Permanent UGCC Synod Begins in Munich
On May 21, 2024, the 8th (79th) session of the Permanent Synod of the UGCC began in Munich, Germany. The working sessions of the bishops will continue until May 24.
This was reported by the press service of the Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC.
The members of the Permanent Synod are Rev. Borys Gudziak, Archbishop and Metropolitan of Philadelphia, Rev. Volodymyr Yushchak, Bishop of the Diocese of Wroclaw-Koszalin, Rev. Josaphat Moschych, Bishop of the Diocese of Chernivtsi, and Rev. Bohdan Dziurakh, Apostolic Exarch for Ukrainians of the Byzantine rite in Germany and Scandinavia. The meeting is chaired by the Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, His Beatitude Sviatoslav. The Secretary of the Synod is Rev. Andriy Khimyak, Auxiliary Bishop of the Kyiv Archeparchy of the UGCC.
The venue for the meetings was deliberately chosen. These days, the Apostolic Exarchate in Germany and Scandinavia is celebrating the 65th anniversary of its proclamation. To mark this event, on May 26 at 11:00 AM, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, in concelebration with the bishops of the Permanent Synod, will preside over a festive Divine Service.
During the working sessions, the bishops will discuss the current military situation in Ukraine and the challenges it poses to the Church in its pastoral ministry. They will also hear reports from several commissions and institutions of the UGCC. This includes a presentation of the pastoral situation in the Archdiocese of Curitiba by Rev. Volodymyr Kovbych, the local archbishop and metropolitan, and a presentation of the state of pastoral care in the Apostolic Exarchate in Germany and Scandinavia by Rev. Bohdan Dzyurakh. Additional reports will be provided by Rev. Bohdan Danylo from the Patriarchal Commission on Clergy, Rev. Kenneth Nowakowski from the Pastoral Council of the UGCC, Rev. Mykhailo Bubniy from the Patriarchal Commission on Monasticism, Rev. Stepan Sus from the Pastoral Migration Department of the UGCC, Rev. Hryhoriy Komar from the Patriarchal Liturgical Commission, and Fr. Lubomyr Yavorsky from the Wise Cause Foundation.
A separate agenda item will introduce Ukrainian bishops to church-state relations in Germany. Invited speakers will describe the work of the Catholic Church in Germany in this area and discuss the stance and actions of the German state and Church regarding Russian aggression against Ukraine.
Some meetings will also be dedicated to preparations for the next Synod of Bishops of the UGCC, which will be held this year at the Marian Spiritual Center “Zarvanytsia.”
It is worth mentioning that, along with the working sessions, the bishops of the Permanent Synod have a busy program of meetings with government officials, politicians, public figures, and church leaders. They will address issues concerning Ukrainian migrants and refugees, meet with young people and clergy of the Exarchate, visit the Ukrainian Free University, and engage in conversations with civil society and volunteer communities in Bavaria and Germany.
The Permanent Synod of the UGCC in Munich will conclude with the ninth working session on May 24, 2024.
The UGCC Department for Information
