Head of UGCC takes part in Pontifical Synod on Youth
On October 3, 2018, at the Holy Mass, which was celebrated in St. Peter's Square in the Vatican, Pope Francis opened the Synod of Bishops on Youth, calling for the elimination of the barriers separating the Church from the youth.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav, the Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, and Bishop Brian (Baida), Eparch of Saskatoon (Canada) take part in the work of the General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.
In total, the Synod involves 267 hierarchs, and the audience will include 34 representatives of youth aged from 18 to 29. For the first time, two bishops from the People's Republic of China came to the Synod. Their participation was made possible through the signing of the Provisional Agreement between the Holy See and the People's Republic of China.
Starting a sermon during the Holy Mass on the occasion of the opening of the Synod of Bishops on “Young People, the Faith and Vocation Discernment”, which will take place in the Vatican until October 28, Pope Francis expressed hope that this “new church assembly” will be able “to expand the horizons, open hearts and modernize the structures that are now restraining us, separating and distancing us from youth.”
As Bishop Brian (Baida) reported on his Facebook page, after the Mass, when greeting Pope Francis, His Beatitude Sviatoslav said, “Ukraine prays for you, Holy Father!” And the Pope replied,“I pray for Ukraine!”
It is reported by the Department of Information of the UGCC.
As RISU reported earlier, the opinion of young Ukrainians will be taken into account at the Pontifical Synod on Youth. In 2017, the young Ukrainians of the Roman Catholic Church were given a questionnaire which became a preparatory material for the Pontifical Synod of Bishops on Young People, Faith and Vocation Discernment.
