UGCC focuses on active parish life
The development strategy of the UGCC titled “Live parish is a place to meet the living Christ” - is not just a plan that we created for someone. This is the church-wide movement; this is the life that we live. Therefore the Patriarchal Councilis a good time sharing experiences and gifts. It is also the time of examination of conscience so that we answeredourselves to the question: “Are we a living community as a church?”
Head of the UGCC Patriarch Sviatoslav said in his interview for the film “Face of the living Church”that the creative team of Zhyve.TV is working on.The first night of the film is scheduled for August 25 during the VI session of the Patriarchal Council of the UGCC.
Head of the Church stresses that the UGCC has different parishes, the parishes that are being born, the mature and over-ripen ones and the ones that freeze. "That is why it is so important to us to share the gifts we have today and learn some experience which our community has gained, say, in another country or perhaps on another continent. It is highly important for us to understand where we are in the strategy,” the patriarchsaid.
Outlining the main directions of church development in this strategic plan, the patriarch added that “we are open for adjustments to be made by the Lord” in it. For the Church is the Body of Christ, and not a human institution which has its strategic development plan.
“The last word in the Church life always belongs to Christ who is its Head,” he explains.
According to the patriarch, the history makes its amendments in church life as well,“Five years ago we had no idea that a war would start in Ukraine. We thought that our country would begin to experience the Revolution of Dignity. And certainly we did not know what the place to meet the living Christ will be not a parish community, but Kyiv Maidan and the frontline.”
Therefore, according to him, this Patriarchal Cathedral will be a “moment to hear the word of God.”
As previously reported, VI session of the Patriarchal Council of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church “Living Parish is a place to meet the living Christ”will be held on August25 – 27, in Ivano-Frankivsk. It was reported by the Information Department of the UGCC.
