The Forum of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church (forum.ugcc.org.ua) was launched on the Internet a year ago, on 16 June 2005. During this first year 213 users wrote 788 messages on 176 different questions. According to UGCC statistics, the daily average of posting messages on the site is 2.16. Four sections are now active on the UGCC Forum: “News and Press Releases”, “Church and Society”, “UGCC Abroad”, and “Comments & Proposals”. There’s also a section called “Test-Forum”. “I judge positive the fact that it’s possible to communicate on the forum, because communication between people is very useful”, said the archbishop major of Kiev-Lvov, Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, in hailing the first anniversary of the Forum. “If today we really have at our disposal these technological means that place us in contact with people we don’t know, but with whom we share the same difficulties, sorrows and joys, when we do so with a benevolent spirit, respecting each other, and seeking the truth and the purpose of our life, then I think all that is very positive. I am happy – the archbishop continued – about the existence of this Forum, on which people can express their own opinion, not only to defend freedom of expression, but also to quench the thirst in their own soul. In spite of all the prejudices and difficulties, this technological medium faithfully serves this need”. To the question posed by someone, whether religious leaders should fear possible negative comments on the Church being expressed on the Forum, the cardinal replied: “We should not be afraid. If someone expresses a just criticism, even if negative, that’s fine, because in this way we are able to grasp where we erred and how to remedy the situation”.
