“Allegations that the Greek Catholics violently took away Orthodox churches are absolutely untrue. They simply returned them to its proprietor. And we in letters to the top authorities mention that such assertions we heard, but where is the proof that those are your churches? Please let someone give some notarized and reliable evidence because we do not know of any,” His Beatitude Lubomyr, the head of the UGCC, reported in an interview to the magazine “Glavred.”

According to the Institute of Church History of the Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU), before the beginning of World War II the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church counted 2,387 parishes with the 3.6 million of faithful, including 2,352 eparchial priests, 31 men’s and 121 women’s monasteries, and monastic houses. Under the care of the Church operated a theological academy and three spiritual seminaries where 480 students studied.

Traditionally, on New Year’s Eve, in the church of Annunciation of the Holy Mother of God, which is located on the territory of future Patriarch’s Center of the UGCC in Kyiv a memorial prayer service was celebrated. The prayer service began at 5 p.m. and was led by His Beatitude Lubomyr, Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Halych. With the head of the UGCC concelebrated Reverend Bishop Bohdan (Dzyurakh), head of the Patriarch’s administration, Reverend Bishop Joseph (Milyan), auxiliary bishop of Kyivan Archeparchy, and clergy of the Kyivan Archeparchy.

In 2009 the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church celebrated the 20th anniversary of legalization, which took place after decades of totalitarian prohibition and persecution. In a number of cities, such as Lviv, Drohobych, Ternopil’, Ivano-Frankivs’k, Sambir and others, solemn celebrations of this anniversary were conducted. The people recalled the events of the past 20 years and expressed their gratitude to God for the gift of freedom.

Bishop Lavrentiy (Hutsalyak), Metropolitan of Winnipeg, shared his memories about how our people in Canada perceived the emergence of the Church from the underground with the Information Department. He in particular noted: “For us in Canada this event caused great joy, although it was hard to believe it. We already knew about the political changes in the Soviet Union, but did not know whether these changes would have an effect on the Church’s life in Ukraine. When finally everything was completed with the legalization of our Church we were glad that our people could go to their churches, pray together, meet each other, and be themselves. Freedom is indeed a great gift for which we are infinitely thankful to God.”

Pope Benedict has written a Message to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople, marking yesterdays Feast of St Andrew.
The Message delivered yesterday during the course of a visit to Istanbul by Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, outlined role of the Pope and the historical and spiritual definition of the Petrine ministry.
Yesterday the Vatican delegation participated in celebrations to mark the feast while later today they will take part in bilateral discussions with representatives of the Ecumenical Patriarch. Lydia O’Kane spoke Cardinal Kasper about the delegation’s activities and the Pope’s Letter.

(05 Dec 09 - RV) “The fundamental purpose of Christian education is to promote unity of faith, culture and life”. In his message to the 4^th group of Brazilian bishops to travel to Rome this year on Ad Limina Visit, Pope Benedict focused on education and educators at the service of Brazilian society.

With reference to the culture, he praised the regions Catholic Schools and University’s describing them as two classic places where society is formed and informed in Christian humanism

However added the Pope state schools, may be aided in their educational task by the presence of teachers who are believers - primarily but not exclusively the Catholic religion teachers. Indeed, he said, a healthy secularism of the school does not imply the denial of transcendence, or a mere neutrality with respect to those requirements and moral values that are the foundation of true education of the person, including religious education.