Bishop Bohdan (Dziurakh): Catholics in Middle East have to compete for survival

Bishop Bohdan (Dziurakh) of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) reported the results of the activity of the Special Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod of Bishops of the Catholic Church, which was held in Vatican on October 10-24. According to the Secretary of Synod of Bishops of the UGCC, Christians in Ukraine who were persecuted by the Communist regime “should be especially sensitive to the voice of their brethren in faith in the Middle East, who need help and support.” The bishop stressed that it is the duty of every Christian to pray for their suffering brothers and sisters in the Middle East. In addition, the bishop noted that “the church in the Middle East tries to ensure due training for their priests, seeks new forms of catechization and evangelization, and cares about the pastoral care for its emigrants.” For the task of the disciples of Christ is the same: to preach Christ to the whole world and witness for Him with their words and lives. The bishop also stated that “contrary to our church, which not long ago was persecuted and placed outside the law but today can rejoice in its freedom and freely develop its structures and its pastoral activity, Catholics in many countries in the Middle East have to compete for survival, endure injustice and pressure, and sometimes experience open persecution.”

Information Department of the UGCC