During the Great Lent the Administrator of the UGCC calls on to pray for those who left the Church

Most Rev. Archbishop Ihor (Vozniak), Administrator of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, called on during this year’s Great Lent “to pray for the conversion of all those who, for various reasons, find themselves outside of the salvific enclosure of the Church.” This is the central message of the Appeal signed 10 March 2011. The main reason for writing the document is related to the beatification of Servant of God Pope John Paul II to take place on Thomas’ Sunday, 1 May of this year.   "Unfortunately, my beloved in Christ, our joy is not complete yet, because nowadays the Church of Christ in our nation suffers inflictions. It is with great pain that we speak about emergence in Ukraine of new sectarians, the Dognal group who, for the sake of their ambitions and private interests, make as many efforts as possible to vilify and prevent a holy memory of Pope John Paul II” – writes Most. Rev. Ihor.   "They shamelessly slander with perverse imagination, the bright image of the man who has done so much for the good of the Universal Church in general, and our Church in particular. A man whose strong image and life’s principles became close to many Ukrainians, and not only to Catholics. Using false facts, this pseudo-Christian group tries to use turmoil and confusion, in an effort to obscure our joy on the occasion of the beatification of Servant of God John Paul II” – the Appeal states. According to the Administrator of the UGCC, with such hostile actions against everything Catholic and Ukrainian, this sect reveals its true face. Grouped around Antonin (Elias) Dognal, they are clearly showing they care neither about the good of the Ukrainian people, nor the good of Christ’s entire Church.

"It was John Paul II, - writes Bishop Igor - who did his best to obtain freedom for the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church from the Soviet government. The Pope treated our martyr Church with special love and respect. The evidence of this can be found in the great solemnity of beatification of the new Ukrainian Martyrs during his pastoral visit to our country. His love for our Church was so great that he, as the Supreme Hierarch of Christ’s Church, was not afraid to state in the late 1980's that fidelity of the Ukrainian Greek Catholics compelled him to remain faithful to them.”   Recalling the pastoral visit of Pope John Paul II to Ukraine ten years ago in June 2001, the UGCC Administrator stated: “On June 27, 2001, led by the pastors of the Church at Lviv hippodrome and through the media, millions of our faithful Church members, like the sheep around the shepherd, gave witness of love and fidelity to Christ’s Church, and the Vicar of Christ on earth - the Pope. For this saintly man of our times who made the Gospel come alive gave the testimony of faith, not only by his words, but by his deeds as well” – declared Bishop Igor.  
According to the instruction of the Administrator of the UGCC, this appeal will be read in all churches of the UGCC on Sunday, 13 or 20 March 2011, at the end of each Divine Liturgy.

 UGCC Information Department