The new challenge for the Greek-Catholic Church of Ukraine is that of working for emigrants. Discussion focused on this aspect of pastoral care in the Curia of the archdiocese of Lvov for Catholics of Byzantine rite in Ukraine, at a meeting with rectors of seminaries of Byzantine rite and religious superiors. According to Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, archbishop of Ukrainian Greek-Catholics, the Greek-Catholic Church in Ukraine must grow in three directions: “at the parish level, including the creation of new parishes; at the missionary and at the ecumenical level”. “But the new challenge for the Greek-Catholic Church in Ukraine is working with emigrants”, said Cardinal Husar. Some steps have already been taken in this direction, by sending priests abroad to provide for the spiritual needs of Ukrainian faithful of Byzantine rite in Italy, Spain and Ireland, even if the supply of priests remains short. The Justice and Peace Commission of the archdiocese of Lvov has meanwhile written a letter to President of the Republic Iuschenko, to President of the Parliament Moroz and to Prime Minister Ianucovich, appealing for the ratification of the European Convention of the Rights of Migrant Workers of 1977 and the UN Convention for the Rights of Migrants and their Families, especially to ensure that those who return home be properly reintegrated in society. Another important event in the religious life of Ukraine, the solemnity of the founder of the Congregation of oriental rite named after him, the Basilian Fathers, was celebrated in the church of St. Basil in Kiev on Sunday 14 January. For the Greek-Catholic Church of Ukraine, said the Apostolic Nuncio Msgr. Ivan Jurkovic, at the end of the solemn liturgical celebration presided over by Bishop Bogdan Dzierach, “the feast of St. Basil, who may be considered the founder of Western monasticism, is the second in importance, after the Nativity of Jesus, in the Christmas period”.
