Ukrainian Catechism Conference Concludes at UCU
A theological scholarly-practical conference devoted to drafting the Catechism of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) was held on the premises of the Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU) from 11 to 15 April 2005. W ork on the catechism "Christ: Our Resurrection" has been going on for three years. The goal of the catechism is to deepen the faith given to us through the sacrament of baptism. The catechism is intended for the faithful of the UGCC in Ukraine, as well as in the diaspora. Its content is to reflect the Christian faith, as lived in the thousand-year Kyivan tradition.
The conference, which included the participation of such members as Most Reverend Bishops Yulian Voronovskyy, Petro Stasiuk and Ihor Vozniak, opened with introductory remarks by Rev. Myron Bendyk, the coordinator of the UGCC Catechism project. Next, participants of the theological conference were welcomed by Myroslav Marynovych, the Vice-Rector of UCU. Then Rev. Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of the Patriarchal Curia of the UGCC, read a greeting from His Beatitude Lubomyr Husar, the head of the UGCC. (His Beatitude Lubomyr is currently at the Vatican, and was unable to participate in the conference personally.)
In the letter, the h ead of the UGCC, touching on the recent past of our Church, noted that this year's meeting of theologians, the first after the legalization of the UGCC, is not the first in the UGCC's history. In 1937, a council of theologians was held in Lviv (at that time, it was a significant event, which in particular raised the issue of the Patriarchate). Due to World War II and the liquidation of the UGCC in Ukraine, the development of theological scholarship was halted.
His Beatitude Lubomyr further wrote: "Your meeting today is particularly important and valuable because in it we see the beginnings of a new common effort. All of you now assembled are the alumni of many schools and universities, but today you have gathered together in order to delve deep into a tradition common to our particular Church and to derive from its depths all that theologically unites us, and to give witness that our church is truly a local, particular Church. With great joy I greet this first meeting and wish you much success, and, in particular, a renewal of your deep awareness of the importance of what is transpiring, and your creative participation in it. Our joy is made even greater by the fact that this meeting is taking place in the facilities of our own scholarly, theological center, the Ukrainian Catholic University. This confirms in us a hope for the fruitful beginning of a new era in theological studies."
Subsequently, Bishop Petro Stasiuk, Eparch for Ukrainian Catholics in Australia, New Zealand and Oceania, and the head of the catechetical commission of the Synod of the UGCC, addressed those present at the conference with a short speech. The bishop's talk focused in particular on the following thought: "These sources (Holy Scripture, the works of the Fathers of the Church, the teachings of the clergy of the UGCC, liturgical texts, the lives of the saints, documents of Church councils, and sacred art) will help us both to preserve and to enrich our spiritual heritage, which will be the basis for the education and growth of the Christian Ukrainian soul, in Ukraine as well as in the d iaspora. It can be said that, precisely due to the lack of such a catechism, our C hurch today experiences a lack of unity, identity, valuing of our rite, as well as religious awareness.
Having said this, let us not think that this Catechism will solve all problems, however, it will help us, where there exists openness and good will, to revitalize our church liturgical life, and will promote unity and mutual understanding, precisely through catechetical service in the Church, and for the Church . "
Source: www.ugcc.org.ua
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