As the Master, so, too, the Disciple

From February 12 to 15 we gathered at the Maison Notre Dame de la Providence in Orleans for our annual winter retreat. Our retreat master was Fr. Andrew Onuferko, a professor of MASI, the former Acting Director of MASI, and who was recently awarded the Roman and Maria Wynnyckyj Research and Teaching Fellowship at MASI. Fr. Andrew led us through a three day meditation on the Gospel of Mark affording us an opportunity to reflect on how we live according to our baptism – “as the Master so, too, the Disciple.” We were joined by two friends of the seminary, former seminarian Yuriy Derkach, and also Nazar Bylen. The Sisters of Charity (Grey Sisters of the Cross – they run the retreat centre) joined us for many of our liturgical services (and so we sang a little in French). The retreat ended just when Reading Week began. As it turns out, we were able to celebrate the entrance into the Great Fast while on retreat. And so we entered the Fast together with forgiveness of each other, and with a joyful step.