His Beatitude Sviatoslav on the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary: “We feel that a new life is being born”

The Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, His Beatitude Saviatoslav (Shevchuk) stated this at the Pontifical Divine Liturgy in the Cathedral of Saints Apostles Peter and Paul  in Melbourne (Australia), during his sermon to the faithful on the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Mother.

His Beatitude Sviatoslav noted that the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Mother is one of the greatest feasts in the Liturgical Year.  Even more, this feast begins our Christian journey into the Liturgical Year.

Always, said the preacher, when a child is born in a family – it is a time of great joy for the parents to whom God granted the child, a hope for a better future.  Because when new children are born, it means that the people are alive and they are heading into the future.

“The Nativity of the Blessed Mother is a cause for special  joy.  The history of salvation in the Old Testament is a history of infertile women.  However, it is precisely the inability of a person to give life, which becomes in time and in space a great act of God, so that the person knows that God is the One who conquers.  God is the One who gives life,” stated the Prelate.

He denoted that on the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Mother, great Acts of God  which happened in our country are mentioned.   “One can say that God fully fulfills His part of His testament in the history of our country.    Observing the tragic, and at the same time, glorious events in Ukraine, we feel that a new life is being born.   Similiarly, as with the Nativity of the Immaculate Virgin Mother, a new Ukraine is being born,  our Church life in the whole world is  being renewed,” believes UGCC Head.

After the Divine Liturgy, His Beatitude Sviatoslav blessed two icons, which as he said, will become a

commemoration about today's feast and about his meeting with the parishioners of Saint Apostles Peter and Paul  Cathedral in Melbourne.

Co-celebrant with the Major Archbishop was the Eparch of Australia, New Zealand and Oceania, Petro (Stasiuk).  His Beatitude thanked Bishop Petro for his pastoral services on these lands and  recognized his  productive work, since the church was packed witth faithful.  Several hundred faithful attended in order to pray together with the Head of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church.

Also His Beatitude Sviatoslav thanked  for their services the monks and nuns, Sister Servants and Basilian Sisters who serve the parish of Saints Apostles Peter and Paul.  He thanked all the youth organizations in Australia:  SUM (Ukrainian Youth Movement), Ukrainian Scouts, and all good parents in Australia  who know how to pass on from generation to generation a Christian upbringing to their children  and the preservation of Ukrainian traditions.

The parish of Saint Apostles  Peter and Paul is the largest in Ausralia.  The Cathedral  was blessed already in 1963.  Around this parish  over many decades Ukrainians have gathered.  Here are located  the Andrey Sheptytsky Ukrainian Community School, the cathedral choir,  the young cathedral choir,  and the English-language choir of Sts. Peter and Paul, League of Ukrainian Catholic Women,  The Bishop Ivan Prashko Ukrainian Art Museum, School of Icon Painting, the Parish Library, a Catechetical Center, a Group Preparing Couples for Marriage, St. Catherine's  Around the Clock Kindergarten, Trembita Cafe, etc.

UGCC Department of Information