His Beatitude Sviatoslav during a banquet in Philadelphia:
In order to successfully build a patriarchate,
we need to bring our Church to a new level
First of all, we want to congratulate our community of St. Sophia in the United States. I am glad that I am its member. I feel responsible for you, your work and for your future. However, I especially want to thank the “Saint Sofia” Association for restoring the Patriarchal Foundation.
It is important that we all join in the creation of patriarchal structures, because without this it will not be possible to fulfill the will of Patriarch Josyf,” said His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Head and Father of the UGCC, at the solemn banquet in Philadelphia on Saturday, May 11, 2019.
The event was attended by representatives of the Knights of Columbus, the World Congress of Ukrainians, the Ukrainian Catholic Foundation, the Foundation of the Ukrainian Free University, the “Mother in Prayer” community, representatives of other organizations and societies as well as the clergy, laity, guests and friends of the “Saint Sofia” Association.
“Behind us – more than four decades of hard labor. Before us – new ideas, ideas, projects, challenges, perspectives and new vision. The whole Christian world – in the East and in the West – is in debt to Patriarch Josyf Slipyj,” stressed Dr Iryna Ivankovych, chairman of the St. Sophia religious society in the United States which marks the 45th anniversary of its activities.
In the opinion of His Beatitude Sviatoslav, now the most ddifficult task is left – to build patriarchate.
“I ask myself and God: what does it mean to us to fulfill our mission? When Patriarch Josyf Slipyj was released from Stalin concentration camps, he set three goals,” said the Primate. “The first task – creation of an intellectual center, in particular the Ukrainian Catholic University of St. Clement Pope in Rome, the re-establishment of the Studite monasticism and the struggle for the patriarchiate. I think if we look at that Divine wisdom, then we will see that this is a peculiar spiritual testament of Patriarch Josyf for us, his descendants.”
According to him, all questions lead us to God’s wisdom. “His Beatitude, Lyubomyr Husar, said that the patriarchate is not an end in itself, but primarily a tool for us to gather all those scattered all over the world.”
And later he added: “In order for us to successfully build a patriarchate, we need to raise our Church to a new level of its life and existence, – the level of communication, mutual respect and understanding, a shared responsibility for the fate of the Church and the people.”
In addition, in his speech, the Head of the UGCC also mentioned the current challenges in Ukraine. He believes that “we should build a patriarchate and extend our hand to the Orthodox brethren for unity.”
In the end, His Beatitude Sviatoslav said that the Patriarchal Foundation would be the foundation for completing the dreams of Patriarch Josyf Slipyj and expressed his deep gratitude for the donations that mecenats had already made for the restored fund.
Reference
On April 21, 1974, His Beatitude Josyf Slipyj, founded the Saint Sofia Society in the United States. He personally selected and appointed all the first members, led by Dr. Romana Navrotka. It was the second St Sofia Association after the parent body in Rome. Patriarch Josyf Slipy established it to support and develop such patriarchal achievements as: St. Sophia Cathedral in Rome, the UCU and its two branches (at that time in Washington D.C. and Philadelphia), the Church of the Holy Martyrs Sergius and Bacchus, and others. The Patriarch found support for his undertakings mainly among the laity.
Photo: www.facebook.com/stsophiausa/
The UGCC Department for Information
«Господь є правдивий. Він дотримується всіх своїх обіцянок! Адже Всевишній нас любить і хоче добра для нас. Тому так важливо, щоб усе те, що ми вчимо у школах, зокрема через вивчення свого коріння, було дорогою до особистої зустрічі з нашим Небесним Отцем. Якщо ви знайдете Його, то знайдете все, а якщо Ви його не знайдете, то втратите все, що тепер маєте. Тому я вас заохочую глибоко любити свої звичаї, культуру, мову, а також знайти і полюбити найбільший скарб, який має наш народ, — це наша християнська віра», — такими словами звернувся духовний лідер греко-католиків до старшокласників.Він запевняє, що нашою «точкою опори» є передусім Господь, бо на Нього завжди можна опертися, особливо в сучасному швидкоплинному світі.
On Friday May 10, 2019 Father and Head of the UGCC His Beatitude Sviatoslav met with graduates of our Ukrainian school and paid a visit to the General Province of sisters of St. Basil in the USA. His Beatitude wondered about their lives and activity in the USA and told about the actual situation in Ukraine and the Church.
Later Head of the Church visited the General Province of sisters of St. Basil in the USA. Here sisters together with their superior met the guests and invited them for a festive dinner.
У міжнародному аеропорту м. Ньюарк Главу УГКЦ зустрічали владика Андрій Рабій, Апостольський адміністратор Філадельфійської архиєпархії, та д-р Ірина Іванкович, голова 
Мета візиту Блаженнішого Святослава – участь в урочистостях з нагоди 45-ліття Товариства «Свята Софія» США, які відбуватимуться 11 травня в Українському освітньо-культурному центрі в Дженкінтаун. Головною подією святкування буде святковий бенкет, який відбудеться в суботу і розпочнеться о 18.00. Під час бенкету буде офіційно повідомлено про відновлення діяльності Патріаршого фонду. Цей фонд було відкрито у 1977 році з нагоди святкування 85-ліття з дня народження і 60-ліття священства Блаженнішого Йосифа.
On Monday, February 18th, 2019, the Vatican Information Service announced that the Holy Father has appointed Most Rev. Borys Gudziak as Archbishop of Philadelphia for Ukrainians and Metropolitan for the Ukrainian Catholic Church in USA and thus concurring with the recommendation of the appointment offered by the Synod of Ukrainian Catholic Bishops, which met in September of 2018 in Lviv, Ukraine. The Archeparchy of Philadelphia was declared by Pope Francis as “sede vacante” following the resignation of Most Rev. Stefan Soroka on April 16, 2018. Most Rev. Andriy Rabiy was named by Pope Francis as the Apostolic Administrator of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia until the appointment of the new Metropolitan-Archbishop. At the present time Most Rev. Borys Gudziak serves as the eparch of St. Volodymyr the Great Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy, which includes France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxemburg and Switzerland. He is the founder and president of the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv, Ukraine. In addition, Archbishop Borys is the head of Department of External Church Relations of the Ukrainian Catholic Church. Bishop Andriy Rabiy, Apostolic Administrator, Bishop John Bura, Auxiliary Bishop, clergy, monastic orders and faithful of the Archeparchy of Philadelphia wholeheartedly and joyfully welcome the news and invite everyone to the installation of Most Rev. Borys Gudziak as the seventh Metropolitan-Archbishop for the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia, which will take place on Tuesday, June 4, 2019, at the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Philadelphia, PA.
