Diocese Update - July 2026
Successful 2026 PLC in Lowell!
Thank you to Fr. Leonard Faris and the faithful of St. George Church in Lowell for hosting a wonderful PLC on Saturday, June 20!
Teen Bible Bowl Winners: St. Mary Church, Pawtucket
Pictured Left to Right: Fr. Elie Estephan and Keith Marshall with members of both Pawtucket teams: Nicholas, Addison, Yosiah, Madelyn, Amelia, and Thomas
Oratorical Participants
Pictured Left to Right: Nicolas (Judge's Choice from St. George Church, West Roxbury), His Grace Bishop JOHN, Ephraim (Jr. Division from St. George Cathedral, Worcester), and Ethan (from St. Michael Church, Cotuit)
Nicholas, Addison and Yosiah from Pawtucket and Nicolas from West Roxbury will head to the Antiochian Village in July to represent our Diocese in the Archdiocese competitions. Congratulations to them and we pray for their good health as they represent our Diocese!
Support Camp St. Joseph - Amazon Wish List
Camp St. Joseph of Damascus is excited to welcome 95 campers this summer as well as many young adults who will serve as counselors and staff during the session.
CSJOD has put together a list of items needed for this summer. If you would like to support the camp with monetary donations or by donating an item from their wish list, please visit https://campstjoseph.org/donate/
Learn more and register at https://campstjoseph.org/
Summer Sacred Music Institute & Youth Music Ministry - July 8-12 @ Antiochian Village
Love music? Looking for a spiritual refresh? Whether you chant, sing in choir, want to know more about the hymnography of the Church, love to listen to His Grace Bishop Anthony speak, or all of the above, please join us on the "holy mountain" in the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania from July 8-12 for the 2026 Summer Sacred Music Institute at the Antiochian Village Conference & Retreat Center!
This year's theme is "Feasts of the Transfiguration and the Elevation of the Cross: Transformation, Illumination, Life, Victory and Hope." Selections from those feasts will be used in the learning tracks, as well as other music. Take advantage of this transformative learning, fellowship with brothers and sisters of like mind and the joy that naturally comes from corporate worship by participating in this year's SMI. For more details and to register, please go to sacredmusic.antiochian.org
All parishes are encouraged to send at least one person to the Summer SMI. The Youth Music Ministry (YMM) Program of the SMI is for teens aged 14-18. Scholarships are available. Please email charlie.marge@verizon.net if you have teens that are interested.
NAB Antiochian Women Mid-Summer Meeting
2026 Diocese PLC Meeting of the Antiochian Women
The NAB Antiochian Women Mid-Summer Meeting will be held at the Antiochian Village from July 24–26. The meeting will be offered in a hybrid format. Any ladies who would like to participate via Zoom are welcome to do so. Please email Rima Audy by July 10 at rimadaudy@gmail.com to be added to the participant list and receive the Zoom information.
Update from the Department of Youth & Young Adult Ministries
The Department of Youth & Young Adult Ministries supports and integrates the whole spectrum of Archdiocesan programs for youth, including:
- Christian Education Ministry
- Teen SOYO Ministry
- Young Adult Ministry
- Camping Ministry
Although all of these programs together encompass a broad range of activity and age groups, all share the same goal: to encourage full participation in the life of the Church through worship, witness, service, and fellowship. Officially bringing the four branches together in 2022, this Department, chaired by the Very Rev. Archimandrite Nicholas Belcher, trains youth leaders, organizes events, provides consultation for youth leaders and pastors across the Archdiocese, develops and maintains a treasury of ministry resources, provides annual curricula for our church schools and camps, and oversees programs such as the Bible Bowl and the Oratorical Festival.
Summer Activity Menu for Teens
The Teen Ministry team from the Department of Youth and Young Adults Ministries is excited to offer a Summer Activity Menu for parishes and deaneries across the Archdiocese.
This clickable PDF includes ideas and frameworks for a wide variety of summer activities that teens and advisors can plan and enjoy together. While summer often brings a different pace and fuller schedules, it also offers unique opportunities for connection and growth.
Whether through service projects, movie nights, book clubs, or supplication services, the team hopes this resource inspires creative and meaningful ways to keep teens and parish communities engaged throughout the summer months.
2026 Archdiocese Youth Survey
If you are a Parent, Teen, Clergy member, Youth Worker with Teens, Sunday Church School Teacher, or Young Adult, we want to hear from you!
These surveys are helping us better understand the needs, hopes, challenges, and opportunities facing our parishes and communities across the Archdiocese. Your feedback will directly help shape future resources, training, events, and ministry support.
Please go to youth.antiochian.org to complete the short survey. Thank you for helping us strengthen Youth & Young Adult Ministries together!
Antiochian Youth Summit - Oct 22-25 @ Antiochian Village
In October, for the first time, lay and clergy leaders and workers, camp directors, church school directors and teachers from all four ministries impacting the lives of our youth and young adults will meet at the Antiochian Village for a Youth Worker Summit. The first event of its kind, the Summit will connect, inspire, and provide resources for those who joyously labor for the young people of our Archdiocese. If you are one of the people serving in these vital ministries, we want you to join us. If you are not, please help us get the leaders in your parish to attend!
This summit will be a vital opportunity to enhance our common vision, build relationships, learn, grow, and be refreshed together. There will be sessions that include all of the ministries and breakout sessions for the individual ministries. We are pleased to share that the keynote addresses will be offered by the Rev. Dr. George Parsenios, and the workshop addresses will include V. Rev. Fr. Michael Nasser, Rev. Dr. Greg Abdalah, Dr. Ann Bezzerides and Sh. Shell Keim.
Promotional Flyer - JPG
Register today at https://registration.antiochianvillage.org/summit2026
St. George Classical Academy - Employment Opportunities
Saint George Classical Academy, a Christian classical school serving families on the North Shore of Massachusetts, is currently hiring teachers for the 2026-2027 academic year, including Director of Operationsand Administrative Assistant (see links for job descriptions).
If you would like to be considered for future opportunities, please feel free to reach out to Head of School, Juliana Joyce, for more information (Juliana.Joyce@stgca.org).
The Sonia Daly Belcher Fund Scholarshp
Upcoming PLC Host Parish Schedule
2027: St. George Church, Boston - June 18-20, 2027 in Plymouth, MA
2028: St. Mary Church, Pawtucket
2029: St. George Church, Lawrence
2030: St. George Cathedral, Worcester
2027 PLC and Oratorical Theme: By one spirit we were all baptized into one body - 1 Corinthians 12:13
2027 Bible Bowl: I & II Corinthians