The Committee of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church on Matters of Pastoral Care addressed the faithful with a call to conduct on September 11 a joint prayer for the victims of addictions in Ukraine.
The Committee of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church on Matters of Pastoral Care addressed the faithful with a call to conduct on September 11 a joint prayer for the victims of addictions in Ukraine. The church encourages the entire Ukrainian society to realize that the living Christian faith can help to overcome this nationwide woe.
“The problem of various addictions in our country has become an epidemic. No one knows exactly the number of people addicted to alcohol, drugs, gambling… However, their number amounts to millions and we meet them every day in the streets of our towns and villages; they come to our parties as guests, neighbors or colleagues and, perhaps, our families include them… A victim is a person who got into a trap due to the cunningness and malice of an enemy. The traps for the human soul are set by the spiritual enemy of humankind, the father of all lies, the devil (comp. John 8:44). He gradually and secretly puts alcohol, drugs and gambling in the center of their lives. Addicted persons cannot give up the source of the addiction even though they are aware of it,” reads the address published by the press service of the Lviv Archeparchy of the UGCC.
Background Information
In October 2006, the 32nd session of the Synod of Bishops of the Kyiv-Halych Metropolitanate of the UGCC passed a decision to set up an intereparchial subcommittee “For Soberness in Life” as part of the Committee on Matters of Pastoral Care in the Health Care of the UGCC.