Under the patronage of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, on Sunday, May 26, 2024, corresponding to 18 Bashans 1740 AM, the Coptic Institute for Church Management and Development held the "Church Management and Development Revitalization Forum" on Saturday and Sunday, May 25 and 26, 2024, at the Logos Center in Anba Bishoy Monastery - Wadi El Natrun, with the participation of 35 newly ordained priests who had received the basic training course in church management and development during December 2023. The forum was held between the Institute's team, led by Dr. Magdy Latif, Dean of the Institute, and the priests, with the aim of following up on the fruits of post-training, sharing the positive experiences of the priests during the past period, providing technical support to the participating fathers, learning "service follow-up" skills and tools, and reviewing the basic messages in "church management and development."
His Holiness the Pope was keen to attend some of the working groups, which revolved around the participants' positive experiences during the first five months of their priestly service, as well as "the challenges they faced and the keys to dealing with them," and how to follow up on the service and correct its course when necessary. His Holiness listened to many of these experiences and discussed some of them with them, then delivered his lecture, which included three golden pieces of advice for the service of the newly ordained priest, which are:
- Be positive: Learn and discover new visions and people, God will send you what He has for you according to your faithfulness.
- Be patient: The person who serves Christ does not know old age. Your mind and thought remain young. The virtues of man are seen through simplicity. God is all-beautiful and His spirit is simple. “By your patience you will gain your souls.”
- Be gentle: The commandment of the Lord Christ, “Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart” in dialogue, discussion, and sermon. “Be kind and gentle in visits of visitation and confession sessions. Always ask God to grant the word when you open your mouth.
For more details: See The official spokesman for the Coptic Orthodox Church.