Hierarchs of UGCC in Western Europe Meet in Rome

On January 29, in the Patriarchal Residence at Madonna dei Monti Square in Rome, a meeting of the hierarchs of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in Western Europe was held. Its aim was to establish a closer cooperation among the church structures of UGCC in the region.

The participants discussed the question of specialized training and selection of priests for pastoral activity in the countries of Western Europe. In addition, the hierarchs exchanged pastoral experience covering the previous waves of emigration which now constitute the stable Ukrainian diaspora and the modern mass emigration phenomenon. The following lines of development of the UGCC in Western Europe were considered in the context of the set objectives:

1 Implementation of the UGCC development strategy for the period until 2020, “The living parish as the place of meeting the living Christ,”

2 Pastoral care among children and youth, preservation of our own spiritual and national identity and fostering vocations,

3 Catechization: children, youth, adults,

4 Integration, mixed marriages, prevention of assimilation,

5 Liturgical themes: unification and approbation of liturgical texts in foreign languages, participation of children in the communion,

6 Joint days of spiritual renewal and meetings of priests of UGCC in Western Europe aimed to exchange information and experience,

7 Financial questions, criteria for donations.

The meeting was attended by Apostolic Exarch in Germany and Scandinavia, Bishop Petro (Kryk), London Eparch and Apostolic Visitator for Ukrainian Greek Catholics in Ireland, Bishop Hlib (Lonchyna),   Apostolic Visitator in Italy and Spain, Bishop Dionisii (Liakhovych) and Delegate in Benelux and Switzerland and Eparch of Paris, Bishop Borys (Gudziak).