Patriarch of UGCC met with military chaplains for US troops in Europe
On April 16, Patriarch of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church His Beatitude Sviatoslav met with the delegation of military chaplains of the US Armed Forces in Europe led by the Chaplain of the 7th Army of the United States, Timothy Malard. This is reported by the Department of Information of the UGCC.
The parties exchanged views on operation of the chaplaincy services in the Ukrainian Army and the United States Armed Forces, noting the importance of the role of pastors, especially in the context of carrying out combat missions.
The Head of the UGCC stressed the three directions of possible cooperation between the Church and the military chaplains of the United States: assistance in establishing a professional training of chaplains of our Church, sharing the experience of American colleagues in establishing relations with state institutions, and promoting the rehabilitation of military chaplains returning from the area of hostilities.
The primate noted that the chaplain, above all, should remain a pastor in the military environment.
Chaplain Malard noted that his colleagues in the US Army focus their attention and efforts on preserving two important functions in the chaplain ministry: observing the spiritual role of the chaplain in the army, and his loyalty to his own pastoral identity. The main spiritual principle of pastoral care in US troops remains to serve God through the ministry among the people entrusted to their care.
Both sides noted the level of positive cooperation between representatives of different denominations in the Armed Forces of Ukraine in meeting the spiritual needs of military personnel.
