UGCC develops new centers in the USA

More than 120 delegates from Saint Josaphat Eparchy in Parma, USA of the UGCC met on June 9, 2018, at the Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin of the UGCC in Parma, Ohio, USA, at the Eparchy Council.

According to the Department of Information of the UGCC, the theme of this year's event was “Exaltation of the crosses: growth of the Church by one community at a time.”

The Council, led by Bishop Bohdan (Danyla), ordinary bishop of Saint Josaphat Eparchy in Parma of the UGCC, focused on the renewal of parishes and the creation of new missions in those parts of the diocese, where the UGCC still has no structures.

Speakers of this year were: Fr. Marco Shui, administrator of the Mission of St. Nicholas of the UGCC in Raleigh, North Carolina, who has for many years played a leading role in the establishment of new missions in Saint Josaphat Eparchy in Parma; Fr. Oleksaner Vroblitsky, priest of Saint Josaphat Eparchy in Parma of the UGCC from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Fr. Jason Sharron, the pastor of the Church of the Holy Trinity of the UGCC in Carnegie, Pennsylvania, and the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Wheeling, West Virginia, and Father Joseph Matlach, Administrator of the Mission of St. Basil the Great in Charlotte, North Carolina, who is also trying to establish new missions in the state of South Carolina. The council delegates came from various parishes and missions of the diocese and could share with the members of the Council their unique experience of belonging to the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.

Bishop Bogdan, commenting on the purpose of the Council, said: “Jesus Christ commanded his church to ‘Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit” (cf. Mt. 28.19). In response, St. Andrew the First Called erected a cross on the hills of the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv, and prophesied that the Church, which he foresaw, would spread throughout the world. Therefore, we, as the heirs of the Church, founded by Apostle Andrew, we respond to this vision and build new crosses here in the United States.”

During the last decade, the Saint Josaphat Eparchy in Parma has grown both in terms of members of the Church and in the establishment of new missionary parishes. Missionary priests, deacons, and laity dispersed across a vast eparchy and set up eleven new missionary parishes in states such as North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. Recently, a new initiative has also been launched in Pennsylvania.

Bishop Bogdan also noted: “In order to grow, our parishes must learn to shift from the state of abstention to mission, cultivating missionary culture, forming believers, and inviting others to join us. Therefore, one of the most important questions that we face is: how do we contribute to the growth of our eparchy in supporting the clergy and people in the creation of these new missionary parishes, where our Church is called to build new crosses? That is why, during the preparation for the Council, I asked in our parishes and missions to hold a meeting from February to April 2018 to pray, meditate and select two or three delegates, including a representative of the youth who would be in the voice of a certain parish in the Cathedral.”

During the discussion, the delegates considered the following questions: How can our parishes move from the state of abstention to mission? What can we do to support the growth of missions? How can we best provide a continuous formation for our believers, what exactly does it inspire them to go beyond the comfort zones and to evangelize others?

“All these challenges stand before us,” said Bishop Bogdan, “but we know that with the Lord's help and the zeal of our people, which I saw visiting our parishes and missions, we will be able to go and spread the Annunciation “in every corner of our great eparchy and beyond.”