Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church

Not having any success on the front line, he is redirecting all his hatred and anger to civilians: women, children, the elderly, those who cannot defend themselves in their own homes. Especially this week, our hearts ache for Odesa and Kharkiv. These cities have become the centers of Russian air strikes.

Faithful Greek Catholics Are the Voice of Ukraine to the Entire Canadian Community: Head of the UGCC in the 101 st week of war Today, I appeal to our faithful in Canada: Unite around your Church, join our Church and social institutions, and unite around our Church to have strength! His Beatitude Sviatoslav, the Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, said this on the 101 st week of the great, arduous, bloody...

“The largest military armed conflict of our time is at risk of being forgotten. But the Ukrainian community, our Church, must be the voice of Ukraine to the whole world,” said His Beatitude Sviatoslav and called on the audience not to let the world forget about the war in Ukraine because it is about the lives of millions of people.

“When Ukraine Calls, Wherever You Are, Answer the Call for Help”, His Beatitude Sviatoslav to Ukrainians in Canada His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the UGCC, met with Ukrainian refugees in Canada.

Today’s Sunday is called the Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee following the Gospel reading in the Gregorian liturgical Easter cycle, and it begins our preparation for the special time — the Great Fast. This is the time when the Lord seeks to open the entire bounty of His mercy to us. This is the time of spiritual spring, awakening and renewal of the human heart, the time of repentance and transformation of the world.

Homily of His Beatitude Sviatoslav at the Episcopal Installation of Reverend Father Michael Smolinski, C. S.s. R. Homily of His Beatitude Sviatoslav at the Episcopal Installation of Reverend Father Michael Smolinski, C. S.s. R. January 21, 2024, 21:00 2 “A clean heart create for me, God;renew within me a steadfast spirit” Psalm 51 (50), 12. Most Reverend Bishops,Dear confreres in Christ’s priesthood,B...

In his sermon, His Beatitude, Sviatoslav noted that it was a great joy and a distinct privilege to perform the historic act of inauguration and installation of the new ruling bishop of the Saskatoon Eparchy, Michael Smolinski.

“The new bishop must become the new heart of this eparchial community”, says the Head of the UGCC at the Installation of the Sixth Bishop in Saskatoon Performing today the Rite of Installation of the new bishop in the Saskatoon Eparchy, we are praying that the new bishop be an icon of Christ himself, who sits on the throne of his glory in heaven but is alive and active in the life of his Church, making a pilgrimage to the Heavenly Kingdom here on....

Today we have became participants and witnesses of a special historical event. The Lord sends a shepherd to His people. The event of episcopal consecration is an outpouring of God’s love on people, a visible manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ’s care for His Church, and for us present here. It is also a moment of communion, the union of the Mother Church in Ukraine with bishops, clergy and laity in Canada. The appearance of a new Ukrainian bishop in Canada is a special light of hope for the entire Ukrainian nation, who today pays the highest price for freedom and the very right to exist in its native land.

Homily of His Beatitude Sviatoslav at the Episcopal Consecration of Reverend Father Michael Smolinski, C. S.s. R. Homily of His Beatitude Sviatoslav at the Episcopal Consecration of Reverend Father Michael Smolinski, C. S.s. R. January 20, 2024, 23:00 15 “O Shepherd of Israel, lend an ear, …Stir up your power, and come to save us” (Ps. 80, 2–3, NAB). Dear worthy confreres in the episcopal and in ...

“Thank you for believing and fully trusting the Lord as a Redemptorist monk and priest. I am grateful to you for not being afraid to accept God’s power, which called you to the episcopal ministry and today gives birth to you as a shepherd who will sanctify, teach, and lead God’s people in the image and likeness of Christ Himself,” the Patriarch addressed Bishop Michael.

“We rejoice in our new bishop and pray for him!” Bishop Michael Smolinski’s Episcopal Consecration Takes Place in Saskatoon Bishop Michael, today you have received in the fullness of the Sacrament of the Priesthood of Christ the same power of the Holy Spirit’s grace that people once sought in Galilee and are seeking now in Saskatchewan! I ask you: accept it in humility and fullness. With these words, the Father and Hea...

“Today, as you join the cluster of bishops in the Saskatoon Eparchy, remember those who, in their ministry, have fulfilled God’s will, that all may be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (Timothy 2:4). May you preserve and multiply their work!” reads the Naming Decree.

Nomination of Father Michael Smolinski to the Episcopate in Saskatoon On January 19, 2024, the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Saskatoon (Canada) hosted the Great Vespers with the Rite of Episcopal Consecration of Father Michael Smolinski, who was elected ruling bishop of the Saskatoon Eparchy of the UGCC. The rite of consecration was performed....

On January 18, in Saskatoon, the Head of the UGCC was greeted by representatives of the clergy and monastics of the Saskatoon Eparchy, in particular, Bishop-nominee Michael Smolinski and Fr. Ivan Nagachevsky, along with students and teachers of the Ukrainian bilingual program of the Bethlehem Catholic High School.

UGCC Head Commences Pastoral Visit to Canada The Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, began a pastoral visit to Canada, where on January 19–21 in Saskatoon, he will perform the episcopal consecration of Fr. Michael Smolinski and his installation as the ruling bishop of the Saskatoon Eparchy of the...

Bishop Oleksandr Yazlovetsky, Bishop of the Kyiv-Zhytomyr Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine, reflected on the theme of the event, which is the words of the Evangelist Luke. He reminded us that every year, from January 18 to 25, Christians worldwide meet for ecumenical prayers for unity.

Ecumenical Prayer Service for Christian Unity Held at Patriarchal Cathedral On January 18, the Patriarchal Cathedral hosted an Interfaith Prayer Service for Christian Unity. It opened a week of ecumenical prayers under the theme “Love the Lord your God… and your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27). The prayer was led by Bishop Yosyf Milian, Bishop of the Kyiv Archeparc...

“The defense of the Motherland must be a national affair,” said the Primate, “and therefore, we must feel our commitment to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. We must do everything so that we as a nation can win that war. Otherwise, we dishonor the Armed Forces.”

Seeing Soldiers As Idols Means Dishonoring Them, His Beatitude Sviatoslav The Armed Forces of Ukraine represent individuals in action, and it is natural to project specific notions about God onto them. We must support the Armed Forces, yet it is crucial not to idealize them, as doing so may lead to disappointment. Seeing soldiers as idols and projecting high hopes onto th...

So I think my vocation was more to be a Redemptorist than a priest. I could have been happy as a brother or deacon, but I became a priest. I have known this community all my life, but it was only at university, when I became more mature, that I began to really study what kind of community it was and its activities.

“God showed me that I am at home” — Bishop-Elect Michael Smolinski, CSsR For 68 years, the Saskatoon Eparchy, which is part of the Metropolia of Winnipeg, has become a space of deep spiritual and cultural life for the faithful of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in Canada. Soon it will receive a new eparchial bishop, Fr. Michael Smolinski, C. Ss. R., whose episcopal c...

“We know that the Lord God erects churches, but blessed are those who cooperate with Him in this work that leads a person to salvation,” the letter of commendation reads.

Head of UGCC Extends Gratitude to Bishop Vasyl Losten for the Patriarchal Cathedral Construction Support Over Many Years As part of the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the consecration of the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Kyiv, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the UGCC, awarded Bishop Vasyl Losten with a substantial diploma for his many years of support in the construction o...

“Patriarch Yosyf Slipyj implemented a similar strategy in his ministry during the Cold War, when the Ukrainian people were in Soviet slavery… Thus, our Church has a definite institutional memory of how to conduct international relations,” he added.

In the international arena, the UGCC speaks to world leaders advocating for the Ukrainian people: His Beatitude Sviatoslav Heads of state and public leaders worldwide need to hear the voice of the Ukrainian people. And we are not speaking on behalf of any political structure but on behalf of our faithful. His Beatitude Sviatoslav, the Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, said this in an interview with...

With this act of charity, the Minister of Foreign Affairs expressed support for all our people, who, for the second consecutive year, have been enduring difficult conditions of an unjust war and suffering from enemy violence. He also assured of future assistance.

Together with Ukraine: Ambassador of Taiwan to the Holy See delivers new humanitarian aid On January 11, the Religious Society of Saint Sophia in Rome received humanitarian aid from the Ambassador of Taiwan to the Holy See, Matthew Lee. Foreign Minister Paco Huang, a representative of the Embassy, arrived to convey support from the people of the Republic of Taiwan under the slogan “Tai...

An interfaith prayer service organized by the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church will be held on Thursday, January 18, at 6:00 PM in the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ (5 Mykilsko-Slobidska St., Livoberezhna Metro Station). The prayer will be broadcast live by Zhyve Television with the possibility for everyone to participate.

January 18, the Patriarchal Cathedral Hosts an Ecumenical Prayer Service for Christian Unity “Love the Lord your God… and your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27) — this is the theme of this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The materials for the ecumenical prayers in 2024 have traditionally been prepared by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the Worl...

“We, the authors of the letter,” added the Head of the UGCC, “condemned the ideology of the ‘Russkiy mir’, which today undermines the credibility of Christian witness in the world, because Christians kill Christians, and one of the Churches generates modern genocidal ideology. It undermines the confidence of modern people in the Gospel of Christ and is a challenge for all Christians, regardless of denomination.”

Russia’s Aggression Against Ukraine Is the Greatest War of Modern Humanity Since World War II: Head of the UGCC in the 100th week of the war It is already the 100th week of the great brutal war that the Russian occupier has brought to the peaceful Ukrainian land. Not many in the world today realize that this is the most extensive armed conflict in the world since World War II — the largest in terms of the number of military forces invo...

The Blessed Sacrament in the sanctuary miraculously survived (only part of the tabernacle was slightly damaged). The parts of the relics of Saints Josaphat Kuntsevych, Vasyl Velychkovsky, and Fr. Pio, which were kept in the church, also survived intact.

UGCC Church of the Holy Trinity on Fire in Poltava On January 13, at about 10:00 PM, a fire broke out in the Church of the Holy Trinity of the Kharkiv Exarchate of the UGCC in Poltava. Four fire brigades extinguished the fire, the press service of the Kharkiv Exarchate reports.

At the beginning of the sermon, His Beatitude Sviatoslav drew attention to the dynamics of today’s Gospel passage. The story of the healing of the ten lepers is a story that is in constant motion. The lepers cannot approach the settlement; they have to talk from afar to everyone they meet along the way. Nevertheless, they approach Christ as close as possible and ask Him for cleansing. Christ makes them move and sends them to the priest because, according to the Old Testament Law, the priest is a kind of overseer of the health of his people.

Those who are grateful to God for what they have will receive even more: His Beatitude Sviatoslav Gratitude to God restores a person’s strength, raises the tired, and infuses life into the dying. Indeed, it is very human to get tired, to exhaust oneself. There is nothing wrong with it. Those who are depleted must know the way back to the source from which they can draw even more strength. Thos...

The individuals who received these houses were left homeless due to enemy shelling and were in urgent need of shelter. The new homes are fully equipped to ensure comfort during the winter season, featuring a kitchen fitted with an electric stove and refrigerator, a bathroom with running water, and a stove for heating.

Exarch of Kharkiv Consecrates Modular Houses for People Deprived of Housing Bishop Vasyl Tuchapets, Exarch of Kharkiv, and Caritas Kharkiv Director Fr. Andriy Nasinnyk consecrated the modular houses and congratulated the beneficiaries on their housewarming in Staryi Saltov, Kharkiv Oblast, the website of the Kharkiv Exarchate of the UGCC reports.

His Beatitude Sviatoslav congratulated those present at the event on Christmas, emphasizing that during this holiday, God enters human history. “God is present today in human history, but through us.” Continuing, he said, “As we celebrate Christmas, we become partakers of this incarnation of God, and through our interactions, we extend His presence in this world.”

I am confident that everyone will return stronger from this Christmas gathering: Head of the UGCC at Prosphora with the Patriarch On January 13, Kyiv hosted the traditional charity event Prosphora with the Patriarch. The event, with the participation of the Father and Head of the UGCC, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Bishops Yosyf Milian, and Andriy Khimyak, and numerous guests, took place at the International Exhibition Center near...

The meeting will begin with a Moleben for Peace in Ukraine, led by the Head of the UGCC.

His Beatitude Sviatoslav to Meet with Newly Arrived Ukrainians in Canada The meeting will be held at St. George’s Cathedral in Saskatoon, Canada, on January 21, 2024, at 7:00 PM local time.

His Beatitude Sviatoslav also brought to the attention of the newly elected Primate the pastoral challenges faced by the UGCC in the context of Russian aggression against Ukraine. He emphasized the pressing need for solidarity with our sister churches, stating, “Now, especially, we need to nurture our unity with you amid the various challenges of today.”

Head of the UGCC Congratulates on the Election of the New Supreme Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church On January 10, the Vatican announced that His Holiness Pope Francis had approved the election of the new Supreme Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church. He is His Eminence Bishop Raphael Tattil. On this occasion, His Beatitude Sviatoslav congratulated the newly elected Primate of the Syro-Ma...

“In light of the significance of the initiative of His Holiness Pope Francis, considering the prescription of can. 114, § 2 of the CCEO, after consulting with the bishops who are members of the Permanent Synod held in Chernivtsi on December 12–15, 2023, and considering the opinion of Bishop Ihor Vozniak, Archbishop and Metropolitan of Lviv, we appoint you as a delegate from the UGCC to collaborate with the Commission of New Martyrs — Witnesses of the Faith,” the Decree reads.

Father Taras Bublyk Appointed as Delegate from UGCC to Collaborate with the Vatican Commission of the New Martyrs The Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, named Fr. Taras Bublyk as a delegate from the UGCC to cooperate with the Vatican Commission of the New Martyrs — Witnesses of the Faith, which is tasked with developing a catalog encompassing “all those who she...

“A personal meeting, live communication with the fatherly blessing of the Head of our Church will never be replaced by other modern methods of communication. Hearing the words of support and guidance is of utmost importance to me at the beginning of my ministry as a hegumen. I am very grateful for this,” said Hieromonk Josaphat Voytek in a comment to the UGCC Information Department.

His Beatitude Sviatoslav Met with the Newly Elected Hegumen of the Holy Dormition Univ Lavra On January 9, the Father and Head of the UGCC, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, met at his residence in Kyiv with the highly revered hieromonk Josaphat Voytek, the newly elected hegumen of the Holy Dormition Univ Lavra. The hegumen paid a courtesy visit to the Head of the Church together with a delegation....

According to Fr. Vitaliy, 134 soldiers in Fastiv gave their lives defending the independence and sovereignty of our country. For more than a year and a half, the community has been caring for the families of the fallen soldiers, offering moral and spiritual support and humanitarian aid, and helping them to cope with their great loss. The Knights of Columbus community is actively involved in this—26 Knights from the local community help to implement various charity events.

Charity Event “Holy Supper” for Families of Fallen Defenders of Ukraine Hosted in Fastiv During the Christmas holidays, the Knights of Columbus community in Ukraine organized dinners for the families of fallen heroes. A charity meal was held in Fastiv, Kyiv region, on January 5 at the initiative of the Knights of Columbus.

The Deputy Minister informed His Beatitude Sviatoslav about the fundamental principles of the reform of higher education in Ukraine and how to implement them, taking on board equivalent reform measures that have already been implemented to some extent in secondary education.

Head of UGCC Meets with Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine On January 8, the Father and Head of the UGCC, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, met with Mr. Mykhailo Vynnytsky, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine. The meeting was held as part of the implementation of the provisions of the Agreement on Cooperation between the Ministry of Education and Sc...

“At the outset of this year,” said His Beatitude Sviatoslav, “the enemy intensified its air attacks on Ukraine. On the first day of the new year, January 1, Kyiv fell into mourning. We commemorated 32 people who were killed by Russians in our capital the day before. And on January 2, the enemy again launched an unprecedented massive air attack, including against Kyiv.”

We Want to See Russian Crimes Against Civilians Condemned: Head of the UGCC in the 99th week of war Even during hostilities, international humanitarian law must remain in effect. We call for condemnation of Russian crimes against civilians. His Beatitude Sviatoslav, the Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, said this on the 99th week of the great war that the Russian occupier bro...

“You are the salt of the earth,” the Head of the Church addressed the jubilee with these words from the Gospel, noting that he had invariably embodied the essence of salt, giving life meaning to the earth: “Observing your life, we recognize that in any circumstance—whether during the totalitarian regime when the KGB played the roles of judge and lawyer for the Soviet man, or during the period of independence—you have always stood for truth, the protection of human rights, and fidelity to God’s law.”

“You are among those who did not betray their conscience”: UGCC Head congratulates Mr. Myroslav Marynovych on his 75th anniversary On January 4, Mr. Myroslav Marynovych, Vice-Rector of the Ukrainian Catholic University for Appointment and Mission, human rights activist, public figure, founding member of the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Group, dissident and political prisoner of the USSR, founder and chairman of the amnesty m...

“The war in Ukraine is a genocide of our people. Russia wants to annihilate us not only with bombs but also with starvation,” Ukrainian youth presented ears of Ukrainian wheat to Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Archbishop of Bologna and President of the Italian Bishops’ Conference.

Ukrainians to Cardinal Zuppi: “The war in Ukraine is a genocide of our people; Russia seeks to annihilate us not only with bombs but also with starvation” 50 young Ukrainians met with Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, President of the Italian Bishops’ Conference and Archbishop of Bologna, at his residence in Bologna to testify to the horrors and drama of war, Dyvensvit informs.

His Beatitude Sviatoslav emphasized that on this day, the Church of Christ celebrates the great feast of Epiphany, the revelation of God to man and the world. Christ comes to Jordan to perform a gesture of atonement on himself — a gesture that repentant sinners performed.

“The struggle Ukraine is engaged in is a confrontation between the old and new humanity in Christ”: Head of the UGCC on Epiphany The enslaving Russian ideology proposes nothing more than a return to the old. They attempt to force upon us, re-adoption of the old imperial and Soviet ways of thinking and living. Even lies are being forcibly imposed on us, falsifying consciousness about the person. However, our people, are fighti...