The Eparchial Review Board on the Implementation of Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People Held Its Consecutive Meeting

The Review Board of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of St. Josaphat in Parma on the implementation of the USCCB Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People held its consecutive meeting on Thursday, June 1, 2023 at the parish hall of Sts. Peter & Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church in Ambridge, PA.

The meeting was attended by the current six Review Board members: Fr. Michael Polosky, eparchy’s Protosyncellus and Pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church in Ambridge, PA and Administrator of Sts. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church in Aliquippa, PA and Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church in Latrobe, PA; Fr. Lubomir Zhybak, eparchy’s Safe Environment Coordinator and pastor of Holy Trinity Ukrainian Catholic Church in Youngstown, OH and St. Anne Ukrainian Catholic Church in Austintown, OH; Marika Zalisczuk, eparchy’s Victims Assistance Coordinator; Dr. Justine Perhosky, PhD; Olga Perkun; and Don Fontana.

The meeting began with prayers, led by Fr. Polosky, after which the board members considered the current issues vis-à-vis the safe environment in the eparchy. During the course of meeting, among other matters, Pope Francis’ Apostolic Letter in the form of “Motu proprio” titled “Vos estis lux mundi,” promulgated on May 9, 2019 and revised on March 25, 2023 – the document that sets new universal norms in combating sexual abuse in the Church – was reviewed as well as the eparchy’s Policy & Procedures for the Protection of Children and Young People (the document was last promulgated by the Eparch of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of St. Josaphat in Parma, Bishop Bohdan J. Danylo on May 7, 2022). A few more revisions to the Policy and Procedures were recommended that will be forwarded to Bishop Danylo for review. Moreover, the updated guidelines were also reviewed regarding the safe environment training and background clearance requirements in the eparchy that went into effect in 2022 (besides the eparchy-wide VIRTUS online training, the guidelines deal specifically with each state within the jurisdiction of St. Josaphat Eparchy). Fr. Zhybak also informed the present board members that the eparchy passed the triannual onsite audit by Stonebridge Business Partners that was held on October 7, 2022 at the eparchy’s Chancery in Parma, OH.

The meeting was adjourned with prayer led by Fr. Zhybak.

Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of St. Josaphat in Parma