Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church Outlines Events For Year
Of Family
On 21 March 2003, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC)
held a press conference dedicated to the Year of the Family,
which was officially opened by Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, head
of the UGCC, in early January 2003.
Among those present at the conference were Cardinal Husar,
Fr. Yurii Kolasa, head of the organizing committee for the
commemoration of the Year of the Family, and Yaroslav Kashuba,
head of the Department on Family and Youth Affairs at the
Lviv regional administration.
Fr. Kolasa acquainted participants of the meeting with the
activities and events that will be conducted by the UGCC together
with the regional Department on Family and Youth Affairs during
the Year of the Family. Among such events, Fr. Kolasa mentioned
a family pilgrimage to Zarvanytsia, 36 training lectures for
engaged couples in preparation for marriage, the creation
of communities of young families, retreats for married couples,
the establishment of a crisis center for victims of family
violence, and a roundtable discussion on the subject "Strong
Family, Strong Church, Strong State," with the participation
of representatives of the church, administrative bodies and
public organizations.
Fr. Kolasa also noted that problems of the family are really
multifaceted and the church will focus primarily on "the
cultivation of true Christian values."
Kashuba stressed that the regional administration is particularly
interested in cooperation with the church in order to solve
problems of marriage and family. He paid special attention
to the need of establishing a crisis center for victims of
violence inside the family. According to Kashuba, the Department
on Family and Youth Affairs has long cherished this idea,
but such a center can be started only in cooperation with
the church, because victims of abuse inside the family mostly
need spiritual help.
"Today, special attention should be paid to the family,
because it is the primary cell of society, where the civilization
of love is born," said Cardinal Husar. "Whoever
undermines the family damages the basis of society. We should
value and understand the importance of family, for otherwise
we will destroy ourselves and our future because of our irresponsibility."
According to Cardinal Husar, society is currently in a very
difficult situation, which affects the family as well. Therefore,
the church "wants to show that even under such circumstances
it is possible to lead good marital lives."
In addition, the joint statement of Greek Catholic Cardinal
Lubomyr Husar and Roman Catholic Cardinal Marian Jaworski
was released during the press conference. In this statement,
the two hierarchs called upon clergy, religious and faithful
to unite efforts for the protection of human life from conception
to natural death and the rights of the family, as well as
to participate in an international congress "Family,
Child and State," which will take place from 16 to 18
May in Ukraine's capital, Kyiv.
Source: press service of the head of the UGCC.
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