UGCC bishops urge Ukrainians to take balanced approach to marriage, as divorce statistics reason for concern
On May 24, the bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church issued an Appeal to the Faithful on the occasion of the Year of Family, in which they provided sad statistics on divorces in Ukraine, and called on Ukrainians to support the spiritual and moral situation in the family because the fate of all people and the state depends on it.
Ukraine holds one of the first places in Europe by the number of divorces. Around 60 percent of couples get divorced. Most of this statistics relates to young couples who have been in a marriage from three months to three years. Moral and psychological problems in mutual understanding, alcoholism and other addictions are most often indicated as reasons for divorce. This is stated in the Appeal of the Synod of Bishops of the Kyiv-Halych Major Archeparchy of the UGCC.
“The question arises: why it happens that despite the desire for happiness, selfishness and separation wins? In this case, not only adults, but innocent children also suffer. According to the latest data, about one hundred thousand children of Ukraine are in residential institutions, and 92 percent of them have biological parents,” the Synod of bishops note.
They share the pain and anxiety of thousands of families, which were painfully affected by the military conflict in the East of Ukraine. Many of them experienced a loss of their loved ones, some were left without housing, became displaced or received severe physical or spiritual injuries.
"On this path, the Church today is striving to be with you. We firmly believe that the fate of all people and the state depends on the spiritual and moral state of the family ... Let's try to ensure that we learn to listen to each other in our families and have enough time for this,” goes the Appeal. Particular attention is paid by bishops to the education of families in the culture of communication, celebration and rest.
“Addiction to alcohol, drugs, gambling and other addictions come into the family more often when there is no ability to be together and to develop oneself, while serving each other. Children are highly susceptible to adults’ examples, they follow their parents’ examples. Therefore, it is necessary to invent some creative and alcohol-free leisure activities in our families, such as travel, interesting games, singing, inspirational pastime,” these are some ideas that members of the Synod suggested to think over.
The hierarchs are confident that a vocation for marriage requires us to understand the tasks and responsibilities to which one should be carefully prepared long before marriage.
"Only selfless and sacrificial love, and not transient feelings will determine the strength of the future marriage. Every married in the church is important for the Church. Therefore, we urge you to take balanced and reasonable decisions about marriage,” the bishops point out in the Appeal.
