UGCC

Beloved Youth in Christ—in Ukraine and abroad! Palm Sunday, the Feast of our Lord’s entry into Jerusalem, is the day when our Church with special attention embraces you in her thoughts and prayers. Our tradition of engaging with you in prayer is a most important experience, especially now, when, because of quarantine restrictions and social distancing, we must make an even greater effort to keep our connection vibrant and strong. COVID-19 has impacted all of us: the old and the young, families and communities—which is why the Church wishes to stand by every human being. However, we especially want to…

Holy Thursdayin the Year of our Lord 2021 Dearly Beloved Brothers in the Priesthood of Christ! This year, as we experience the profound mystery of Holy Thursday, we hear the special invitation of our Lord Jesus Christ to once again sit down with Him at the mystical banquet of the Last Supper. Our spiritual eyes are directed towards the only and eternal Celebrant of the Divine Liturgy—our Saviour and Teacher, who leans down towards contemporary humanity, wounded by the current pandemic, and scourged by new types of loneliness, poverty, suffering, and despair. This Servant-Minister rises from His place of honour…

To the Very Reverend Clergy,Monastics and Religious Sisters and Brothers, Seminariansand Laity of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Canada: Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen! Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, This is the day that the Lord has made;let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24) The Easter event is filled with much dramatic activity! The women go to the tomb where Jesus’ body was placed. We are told that there was a great earthquake. An angel appears to the women telling them not to be afraid. Jesus is not there. Jesus has been raised. The…

Most Reverend Archbishops and Bishops,Very Reverend and Reverend Fathers,Venerable Brothers and Sisters in Monastic and Religious Life,Dearly Beloved Laity in Christ of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church Christ is Risen! Bearing torches let us meet the bridegroom, Christ,As He comes forth from His tomb,And let us greet, with joyful song, the saving Pascha of God.Ode 5, Paschal Canon Beloved in Christ! Today the heart is jubilant, the soul rejoices, feet rush to church, arms stretch out to the Lord, resounding song comes from our mouths, for this day is truly the feast of feasts and solemnity of solemnities: “Christ is risen…

Christ is Born! Glorify Him! Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.Luke 1:28 Dearly Beloved in Christ! With what mixed emotions did the Mother of God experience the Annunciation when the Archangel Gabriel greeted her? On one hand, she experienced fear and confusion about what was taking place in her life: physically, bearing Jesus in her womb while not yet [fully] married, and spiritually, being filled with the Holy Spirit and overwhelmed with peace and joy! Nine months later, at the birth of her Son Jesus, she continued to treasure and ponder all these words in her heart. And…

Prot. N. 20/349 ENG Most Reverend Archbishops and Metropolitans, God-loving Bishops, Very Reverend Clergy, Venerable Monastics, Dearly Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Ukraine and throughout the world For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor,so that you by his poverty might become rich.2 Cor 8:9 Christ is born! Glorify Him! Beloved in Christ! It is hard to believe how our life has changed from the final carol of last year to the first “Boh Predvichnyj” (God Pre-eternal) of this year’s Christmas Eve. Throughout 2020 we were, it…

Pastoral Letter of the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church of 2020 to the clergy, religious, and laity Very Reverend and Reverend Fathers!Venerable Brothers and Sisters in Religious Life!Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ! I. “The poor you always have with you” (Jn 12:8): the faces and dimensions of poverty around us 1. With the present Pastoral Letter of the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC, we, your Pastors, wish to direct our gaze, together with you, on the suffering poor person, whose silent cry often fails to reach the ears and hearts of our contemporaries. The poor,…

https://youtu.be/0uc45ywkab8 To the Very Reverend Clergy, Monastics and Religious Sisters and Brothers, Seminarians and Laity of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Canada: Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord – Christ is Risen! Христос Воскреc! How difficult it is during the darkness of the COVID 19 pandemic, with closed churches and empty streets, to respond with enthusiasm to this greeting of joy – Indeed, He is Risen! Воістину Воскрес! Rather, we might feel urged to chant the words from the psalm the Church sings on the Sundays preceding Great Lent: “By the rivers of Babylon there we sat and wept,…

Most Reverend Archbishops and Bishops,Very Reverend and Reverend Fathers,Venerable Brothers and Sisters in Monastic and Religious Life,Dearly Beloved Laity in Christ of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church Christ is Risen! When those bound by chains in the realm of HadesSaw Your boundless mercy,They hastened to the light with joy, O Christ,Praising the eternal Pascha. Ode 5, Paschal Canon Beloved in Christ! This year we are celebrating Christ’s Pascha in particular circumstances. Many of us spent the season of Great Lent at home, isolated from others, physically distant from our churches and parish communities. Yet even in such challenging conditions, no one…