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Social Ministry and Moral Issues Discussed at Retreat of Ukrainian Catholic and Roman Catholic Bishops

18.11.2013, 11:36
From November 11 to 15 the fourth retreat of Catholic Bishops of both rites was held in Bryukhovychi near Lviv at the UGCC Retreat Center. The meeting was attended by, among others, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) Patriarch Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of the Conference of Roman Catholic Bishops of Ukraine Archbishop Mieczyslaw Mokrzycki, and Apostolic Nuncio in Ukraine Archbishop Thomas Edward Gullickson.

From November 11 to 15 the fourth retreat of Catholic Bishops of both rites was held in Bryukhovychi near Lviv at the UGCC Retreat Center. The meeting was attended by, among others, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) Patriarch Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of the Conference of Roman Catholic Bishops of Ukraine Archbishop Mieczyslaw Mokrzycki, and Apostolic Nuncio in Ukraine Archbishop Thomas Edward Gullickson.

Spiritual exercises were conducted by Bishop Hlib Lonchyna, Eparch of the UGCC in the UK and Apostolic Visitor for Ukrainian Greek Catholics of Ireland.

The several-days retreat culminated with a meeting of Catholic bishops, Radio Vatican reports.

According to the head of the UGCC, the two main issues discussed at the meetings were the social ministry of the church and moral problems of modern society, which were discussed in relation to the Ukraine’s European integration.

He stressed that it is important to coordinate the steps of pastoral care for those who are disadvantaged. Such collective action is an essential part of episcopal ministry.

“Nothing brings people more together than jointly listening to the Word of God. These retreats are the first step in the spiritual life of a person; the fraternal meetings provide a sense of ecclesial communion. They also help us to coordinate our steps in pastoral care,” commented Patriarch Sviatoslav.

Archbishop Mieczyslaw Mokrzycki said that such retreats are brotherly meetings that aim to help poor Christians.

“Each of us must not only proclaim the Word of God, but to physically complete this existence, care for others,” he called.