Head of Church attends meeting of UGCC Commission on Matters of Monasticism

“In accordance with the decision of the last Synod of Bishops of the UGCC, we call on the entire church to nurture and support those who have a calling to consecrated life. This strategy, adopted by the bishops, is not only the vocation to priesthood but also to monastic life,” His Beatitude Sviatoslav (Shevchuk), head of the UGCC, said at a meeting of the Commission of the UGCC on Matters of Monasticism on December 26, 2011, in the retreat center in Briukhovychi-Lviv. Continuing the tradition established by His Beatitude Lubomyr – summarizing the year along with the monastics – the head of the UGCC said: “I think contemplating that ascetic side, which bears eternity, everyone can realize that the ministry of the church and the entire community is very important in our life, which is why this meeting is important to me.” The head of the UGCC called on members of the meeting to help write a pastoral letter to consecrated persons. In addition, His Beatitude Sviatoslav talked about the need to develop a program for pastoral care of vocations to the consecrated life. “Without your cooperation no such program can be implemented because it is needed in Galicia and in eastern Ukraine,” said the primate of the UGCC. “The synod's decision is an appeal to the bishops about the presence of representatives of monastics in the eparchies. I would like most provincial homes of monastic orders and congregations to be transferred from Lviv to Kyiv. This will radically change your view of its presence in the church,” said Patriarch Sviatoslav.  

UGCC Information Department