Dognal's Group is radical sect, - expert says

In the end of March of this year, in Lviv, public actions against propaganda of homosexuality, introduction of Juvenile justice in Ukraine, etc. were held. Such actions and similar ones took place in some other towns. Several city and regional councils passed addresses in this regard. It turned out that some of the organizers of the events are connected with the “Dognal’s group,” a new religious movement which has been active in Western Ukraine in the recent years and has become known for various provocative actions. Interestingly, the movement is led by foreign citizens who came to Ukraine with tourist visas but are engaged in religious activity. The head of the “Catholic Observer” project, Fr. Orest-Dmytro VILCHYNSKYI, who has studied this movement for several years, told us about the reasons for these actions, the essence of the movement and the purpose of it.

—The Group of Dognal has been active in Ukraine for several years. UGCC has made some steps to let the public know about its activity. As we know, the leaders of the group are foreigners who have stayed in Ukraine contrary to the visa system for a few years. Why have not the appropriate authorities paid attention to it so far?

—I think that one would better address this question directly to the authorities. It would really be interesting to hear their official explanation of this strange phenomenon. But it appears that it is not a unique case in the modern Ukrainian history. Take, for instance, Pastor Sunday Adelaja. Obviously, we have the same situation in the case of the Dognal’s group. Moreover, we know the names of deputies, politicians, businessmen who support the Dognal’s sect in some way. But, as ancient Romans used to say, «Nomina sunt odiosa». I think that it is still too early to name specific names even though they are known to the public. Perhaps, these people were deceived by Dognal’s mimicry, perhaps, they were not able to figure out who is who. And by mentioning their names, one can turn the subject of dognalism into a tool of inter-party struggle and black PR. But the fact that the Dognal’s sect was allowed to serve services in the chapel of the Supreme Council is alerting.

—The activity of the Dognal’s group would not last for so long if it found no background among the faithful. So, from this viewpoint, what facilitates it even outside Galicia where the movement arose?  

—Ukraine is in a unique situation now: Ukraine is partly already in the age of the postmodern (one can feel it the most in Galicia and Transcarpathian Region) and partly, in the backward post-soviet age (it is most vivid in Donetsk Region and the Crimea). The transfer into the age of the postmodern caused specific religious problems. They can be outlined by the provisions of the document “Phenomenon of the sects” jointly developed by the Pontifical Secretariat for Promotion of Unity Between non-Christians, Pontifical Secretariat on Matters of Atheists and Pontifical Council on Culture and the State Secretariat of the Vatican.  According to that document, such needs of a modern person are the search for one’s own affiliation (desire to be part of a community), search for solutions to the urgent issues of today, search for integrity (wholism), search for cultural (civilization) identity, need for recognition and uniqueness, search for the transcendental, need for spiritual mentorship, vision, participation and engagement.   

Dognalism managed to answer all these aspirations of a modern person and this must be admitted.  

Dognalism offers its adherents the sense of being part of a community of the elect. Their basic communities give one the sense of shelter.

Dognalism persistently presents itself as the successor of the underground UGCC and stresses its “true” Christian identity. The calls to defend traditional values from the invasion of liberalism gives the adherents of dognalism the sense of the last bulwark of the European Christianity, or even Christianity, on the whole, the last bastion of the Christian civilization. By skilful manipulation of facts, dognalism gives its adherents the sense of being the elect, of an unhealthy elitism and, at the same time, gives them opportunities for self-realization to them through various actions.  

Dognalism has a clearly developed system of retreats which allow one to learn the Bible, get the experience of salvation, feel spiritually fulfilled, stress the action of God in the life of every Christian.

By regular actions, distribution of roles, missionary tasks, dognalism enables its adherents to be engaged in its cause which is presented as the cause of God. Recently, dognalism began to appeal to the values lost by the modern Christianity: nobleness, romanticism, elitism. These characteristics are the magnet dragging young people to an idea. Therefore, one should expect an increase of the activity of dognalists as regards the involvement of young people in their ranks.

Dognalism is a well considered religious system with effective methods of spread which addresses the faithful of the traditional Ukrainian denominations with symbols and notions, which are understandable to them, its radicalism is in line with radicalization of the Ukrainian society.

—Do you identify the Group of Dognal with the “Russian World” due to the fact that in their letters, the leaders of the group in many things repeat the program provisions of the concept of Patriarch Kirill, particularly, the thesis that the West is evil and the so-called “Russian World” is undeniable good?  Or because PR of the group is provided by open adherents of the “Russian world,” K. Frolov and V. Anisimov?

—First of all, we must ask whom does the very existence of the sect of Dognal suit? For dognalists relentlessly defame and fling mud at UGCC, bring forward ridiculous theses that the whole Catholic Church broke away from Christianity. Recently, they have been especially active flinging mud at Blessed Pope John Paul II.  Who benefits from that? Who benefits from attempts to weaken the positions of Catholicism in Ukraine? For Ukrainian Catholicism has always been a powerful face guard of Ukrainiandom against russification and polonization. UGCC will remain so in any political situation. Therefore, the struggle against UGCC is primarily aimed to facilitate the absorption of Ukrainiandom by the new Moscow empire. And the dognalists are a tool in this struggle. The fact that these forces are behind the sect of Dognal is unambiguously pointed to also by Archbishop Ihor (Vozniak) of Lviv in his address as the Administrator of UGCC on occasion of the preparation for the beatification of the Servant of God, Blessed Pope John Paul II.

In addition, dognalists not only repeat the thesis that the West is an essential evil. According to their letters, Ukraine, Russia and Belarus (letter of 25.09.2010) should be united in one state, it is impossible to be saved in the Catholic Church but it is possible to be saved in ROC [Russian Orthodox Church] (Letter “Unity with Rome” of 21.07.2009). Dognalists’ PR by K. Frolov and V. Anisimov also confirms the thesis that the dognalists are a field detachment of the mentioned “Russian world.” One can also talk about a mutual PR: dognalists do not disdain to use such means as advertising the famous ukrainophobic figure of Vadim Kolesnichenko (letter of 09.09.2010). Therefore, it is not surprising that one of their letters contains a statement about a single nation of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus (letter of 10.12.2010). The list of proofs can be continued but I think that these ones are enough to make appropriate conclusions.