June 12th to June15th 2024
7th Annual United YMSofR Bishop Bilinski Memorial Men's Spiritual Retreat
at The Bishop Hodur Retreat and Recreation Center, Waymart PA
"The most spiritually uplifting retreat I have ever attended"~ 2023 Retreat Attendee
In-Person attendance is $150 (3 nights) or $125 (2 nights). This fee includes:
4 Day, 3 Night stay at the retreat center.
All meals, beverages, and snacks.
Retreat materials and printouts.
Access to our keynote speaker and Q&A Session
Retreat gift bag.
Paper registration form (linked above) and check made out to the "United YMS of R" for $150 or $125, can be mailed to:
Andrew Humphreys – 1054 Hamlin Highway, Lake Ariel, PA 18436
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
June 14th: Our second full day of the retreat. Enjoy a celebration of holy mass, hear testimony of newly ordained Deacon's of the church, and quiet reflection time free of technology. Finish the day by meeting and listening to our Retreat Key Note Speaker.
Day 4
Retreat Theme : “Iron Sharpens Iron”
Proverbs 27:17: Iron sharpens iron, as one person sharpens another.
Presenting Speakers For This Year's Retreat
Prime Bishop Anthony Mikovsky
Prime Bishop of the Polish National Catholic Church
Rt. Rev. John Mack
Bishop-Ordinary of the Buffalo-Pittsburgh Diocese and Pastor of Holy Mother of the Rosary Cathedral
Rt. Rev. Bernard Nowicki
Administrator of the Central Diocese of The Polish National Catholic Church
Very Rev. John Kowalczyk
Senior Priest of the North-Central Seniorate of the Western Diocese, and Pastor at St. Michael the Archangel PNCC in Cedar Lake, Indiana
Rev. Jason Soltysiak
Retreat Master and Pastor at St. Mary's PNCC in Parma, Ohio
Rev. James Konicki
Pastor at Holy Name of Jesus PNCC in Schenectady, New York
Rev. Jim Ploskonka
Reserve Priest of the Western Diocese, of the Polish National Catholic Church
SSG. Earl Granville
Retired Staff Sergeant of the Army National Guard. Purple Heart Award recipient. Our retreat's Key Note Speaker.
The Venue
Bishop Hodur Retreat and Recreation Center
554 Honesdale Road, Waymart, PA 18472
In 1929 it was Bishop Francis Hodur’s vision to establish a facility that would provide a natural and wholesome environment for youth, a serene setting for the elderly and a place suitable for religious retreats, patriotic picnics and family gatherings. Fast forward 95 years, and his vision lives on with the retreat facility in his namesake.
Our Venue is as much a part of our retreat as the speaker sessions and holy mass. Feel your stress fade away as you take in the beautiful rolling Pennsylvania mountains and breath taking sunsets. The retreat center also offers a swimming pool, hiking trails, grand commons area, newly renovated Great Hall, Volleyball and Baseball fields, secluded pond filled with large bass for fishing, and Wi-Fi along with many other amenities as well. For a full list of items to bring with you for your stay, please download the attached document by clicking the button below.
Retreat Preview: Video Series
Keynote Speaker: SSG. Earl Granville
We are excited to announce that this year we will be joined by SSG. Earl Granville, as our keynote speaker.
Earl Granville, was two weeks into basic training at Ft Benning, GA with his twin brother Joe, when 9/11 happened. He went on to serve nine years in the Army National Guard as an Infantryman, with deployments to Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan. On his final tour, he lost his left leg through the knee to a roadside bomb while on patrol. He also lost his teammates Major Scott Hagerty of Stillwater Oklahoma and Specialist Derek Holland of Wind Gap Pennsylvania that day.
After the loss of his limb in combat and the passing of his brother Joe, who took his own life while he was serving on active duty back in 2010, Earl now spends most of his time traveling the country as a public speaker. Discussing healthy ways to battle adversity, through the positivity in his messaging, real life solutions from his own experiences and participating as an inspiration and motivating force through psychical fitness challenges and marathons across the country.
Earl has received numerous awards for his volunteer work and his speaking, including the 2018 Attorney General Heart So Big Award, the Junior Chamber International (JCI USA) TOYA Award for Personal Improvement and/or Accomplishment under the Class of 2017 and the 2018 Daughters of the American Revolution Veterans Volunteer Award.
Earl retired out of the army as a Staff Sergeant with numerous awards such as the Combat Infantryman Badge, Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.
In Memoriam
Bishop Stanley Bilinski : July 11, 1953- November 2, 2018
In 2017 at the bi-annual United YMS of R Convention in Detroit, Michigan; Bishop Stanley Bilinski, bishop of the Western Diocese of the Polish National Catholic Church, challenged the United YMS of R to create an event for the men of the church to be able to come together to pray and worship the Lord.
Out of that challenge, a subcommittee of the United YMS of R was formed to plan the first ever National Men's Spiritual Retreat for May of 2018. Bishop Bilinski's challenge, vision, and presence were a huge factor in the success of that first annual retreat.
Unfortunately, after a long fought illness, Bishop Bilinski was called home to be with the Lord a few months following that first retreat. When planning began for the second annual retreat in 2019, it was unanimously voted on by the United YMS of R board of directors to rename the retreat to what it is called now. "The Bishop Stanley Bilinski Memorial Men's Spiritual Retreat." Bishop Bilinski's legacy will forever be tied to this retreat, in which he gave so much thought and effort to make possible.