His Beatitude Sviatoslav during a pastoral visit to Wrocław - Gdańsk Eparchy: “Help the Church to spread the light of Christ’s faith”

This the Head and Father of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, said in Poland during a meeting with parish representatives, catechists, Ukrainian-language  teachers and representatives of Ukrainian organizations during  a meeting  held at the Taras Shevchenko General Educational  Lyceum in Bialy Bor (Poland).   The meeting was held during the pastoral visit of UGCC Head to the Wrocław- Gdańsk Eparchy on the occasion of the eparchial celebrations of the 1025^th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus-Ukraine and the 55^th anniversary of  the  pilgrimages to Bialy Bor.  

His Beatitude Sviatoslav described how on the way to Poland he happened to come across a letter of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky written, to the people of Bukovyna after his first visit to them, during his time as a bishop in Stanislav.  “I would so much like to knock on the door of each or your homes… I would so much like to visit each one of your families.  But that is not possible for me.  However, how important it is today, that we not only simply visit one another, but that we teach the truths of faith,” His Beatitude Sviatoslav recalled the words of Metropolitan Andrey.

“On my way here, I particularly thought about this letter,” said the Church Head, “I think that I also will not be able to knock on the door of every house, of every family in the Wrocław- Gdańsk Eparchy because that is impossible.  However, I will meet with catechists who not only know how to read and write but they are also my assistants in teaching faith to all those around them.  And therefore, just as once Metropolitan Andrey asked all in Bukovyna who knew how to read and write, to assist him in spreading the light of faith among the Ukrainian people, so also I want to ask all of you present here—priests, nuns, catechists, Ukrainian-language teachers, the director of this school: help the Church today to teach faith,” urged His Beatitude Sviatoslav. 

The Head of the Church separately appealed to youth, recalling the words of  Saint Clement of Alexandria, that in one’s life a person learns a lot of various things, but the most vital one that one should learn is to get to know God. “I appeal to you – learn the truths of faith.  Teaching faith is one of the ways in which one can teach young generations to fully live.  And maybe even to survive these new times, the new globalized culture which is forming,” emphasized UGCC Primate.

As the Church Primate noted, one of the biggest needs of the Church today is the issue of New Evangelization:  “New Evangelization is nothing else than the constantly relevant assignment – to teach the basic founding truths of faith.  In this Year of Faith, the Roman hierarchs remind us constantly of this assignment,” emphasized UGCC Head.

According to His Beatitude Sviatoslav, in his letter to the people of Bukovyna, Metropolitan Andrey also mentions that we often feel ourselves to be faithful people, but that we experience faith only as a devout feeling.  That is a bit too little: “It is not necessary to experience Christian faith only on the level of some of our affective feelings.  Faith needs teaching.  Therefore, we always hear about Christ the Teacher.  And particularly in our Church, we always see Christ with an open Gospel and with a hand which blesses,” said UGCC Head in Poland during a meeting with parish representatives, catechists, Ukrainian language teachers, and representatives of Ukrainian community organizations in a lyceum in Bialy Bor.

          UGCC Department of Information