The opening of the Permanent Synod sessions took place on March 4 during the Liturgy at the Ukrainian Regional Cathedral of the Holy Family in Washington. At the beginning of the first session, the bishops offered a short introductory prayer and adopted the agenda for the working sessions and the agenda for the next session.
According to the UGCC Information Department, the bishops discussed the current military situation in Ukraine, the challenges caused by the war, and possible Church responses to them. At the end of the first working session, Bishop Theodor Martynyuk presented the results of the responses of Pastoral Parish Councils, which were implemented in the context of the Synodal Path process proposed by the Catholic Church.
During the second working session, members of the Permanent Synod were briefed on the preparation status for the UGCC Bishops' Synod, which will take place this year at the Marian Spiritual Center "Zarvanytsia" on the topic: "Being Messengers of Hope: Evangelization in the Context of War."
"The choice of this year's theme for the UGCC Bishops' Synod is very significant. We see around us how many people have become displaced today. About 7 million Ukrainians have left the country. In the western part of Ukraine, there are many people accepted by compatriots into their homes. So the logical question arises: what to do with them and how to evangelize them? The content of our preaching remains the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but what form should this proclamation take? Our form is undoubtedly our ritual and tradition. Even a tradition that still needs evangelization. So together with the bishops, we are preparing and reflecting on this theme: how to evangelize people correctly regarding form and content, so that they can participate in His salvation," said Bishop Yosafat Moschych.
The third working session was opened by Bishop David Motyuk, Bishop of the Edmonton Eparchy and Head of the Patriarchal Catechetical Commission of the UGCC, who presented to the bishops the activities of his commission and the state of catechetical ministry, which was influenced by the Russian war against Ukraine.
As an effective response of the Church, the head of the Catechetical Commission presented evangelization and catechetical programs for pastoral care of forced migrants and internally displaced persons in Ukraine.
The session was concluded by Bishop Borys Gudziak with a report from the Department of External Church Relations of the UGCC.
In addition to the working sessions of the Permanent Synod, Ukrainian bishops will hold a series of meetings with American religious leaders and representatives of state authorities at various levels, as well as participate in prayers with the faithful and clergy of the Philadelphia Metropolis in Washington, Philadelphia, and New York.