Due to the coronavirus pandemic, date of episcopal ordination of Fr. Mykola Bychok is changed

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, date of episcopal ordination of Fr. Mykola Bychok is changed

Thursday, 09 April 2020, 13:04

The episcopal ordination of Father Mykola Bychok to the ruling bishop of the Eparchy of Saint Apostles Peter and Paul in Melbourne (Australia) is to take place on June 7, 2020 at St. Yura Cathedral in Lviv. The nominee bishop reported this in a comment for the UGCC Information Department. “Because of the coronavirus pandemic, His Beatitude Sviatoslav proposed to move the Hierotonia from April 26 to June 7, 2020, so as not to endanger people. I fully support such a decision, which I consider to be wise and prudent today. I hope that by this time the quarantine will be completed and there will be no obstacle for the faithful to take part in the episcopal ordination,” said Fr. Mykola.

As planned, the Holy Liturgy will be led by the Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, the main consecrator. The co-consecrators will be Bishop Ihor Vozniak, Metropolitan of Lviv, and Bishop Petro Loza, Assistant Bishop of the Eparchy of Sokal-Zhovkva.

As we informed, on January 15, 2020, the Vatican announced that Pope Francis appointed as bishop of the Eparchy of Saints Peter and Paul of Melbourne of the Ukrainians the Reverend Mykola Bychok, C.S.R . At the same time, it was reported that the Holy Father accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the Eparchy of Saints Peter and Paul of Melbourne of the Ukrainians, Australia, presented by Archbishop Petro Stasiuk, C.Ss.R.

The UGCC Department for Information

http://news.ugcc.ua/en/news/due_to_the_coronavirus_pandemic_date_of_episcopal_ordina tion_of_fr_mykola_bychok_is_changed_89281.html

EASTER PASTORAL LETTER OF HIS BEATITUDE SVIATOSLAV

EASTER PASTORAL LETTER

OF HIS BEATITUDE SVIATOSLAV

Most Reverend Archbishops and Bishops,

Very Reverend and Reverend Fathers,

Venerable Brothers and Sisters in Monastic and Religious Life,

Dearly Beloved Laity in Christ of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church

Christ is Risen!

When those bound by chains in the realm of Hades

Saw Your boundless mercy,

They hastened to the light with joy, O Christ,

Praising the eternal Pascha.

Ode 5, Paschal Canon

Beloved in Christ!

This year we are celebrating Christ’s Pascha in particular circumstances. Many of us spent the season of Great Lent at home, isolated from others, physically distant from our churches and parish communities. Yet even in such challenging conditions, no one has the power to prevent the joyful movement of people everywhere towards the Light, in order that, with faith in Christ’s resurrection, with hope in God’s victory and with the love of the community of God’s children, we might greet one another with a jubilant and resounding “Christ is risen!”

Over three thousand years ago the Lord heard and received the cry and lament of the sons and daughters of Israel, languishing in captivity in Egypt. On the night of Passover, by the blood of the Paschal lamb, the Lord protected his people from the angel of death and led them from the house of slavery. Subsequently, the escape from Egypt under the leadership of Moses brought another danger at the shore of the sea—deep waters ahead, the pharaoh with horses and chariots behind. And the sea parted before them! Thus, for the people of God, thePassover came to be associated with salvation from death. Every Israelite, having lived through the liberation from Egypt, experienced his God as a Deliverer: I escaped death! All those who were saved came to see themselves as one people: we were together in slavery, together we survived death, we share one and the same God—a Saviour and Liberator. We are the People of God!

In the risen Christ the passage from death to life transcends all boundaries of human history. The Pascha-Passover of the Old Testament was limited to the salvation of a limited circle of people from a danger that was limited in time. Our Pascha, the Pascha of our Lord, the Eternal Pascha, as we sing in our Paschal Matins, is not only salvation from the temporary danger of a physical illness and mere bodily death. Today Christ grants salvation from the very cause of death—to all people, of all times and nations. We aren’t speaking here merely of salvation from an emerging sickness or protection from the sword, even an angelic one, as it was in the case of the Israelites in Egypt. Having gone from suffering and death to the resurrection, Christ, in the words of the Apostle Paul, destroyed deadly sin and crucified it on the cross along with its hellish power to enslave.

The Eternal Pascha is a victory and a mockery over the very sting of death, as the Apostle proclaims today: “Death is swallowed up in victory.O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor. 15:54-57). In his resurrection, Christ removed our enslavingchains of fear before death, and transformed that fear, by granting us paschal entrance into a new life. With the resurrection,we have opened before us a door that leads us from that which passes away to that which lasts forever. The Pascha of our Lord opens for us the door to joyful eternity. We were together in the chains of death—today,as the united People of God of the New Testament, we share in the common experience of joy in the resurrection.

When those bound by chains in the realm of Hades saw Your boundless mercy…

In the face of the global pandemic, we suddenly recognized that as humans we are weak and mortal. The coronavirus brought a deadly danger to the rich and poor, to all people, with no regard for place of residence around the globe, for race or religious persuasion. Possibly, for the first time, we came to understand that we are all equally vulnerable and in need, but we have also come to see ourselves as one human family: that, which affected people in one corner of the planet—carried over to and impacted people on the other side of the world—it personally affected each one of us.

The entire world has found itself as if bound together by the chains of Hades. The fear of becoming ill and dying, the pain of losing family members, friends and acquaintances, the darkness of loneliness and despair in circumstances of enforced isolation, the ruin of new methods of communication and the collapse of world economic systems have become our common universalchains. As shackles restrict a slave, so have the strict rules of quarantine—the only possible way to fight this deadly disease—suddenly restricted all humanity: airports have ceased to operate, trains have stopped running, borders between nations, having almost receded from our consciousness, once again have been reasserted as impenetrable iron gates.

In the midst of this darkness of fear and captivity for contemporary humankind, we have a unique opportunity to grasp anew what it means to be a Christian. As Christians, we are those, who in the Mystery of Baptism, have already died to this world and have risen together with our Saviour! We are the heirs of the apostles, who saw the Risen One with their own eyes and with their own hands touched his glorified Body, the Body that went from death on the cross to eternal life. In these circumstances, which temporarily deprived us of the possibility of fully participating in the liturgical life of our churches and communities, we rediscovered the importance of spiritual life in our Christian families, traditionally called domestic churches. Unintentionally, many of ushave found ourselves thinking of the time when we celebrated Easter in the underground, how we, not having the possibility of coming together in church, were joined with the Eucharistic Christ at Divine Liturgy being broadcasted on the Vatican, and we held our Easter baskets before our radio receivers to be blessed. No one and nothing can deprive Christians of the joy of Christ’s Resurrection! Families, in which Christians consciously and maturely confront today’s challenges, in a special way, demonstrate their character as domestic churches, becoming for its members homes of profoundly intense prayer, blessing, sacrifice and spiritual growth, places of encounter with the living Christ. At the same time, we are discovering new methods of spiritual unity, over which no restrictive measures have any power, for that which unites us is the one spiritual body of the Church, that is, one hope that belongs to our call—”one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (see Eph. 4:4-5). It is, indeed, in this spirit of hope that today we celebrate Pascha and pray for its fulfilment in the restoration and renewal of ecclesial and spiritual life.

In response to the darkness of separation and the fear one has of the other, as a possible carrier of the virus of death, on this night we encounter the living risen Christ, who passes through all closed quarantine doors, in order to encounter us, his disciples:“ On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you!’” (John 20:19). Fear before all that might be touched by a person’s hand in a time of epidemic, gives way to the hand of the living God—the risen Christ, which carrying the wounds of the nails reaches out to us and reveals to us God’s limitless mercy! All of our sins and illnesses, pandemics and fears are conquered by God’s love. The physical chains of the present time have no power before the spiritual freedom of faith and spirit, before eternal life, given to us in Christ Jesus. In good time He will break down the doors of quarantine, take away the fear that lies ready to pounce on us behind these doors, and He will call on us to proclaim to the world, as once did the apostles, “Christ is risen!”

They hastened to the light with joy, O Christ, praising the eternal Pascha.

In celebrating Pascha, we believe and already see that the present pandemic will surely end, and humanity will emerge the better for it, with a sense of solidarity and unity among us, with a deeper understanding of the meaning and calling of human life. On this feast, Christ gives us the Light of hope, open to all people without exception. No quarantine, no social distancing, can block our path to him. On the contrary, all of us together, those alive today, and those who have departed into eternity, as one People of God, celebrate the joy of victory over death. In our affliction and pain, we receive hope andcomfort. We have been given eternal liberation from our spiritual chains. Therefore, let us praise the eternal Pascha!

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ! On this bright, joyful day I hasten to each of your homes, in order to share with you the joy of deliverance given us in the Resurrection. To all of you, in Ukraine and throughout the world, I send you mysincere prayers and heartfelt greeting. I bless you all: the well and the sick, the strong and the weak, the young and the old, parents and children.

I hasten also to all hospitals and care centres, in order to share with you the joyful and life-giving news and to encourage you to carry your suffering in faith, with a spirit of self- sacrifice. I especially greet and bless our doctors and medical staff—all who heroically care for the sick and those needing assistance in these extraordinary circumstances. I unite myself spiritually to all the soldiers at the front lines andtheir families, to the wounded, to all refugees and to those who remain in the occupied territories, to all captives and prisoners for the sake of their conscience.All of you who are alone or far from your lovedones, I embrace you with fatherly love.

May the risen Christ transform this moment of weeping and pain, universally experienced by all humankind, into the paschal joy of victory over illness and death, just as this morning he transformed the weeping of the Myrrh-bearing women into joy! May he grant us in every moment the gift of victory over sin, and a rebirth of love and hope through an increase in our lives of the divine gift of eternal life, which we all received in Baptism! I sincerely wish each of you a blessed Easter feast, a tasty sharing of our traditional blessed egg, and a Paschal joy that is full of light.

The grace of our Risen Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Christ is risen! – Truly, He is risen!

+ SVIATOSLAV

Given in Kyiv at the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ, on the day of Saint Cyril, Archbishop of Jerusalem,

March 31 (18), 2020 A.D. PASTORAL LETTER OF HIS BEATITUDE SVIATOSLAV TO YOUTH ON PALM SUNDAY

PASTORAL LETTER

OF HIS BEATITUDE SVIATOSLAV

TO YOUTH ON PALM SUNDAY

Beloved in Christ Youth in Ukraine and abroad!

Palm Sunday, the day of Christ’s triumphant entry in Jerusalem, is traditionally for me and the entire leadership of our Church an opportunity to address you with a special letter. I always cherish this opportunity because I consider it a special privilege to reflect together and with you seek answers to questions and needs, which I have heard expressed at various encounters and conversations with you throughout the year.

This year, in spite of the unique life circumstances in which we find ourselves, you, young people, without going to church due to the restrictions that have been placed on us, can listen to or read this appeal of ours. The Church comes to you, wherever you may be: we hope that the voice which will be heard on screens of various sizes and formats, will resonate in your hearts, lift up and inspire each one of you.

It’s a wonderful thing to be young, but also not easy. Being a youth means having an open heart, an inquisitive mind, and a rebellious character that reacts sharply to all forms of injustice, every distortion,any wrong, which adults have learned to ignore or even exploit. For a young person today the challenge increases with the fast pace and virtualization of the global world, the economic crisis and pandemic. For young Ukrainians there is the additional factor of an unjust war of invasion in the east of the country, a war in which for the seventh year now, sons and daughters of our Fatherland continue to die, while defending peace and the future.

Uncertainty and fear have enveloped the world. Motivational speakers will probably earn millions talking on the topic of “How to live in a time of incertitude.” High-school graduates worry about how they will do their SATs and apply to places of higher learning, while university and college graduates wonder whether they will find a job in a world that seems to heading rapidly towards economic crisis. Proprietors of small coffee shops are anxious about whether they will be able to reopen once the quarantine is over, programmers—whether orders from large international companies will be cancelled, as the financial stability of their businesses depend on them. One has the impression that today there isn’t a single young person who does not worry about the uncertainty that hangs over us.

Pope Francis in his address, “Urbi et orbi” (To the City of Rome and the World), which was recently given on the occasion of Special Prayer for an end to the coronavirus pandemic, compares the current situation to a storm on the sea. The entire world is afraid, disoriented and lost, as if sitting in a single boat tossed by waves. In this storm we sense our fragility, our mortality, possibly our inexperience and arrogance.

At the same time, we, Christians, know that in this boat on a turbulent sea God Himself is with us. He became Man and died on the cross, so that we “may have life and have it abundantly” (Jn 10:10). Remembering the Resurrection keeps us from falling into despair, and helps us to continue rowing and, with trust in the Lord, overcome the waves.

The road to the Resurrection begins with the triumphant entry into Jerusalem.

The entry into Jerusalem is the beginning of a new era. In his passion, death on the cross and Resurrection our Lord established a New Covenant with all humanity. This new pact no longer involves just one people, is no longer limited to a particular land or culture, but embraces all—each and every one of you. At the Last Supper, which we will prayerfully commemorate this week, Christ gave to his disciples the Mystery of the Eucharist—the Mystery of his Body and Blood, by which this Covenant is established and sealed. He clearly stated that the Blood of the New Covenant is poured our “for you and for many” (see Mt 26:28, Mk 14:24, Lk 22:20). This is our security guarantee in unsure times—He redeemed us, made us his people, has poured out and is pouring out his Blood for us.

In greeting the Saviour who entered Jerusalem with new tree shoots, the new branches of humanity—the children of Israel—became bearers and heralds of a new time, a new era, a social paradigm, that changed the world. The history of humanity, especially the history of Europe in the second millennium, demonstrates that after dark times, after tragedies of plague and cholera, human society transforms itself, opening a new age in the development of civilization. Many understand that this is precisely what is happening before our very eyes, and that we will be witnesses to such “tectonic movements” that will change the foundations of modern states, economic systems, and methods of organizing а common world community.

The future fate of country-states, systems, and all of global society will depend, above all, on whether the “global Jerusalem” of today will open its doors for God, who in Christ the Saviour brings peace, wisdom and hope. No less important—that into this “global Jerusalem” being restored by God, the youth enter not with empty hands, as mere passive spectators or simply a “human resource.” Young people must, just as at the entry of Christ into Jerusalem, express themselves, take on as a foundation authentic values that make a person human, and thus, as if with green branches, welcome the Saviour- Messiah. Only then, when the youth of today sing to him “Hosanna” will this new world become a world of and for humanity, where a culture of life, not death, will be built—a world where human life, the value of which we have rediscovered in a time of epidemic, will become the cornerstone for democracy, international law, and new global economic relations. If this does not happen and no one picks up these young “palm branches,” then the emergence of new deadly viruses is only a matter of time. However, instead of trembling before invisible enemies, all of us, especially you, the youth, must united in faith and solidarity of action. Let us remember the words of Pope Francis: “Prayer and quiet service: these are our victorious weapons.”

Therefore, we stand before the next change of an age. We do not know what the new age will be like. However, we clearly understand, that you, in fact, are its people. Be heralds of a new social justice, of a new paradigm of mercy, of new relations of openness and service.

We approach this year’s Easter celebrations in one of the most difficult periods of humanity in a new era of globalization. Over the years we have enjoyed the benefits of networking and connectedness, and now we find ourselves in the midst of a global quarantine. This new challenge requires from us careful creativity and a developed system of service. And in this we need the assistance and support of a creative and inventive youth. You are the true experts! Many a grandson or granddaughter helped their baba follow the Liturgy online, taught their dido how to use the internet, gifted them their old computer, showed them how to pay for services online and insisted that they stay at home, while personally providing them with their necessities. How many charitable social initiatives have appeared in various corners of Ukraine to help those who are the most vulnerable!

On behalf of our elderly today, the Church says to you: “Thank you, sincerely!” Keep doing what you do and develop your service, taking due care for your own personal safety; direct your energy towards those who need it. It’s been a while since many of us have spent so much time at home—a chance to listen to all the family stories! As you find yourselves under one roof and wait out this quarantine thrust upon us, relate to one another, do things together with your loved ones. This is another chance to discover the gift of the person that is next to you! Let us not doubt that in this you will be successful.

This epidemic that our generation is experiencing is like a smack across the side of the head for an arrogant humanity—in order to separate the grain from the chaff and to become aware once again of what’s most important. We understand that the economic crisis now emerging will hit the most vulnerable the hardest—our families, the elderly, and the young. Its negative effect will be felt by all. At the same time, we are also profoundly convinced that this crisis is a test for mercy, an occasion for good and service. We would especially like for you, young people, to know that your Mother-Church will undergo these challenges together with you, embracing you and accompanying you and your loved ones with her ceaseless prayer.

We stand at the threshold of a new world. What it will be like—depends on all of us.

Today, more than ever, is the time for your boldest dreams: to tame the universe, to find a cure for cancer, to conquer epidemics, to build a just economic system, to protect the sick and helpless, to seek out alternate sources of energy, to construct means of transportation that don’t harm the planet, etc. Dare to dream! Dream big! Desire greatness!

Invite Christ into your dreams! Be certain that he will help. Jesus Christ has already conquered our greatest fear and given us himself as a limitless source of hope and life. On this day of our Lord’s Entry into Jerusalem, open to Him the full expanse of your heart. In receiving our Saviour into your personal life, follow his lead into that unknown “tomorrow” which he himself will create for us, through his glorious and joyful Resurrection!

The blessing of the Lord be upon you!

† SVIATOSLAV

Given in Kyiv, at the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ, on the day of Venerable St. James, the Confessor, Bishop of Catania,

April 3 (March 21), 2020 A.D.

Coronavirus: Commentary of His Beatitude Sviatoslav

Coronavirus: Commentary of His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Head of the UGCC

Thursday, 12 March 2020

“We pray for those who are ill, for those who are most vulnerable to this virus, and for health care workers, because they risk their lives for the safety and health of Ukrainian society,” said His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the UGCC, responding to recent events related to the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

In his comment for the UGCC Department for Information, the Primate states that the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church will fulfill the orders of state and local authorities and sanitary services. At the same time, the Church authorities ask all citizens to be responsible for security measures while maintaining absolute peace.

“We have a duty to adhere to all the rules that follow from public authorities. In addition, we encourage older people and parents with young children to stay at home, as they are at highest risk.

At this time of Lent, let us pray more at home. It is possible to benefit from broadcasts of worship through the means of modern communication. We encourage priests to respond to the request of the faithful to give them the Sacraments of the Confession and Communion at home, especially when it comes to sick persons,” said the Head of the UGCC.

Regarding participation in worship services, His Beatitude Sviatoslav above all encourages everyone to follow the rules of personal hygiene in the temples. During this period, it may be justified not to touch or kiss the icons. In addition, “we require in our churches to strengthen anti-epidemic security measures so that our temples are always a clean and safe place for personal and community prayer.”

“We call for increased prayer, first and foremost for health. This prayer is heard constantly, but now let it be intensified. We pray for the health of everyone, including the elders and children – the weakest among us. We especially pray for those who are affected by the coronavirus,” asked His Beatitude Sviatoslav. In addition, he warned against any stigma or any negative attitude towards those affected by the COVID-19 virus or those suspected of the disease. “No one intentionally wants to be ill with this disease. One may not even know that he or she is ill. No need to be prejudiced against your neighbor. For the Word of God and the commandment of love for one’s neighbor are valid even during the epidemic,” emphasized the Head of the UGCC.

The UGCC Department for Information http://news.ugcc.ua/en/news/coronavirus_commentary_of_his_beatitude_sviatoslav_head_ of_the_ugcc_88937.html

Providence Association – “Провидіння”

The Providence Association of Ukrainian Catholics of America is a Ukrainian fraternal benefit society and life insurance company. Established in 1912, The Providence Association, or Провидіння“ ” in Ukrainian, is a fraternal benefit society. We are a civic organization that satisfies members’ needs for fraternal and social interaction, charitable activities and religious expression. https://provassn.com/ Papal Appointments

The following appointments and resignations were announced by the Holy Father Pope Francis, Wednesday, January 15, 2020.

Resignation of bishop of the Eparchy of Saints Peter and Paul of Melbourne of the Ukrainians, Australia, and appointment of successor

Appointment of bishop of the Eparchy of the Holy Family of London of the Ukrainians, Great Britain

Appointment of apostolic administrator of the Eparchy of New Westminster of the Ukrainians, Canada

Resignation of bishop of the Eparchy of Saints Peter and Paul of Melbourne of the Ukrainians, Australia, and appointment of successor The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the eparchy of Saints Peter and Paul of Melbourne of the Ukrainians, Australia, presented by Archbishop Peter Stasiuk, C.S.R. ————————————– Bishop Peter Stasiuk, C.Ss.R. born 16 July 1943 in Roblin, Manitoba, Canada is a Canadian-born Australian Ukrainian Greek Catholic hierarch. He served as the second Eparchial Bishop of Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saints Peter and Paul of Melbourne from 16 December 1992 until 15 January 2020.

Bishop Stasiuk was born in the family of ethnical Ukrainian Greek-Catholics in Canada. After the attending of the Eastern Redemptorists minor seminary, he subsequently joined the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer in 1960, where he had a profession in August 28, 1962 and a solemn profession on August 28, 1965. Stasiuk was ordained as a priest on July 2, 1967, after studies at the Saint Paul University in Ottawa, Canada. Then he continued his studies in another Canadian university, University of Ottawa and in France in the François Rabelais University in Tours. After returning from studies, he had a various pastoral assignments and served as parish assistant, professor, superior and director at the Redemptorists Institutes in Canada. On December 16, 1992 Fr. Stasiuk was nominated by Pope John Paul II and on March 9, 1993 consecrated to the Episcopate as the second Eparchial Bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saints Peter and Paul of Melbourne. The principal consecrator was Metropolitan Maxim Hermaniuk, the retired Head of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Winnipeg The Holy Father has appointed as bishop of the eparchy of Saints Peter and Paul of Melbourne of the Ukrainians the Reverend Mykola Bychok, C.Ss.R, currently parochial vicar of the Saint John the Baptist parish in Newark, U.S.A.

————————————————– Reverend Mykola Bychok, C.Ss.R Father Mykola Bychok, the son of Petro and Hanna, was born February 13, 1980 in the city of Ternopil. He has a younger brother named Paul. From 1987 until 1997 he studied at school No 14 in the city of Ternopil and upon his graduation he had to make a very important decision in his life: QUO VADIS (where are you going)? He felt a calling to follow Christ at the age of 15, when he was in 9th grade. The Redemptorist Fathers helped him to recognize his calling because it was at their parish that he regularly attended Liturgy. Afterwards he was an altar boy and joined the fathers on Missions and retreats at various monasteries. But what had the strongest influence on him was the example of the lives of the Redemptorists and their great zeal in the preaching of God’s Word. His first teacher was Father Mykhajlo Shevchyshyn, a great preacher and missionary. Another of his teachers was Father Volodymyr Vons, thanks to whom he became certain that God was calling him to this congregation. He entered the monastery on the feast of Saints Peter and Paul, July 12, 1997. He professed his first vows on August, 1998 in the village of Kokhavyno in the region of Lviv. In 1998 – 2001 he studied at the Higher Spiritual Institution of blessed Mykolay Charnetsky. In the years 2001-2004 he studied at the Redemptorist Seminary in Tykhiv, Poland and there defended his master’s thesis on the topic of “Work with youth groups in Greek Catholic parishes in Ukraine.” August 17, 2003 he professed his final vows. July 12, 2004 Bishop Michael Hrynchyshyn ordained him deacon at the church of Hieromartyr Josaphat in Lviv. March-April of 2005 he did his deaconate practice at the mission in the city of Berdiansk in the region of Zaporizhia. He was ordained a priest by Bishop Ihor Wozniak, CSsR on May 3, 2005 in the city of Lviv. In 2005-2007 he served as missionary at the parish of the Mother of God of Perpetual Help in Siberia (Russia) in the city of Prokopyevsk. March 10, 2007 he was assigned pastor of youth in the parish of the Mother of God of Perpetual Help in the city of Ivano-Frankivsk. From November 1, 2008 – August 1, 2010 he served as the rector of the monastery of St. Joseph and the rector of the parish of the Mother of God of Perpetual Help in the city of Ivano-Frankivsk. Later he was assigned as treasurer of the Lviv Redemptorist Province and served in this role until December 30, 2014. From January 31-April 26, 2015 he assisted in monasteries in Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk. From April 27, 2015 he is serving St. John’s parish in Newark, NJ. Appointment of bishop of the eparchy of the Holy Family of London of the Ukrainians, Great Britain The Holy Father has appointed as bishop of the eparchy of the Holy Family of London of the Ukrainians, Great Britain, Bishop Kenneth Anthony Adam Nowakowski, transferring him from the eparchy of New Westminster of Ukrainians (Canada).

—————————————-

Bishop Kenneth Anthony Adam Nowakowski Bishop Ken Nowakowski, was born on May 16, 1958, in North Battleford, Saskatchewan, the second of three sons of Stanley and Roma (nee Ryhorchuk). He attended elementary school in Battleford and high school in North Battleford.

Fr. Nowakowski held several secular positions in the private and government sector prior to entering the formation program at the Redeemer House of Studies in Toronto, graduating from St. Michael’s College, University of Toronto in 1984 with a Bachelor of Religious Studies and Philosophy. He was sent to St. Josaphat’s Ukrainian Catholic Pontifical College in Rome and received his Bachelor of Sacred Theology from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in 1989. He was ordained a priest by Bishop Basil Filevich, of blessed memory for the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saskatoon on August 19, 1989, in St. George’s Cathedral in Saskatoon.

Fr. Nowakowski returned to Rome the autumn of 1989 for further studies in Eastern Canon Law. In response to a growing refugee presence in Italy, Fr. Nowakowski founded and directed the Ukrainian Catholic Refugee Office. In June of 1990 he was appointed vice chancellor and chief of staff to His Beatitude Myroslav Ivan Cardinal Lubachivsky, Father and Head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church and Major Archbishop of Lviv of the Ukrainians.

In July of 1991, His Beatitude Myroslav Ivan ended his exile, returned to his Archiepiscopal See in Lviv, Ukraine, and appointed Fr. Nowakowski his chief of staff in Lviv. Fr. Nowakowski held that position until 1995. He also served as vice-rector of Holy Spirit Seminary in Lviv 1991-1992. In 1994 he was instrumental in founding the Ukrainian Catholic Church’s official charitable organization, Caritas Ukraine, and was its president until 2001. As president of Caritas Ukraine he oversaw its charitable works, including the Metropolitan Andrew Sheptytsky Hospital, the development of home- care projects, and the establishment of the eparchial branches of Caritas Ukraine.

During the visit of His Holiness John Paul II to Ukraine in June 2001, Fr. Nowakowski was the Director of the Press Office of the Catholic Churches in Ukraine.

Fr. Nowakowski was appointed rector of Holy Spirit Ukrainian Catholic Seminary in Ottawa in November 2001. In October 2002 he was also appointed Press Officer/Spokesperson of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Canada. During the 2002 World Youth Day in Canada he served as the Vatican Accredited Media Personnel Liaison and Assistant to Mr. Vic van Brantagem of the Press Office of the Holy See. During his tenure as rector he provided pastoral assistance to his own Eparchy of Saskatoon as well as other Ukrainian Catholic Eparchies in Canada in the summer months.

Fr. Nowakowski was a member of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Adult Catechesis.

In July of 2006, Fr. Nowakowski was appointed Chancellor of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saskatoon.

His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI announced the appointment of Fr. Ken Nowakowski as Third Eparch of New Westminster for Ukrainian Catholics in British Columbia and the Yukon on June 1st 2007. Bishop Ken was ordained a bishop by Most Rev. Lawrence Huculak OSBM, Metropolitan for Ukrainian Catholics in Canada and Archbishop of Winnipeg, Most Rev. Severian Yakymyshyn OSBM, Bishop Emeritus of New Westminster and Most Rev. Peter Stasiuk CSsR, Bishop of Ss. Peter & Paul Eparchy for Ukrainian Catholics in Australia and New Zealand on July 24, 2007 at St. Mary’s Ukrainian Catholic Church in Vancouver. Appointment of apostolic administrator of the eparchy of New Westminster of the Ukrainians, Canada The Holy Father has appointed as apostolic administrator of the eparchy of New Westminster of the Ukrainians, Canada, Bishop David Motiuk of the eparchy of Edmonton of the Ukrainians.

—————————————

Bishop David Motiuk Most Reverend David Motiuk was born on January 13, 1962 in Vegreville, Alberta, the son of John and Olga (nee Sawchuk).

In the 1980s, he specialized in computer science and business applications at the University of Alberta.

In 1984, he began his seminary studies at Holy Spirit Seminary in Ottawa, graduating from Saint Paul University with a Bachelor Degree in Theology (1987) and a Masters and Licentiate in Canon Law (1989). He was ordained to the priesthood on August 21, 1988.

From 1989 to 1993, he served as pastor of Descent of the Holy Spirit Parish in Darling, Ss. Peter and Paul Parish in Drayton Valley, and Descent of the Holy Spirit Parish in Edson. He was assistant pastor at St. Josaphat Cathedral in Edmonton from 1994 to 1996.

He was Chancellor and Judicial Vicar of the Eparchy of Edmonton from 1989 to 1993, Finance Officer for the Eparchy from 1990 to 1993 and 1994 to 1996, Associate Judicial Vicar from 1993 to 1996, and a member of its College of Consultors from 1989 to 1996 and again in 2002. He was a member of the Senate of Newman Theological College in Edmonton from 1994 to 1996.

In 1996, he defended his doctoral dissertation, “The Particular Law of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Canada,” and was awarded a Doctorate in Canon Law from the Pontifical Institute of Eastern Studies in Rome.

He was in charge of the formation of future priests for the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Canada at Holy Spirit Seminary in Ottawa from 1996-2001. At the same time, he taught at the Faculties of Theology and Canon Law at Saint Paul University and the Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Institute. From 1997 to 2002 he was a Consultor for the Episcopal Commission for Canon Law/Inter-Rite for the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. Since 2002 he has been a Consultor for the Episcopal Commission for Theology.

In 2002 he became the founding pastor of St. Sophia Parish in Sherwood Park.

Following his episcopal ordination on June 11, 2002, he served as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archeparchy of Winnipeg. As Auxiliary Bishop he was Protosyncellus (Vicar General) of the Archeparchy.

On January 25, 2007, he was appointed Bishop of the Eparchy of Edmonton and was enthroned on March 24, 2007 at St. Basil Church in Edmonton.

Bishop David Motiuk is a member of the Society for the Law of the Eastern Churches, the Canadian Canon Law Society and the Canon Law Societies of America, Great Britain and Ireland, and Australia and New Zealand.

Publications “Budka, Nicetas,” in M. Glazier and M. Hellwig, eds., The Modern Catholic Encyclopedia, Collegeville, MN, Liturgical Press, 1994, p. 100. “Canon 1071: Latin Tribunal Handling Marriage Case Involving Two Eastern Catholics,” in Roman Replies and CLSA Advisory Opinions 2003, Canon Law Society of America, Washington, 2003, pp. 125-131. “Catholic and Orthodox Issues in Ukraine,” CLSA Proceedings, 59 (1997), pp. 204-222. “The Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches: Some Ten Years Later,” Studia canonica, 36 (2002), pp. 198-224 “The Education and Formation of Clergy,” Logos: A Journal of Eastern Christian Studies, (Special issue to publish the Acts of the Encounter of the Eastern Catholic Churches of the Americas and Oceania, Boston, November 7-12, 1999), 40 (1999), pp. 233-296 Eastern Catholics in the New World: An Historical and Canonical Study of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Canada, Ottawa, Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Institute of Eastern Christian Studies and Faculty of Canon Law, 2005, xi, 424 pp. HEAD OF THE UGCC ANNOUNCES A NEW STRATEGY AND THEME OF THE PATRIARCHAL COUNCIL 2020

26 October 2019

The theme of the next Patriarchal Council of the UGCC is “Emigration, settlement and global unity of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church“. The slogan of the Council will be the phrase “Church is always and everywhere with you.” This was stated by the Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Patriarch Sviatoslav, in his video message on the occasion of the next session of the UGCC Council, which will be held on August 26-29, 2020 in Lviv.

The UGCC information Department reports that the Head of the Church stressed the importance of the Council on emigration and global unity and noted how to prepare for it.

The head of the UGCC noted that today the phenomenon of emigration creates a completely new face of our Church. “We are expanding around the world and our Church has become global because of the fact that in different parts of the world its Church was spread by its children and faithful people. The Church is always and everywhere with you because you carry it within you wherever you live, work or study today,” His Beatitude Sviatoslav said.

The head of the Church believes that we should rethink what kind of Church we are today and how we should act together today.

According to the Primate, in preparation for this Council, diocesan or Exarchate councils should take place in each diocese and Exarchate of the UGCC all over the world, so that three questions could be raised within each diocese, Exarchate, or Metropolia:

First – where are we today? “Even within each local diocese today we see three phenomena of migration, immigration and emigration. Migration is when people move within their country, their state, even their diocese. And every time we move, we are in danger of falling out of the network of our communities. Immigration is when a lot of people come to us from abroad. How can they be integrated into parish communities? There is also the phenomenon of emigration when people leave our diocese, metropolis, Church, country. How do we find our faithful where they are today?” explained His Beatitude Sviatoslav.

The second question – what are we like today? How do we respond to the specific needs of our faithful? Наскільки наші структури, наші парафії відповідають сьогодні мережі фактичної присутності наших вірних?

“The Church must become dynamic and mobile following the mobility of our faithful. At your local diocesan councils, ask yourself whether the network of the presence of our parishes correspond to the actual presence of our faithful? How can we focus on going where we are not today? How do we go where we’re expected today? As far as our diocese, the parish meets the needs of pastoral care that our faithful have today,” the spiritual leader of Ukrainians believes.

The third question is, what should we do today, how should we be a Church today? His Beatitude Sviatoslav believes that “the phenomenon of the new atomization can be very dangerous if we do not find the appropriate elements, how to gather today, how to create a community in that dynamic movement? How can we be one global Church at different levels?”

To help process or comprehend these challenges, the head of the UGCC offered two tools: the message of the Synod of our Church entitled “Communion, unity in the life and service of our Church” and the Message of his Beatitude Sviatoslav “Our Saint Sophia”, which just speaks about the identity of our Church in the modern world. The text “Our Saint Sophia” also gives answers to the question of what elements of our identity as the Church of Kyivan Christianity can unite us.

His Beatitude Sviatoslav wished everyone to think creatively, responsibly and seriously at the councils about the questions: where we are, what we are, how we should be together.

The Primate expressed hope that the delegates elected at the diocesan councils will be real representatives of the communities at the Patriarchal Council of the UGCC – “Emigration, settlement and global unity of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church”.

The head of the Church also expressed hope that the Council in Lviv will help to work out a new pastoral strategy for the development of the UGCC. After all, the previous strategy called “Vibrant parish – a place of meeting the living Christ” was envisaged until 2020. https://risu.org.ua/en/index/all_news/catholics/ugcc/77577

Watch the video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=P_7IE8A77jc

Pastoral Letter of the Synod of the UGCC for 2019

Pastoral Letter of the Synod of the UGCC for 2019 to the clergy, monastics, and faithful regarding safeguarding from various incidents of violence toward children, handicapped, and vulnerable people

And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free (John 8:32)

Reverend Fathers!

Venerable Brothers and Sisters monastics and religious!

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ!

Our world which God created is beautiful. Yet, at the same time, it is stricken by sin. St. Paul tells us: “All have sinned and have been deprived of God’s glory” (Romans 3:23). Murder followed as immediate result of Adam and Eve falling into sin: Abel died at the hand of Cain (Genesis 4:8).

Brutal manifestations of power are often signs of fear. By force, we protect ourselves from our own fear, we make up for our own infirmity by the dominance of others, we compensate the traumas we have experienced with our own power — whether the scope of domination is large or small. It is important for me to be “a prince,” a “master” over something or someone. Unfortunately, this defines life in our world. And, at this time, when we are being called – especially in the Church – to acknowledge one Almighty Lord (cf. Eph. 4: 5-6). To be true disciples of Jesus, we must not only avoid violence but also bear one another’s burdens, obeying the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2).

The Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, in acknowledging the painful topic of violence, seeks to promote awareness and comprehension – theological, psychological, sociological and historical. Together with all people of good will, we seek ways to treat the phenomenon of violence with justice – from pastoral, moral, psychological and legal perspectives. We want to be resolute in saying no to violence in all its manifestations. Only thus can we can truly build up the Body of Christ and move toward holiness and “a portion of the full growth of the fullness of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:12–13).

Pope Francis calls us to acknowledge this reality. He constantly encourages us to persevere in prayer, in deep solidarity with victims, in a thorough understanding of the issue of violence, in pastoral conversion, with concrete steps to healing and cleansing the Church community – to “live in truth and love, growing in the One who is head– in Christ ”(Eph. 4:15).

In society, cases of psychological and emotional abuse occur against people, physical violence, manipulation, etc. Violent environments include the family, formative and educational institutions, health care facilities, and even church communities. Among the victims of such acts are children, young people, the elderly, people with illness or disabilities, as well as others who are vulnerable or dependent for some reason; laity, consecrated persons and clergy; women and men. In a post-genocidal society, which has already been wounded by the systematic violence of totalitarian regimes, wounded by war or the cult of “gratification at all costs, with minimum responsibility,” human beings become the bearers historical and new traumas, and are especially vulnerable and defenceless against abuse.

With this synodal message, we affirm the desire of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church throughout the world to progress to the next stage of understanding, healing, and preventing all forms of violence against human dignity in the church environment and in the community at large, “working not for the sake of appearances, to please men, but as Christ’s servants, who fulfil the will of God from the heart.” (Eph. 6:6).

As noted, we are aware that the spectrum of violence is not limited to sexual crimes against minors. However, we have to speak of these atrocities first, in connection with a crisis concerning exposure of cases of sexual violence by clergy and consecrated persons, and which has caused tremendous shock to the Universal Church. In various countries, the facts of these horrific sins, sometimes hidden in silence for decades, have come to light. The unspeakable pain, fear, and shame of the victims is now known, and many members of the Church as well as other people of good will are frustrated and shocked.

Our efforts are aimed at protecting children, minors, and vulnerable persons from sexual abuse in various settings, including in the church. At the beginning of 2019, the Synod of Bishops of the Kyiv-Halych Major Archbishopric of the UGCC, together with the Episcopal Conference of the Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine, promulgated “Basic Provisions for the Treatment of Sexual Abuse of Clergy Minors.” Another significant step for the Universal Catholic Church was the publication, on 7 May 2019, of Pope Francis’ motu proprio Vos estis lux mundi (You are the light of the world). According to this document, all eparchies and dioceses of the Catholic Church are required to implement an internal system for reporting sexual abuse by May 2020, and bishops are required to investigate every suspicion. In addition, according to the decision of the Synod of Bishops of the Kyiv-Halych Major Archbishopric of the UGCC (13–14 February 2018), the faithful of our Church are required to follow the guidance of the document “Norms and Principles for the Protection of Children and Youth in Pastoral and Monastic Activities the clergy of the UGCC in Ukraine.” It contains clear principles for the organization of pastoral work with minors. In different countries, eparchies and exarchates of our Church, we have created or are developing similar provisions, in collaboration with local Roman Catholic bishops’ conferences. We regard these documents as necessary and as important steps to protect children and young people in the church environment, and we are committed to combating any manifestation of violence in our church structures. The members of the Synod of Bishops express their sincere solidarity with those who have been victims of violence. We pray for them and seek to listen to them. Christ and His disciples are always on the side of victims. We are ready to listen to everyone, and above all to those whose pain remains unspoken and whose concealed wounds have festered for years or decades, causing multi-generational traumas. We want to state, loudly and clearly: no one has the right to silence or justify wrongdoing, pain, sin, and crime. Victims must be heard, especially by the Church.

Recognizing that abuse can occur in all environments of human society, in this letter we ask forgiveness on behalf of our Church. If someone has suffered sexual, physical, psychological, emotional, financial, or other forms of violence or abuse in our parishes, dioceses, monasteries, schools, seminaries, or other church structures; if anyone was confronted with indifference and insensitivity to these evil deeds, by silencing or covering them up; if anyone was offended or disappointed by the unworthy behaviour of Church representatives; If someone’s good name was tainted by someone else’s abuse, we all apologize. If we – bishops, priests, religious superiors, other church officials, and lay leaders – have failed to fulfil our pastoral duties properly, and have offended or permitted to offend one of our sisters or brothers, we ask forgiveness for this.

We affirm once again that we will listen to anyone who may have been a victim or witness of violence in any environment, including the church. At the same time we urge them: do not keep silent! For “whoever proclaims righteousness does righteousness” (Proverbs 12:17). Everyone has the right to speak, to be heard, attention, and to a thorough investigation of alleged crimes. Attentiveness, tact, confidentiality, sincere empathy in this process of hearing are necessary to begin healing the wounds that have been inflicted.

We understand that not every victim of violence is ready or able to forgive the perpetrators. Therefore, we want to create conditions for reconciliation through spiritual- pastoral and psychological care. May repentance, the basis of Christian spiritual life, be the beginning of reparation for the harm done. And we will make every effort to follow the Good Samaritan in showing mercy (Luke 10: 25–37).

Besides consolation, however, victims of violence also need justice. Overcoming this problem has both a pastoral and a legal dimension. The clergy and other members of the Church are not exempt from the rule of law, and crime remains a crime regardless of who committed it. Our Church is committed to upholding the principles of justice and truth. In each country where we are present, we are committed to developing programs for the protection of vulnerable persons, in cooperation with relevant authorities and organizations.

In caring for healing of inflicted traumas, members of the Church are called to care for the prevention of future abuses. They are also called to understand more deeply the roots of this problem from a moral, psychological, or legal point of view, as well as from a spiritual and theological one.

In coming to terms with the bitter and even shameful experience of the abuse of spiritual authority in the Catholic Church, we urge all state institutions, structures of civil society and business, to realize the extent of the spread of violence, manipulation and outrage against minors and the vulnerable, in the modern world. These problems were and are among us. They are present wherever there are people: in families, in schools, in businesses and offices, in hospitals, in sports and cultural settings, in churches and monasteries, sometimes in highly prestigious and successful circles.

Prevention of violence will only be effective when we understand the causes of this crime and view it in the broader context of human spirituality, psychology and sociology. We believe that Eastern Christian anthropology, derived from Sacred Scripture and built upon the heritage of the Church Fathers, holds the keys to a holistic understanding of the problem of violence. This problem still needs a more detailed analysis in the theological sphere. We encourage theological institutions to work in systematically developing the theology of the body and sexuality, as well as the theology of authority, obedience, and governance in the Church and society.

The issue of violence and conflict it is intrinsically linked to the issue of common general culture. In particular, the manner in which power is exercised within any institution, including the church has a pivotal role. Is church authority a ministry or is it domination of others? Do church authorities listen to and respect the people with which they are entrusted to lead? Is it not, at times, distorted by authoritarianism, elitism, and the belief that those in power should not be held accountable to anyone? A culture of privilege, exclusivity, rigorous “verticality,” one-size-fits-all decisions, and secrecy, creates an enabling environment for violence and requires attention and responsibility. Instead, a culture of mutual listening and service, collegiality, networking, synodality, and transparency, is safe, nonthreatening, and therefore vital to people-to-people relationships. “Whoever among you seeks to be great, let them be your servant. And whosoever seeks to be your first, let them be your slave.” (Mt 20: 25–28).

We especially caution against the temptation of clericalism – the use of the Church and its spiritual authority by the clergy for personal purposes, instead of serving God and His people. Clericalism creates an artificial division between members of the Church, underestimates the role of the laity, distorts the notion of obedience and humility in monasticism and priesthood, and presents the Church as an institution made up exclusively of bishops and priests. The phenomenon of clericalism is devastating to the Church because it distorts its image. It is not only distant from the example of the Son of God, but rather the opposite of Him, for Christ became lesser, went down, and became marginalized. This is what the holy Apostle Paul is referring to when he says, “Foster the same thoughts that were in Christ Jesus. Being of God’s nature, he did not consider cling to equality with God, but humbled himself, taking the form of a servant, becoming a human being. Appearing as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death– death upon the cross.” (Philippians 2: 5-7).

Let us make our parishes, monasteries, and seminaries places of shared responsibility and brotherhood, where bishops, priests, monastics, and lay people all grow together in faith, love, mercy, and service to one another. Let us follow the model of Jesus Christ, who “did not come to be served but to serve and give his life for the redemption for many.” (Matthew 20:28). Our organizational church culture needs rethinking and pastoral conversion, an on-going process for all of Christ’s followers.

A complete intellectual and spiritual reflection will help the Church adequately prevent abuse and set a good example to the world. In societies where violence and manipulation become commonplace, the Church must always stand up for the weak and vulnerable, Jesus’ “least brethren” (Matthew 25:40): victims of domestic violence, of bullying at school, of sexual harassment in professional or sports environments, of slavery, of torture in the prison system, of manipulation in destructive sects, etc. In the face of the multiplicity of evil in the world, conscious Christians are called upon to defend human dignity and cultivate humanity and solidarity. We also wish to express our desire to work with public institutions to protect children, minors. and vulnerable persons, since the phenomenon of abuse has its roots in societies that do not react before evil or take appropriate precautionary measures.

Dear brothers and sisters! Remember that any form of violence directed against human dignity disrespects the image of God and His likeness that are present in every person (Genesis 1:27; Psalm 8). But worse in the eyes of God is the sin of His servants, who violate their oaths and scandalize the hearts of those who trusted them. These evil deeds require lasting and patient healing that is not possible without God’s grace, effective love, and mercy. Safeguarding from violence against children, minors and vulnerable persons, is the responsibility of every member of the Church – bishop, priest, consecrated person, layman and laywoman.

May these our strong words halt those who are still only tempted and are standing at the threshold of sin and crime. It is never too late to turn in repentance to the crucified Christ and to ask for God’s grace to overcome evil temptation.

Let our church communities be places where everyone, especially the most vulnerable, can fully feel their human dignity and feel protected. We take the example of those bishops, priests, and laity who stood up for human dignity in inhumane conditions, when others could do it no longer. Such were the blessed martyrs of the twentieth century.

Let us remember the sufferings of the holy martyr Omelyan Kovch, who died a martyr’s death in Maidanek concentration camp, fighting to defend human dignity.

We pray that God Almighty will help us build an environment of safety, love, and brotherly solidarity. Only daily conversion and constant spiritual transformation will make us messengers of God’s mercy, He who “heals those with broken hearts and tends their wounds” (Psalm 147:3).

The blessing of the Lord be upon you!

In the name of the Synod of the Hierarchy of UGCC

† SVIATOSLAV

Given in Kyiv, at the Patriarchal Sobor of Christ’s Resurrection, on the Feast of the Holy Protection of the Theotokos,

14 October 2019

Decisions of the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church

Decisions of the

Synod of Bishops of the

Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church

Rome, September 1-10, 2019

1. To take into consideration the status of implementation of Decisions of the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC of 2018. 2. To receive the Activity Report of the Patriarchal Curia for the past year. 3. To take into consideration Summary Reports of patriarchal level commissions and departments for the past year. 4. To receive the Activity report of the Working Group for the Implementation of Strategic Development in the UGCC till 2020 (August 2018 – July 2019). 5. To end the mandate of the Working Group for the Implementation of Strategic Development in the UGCC till 2020. 6. To express gratitude and recognition to the members of the Working Group for the Implementation of Strategic Development in the UGCC till 2020 for their conscientious work. 7. Modelling ourselves on the first Christian community of Christ’s disciples in Jerusalem, of which is said: “Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common” (Acts 4:32), and with demonstrating due care to fostering and strengthening the internal unity of the UGCC:

1) To call upon the clergy, religious and laity in the daily church life and ministry to foster a culture of mutual support and relations with one another, including active usage of contemporary means of social communication.

2) To create a Synodal group for the development of a UGCC pastoral strategy till 2030 with the following members: Metr. Borys Gudziak, Metr. Egeniusz Popowycz, Bishops David Motiuk, Ken Nowakiwski, Teodor Martyniuk, Daniel Kozlinsky, Bohdan Dziurakh.

3) To develop solidarity and exchange of gifts between parishes and eparchies of Ukraine and outside its borders for the purpose of mutual relations, ministry and witness.

4) To support lay movements that desire to build up the unity of the Church, her particular character (pomisnist’) and patriarchal structure.

5) To establish on the occasion of the feast of St. Andrew the First-called a Day of Church-wide Prayer for the Father and Head of the UGCC and for special situations in our Church.

6) To ask the Father and Head of the Church to hold conferences with bishops in the metropolias.

7) To ask the metropolitans:

1. To strengthen the spiritual unity in prayer of the metropolias through pastoral visits of bishops and eparchies within their metropolias; 2. To convoke bishops of the metropolia for Metropolitan Synods or Bishops’ conferences; To organize common pilgrimages in the metropolias.

8) To ask the eparchial bishops:

1. To broadly inform the clergy, religious and laity of the eparchy on the legislative acts of the regular Synod of Bishops and engage the proper mechanisms for implementing them in the life of the local Church; 2. To establish in the work schedule of their eparchial curias a monthly day of spiritual renewal, prayer and vigils for a common listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit and common prayers for the intention of the Bishop, Eparchial initiatives and pastoral challenges;

To personally participate in eparchial formation conferences and encounters of clergy and various lay groups in order to foster unity within the local Church under the leadership of the eparchial Bishop;

1. To develop and implement an eparchial pastoral plan; 2. To facilitate the domicile presence of pastors on the territory of the parish; 3. To create, where this has not been done, an eparchial pastoral council (see CCEO, can. 272-275) with the involvement of active and responsible laity;

To create, where this has not been done, an eparchial council for religious communities active on the territory of the Eparchy for deeper communion with religious life communities; To convoke Eparchial Assemblies (sobors) in order to promote a deeper consciousness and the practice of common action at the eparchial level.

9) To entrust the clergy:

1. To guard the internal unity and family spirit of the parish community, notably through daily celebration of the Divine Liturgy, the establishment of communities for the prayerful reading of the Word of God and other fraternities/sororities and prayer movements, as well as through the development of charitable ministry in the parish community; 2. To move towards the celebration of the Mysteries of Christian Initiation and the Sacrament-Mystery of Crowning during Sunday or festive Divine Liturgy with the participation of the parish community as prescribed in liturgical books;

To foster unity between parishes and the eparchial clergy, so that no parish community separate itself from the communion.

10) To entrust the Information Department of the Patriarchal Curia:

1. To provide for the development of churchwide media resources and means of social communication between the eparchies and metropolias in various languages; 2. To complete the creation of a UGCC multilingual information agency in cooperation with the eparchial bishops.

11) To entrust the Ukrainian Catholic University and other intellectual centers, both in Ukraine and beyond its borders, with developing academic research and theological conceptualization of particularity (pomisnist’) and the patriarchal structure of the UGCC.

12) To entrust the Ukrainian Catholic University’s Institute of Church History with researching, fostering and promoting the memory of the martyrs and confessors of faith of the XX century in cooperation with qualified academic institutions in Ukraine and beyond its borders.

8. To take into consideration the report of His Excellency Bishop Dionisio Lakhovicz regarding pastoral and social ministry to Ukrainian migrants in Italy. 9. To take into consideration the report of the International Charitable Foundation “Caritas Ukraine” regarding social assistance to victims of the war in Ukraine. 10. To receive the report of the General Director of the Administration of Justice regarding the status of the judiciary in the UGCC. 11. To entrust the canonical department of the Patriarchal Curia of the UGCC to draft an Instruction for Clergy residing outside the territory of their eparchy. 12. To take into consideration the work status report of the Synodal Commission on the Ukrainian translation of Liturgikon of the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom. 13. To confirm for a three-year trial period with additions the Menologion of the UGCC. 14. To approve as a model standard the Statutes of an Eparchial Liturgical Commission of the UGCC. 15. To appoint His Excellency Bishop Hlib Lonchyna Head of the Patriarchal Liturgical Commission of the UGCC. 16. To consent to the continuation of His Excellency Bohdan Danylo in the office of Head of the Commission for Clergy. 17. To take into consideration the work status of the UGCC Youth Catechism. 18. To approve the Statutes of the VII Session of the Patriarchal Assembly (Sobor) of the UGCC. 19. To create a Working Group to develop a draft of Regulations for the Patriarchal Assembly (Sobor) consisting of the following members: His Excellency Bishop Yaroslav Pryriz, Fr. Roman Shafran and Fr. Oleh Kaskiv. 20. To submit to the Holy Father a request that St. Pope John Paul II be proclaimed patron of Ukrainian-Polish reconciliation. 21. To approve the text of the Post synodal Pastoral Letter on the main theme. 22. To receive the Pastoral Letter of the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek- Catholic Church of 2019 to the clergy, religious and laity regarding the protection of children, minors and vulnerable persons from all forms of abuse. 23. To hold the next session of the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC on August 30 – September 8 2020 in Lviv. 24. To establish the main theme of the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC in 2020: “Emigration, settlement and the global unity of the UGCC.” 25. To entrust His Excellency Bishop Teodor Martyniuk with preparing and presenting the Main theme of the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC in 2020. 26. To approve the Communique of the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek- Catholic Church of 2019.

COMMUNION AND UNITY IN THE LIFE AND MINISTRY OF THE UKRAINIAN GREEK-CATHOLIC CHURCH

Prot. N. 19/248 eng

COMMUNION AND UNITY IN THE LIFE AND MINISTRY

OF THE UKRAINIAN GREEK-CATHOLIC CHURCH

PASTORAL LETTER OF THE SYNOD OF BISHOPS

OF THE UKRAINIAN GREEK-CATHOLIC CHURCH 2019

To the Clergy, Religious and Laity

Very Reverend and Reverend Fathers,

Venerable Brothers and Sisters in Monastic and Religious Life,

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ!

INTRODUCTION

As one of the fruits of a thousand-year history of pursuits, joys, and sufferings of our Ukrainian people, its sons and daughters have dispersed throughout the world. The reasons for such resettlement are many. Some sought a better fate in foreign lands, others were forced to abandon their native land because of unbearable circumstances brought on by bloody wars and devastation. Many were forcibly expelled, deported, exiled, or imprisoned in faraway lands. The life of our state today is marked by a new powerful wave of emigration due to which millions of sons and daughters of our nation are establishing new communities in countries we may have not even heard of.

In all these complex, and often even tragic circumstances, our Church always travelled together with her children. And her own sons and daughters have extended her presence to all the continents of the globe. In response to appeals from their bishops and with their mission mandate, priests, monks, and female religious followed our faithful around the entire world in order to bring them the Word of God and the grace of the Holy Spirit in the Holy Mysteries, bearing witness to the ministry of charity in action. Our faithful established their existence in new lands, preserving their spiritual patrimony and fostering their Christian culture. It was no accident that the first thing our settlers would do when they found themselves in a new place would be to build their own churches. In this, they bear witness to us today that a church, as the place where one encounters God, was and remains for our people the space where beats the heart of the Ukrainian community. The church is the centre around which the global Ukrainian community is gathered. Indeed, for many centuries the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church was the space of unity for our people, a unity that bonded together Ukrainians in Canada and the USA with their brothers in Latin America and Australia, in Western Europe, Kazakhstan and distant Siberia. It granted them, in the words of Patriarch Josyf, the possibility to “be themselves” far away on foreign soil, creating, by the Power of the Holy Spirit, a mystical and life-giving bond of unity with their roots in their native land and with Christian life flowing from the waters of the Dnipro. For the very reason that we kept our roots and did not become lost among other nations, we piqued their interest, enriching the culture and spirituality of the lands of our new settlement and inviting representatives of other nations to share in them. Thousands of sons and daughters of our Church who have no Ukrainian roots have come to love our Christian heritage and have rooted themselves to the tradition of Kyivan Christianity and the Baptism of Volodymyr. Thus the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church has gone beyond the boundaries of Ukraine, speaking in many languages to many nations, at the same time becoming a mother and teacher for people of different nationalities and cultures.

Today we offer our gratitude to God for “his inexpressible gift” (see 2 Cor 9:15) and we are aware that our Church is no longer a local reality, limited to a particular territory or pastoral context. Today she is at the same time global and particular, Ukrainian and multi-national. But this is what we have become, not because of geographic location, nor community organizations or human institutions, nor the diversity of our experience or the structure of our community. We have become who we are because of the internal unity of our Church. This is a unity that unites into one body “those who have been dispersed,” bonding people of different origins, language, and culture. This is a unity that is only possible in the Church which is the Mystery of unity of the human race fulfilled by the power and action of the Holy Spirit.

An awareness of the importance of fostering this unity, a search for the best ways to affirm and strengthen it, was, in fact, the central theme of our Synod of Bishops, held in the Eternal City of Rome, September 1-10, 2019.

THE CHURCH – A COMMUNITY OF PERSONS GATHERED FROM ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD BY OUR LORD HIMSELF

The word for “Church” in Greek, ekklesia, carries the meaning of “calling,” that is, “the community of those who are called.” In the context of the books of the New Testament, first of all, we are talking about a community of the faithful, a community of those whom our Lord Himself is gathering from all the ends of the world (seeCatechism of the Catholic Church, n. 751-752). Thus, by its very nature, the ecclesial community is a unity and a communion of those who “belong to God.”

In the community of the Church, the internal bond among her members is, by the power and action of the Holy Spirit, an icon of the unity of the Divine Persons of the Most Holy Trinity. The first community of Christ’s disciples in Jerusalem is thus described in the Acts of the Apostles: “Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common” (Acts 4:32).

Saint Gregory the Theologian says that the names of the Persons of the Most Holy Trinity are simply the names of relationships that exist between Them (see Oration 29 or Third Theological Oration, 16). Indeed relationship is what unveils and reveals a person. Similarly, in the context of ecclesial communion, each Christian receives a name when through the Sacrament-Mysteries of Baptism and Chrismation we enter into the community of the Church and become partakers of the Eucharistic table.

A person can only learn to love God and neighbour and create a unity with those whom they love, if they are led by the grace of the Holy Spirit. Only through such a bond of love (vinculum caritatis), as St. Augustine describes (Tractatus in Ioannem, VI, n. 13), can one comprehend his or her own identity, his or her belonging to or involvement in one or another church community, become capable of feeling the hurts and needs of their neighbour, be able to experience God’s presence together with others and share a religious experience in common with others.

We often say that being a member of an Eastern Catholic Church is a particular way of being a Christian. The particular way of the Kyivan Church and her Christian spirit has specific expressions and levels, for example, her local autonomy, synodality, global character in unity-communion with the Successor to Peter the Apostle. The Holy Father and Pope of Rome is the prime servant and living heart of the unity and communion of the Universal Church. Because of this universal unity, because of the care of the Universal Pontiff for our Church, she is able to successfully develop her global character.

The culmination and most profound expression of the unity of the Church of Christ and of her nature is the Most Holy Eucharist. The Eucharistic bread is the visible sign and symbol of ecclesial unity. Already the holy apostle Paul wrote: “Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread” (1 Cor 10:17). We find similar words in the famous Eucharistic prayer from one of the earliest examples of ancient Christian writing, known as theDidache : “As this broken bread was once scattered on the mountains, and after it had been brought together became one, so may thy Church be gathered together from the ends of the earth unto thy kingdom; for thine is the glory, and the power, through Jesus Christ, for ever” (9,4).

The communion-unity of Christ’s Church, which constitutes her very substance, finds expression in her pastoral ministry. Our witness to the Church is authentic when the priority of our ministry is to save souls, that is, to unite a person with God in the unity of the community of the children of God. Every action and deed of a member of the Church, which runs contrary to this goal, for example, seeking to separate oneself from the community, to focus solely on personal needs, the needs of our own parish, eparchy or country, any attempt to emphasize the superiority of one member over another—these will always be seen as something unchurchly, against her nature and incompatible with the life of the Church. The holy Apostle Paul emphasizes this: “For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many… The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you,’ nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you…’ If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it” (1 Cor 12:13-27).

If the Apostle of the Nations were here today among us, he would ask us the same questions, although perhaps worded slightly differently. Reiterating his teaching that when one member suffers the entire body suffers, and when one member rejoices all members rejoice with it, he would probably ask us: “Can the Edmonton Eparchy say to the Donetsk Exarchate: ‘I have no need of you!’? Can the Chernivtsi Eparchy say to the Curitiba Metropolia: ‘Your problems don’t concern me!’? Can the Melbourne Eparchy say to the Crimean Exarchate: ‘I don’t know you!’?” We could ask ourselves many such questions, each according to their own conscience. However, the response to each of them should be the same—an emphatic “No!”

Today we can attest that when Ukraine is flowing in blood, when our best sons and daughters are offering up their lives for her, when millions of people are forced to abandon their own homes, when a great number of Ukrainians are held captive and, as prisoners of conscience, suffer enemy imprisonment, when there are thousands of dead and tens of thousands of wounded, when virtually all of Ukrainian society is wounded by the war, our Church throughout the world also suffers with us. When our priority is to proclaim the Gospel of Christ, the salvation and sanctification of human souls, and when, in the name of Divine Truth, we see the need to defend human dignity, the rights of Ukrainian labourers in countries across the globe, then our entire Mother Church, our bishops, clergy and laity are called to be a voice for those who are deprived of it. When called to meet the pastoral needs of our faithful in Australia or Great Britain, Poland or Canada, Argentina or Kazakhstan—our clergy and religious embark on an apostolic journey to proclaim the Gospel of Christ to the ends of the earth.

CIRCLES OF COMMUNION IN THE UKRAINIAN GREEK-CATHOLIC CHURCH

The basic and most important circle of communion, one that touches the life of every member of our Church, is experienced in one’s own parish. All of the elements of a vibrant parish, as a community of communities, help each person see oneself as a member of God’s family. Here each faithful member identifies himself or herself with our Church.

The pastor who builds up the parish community is a key servant-minister of church communion, assisted in this by all the faithful. We know well how much effort is needed on the part of all members of a parish community to build up its unity, and how easy it is to ruin it.

No parish can be a self-sufficient entity, closed off in its own comfort zone. The parish is the basic unit of the eparchial community, built up by and personally led by the local bishop. In the eparchy, the servant-minister of communion-unity is the ruling hierarch who, in turn, abides in full unity with the Head of his particular sui iuris Church, with the Supreme Pontiff, and with the entire college of Catholic bishops, who fulfil their apostolic ministry in all corners of the world. If an eparchy is divided and there is no relationship between the bishops and the clergy, such an eparchy must be viewed as deeply wounded. Therefore, the immediate and most important efforts of a bishop should be directed towards bringing together the eparchial community in all aspects of her life, that is: in deepening her spiritual life following the example of the Communion in Love in which the Persons of the Most Holy Trinity abide, and by following the example of the first Christian community of Christ’s disciples in Jerusalem (see Acts 2:46-47; 4:32); by creating a common vision regarding the mission of the eparchy, by coordinating human, spiritual and material resources for this mission, and then by bringing it to life through the common efforts of clergy and lay faithful, together with their Pastor.

The Synodal structure of our Church is a unique space for building up the global unity of our particular Church. The Holy Father Pope Francis emphasized that “it is not enough to have a Synod, one must be a Synod!” A Synod implies churchwide action, which in our case has a global character. By participating in the Synod, each bishop represents not himself or his private opinions. He is the voice of his eparchial community. And returning from a session of the Synod each member is to convey the spirit of synodal decisions so that through his daily ministry each eparchy and every one of its members can become living participants of synodal action. The participation of the bishops in the work of the Synod is not limited to their presence. Acting synodally means embracing responsibility for the life of our Church in each eparchy and every exarchate, as well as for the life and spiritual care of those of our faithful who live in countries where we do not yet have established structures. Acting synodally means embracing the wounds and joys of our entire Church as a whole. Being Synod means “walking a common path” and remaining as one even when the bishops return home. It is a great gift from God that we have this possibility to travel together with our clergy, religious and laity, together in unity, in spite of the fact that we live in different parts of the world.

The Patriarchal Assembly-Sobor, which we call into session every five years, is another important churchwide space of communion for the entire church body. This is a particular moment of global listening, when eparchial communities can participate directly in the gathering together of our entire Church through duly elected delegates, who together with their pastors in a unique way and on their particular level fulfill their responsibility for the life of their Church in various corners of the world. Although the resolutions of the Patriarchal Assembly have a consultative character, they represent a precious voice of the entire body of our Church.

The Head and Father of our particular Church is both symbol and servant of her global unity, communion, and development. We see this illustrated magnificently in the examples of service given by the Venerable Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky and Confessor of Faith Josyf Slipyj. The Head of the Church presides over the Synod of Bishop and its activity. It is he who convokes the Synod and Patriarchal Assemblies- Sobors. He watches over the development of each eparchy and serves to ensure that its needs are met. He proclaims synodal decisions and church laws, which thus acquire canonical force. At the same time he also is guarantor of the full and visible communion of our Church with the successor of St. Peter, and has the right to speak fully on her behalf. He is, in fact, a servant-minister of this unity-in-love of all parts of our Church. The Head of our Church is given the particular task of pastoral care over all the faithful of our Church, especially over those who reside outside its pastoral structures. In order that this care be provided in an adequate and timely fashion, he is called to promote the creation of suitable pastoral centers, and further, the creation of new ecclesial structures should this be required by the good of our faithful. He has particular care over the liturgical life of our Church and ensures uniformity in the celebration of Divine worship worldwide. But above all, he is called to be a faithful and sincere brother to his fellow bishops and a good spiritual father for the entire church community.

Beloved in Christ! Church unity is a living relationship of love with God and neighbour. It must constantly be guarded, built up. We must forever grow in it. Only by growing in the communion and unity of our Church can we come to know fully her identity, that particular way of being Christian. Each member of our Church, as well as each parish, eparchy, metropolia, will be able to “be ourselves,” not assimilate in this globalized world, preserve our identity, be able to hand it down to a new generation and share it with other nations, when we will value, build and guard the internal unity of the global community of the UGCC.

The internal unity of the UGCC is synonymous with her strength and development, a necessary condition for her life and the fulfillment of her mission. In one of our popular hymns, we pray: “In unity is the strength of a people. God grant unity to us.”

The crown of development and maturity of a particular Eastern Church is her patriarchal structure and dignity. Our Patriarchate is thus built on a foundation of development and assured strengthening of the internal unity of our Church at all levels. The lay patriarchal movement expressed this eloquently: “For the unity of Church and people!” A weakening of this unity, especially with the mother-Church in Ukraine, will inevitably bring on a weakening and fragmentation of our ecclesial community, the demise of her structures, the loss of her identity and her global character.

The Church, as the Mystical Body of Christ, is by its very nature “a mystery of unity,” to which all humankind is called. With our particular gifts and our common ministry, all of us—clergy, religious and laity, are called to foster the development and strengthening of the communion-unity of our Church at all levels: from the local to the global, from the particular to the universal.

May our Lord help all of us, each in accordance with their vocation or gift of service in our Church, to be bearers and builders of her internal unity.

The blessing of the Lord be upon you!

On behalf of the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church

+SVIATOSLAV

Given in Rome,

At the Cathedral of Saint Sophia—Divine Wisdom,

On the day of St. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo

And the Synaxis of the Venerable Fathers of the Monastery of the Caves in Kyiv,

The 10th of September in the Year of our Lord 2019