The Synod of Bishops of Kyiv-Halych Major Archbishopric of the UGCC holds its 45th session

From June 29 to July 1, 2009, in the town of Novoyavorivs’k, Lviv region, at the Youth Spiritual Retreat Center of Metropolitan Andrey and Archimandrite Clementiy brothers Sheptytskyj, the 45^th session of the Synod of Bishops of Kyiv-Halych Major Archbishopric of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church took place. There were 18 members of the Metropolitan Synod present at the session meeting. For the first time as a bishop, Reverend Bishop Joseph (Milyan), auxiliary bishop of Kyivan Archeparchy, took part in the talks. Except for procedural questions and question about implementing decisions made at the 45^th session of the Metropolitan Synod, a great deal of consideration and attention was directed towards hammering out the details of a plan (travel map) for the development of information services of our Church in Ukraine. Another topic that garnered a lot of interest and attention by the participants was the Program Opposed to Abortions in Ukraine, a project being prepared by the Commission for Ministering Health Protection of the UGCC. Doctor of Medicine Antuan Lisetsa from Croatia, a world-renowned specialist in the defense of human life, was invited to speak by the Metropolitan Synod. On the basis of Dr. Lisetsa’s lecture and the ideas expressed by participants, it was recommended to finish this project. However, the program should not be limited to abortion only but also include any disrespect to human life, such as the use of condoms, birth control pills, sterilization and in vitro fertilization. The next topic that was widely discussed by the Metropolitan Synod was the status of ministering for Ukrainian worker emigrants. Doctor of psychology Andrew Sullivan from Denver, USA, who recently published a pastoral manual in Ukrainian “Feel the heartbeat of immigrants,” spoke about this topic. Along the same lines, the activity of the UGCC Commission for Immigrants was reported on by its head, Hryhoriy Seleschuk. Metropolitan Synod supported the “Appeal of Synod of Bishops of Kyiv-Halych Major Archbishopric of the UGCC about the situation of Ukrainian labor migrants” and outlined directions for further activity by the Church in this area of ministering. In addition to these topics, the participants deliberated regulations for the Eparchial Catechetical Commission, discussed revisions for the document “Pastoral and liturgical guidelines for funerals,” and decided to begin publishing 30,000 copies of the revised Church calendar, with money raised going towards the building of the Patriarchal cathedral in Kyiv. As for economic questions, a report on the activity of the non-government pension fund “Pokrova,” founded by the Church, was heard and approved. However, it needs to develop further and the participants thought it necessary to further popularize this fund. The restitution of Church property was also discussed along with the current status of the building of the Patriarchal cathedral of theResurrection of Christ in Kyiv. Furthermore, a report on the activity of the UGCC Bureau for Ecology, was given by Volodymyr Sheremeta, head of this division.  In order to properly celebrate and honor the memory of all the prominent sons of the Church and Ukraine, the Metropolitan Synod decided that Sunday, September 13, 2009, in the cathedral of Saint George in Lviv, a service will be held to commemorate will 65^th anniversary of Metropolitan Andrey (Sheptytskyj) and 25^th anniversary of Patriarch Joseph (Slipyj).   The 46^th session of the Metropolitan Synod will take place in September 2009.

Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops
of Kyiv and Halych Major Archbishopric of the UGCC