Viktor and Kateryna Yushchenko visited the Philadelphia Archeparchy
On May 12, 2024, Viktor Yushchenko, the Third President of Ukraine (2005-2010), and his wife, Kateryna, visited the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Philadelphia. They participated in the Divine Liturgy, visited the archeparchial "Treasury of Faith" Museum, where Metropolitan Borys Gudziak briefly spoke about the history of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in the USA, and then held a meeting with the community in the parish hall.
The conversation, moderated by Metropolitan Borys, focused on the war in Ukraine, future peace, and recent events, in which Viktor Yushchenko, as head of the national bank, prime minister, and president, played a crucial role. First, he thanked the military defending Ukraine, represented by the veterans present who are receiving treatment and prosthese in the USA thanks to the organization, "Revived Soldiers".
"For me, peace means the return of every centimeter of Ukrainian land, an international tribunal, economic revival, and compensation. We need the peace of victory. Nothing else is given. However, our victory can not end there because there will be no tomorrow if Putin's regime exists in Russia," said Viktor Yushchenko, adding that the Ukrainian problem is not only the Russian leader but also 140 million little ‘Putins’. "We need to defeat him if we want to leave our children a clean country without the troubles that Moscow is trying to create," he emphasized.
Viktor Yushchenko urged Ukrainians to speak with one voice. “If we are divided, we will lose. We need to come to a common denominator: that we have our own language, our own national memory, our own culture, faith, and traditions. We are a family." Analyzing the path of national formation, he noted that in 30 years, Ukrainians have become an integral nation.
In her remarks, Kateryna Yushchenko addressed the role of Ukrainians who were outside Ukraine. "I grew up in the diaspora. We were the children of those who were forced to leave Ukraine during the Second World War. They devoted all their time to building churches, creating youth organizations, unions, banks, and most importantly, to raising their children so that we know the language, culture, traditions, and feel responsible for Ukraine," said the former First Lady of Ukraine.
"I know that you, like my parents, want to return home because it is better there. And for those who, for various reasons, will not be able to, I ask that you raise your children so that they feel a sense of belonging to Ukraine. Now is a unique time when everyone is needed. Not everyone can go to the front, but each person can do a lot. You now have more opportunities than ever to influence American society, media, and government. Vote, lobby, sign petitions, do everything you can so that people here know about Ukraine and help us. But most of all, I am asking you to come back - whether you are young or old - there is a place for each of you in Ukraine," said Kateryna Yushchenko.
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