The weekend of October 11-14, 2024, ROYA held its annual Fall Congress in Allegan, MI, at the Monastery of the Protection of the Mother of God. Youth from parishes throughout the Romanian Metropolia arrived on Friday evening, October 11th, where they were served dinner and had the opportunity to socialize until it was time to rest after a long day of traveling.
On Saturday, we began with Morning Prayers led by Father Gregory Owen from Saint Joseph Orthodox Church in Baroda, MI. After breakfast, the 2022-2024 Board members presented a ROYA overview. The presentation highlighted the past year's in-person and virtual events, giving the delegates a comprehensive understanding of ROYA's activities. Each delegate was encouraged to share their personal experiences from events like the 2024 New York Spring Retreat and the Heritage Trips. Following the presentation, the group gathered for a conference with Fr. Gregory, who spoke about finding truth in a fallen world. He guided us through the Psalms and the Holy Scripture, encouraging us to keep our faith strong amidst the surrounding chaos. This was a meaningful start to the weekend, bringing us closer through the Word of God. The rest of the morning was spent bonding through games and outdoor activities.
The Congress officially commenced on Saturday evening under the guidance of His Eminence, Metropolitan Nicolae. Delegates were divided into groups and participated in discussions led by Board members. The discussions focused on each delegate reporting the successes and challenges they encountered when engaging with young adults in their parishes over the past year. This was followed by a small workshop where group members provided feedback and brainstormed ideas to foster a more active ROYA presence in their parishes. It was a valuable opportunity for participants to learn from each other and share activities that could be implemented in their communities. Afterward, elections were held to select the ROYA Board for the 2024-2026 term. A brief presentation outlined the responsibilities of each position, and nominees gave short introductions. Once voting concluded, the new Board was announced:
- President: Teodora Gîrlonța, Holy Resurrection parish, Sacramento, California
- Vice President (USA): Laura Ionescu, Holy Resurrection parish, Sacramento, California
- Vice President (Canada): Valentin Cioana, St George Cathedral, Montreal, Canada
- Secretary: Stephania Nuțu, Protection of the Mother of God Monastery, Allegan, Michigan
- Treasurer (USA): Elena Coman, Three Hierarchs Mission, Syracuse, New York
- Treasurer (Canada): Patrick Cioata, St. Nicholas parish, Vancouver, Canada
On Sunday, we joined the local community at the monastery for the Divine Liturgy. Many of the youth had the opportunity to sing, chant, and read. After lunch and a scenic walk around the monastery grounds, we gathered with Fr. Petru Neaga, ROYA’s spiritual advisor, for an open discussion where we could ask anything on our minds. Additionally, the newly elected Board held its first meeting with Metropolitan Nicolae and Fr. Petru to discuss key next steps and set goals for the upcoming two years. His Eminence encouraged the Board to establish youth contacts in each deanery of the Metropolia and work towards fostering an active ROYA presence in every parish. The evening concluded with a beautiful Vespers and Lythia service in honor of St. Parascheva of Iași, whose feast day was the following day.
Our ROYA gathering concluded with our participation in the Divine Liturgy on Monday morning in commemoration of St. Parascheva. Afterward, we shared one final meal before parting ways, not with goodbyes, but with heartfelt “see you soon” wishes.
Teodora Gîrlonța, Stephania Nuțu, Elena Coman
