Hierarchs of the UGCC and the RCC hold joint recollections in Briukhovychi (Lviv)

From November 27 to 30, the retreat center of the Lviv Archdiocese of the UGCC in Bryukhovychi continues joint retreats for Greek Catholic and Roman Catholic bishops. Spiritual instruction is provided by Father Germano Marani, TI, professor of the Eastern Papal Institute.

During three days the participants of the retreats have the opportunity to listen to spiritual instruction, devote time to prayer and reflection, as well as to participate in Divine Liturgies of Byzantine-Ukrainian and Latin rituals.

According to the report of the Department of Information of the UGCC, today, on November 30, a fraternal meeting between the Greek Catholic and Roman Catholic bishops of Ukraine is to take place. During the meeting, they will talk about the pastoral ministry of youth, the processing of a questionnaire for the secretariat of the Pontifical Synod, the Initiative “Pope for Ukraine" and the cooperation between the reorganized technical committee and local Catholic Churches in Ukraine and other issues.

At the fraternal meeting, Bishop Claudio Gugerotti, Apostolic Nuncio in Ukraine, Bishop Eduard Kava, Assistant Bishop of Lviv, and chairmen of the youth commissions of the UGCC and RCC in Ukraine will present their reports.

The press service of the Lviv Archdiocese of the RCC has reported that the participants of the retreats positively assess the need for such retreats, when Catholic bishops can meet at least once a year – for prayer and communication, analysis and planning of joint work.

“Joint retreats are an examination of conscience, a renewal of deep communion, which is between us and God, and, therefore, between us, brothers. When the Catholic bishops of the two rites, the Latin and Byzantine, together do their test of conscience before God, together with our communion with God and our neighbors, we then renew and feel that we are one unified Church, one family, although we live in different traditions,” His Beatitude Svyatoslav, Primate of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church said.

“A recollectionist encourages us to see our lives and deepen our relationship with Jesus Christ, who has entrusted his Church to us, the bishops. And the father recollectionist helps us to do our work well, more and more assimilating to Jesus Christ following the examples of saints: Mother Teresa, Adam Khmelyovsky, Maximilian Kolbe and others whom we mention at conferences,” said the Metropolitan of Lviv, Archbishop Mieczysław Mokrzycki.

The recollections end on November 30.