The conference titled “What does it mean to give yourself as offering? Reflections on the mission of a presbytera” was held by Prof. Dr. Cristina Benga at the Huşi City Hall on Saturday, Sept. 21, and was attended by the wives of Orthodox priests from the Diocese of Huşi.
At the end of the conference, the local bishop Ignatie Trif recalled the example of the presbytera from his home village.
‘She embodied the ideal of what it means to be a priest’s wife.’
In his speech, His Grace expressed his appreciation and gratitude for the mission carried out by presbyteras.
‘I would like to convey my gratitude for your efforts,’ the bishop said.
‘It is very difficult to maintain a balance between church service and family service. It is a very high consumption, an internal combustion. If the priest is the soul of a parish, the priest’s soul is, of course, his presbytera.’
‘Where there is a solid family life, with all that pertains to a beautiful, blessed marriage, as God wills, there is also a spiritual life in the parish,’ His Grace noted.
Bishop Ignatie pointed to the interdependence between the priest’s personal and family life and parish life.
‘Where there is a good state of mind in the priest’s family, this condition is also reflected in the life of the parish.’
‘I urge priests to rely on your intuition,’ the bishop said addressing the presbyteras, noting that they have ‘a sensitivity to details.’
At the end, Bishop Ignatie offered flowers and a copy of Juliana Schmemann’s book ‘The Joy to serve’ to every presbytera.
Photography courtesy of the Huşi Diocese
