UGCC Head participates for the first time in Synod of Bishops of Catholic Church

This Papal Synod is also attended by two UOC-K bishops who were selected as representatives during the UOC-K Synod of Bishops last year, which took place in Brazil: Bishop Taras (Senkiv), the Apostolic Administrator of Stryj Eparchy and Bishop Dionysus (Liakhovych) Apostolic Visitator for Ukrainian Greek –Catholics in Italy and Spain. As was communicated, Archbishop Nykola Eterovych, General Secretary Of the Synod of Bishops, was following an earlier approval by the Holy Father, delegated experts and observers to this Synod meeting. Among the experts is also Sister Luiza Tsiupa SSMI, the vice-chair of the UGCC Catechetical Commission .

His Beatitude Sviatoslav thinks that the assembly is a significant event in the Catholic Church, since “in this way the Holy Father administers the Church together with the bishops.” This is an example of the bishops’ collegiality according to which today’s Church lives and acts,” explained UGCC Primate (audio)

In commenting on this year’s topic of the Papal Synod, His Beatitude Sviatoslav noted “Discussions will center on how with new methods and new passion to transmit Christian faith and the values it engenders in the new globalized post-modern culture that is forming in the world.”

It is important to note that His Beatitude Sviatoslav is taking part in such an assembly for the first time since becoming UGCC Head. “For me this is an opportunity to personally communicate with the Holy Father and with delegates from other parts of the world. Therefore, we will be able to present different contexts of the Preaching of God’s Word in UGCC and to refer our propositions to the Synod Fathers in order to make the proclamation of the Word of God more effective both in Ukraine as well as beyond its borders”, stated the Primate.

It is interesting to note the composition of the 262 participants of the Papal Synod: 103 – Europe, America – 63, Africa – 50, Asia – 39, Oceania – 7. There are 6 patriarchs, 49 cardinals, 3 major archbishops, one of which is a Cardinal, 71 archbishops, 120 bishops and 14 priests.

Due to their service, the Fathers of the Synod are 10 heads of Eastern Catholic Churches, 32 presidents of Bishop Conferences, 21 representatives of the Roman Curia, 211 ordinaries and 11 bishop assistants.

Source: UGCC Website