Romanian priest’s wife in Germany says diaspora ministry requires balancing parish mission and family life

Mihaela-Iuliana Păun is the wife of Fr. Ionuț Păun, the parish priest of the Romanian Orthodox Church dedicated to St. Parascheva and the Holy Martyrs Kilian, Coloman, and Totnan in Bamberg, Germany. She has lived there for almost seventeen years together with her husband and their four children.

She teaches German in adult education, and her experience of closely supporting the growth of a Romanian Orthodox community in the diaspora—with all the joys, sacrifices, and challenges such a mission involves—provides valuable insight.

In this interview, she considers the role of a priest’s wife, the fragile balance between parish and family life, and how living in the diaspora can be both a difficulty and an opportunity to rediscover the treasure of the Orthodox faith.

A parish that grew in the diaspora Alexandra Nadane: What have been the biggest joys and challenges you’ve encountered during your years in Germany?

Presbytera Mihaela Păun : During the nearly seventeen years we have lived in Germany, we have experienced countless blessings. Above all, there has been the joy of carrying out missionary work in the beautiful region of northern Bavaria. My husband, Fr Ionuț, who…