Pastoral Retreat of the Western American Diocese Concludes

The Lenten Pastoral Retreat of the clergy of the Western American Diocese concluded on Wednesday, March 30, 2011, with a Liturgy of the Pre-sanctified Gifts and a closing lenten meal. On the first day of the Retreat Archpriest Sommer presented a report on the work of the Synodal Youth Department and the upcoming XII All-Diaspora Youth Conference in Paris.

On Tuesday, March 29, the Rector of All Saints Church in Moscow, Archpriest Artemy Vladimirov, spoke on a priest’s prayer life and the place of the Eucharist in a priest's ministry. The second day of the retreat ended with the Rule Before Holy Communion, confession of the participants, evening service and solemn pannikhida for Metropolitan Laurus.

On Wednesday, March 30, a Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts was served by His Grace Bishop Theodosy of Seattle and diocesan clergy. Greetings were sent to His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, His Eminence Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco and Western America, His Grace Bishop Panteleimon of Smolensk and Viazma and Archpriest Wladimir Worobiev.