Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, called upon the USA to restore its role as a moral force for the rest of the world. He was speaking at a session of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, which took place from 11 to 14 November 2002 in Washington DC.
Cardinal Husar said that religious leaders, in particular the American Catholic bishops, should help the country regain a moral role, which has always been inherent in America. "When I first came to the United States in 1949, my mother told me and my sisters, 'Children, this is a good country, an honest country, morally sound,” said Cardinal Husar, recalling his first impression of the country. "In recent years, however, there have been some unfortunate changes,” he continued. “The moral stature of the United States has been sadly declining. Many in Ukraine and Eastern Europe who used to look up to the United States for its moral leadership have been feeling depressed," said the cardinal. “The United States,” he added, "is not only supposed to be the strongest and richest country, it is supposed to be a moral force." Sources: www.ugcc.org.ua and Catholic News Service