International Colloquium of European Parishes 2019 will be held in Ukraine

Over 150 active laymen, theologians, experts and priests from Europe participated in the Colloquium of European Parishes (CEP), held on July 9-14 in Barcelona on “Christians of Europe - People of the Mission.” During the discussions, the mission of a modern Christian was determined – to find their vocation in the Church and society, to bring people peace, love and justice. It was also determined that the mission of the Church was to go to people, to preach Gospel as Jesus did – to go further, to the goal. The church must look for new ways of catechism, it must change, refresh itself and go to people, not to wait for it to come to it. The church must adapt to new conditions and challenges.

Ukraine was represented at the congress by members of the secular organizations of the UGCC (“Obnova”, “St Volodymyr's Foundation”), active parish youth, representative of "Caritas" and laity of the RCC from Transcarpathia, Fr. Dr. Michaylo Dymyd.

Ukraine, namely the city of Lviv, will host the European Parliaments' Colloquium (CEP) in 2019. Therefore, the Ukrainian CER organizing committee will do everything to ensure that a meeting gathered by laymen, theologians, experts and priests from all over Europe has become not only a successful religious and social event, but also brought new emphases to traditional meetings that have already taken place throughout 58 years.

The meeting in Lviv will be a jubilee one, the 30th. Responsible organizer of it is St. Volodymyr’s Foundation (UGCC).

In the follow-up of the lengthy discussions in the working groups, analysis of the speakers' reports at the Colloquium, Professor of Social Theology Bernard Quintard, one of the leaders (CEP), released a final document - Conclusions of the CEA meeting in Barcelona (July 9-14, 2017).