Seeking to grow in faith and discipleship through focusing on service, socializing, and spirituality.
Vision
Create a home for young people, married and unmarried, within the Eparchy of Parma.
Bring back the “lost sheep” of our Eparchy, and welcome in any and all newcomers that wish to join us on our journey.
Aim to provide “extracurricular” events for young adults that help build up their faith lives and strengthen/expand our Church community.
History
In 2021, a group of brothers approached Fr. Lukas Mitro and Fr. Cyril Pinchak at a Theology on Tap event at Holy Resurrection Parish in Ohio with the hopes of starting a retreat for young adults in the summer. They were concerned with the lack of available events and resources provided by our Church once teenagers turned eighteen and were no longer able to attend youth group activities/events. Going off to college, many of our young people have become isolated from their Church communities and these young men wanted to give them a chance to reconnect and refresh themselves during summer break. Fr. Lukas Mitro, being the Director of Youth and Young Adults for the Eparchy at the time, agreed enthusiastically but insisted that consistent meetings had to be held first. This led to a weekly summer Bible study and culminated in our first retreat in 2021. To date, the retreat has grown to quite an event, boasting nearly 40 retreatants in 2025. This effort proved fruitful. In response to these efforts, Bishop Robert Pipta established a new framework for the Office of Youth and Young Adults. One that involves young adult representatives in each region. With the help of the Eparchy, the retreat has been concretized, Poustinias have become a regular occurrence in the Cleveland region, and the Pilgrimage of Hope was kicked off in 2025. This is just the beginning of a beautiful rebirth of the youth of our Eparchy. The Office works to continue building up the established progress and always continue growing in its ministry and reach throughout our expansive twelve state region.
Regular Events
Annual Summer Retreat
Hosted annually at St. Mary’s Parish in Marblehead, Ohio, the 2026 gathering will mark the 6th Annual Retreat. Spanning Thursday through Sunday, the weekend dedicates a full day to each of our pillars—service, socializing, and spirituality. What began with 11 retreatants in 2021 has grown to nearly 40 in 2025, becoming our signature event and flourishing in both participation and coordination each year.
Annual Pilgrimage
Our first “Pilgrimage of Hope” took place in 2025 and will now be held annually on Akathist Saturday during the Great Fast. This past year, about 20 young adults journeyed to the All Saints Shrine at Sacred Heart Parish in Livonia, Michigan. Looking ahead, the pilgrimage is expected to become an overnight experience—from Friday evening through Saturday afternoon—featuring social time, an Akathist, and the Divine Liturgy. Planning for the upcoming pilgrimage is already underway, with details to be finalized in the months ahead.
Poustinias
Since November 2024, we’ve hosted monthly evenings of reflection on the last Saturday of each month—an initiative inspired by the Eparchy of Passaic. Each gathering includes compline, a spiritual reflection, silent prayer, confession, and hospitality. Looking ahead to 2026, we plan to offer a Poustinia during each of the four fasting seasons, inviting the faithful into penitential, seasonal themes and a deeper encounter with the life of the Trinity in the Byzantine tradition.