About the 70th Session of the Synod of Bishops of Kyiv-Galician Supreme Archbishopric of the UGCC

Friday, 19 February 2016, 17:32

The 70th session of the Synod of Bishops of Kyiv-Galician Supreme Archbishopric of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church was held in Bryukhovychi Retreat House of Josef Slipyj, February 3-4, 2016.

See also:

Members of the Synod of Bishops of UGCC prayed to the Holy Spirit and took oath
About the sixty-eighth Session of the Synod of Bishops of the Kyiv-Galician Major Archbishopric of the UGCC
In Lviv-Briukhovychi a retreat and a meeting of Catholic bishops of Ukraine began.

In the synod’s meetings were participating all valid bishops of Kyiv-Galician Supreme Archbishopric of the UGCC, except those who were absent because of some serious reasons, such as bishop Mykhailo (Koltun) and bishop Bohdan (Manyshyn). For these meetings were also invited: most reverend bishop Nil (Lushchak), Bishop-auxiliary of Mukachevo Greek-Catholic Church and father Volodymyr Grutsa, a candidate for a position of Bishop-auxiliary of Lviv Diocese, who took part in meetings of the Synod for the first time.

During one of the meetings apostolic nuncio in Ukraine, Archbishop Claudio Gudgerotti appealed to everybody with a greeting word.

The main topic of this year Synod’s Session was a question of communication. In this respect a communicational strategy of the UGCC was considered. Father Igor Yatsiv, a chief of the UGCC Department of Information was the one who presented this issue. Father Oleg Panchynyak, a chief of center of diocesan press-services of the UGCC Department of Information reported on a state and perspectives of the development of diocesan press-services. Bishops also listened to Pavlo Kazancev’s speech about a homily as a means of communication. Besides, synodal priests were presented new informational projects of our Church: “Live.TV” and ‘Live radio Voskresinnya’.

In a section of revising documents during the second reading, with proposal amendments and supplements, was considered and ratified a pastoral letter of Bishops of Kyiv-Galician Supreme Archbishopric about a corruption disease. The Synod reviewed and ratified during the first reading a pastoral instruction “The Good Shepherd” that had been prepared for this reading by a working group, led by father Volodymyr Zhdan .

Analyzing the present sociopolitical situation in Ukraine, bishops worked up and adopted an Appeal of the Synod of Bishops of Kyiv-Galician Supreme Archbishopric of the UGCC to the representatives of a government, politicians and Ukrainian society.

During the first reading the Synod considered and ratified a program of a pastoral care regarding corruption resistance that what presented by father Mykhailo Melnyk, the head of the commission of the UGCC “Just and Peace”.

Father Petro Rak, the head of Department of Church commissions of the UGCC reported on activity of Supreme Archbishopric’s commissions, and father Rostyslav Pendyuk, the head of the UGCC Youth Commission reported on how the preparation to the World Youth Day that will be held on 26-31^st of July, 2016 is going on.

In the chapter of revising other themes for discussions a question about a celebration of 70^th anniversary of Lviv Pseudo-Council (8^th-10^th of March, 19476) was put forward. Oleg Turiy declared about it. About a mission and activity of Ukrainian Catholic University and new opportunities of a newly accredited Theology Faculty of UCU reported father Bohdan Prakh. Bishops listened attentively to the information about reviving the cooperative movement in Ukraine. As a principle it was taken an idea of metropolitan Andrey (Canadian government is ready to participate in this project). It was informed by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Canada to Ukraine Roman Vashchuk and Zynoviy Svereda.

Synodal priests revised and took into account the arrangements planned by the Committee of commemoration of a blessed Omelyan Kovch in 2016 that was reported by Ivan Vasyunyk, the head of this Committee. Regarding a question about an activity of Coordinating council on issues of pastoral care in critical situations, Volodymyr Pavliv told about a problem of forming rehabilitation centers and possible ways to deal with these problems.

In the context of economic block of questions, bishop Grygoriy (Komar) reported on activity of Mission Foundation.

In the chapter of agenda of different issues bishop Mykhailo (Bubniy) informed about Patriarchal monkhood pilgrimage that is going to be held on 14^th of February, 2016 in the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Kyiv, when bishop Vasyl (Semenyuk) informed about arranged events on behalf of proclaiming Kam’yanets-Podilska Diocese of the UGCC in Khmelnytsky.

The 71^st session of the Synod of Bishops of Kyiv-Galician Supreme Archbishopric of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church is agreed to hold in April, 2016.

The Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops

of Kyiv-Galician Supreme Archbishopric of the UGCC