In an interview with UNIAN, Patriarch Sviatoslav Shevchuk of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) spoke about why priests should not be involved in politics, the importance of freedom of the church from the government, and the need to change the stereotypical notion of power.
July 26th, 2013 (Romereports.com) Pope Francis had his first official encounter with over one million pilgrims attending WYD at Rio's Copacabana beach. After a long journey in his popemobile through the cheering crowds, who didn't seem to mind the bad weather, Pope Francis reached the main stage for the celebration.
The Vatican has approved the the last miracle needed to confirm John Paul II’s sainthood. All that’s needed is a signature from Pope Francis. The process of declaring former pope John Paul II a saint took a major step forward Tuesday, when the board of theologians of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints approved his second miracle.
“Faith is the path of man, who does not yet fully see the face of God. On the road of the believing person, in other words, the person who seeks a fullness of understanding, knowing and experiencing God, there will always be crisis. Therefore, one who has never experienced a crisis of faith, is not truly a deeply-believing person, is not searching for a full knowledge of God,” said His Beatitude Sviatoslav (Shevchuk), UGCC Head, in an interview for the newspaper Slovo.
Holy Father Francis has in his room an icon, presented to him as a farewell gift by the Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church His Beatitude (Shevchuk) upon his leaving of Argentina. His Beatitude Sviatoslav recounted this during an interview with Polish journalists, in answer to their question about 100 days of the service of Pope Francis.
On May 29th, the Ukrainian delegation of soldiers returning from the 55th Jubilee International Army Pilgrimage to Lourdes came to the Eternal City, where together with Bishop Mykhailo (Koltun), head of the Department of UGCC Patriarchal Curia for Issues of Pastoral Care for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, took part in the general audience with the Holy Father.
Francis the Pope: Life and Challenges, the first book in Ukraine about the newly elected Pope Francis has been published. Its author, Saverio Gaeta recounts moving and complex moments of the Pope’s biography, narrating the forced emigration of his parents from Italy, his first infatuation, his love of soccer and tango, the letter from his grandmother, which to this day he carries in his missal (Chasoslov).
“This year is the third time that UGCC in Ukraine is joining in conducting a Marriage Week. As is known, Marriage Week is an international event which is geared towards spreading family values in society. The celebrations began with Mother’s Day and will last until May 19th,” informed Rev. Bohdan Tymchyshyn , head of UGCC Commission on Matters of the Family.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav (Shevchuk), Head of Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church received a letter from Holy Father Francis. The letter states: “I thank you sincerely for the greetings which you sent me in the name of the entire Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church on my selection for Peter’s throne.
The Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Patriarch Sviatoslav (Shevchuk) led a delegation of UGCC to the Holy Land which is to stay there on 4-10 April. The pilgrimage is organized on occasion of the Year of the Faith. The delegation is to visit Tel-Aviv, Haifa, Capernaum, Nazareth and other places.