#His Beatitude Sviatoslav

[apenitentialprayer]

War is always a failure for humanity. War is always a moment of shame, a moment in which man's dignity is humiliated. When we strive for peace, everything is possible. When war breaks out, we can lose everything [...] With war, man loses his humanity, especially he who starts war; he who starts war diminishes himself in his humanity. He who kills his neighbor, before all else, destroys the humanity within himself, destroys his own dignity.

- His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, current Major Archbishop of Kiev and head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (x)

Lord, Sower of Peace, guide me from the paths of violence. Let me walk from my desire to inflict harm and use physical force to triumph; instead, reveal through me Your reconciling love. Grace paves the way to peace; let me offer it to others freely and liberally. May fists once clenched open to offer Christ. May words, sharp as swords, bend into vessels of mercy and compassion. Transform me, my God, into a living plowshare, reaping for the Kingdom the seeds sown by the Holy Spirit. I want to be a bearer of Your Son. I desire to instill Your heavenly peace over the earth. Let it begin with me. Amen. (x)

[ginandoldlace]

Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster  Pease continue in your prayer for peace in Ukraine. We join in prayer with His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Major Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and we cry out: No more war, no more violence! We listen as he says: 'We are convinced that the world cannot develop and find answers for the challenges of today by resorting to might and violence, by showing disdain for shared human values and the truth of the Gospel. I call upon all people of good will to not ignore the suffering of the Ukrainian people, brought on by Russian military aggression. We are a people who love peace. And precisely for that reason we are ready to defend it and fight for it. 'Today we call out in prayer to the Almighty Creator, with a special appeal for wisdom for those entrusted with making important decisions for society, in whose hands lies the fate of humanity. We ask the Heavenly Father for assistance in restoring a just peace on Ukrainian land. 'We pray especially for those who defend Ukraine, who in these days are for us an example of loving sacrifice and dedicated service to their people. May the merciful Lord protect them from every danger and crown their efforts with the victory of truth and good. 'We call for the gracious blessing of a loving God and Creator upon Ukraine and its people!' Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer

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Ukraine church leader to be enthroned on Feb 3

Ukraine church leader to be enthroned on Feb 3

The enthronement of Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine Epiphanius will take place on February 3.

Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine Epiphanius stated this at the presentation of a book of Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, on Thursday, January 17, an Ukrinform correspondent said.

“Today I would like to officially announce that the…

[iprayunceasingly-blog]

Ecumenical Patriarch recognizes independence of Orthodox Church of Ukraine

New Post has been published on https://pray-unceasingly.com/catholic-living/catholic-news/ecumenical-patriarch-recognizes-independence-of-orthodox-church-of-ukraine/

Ecumenical Patriarch recognizes independence of Orthodox Church of Ukraine

Istanbul, Turkey, Jan 7, 2019 / 08:01 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople on Saturday signed a tomos of autocephaly for the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, formally recognizing the Church's independence.

The tomos was signed Jan. 5 at St. George's Cathedral in Istanbul, after Bartholomew I concelebrated a Divine Liturgy with Epiphanius I, Metropolitan of Kyiv and primate of the newly-created Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

Among those present at the signing were Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko and several other Ukrainian government officials.

The tomos, or decree, has been delivered to Kyiv, where Epiphanius put it on public display following a Divine Liturgy celebrated Jan. 7 at St. Sophia's Cathedral.

Bartholomew's formal conferral of autocephaly is the culmination of a process that began amid the collapse of the Soviet Union, and gained momentum after Russia's annexation of the Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and Russian backing of separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine.

The Ecumenical Patriarch's intention to create a single, autocephalous Church in Ukraine is motivated by a desire to unify the country’s 30 million Eastern Orthodox Christians, who were until recently split among three Churches: the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate), which is linked to the Russian Orthodox Church, and two Churches which had claimed autocephaly, but were not recognized by other Orthodox Churches: the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Kyiv Patriarchate) and the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church.

Autocephaly for the Orthodox Church in Ukraine has been a fiercely contested subject between the Patriarchs of Moscow and Constantinople, with the Russian Orthodox Church seeing the move as an infringement of its jurisdiction and authority.

Bartholomew had announced Sept. 7 he was sending two envoys to meets with civil and ecclesial leaders in Kyiv to prepare for Ukrainian autocephaly. In response, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow said later that month he would remove Bartholomew's names from the diptychs, and would not concelebrate with him.

The Ecumenical Patriarch declared Oct. 11 he would grant autocephaly to the Orthodox Church in Ukraine. At the same time, he restored to communion Metropolitan Filaret, head of the UOC-KP, and also revoked the right, granted in 1686, of the Russian Patriarch to consecrate the Metropolitan of Kyiv.

In response, the Russian Orthodox Church broke communion with Bartholomew Oct. 15, calling his recognition of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine “lawless and canonically void.” Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chair of external Church relations for the Russian Orthodox Church, said that “the church that acknowledged the schismatics has excluded itself from the canonical field of Orthodoxy.”

The Orthodox Church of Ukraine was established Dec. 15 at a “unification council” held by representatives of the UOC-KP and the UAOC. In addition, two bishops of the UOC-MP, Alexander Drabinko and Simeon Shostatsky, participated in the unification council. Soon afterward, they were declared schismatic by the UOC-MP, and their sees vacant. Both have joined the OCU.

Several UOC-MP parishes have also reportedly joined the OCU.

It was at the unification council that Epiphanius, 39, was elected primate of the OCU. He had previously been Metropolitan of Pereyaslavsky and Bila Tserkva in the UOC-KP.

Along with ecclesial leaders, Poroshenko has been a strong backer of Ukrainian autocephaly. At the conclusion of the unification council he said, “We are now creating an independent Ukraine. And this event is as important as the referendum on our independence adopted more than 27 years ago.”

He linked an independent Church to Ukrainian patriotism, and said: “Autocephaly is part of our state pro-European and pro-Ukrainian strategy, which we have been consistently implementing for almost five years. All this is the basis of our own way of development, development of the state of Ukraine and development of our Ukrainian nation.”

Fr. Alexander Laschuk, a Ukrainian Greek-Catholic priest, canon lawyer, and professor at St. Michael’s College at the University of Toronto, discussed with CNA both the inter-Orthodox and the ecumenical implications of Ukrainian Orthodox autocephaly.

For the Orthodox Church in Ukraine “it's a sign of maturity that the Ecumenical Patriarch, who is first among equals, sees they can be a self-governing Church … that's a sort of vote-of-confidence for the Church in Ukraine.”

Within Eastern Orthodoxy, Laschuk said, the decision also will play into debates about how autocephaly is granted, given that “the power of the Ecumenical Patriarch is not the power of the Holy Father, so how decision are made is much more complicated at times.”

While Constantinople is the traditional and historical center of Eastern Orthodoxy, Moscow has long exercised considerable influence and power, both because of its size and because of its closeness to Russian civil authorities.

The debate over the granting of autocephaly plays into the relations of Constantinople and Moscow, and their relative importance and power. Both the Russian and Ecumenical Patriarchs have written to the heads of the other Eastern Orthodox Churches, asking them not to recognize, and to recognize, respectively, the OCU's autocephaly.

The decision for autocephaly, Laschuk said, will also have a tremendous impact on ecumenism.

For example, because of the presence of Eastern Orthodox bishops with whom it is not in communion, the Moscow Patriarchate chose not to participate in the 2007 meeting at Ravenna of the commission for dialogue between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches.

“It will also affect ecumenical dialogue in the sense of 'who is our bargaining partner', for Catholics,” Laschuk said. Previously, the Holy See dialogued only with the UOC-MP as “canonical Orthodoxy” in the country, but “clearly that's changed” with the recognition of the OCU by Constantinople.

The priest added that he thinks the head of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, “is excited to have a partner with which he can actually dialogue; we won't have the union of the Churches tomorrow, but if you can't even talk to each other, it's hard to get much done …  I think His Beatitude is very happy he has someone with whom he can talk, and be in the same room with, which was not the case previously.”

He commented that “entire regions of Ukraine” are becoming increasingly Seventh-Day Adventist or Pentecostal, and that “collaborative activity by the more traditional Churches is a very welcome thing, as opposed to sort of, warring factions.”

Major Archbishop Shevchuk had written to Epiphanius Dec. 20 to congratulate him on his election as primate of the OCU, commenting, “We have all witnessed how the Lord, through the power and deeds of the Holy Spirit, in cooperation with your good will, heals the wounds of church divisions and enmity, giving opportunity to reconcile with our brother in Christ.”

“At this significant moment, I extend my hand on behalf of our Church to you and all the Orthodox brethren, offering you to begin our path to unity, to the truth. Because the future of the Church, our people and the Ukrainian independent European state depends on how we today will cherish unity and overcome what separates us.”

Major Archbishop Shevchuk added that “we are grateful to the Lord who has blessed the participants of this, without exaggeration, an important event that will enter the history of independent Ukraine as a great God's gift on the way to the complete unity of the Churches of Volodymyr's Baptism.”

He noted that “the Churches of Volodymyr's baptism … live in one liturgical heritage, from the depths of beauty and God-inspired wisdom we draw spiritual strength. Even today, we are not in full eucharistic communion, but are called to jointly overcome the obstacles that stand on the path to unity. This historic mission and the foundation of the future patriarchy of the united Kyivan Church were laid by even the glorious church men Peter Mohyla and Josyf Veliamyn Rutsky.”

The words of the head of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church allude to the 988 baptism of Vladimir the Great, Grand Prince of Kiev, which resulted in the Christianization of Kievan Rus', a state whose heritage Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus all claim.

The Christianization of Kievan Rus' forms the roots of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate).

CNA Daily News – Europe

[catholicwatertown]

Pope sends condolences for death of Cardinal Husar

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has sent a telegram his condolences on the death of His Beatitude, Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, Major Archbishop emeritus of Kyiv-Halyč. The telegram is addressed to Major Archbishop Sviatoslav (Shevchuk), Cardinal Husar’s successor as head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. The UGCC is the largest of the sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches, with more than 4.5 million faithful.

In the telegram, signed by the Pope himself, the Holy Father describes Cardinal Husar as a zealous pastor, and recalled “his tenacious faithfulness to Christ, despite the hardships and persecutions against the Church, as well as his fruitful apostolic activity to promote the organization of Greek Catholic faithful, descendants of families forced to leave western Ukraine, and his efforts to find new ways for dialogue and collaboration with the Orthodox churches.”

Below, please find the full text of Pope Francis’ telegram of condolences for the death of His Beatitude Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, Major Archbishop emeritus of Kyiv-Halyč: His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Halyč

I have learned of the departure of Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, Major Archbishop emeritus of Kyiv-Halyč, and I raise fervent prayers to God that He may grant eternal repose to this zealous pastor. I unite spiritually with the faithful of this diocesan community where he exercised his pastoral ministry, endeavouring with care to serve the rebirth of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. I remember his tenacious faithfulness to Christ, despite the hardships and persecutions against the Church, as well as his fruitful apostolic activity to promote the organization of Greek Catholic faithful, descendants of families forced to leave western Ukraine, and his efforts to find new ways for dialogue and collaboration with the Orthodox churches. In expressing my condolences to the relatives of the departed cardinal, to the clergy and to those who were aided by his episcopal ministry, I wholeheartedly impart a consoling apostolic blessing, as a sign of faith and Christian hope in the risen Lord.

Franciscus pp.

(from Vatican Radio) from News.va http://ift.tt/2qFkzIb via IFTTT from Blogger http://ift.tt/2siH0QT

[apostleshop]

Pope sends condolences for death of Cardinal Husar

Great News has been shared on http://apostleshop.com/pope-sends-condolences-for-death-of-cardinal-husar/

Pope sends condolences for death of Cardinal Husar

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has sent a telegram his condolences on the death of His Beatitude, Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, Major Archbishop emeritus of Kyiv-Halyč. The telegram is addressed to Major Archbishop Sviatoslav (Shevchuk), Cardinal Husar’s successor as head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. The UGCC is the largest of the sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches, with more than 4.5 million faithful.

In the telegram, signed by the Pope himself, the Holy Father describes Cardinal Husar as a zealous pastor, and recalled “his tenacious faithfulness to Christ, despite the hardships and persecutions against the Church, as well as his fruitful apostolic activity to promote the organization of Greek Catholic faithful, descendants of families forced to leave western Ukraine, and his efforts to find new ways for dialogue and collaboration with the Orthodox churches.”

Below, please find the full text of Pope Francis’ telegram of condolences for the death of His Beatitude Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, Major Archbishop emeritus of Kyiv-Halyč:

His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Halyč

I have learned of the departure of Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, Major Archbishop emeritus of Kyiv-Halyč, and I raise fervent prayers to God that He may grant eternal repose to this zealous pastor. I unite spiritually with the faithful of this diocesan community where he exercised his pastoral ministry, endeavouring with care to serve the rebirth of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. I remember his tenacious faithfulness to Christ, despite the hardships and persecutions against the Church, as well as his fruitful apostolic activity to promote the organization of Greek Catholic faithful, descendants of families forced to leave western Ukraine, and his efforts to find new ways for dialogue and collaboration with the Orthodox churches. In expressing my condolences to the relatives of the departed cardinal, to the clergy and to those who were aided by his episcopal ministry, I wholeheartedly impart a consoling apostolic blessing, as a sign of faith and Christian hope in the risen Lord.

Franciscus pp.

(from Vatican Radio) Source link

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6th January >> (@zenitenglish) #PopeFrancis #Pope Francis Offers Warm Wishes to Churches Celebrating Christmas on the 7th January.

Pope Offers Warm Wishes to Churches Celebrating Christmas January 7

Some Eastern Churches, Catholic and Orthodox, Follow the Julian Calendar

Pope Francis on January 6, 2019, wished a “Happy Christmas” to those who will celebrate the occasion on January 7.

His comments came after praying the noonday Angelus with 60,000 of the faithful in St. Peter’s Square.

“Some Eastern Churches, Catholic and Orthodox, which follow the Julian calendar will celebrate Holy Christmas tomorrow,” the Holy Father said. “To them go my warm and fraternal good wishes in the sign of communion among all of us Christians, who acknowledge Jesus as Lord and Saviour. I wish them all a Happy Christmas!”

Christmas Message of His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Head of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church

JANUARY 06, 2019 16:58

ANGELUS/REGINA CAELI

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1st June >> Pope Francis sends condolences for death of Cardinal Husar. His Beatitude Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, Major Archbishop emeritus of Kyiv-Halyč. On Wednesday, Pope Francis sent a telegram of condolence on the death of the former head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. (Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has sent a telegram his condolences on the death of His Beatitude, Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, Major Archbishop emeritus of Kyiv-Halyč. The telegram is addressed to Major Archbishop Sviatoslav (Shevchuk), Cardinal Husar’s successor as head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. The UGCC is the largest of the sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches, with more than 4.5 million faithful. In the telegram, signed by the Pope himself, the Holy Father describes Cardinal Husar as a zealous pastor, and recalled “his tenacious faithfulness to Christ, despite the hardships and persecutions against the Church, as well as his fruitful apostolic activity to promote the organization of Greek Catholic faithful, descendants of families forced to leave western Ukraine, and his efforts to find new ways for dialogue and collaboration with the Orthodox churches.” Below, please find the full text of Pope Francis’ telegram of condolences for the death of His Beatitude Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, Major Archbishop emeritus of Kyiv-Halyč: His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Halyč I have learned of the departure of Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, Major Archbishop emeritus of Kyiv-Halyč, and I raise fervent prayers to God that He may grant eternal repose to this zealous pastor. I unite spiritually with the faithful of this diocesan community where he exercised his pastoral ministry, endeavouring with care to serve the rebirth of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. I remember his tenacious faithfulness to Christ, despite the hardships and persecutions against the Church, as well as his fruitful apostolic activity to promote the organization of Greek Catholic faithful, descendants of families forced to leave western Ukraine, and his efforts to find new ways for dialogue and collaboration with the Orthodox churches. In expressing my condolences to the relatives of the departed cardinal, to the clergy and to those who were aided by his episcopal ministry, I wholeheartedly impart a consoling apostolic blessing, as a sign of faith and Christian hope in the risen Lord. Franciscus pp.

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6th June >> Pope Pays sends final respects for the passing away of the leader of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. ‘I address you, Beatitude, with whom I have a long-standing relationship of knowledge and esteem, to comfort you in the loss of one who was for you a father and spiritual guide’ Pope Francis has sent final respects for the passing away of the leader of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. On May 31, Cardinal Lubomyr Husar of Ukraine, the Major Archbishop Emeritus of Kyiv-Halyč, died following serious illness at age 84. With more than 4.5 million faithful, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church is the largest of the sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches. Upon hearing the news, Pope Francis had sent a telegram of condolences. In a letter sent yesterday to His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Halyč, Ukraine, on the occasion of the funeral of Cardinal Husar, Pope Francis offered his condolences, remembered his contribution to the Church, and offered his prayers for the late cardinal, his loved ones and the people of Ukraine. “I address you, Beatitude, with whom I have a long-standing relationship of knowledge and esteem,” the Pope wrote to Major Archbishop Shevchuk, “to comfort you in the loss of one who was for you a father and spiritual guide.” “Everyone felt that a Christian was speaking,” the Pope acknowledged, “a Ukrainian impassioned by his identity, always full of hope, open to the future of God. He had a word for everyone, he was able to “feel” people with the warmth of his great humanity and his exquisite gentleness.” Francis recalled how he engaged in dialogue with the young, “with whom he had an exceptional capacity for communication,” and how they came to him in great numbers. Noting he is ‘moved’ to think that all Ukraine mourns him, the Holy Father recognized that the nation’s people take comfort in their certainty “that he reposes in the embrace of the heavenly Father.” “They feel that, after having had a coherent and credible example of life, they will be able to benefit from his prayer, with which he will protect his still-suffering people, marked by violence and insecurity, and nonetheless sure that Christ’s love never disappoints,” he said. Here is the Vatican Press Office – provided text of the Pontiff’s letter: *** Letter of the Holy Father To His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Halyč Beatitude, On the day of the Christian celebration of the dear earthly presence of the major archbishop emeritus of Kyiv-Halyč, Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, I wish once again to be among those who pray to the heavenly Father, entrusting to Him the elected soul of our Brother. I am urged to do so by the extraordinary influx of people who in these days have come to pay homage to the mortal remains of the Cardinal and of whom I have come to know. This presence is an eloquent sign of what he was: one of the highest and most respected moral authorities of recent decades for the Ukrainian people. I address you, Beatitude, with whom I have a long-standing relationship of knowledge and esteem, to comfort you in the loss of one who was for you a father and spiritual guide. He was thus for the entire Greek Catholic Church, which he gathered from the “catacombs” where she was forced to flee persecution, and to whom he restored not only the ecclesiastical structures, but above all the joy of her history, founded on faith through and beyond any suffering. After the laborious and intense period of his ministry as “father and head” of the Greek Catholic Church, and with the arrival of old age and illness, his presence among the people changed in style, but, if possible, became even richer and more intense. He regularly intervened in the life of your country as a wise teacher; his way of speaking was simple, understandable to all, but very profound. His was the wisdom of the Gospel, it was the bread of the Word of God broken for the simple, the suffering, for all those who sought dignity. His exhortations were gentle, but also very demanding for all. He prayed tirelessly for all, aware that this was his new duty. And many felt they were represented, addressed and comforted by him, believers and non-believers, even overcoming confessional differences. Everyone felt that a Christian was speaking, a Ukrainian impassioned by his identity, always full of hope, open to the future of God. He had a word for everyone, he was able to “feel” people with the warmth of his great humanity and his exquisite gentleness. He loved, most of all, to engage in dialogue with the young, with whom he had an exceptional capacity for communication, and who came to him in great numbers. I am moved to think that today all Ukraine mourns him, but also that many are certain that he reposes in the embrace of the heavenly Father. They feel that, after having had a coherent and credible example of life, they will be able to benefit from his prayer, with which he will protect his still-suffering people, marked by violence and insecurity, and nonetheless sure that Christ’s love never disappoints. With gratitude for this unique religious and social presence in Ukraine’s history, I invite you to be faithful to his constant teaching and his total trust in Providence. Continue to be aware of his smile and his caress. Upon all over you, beloved Ukrainians, at home and in the diaspora, I invoke abundant heavenly blessings. From the Vatican, 5 June 2017. FRANCIS