UGCC Head Meets with Chief of Military Chaplaincy Service of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
On October 31, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, met with the newly appointed head of the Military Chaplaincy Service of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Colonel Oleksandr Vovkotecha. Senior Lieutenant Rostyslav Vysochan, chief specialist of the Department for Cooperation with Religious Organizations of the Military Chaplaincy Service of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, also took part in the conversation.
During the meeting, the parties discussed the further systematic development of the institution of military chaplaincy in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, particularly the improvement of chaplains’ training. In this context, they discussed expanding cooperation between the National Defense University of Ukraine and the spiritual educational institutions of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav congratulated Colonel Oleksandr Vovkotecha on his appointment and assured him of the Church’s support in establishing a professional chaplaincy service. The Head of the Church emphasized the importance of responsible selection of candidates for chaplaincy and the honor of the UGCC to be close to Ukrainian soldiers through the presence of its clergy in the army.
The Primate also focused on the need to keep military chaplains inseparable from the Church, which provides them with spiritual formation and support, enabling them to remain effective clergymen in combat conditions.
A separate topic of discussion concerned cooperation in the field of rehabilitation and spiritual recovery of veterans and families of military personnel.
The Head of the UGCC emphasized the importance of integrating the course “Healing the Wounds of War” into the training of chaplains. According to him, this course is an effective instrument for assisting the wounded and supporting the families of military personnel of various categories: combatants, the fallen, the missing, and prisoners of war.
Colonel Oleksandr Vovkotecha outlined the strategic directions for the development of the Military Chaplaincy Service, including improving the quality of professional training for military chaplains and deepening cooperation with churches in matters of spiritual guidance and formation.
