Highlights of the Resolutions of the 2018 Synod of Bishops of the UGCC
Prot. MA 18/309
For the glory of the Holy, Consubstantial, Life-giving and Indivisible Trinity,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
and for the good of the People of God entrusted to us. Amen.
BY THE GRACE OF GOD
AND IN FULL COMMUNION
WITH THE APOSTOLIC SEE OF ROME,
SVIATOSLAV
Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Halych
of the Ukrainian Greco-Catholic Church.
To the Most Reverend and Reverend Bishops,
the honourable Clergy, the venerable Monks and Nuns,
and the Laity of the particular Ukrainian Greco-Catholic Church
I PROMULGATE AND PUBLISH
The Resolutions
of the Synod of Bishops
of the Ukrainian Greco-Catholic Church
Lviv-Briukhovychi, 2-11 September 2018
4. Accept the 2017-2018 report of the [“Vibrant Parish”] Working Group regarding the implementation of the Strategy for the development of the UGCC to the year 2020.
6. For the enhancement of the proclamation of the Word of God and Catechesis in the UGCC:
A. Ask Eparchial Bishops to:
1) analyse the realization within their eparchies of the decisions of the previous Synod of Bishops of the UGCC (i.e. 2012-2015) regarding Catechesis and the development of a Bible Apostolate within the UGCC.
2) appoint within their eparchial catechetical commission a coordinator of the Bible Apostolate (preferably one who specializes in Biblical studies)
3) direct the eparchial catechetical commission to collaborate with ecclesial educational institutions to organize and eparchial school for the training of the leaders of Bible study groups
4) direct the eparchial catechetical commission to provide course for the ongoing formation of catechists within the eparchy,
5) provide, within the program of ongoing formation for clergy, permanent courses in homiletics that would take into consideration the challenges of the times, and also see to it that appropriate courses in homiletics, catechesis and teaching skills are provided in the formation program of the seminaries;
6) remind parish priests of the necessity to provide catechism teachers the appropriate pastoral guidance and whatever else is necessary for their service;
7) during [the Bishops’] visitation to the parishes to give special attention to the state of the catechism program and to provide appropriate mechanisms to encourage the individuals and practice associated with this field and to help eradicate any evident shortcomings;
8) to align the terminology of any official printed or audio-visual eparchial catechism materials with that of the Catechism of the UGCC “Christ – Our Pascha”.
B. Charge the Patriarchal Catechetical Commission with the tasks of:
[…]
4) develop a study program(s) for the Catechism of the UGCC “Christ – Our Pascha”;
5) develop catechism programs for various age groups based on the Catechism of the UGCC “Christ – Our Pascha”;
[…]
C. Direct Parish Priests to:
1) organize weekly catechism programs for children, youth and adults within the parish – especially based on the Catechism of the UGCC “Christ – Our Pascha”;
2) establish or reactivate groups for the prayerful study of Sacred Scriptures and provide their personal spiritual guidance;
3) encourage the Faithful in the practice of prayerfully reading the Sacred Scriptures themselves or within their family circle.
9. A Synodal group is created to review the Ukrainian translation of the Psalter and the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom that includes:
– Bishop Hlib Lonchyna (London), chair,
– Bishop Stephen Meniok (Donetsk),
– Bishop Taras Senkiv (Stryj),
10. review the progress of the Menaion project and to bless its continued work.
11. for the betterment of the utilization of mass media and social communications within the UGCC:
a) acknowledge that the communications activity of the eparchial Bishop as one of the principal means of his preaching the Word of God, realizing his teaching office and of governing the eparchy;
b) charge eparchial Bishops to appoint in each eparchy of the UGCC competent individuals for the development of a press-service and for the appropriate collaboration with the Information Department of the UGCC;
c) bless the realization of further steps for the creation of an information agency for the UGCC.
13. To promote the appropriate veneration of the Blessed Martyr Omelian Kovch throughout 2019 which will mark 135 years since his birth and 75 years since his martyrdom and 10 years since he was declared as the Patron of Clergy of the UGCC:
[…]
14. To bless the recognition of 2019 as a year to celebrate the 150-th anniversary since the birth of Blessed Martyr Clement Sheptytsky […]
15. To bless the recognition of 2019 as the 100th anniversary of the passage into eternity of the Venerable Mother Blessed Josaphata Hordashevska, the cofounder of the Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate.
17. Hold the 7th Session of the Patriarchal Sobor (Council) of the UGCC in August 2020 in Lviv, Ukraine.
19. The theme of the 2019 Synod of Bishops of the UGCC will be, “Communion in the Life and Witness of the UGCC”.
