Youth Evangelization Convention in the Eparchy of Stamford

In response to His Beatitude Patriarch Lubomyr Cardinal Husar and the Synod of the Ukrainian Catholic Bishops decree that all the eparchies shall hold a special Convention on the issue of Evangelization in the Modern World.  The Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Stamford held on March 14-15, 2009, a Youth Evangelization Convention entitled “From East to West: A Perfect Sacrifice.  This convention reminded us that the Gospel is always alive for each and every generation! Youth and young adults of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Stamford in response to the pastoral needs to live the mission of the Church and foster community participation resolve:

• to fully connect our daily lives to Jesus Christ
• to the Church as a part of Christian community
• to the mission of the Church in the world
• to a peer community in which our faith is nourished and strengthened

Since our parish communities in the United States of America are small we ought to:

1. become Eucharist centered
2. become smaller faith based communities were members know each other
3. focused on mission to help each others, justice oriented
4. inclusive of diverse people, especially those coming from other traditions
5. celebrating our reach Ukrainian & Byzantine heritage
6. vibrant and welcoming
7. have pastoral imagination

Further more we ought to:

1. have desire to apply spiritual relationship at home, school and work
2. make difference in everybody’s life through our presence
3. live is a spirit of fellowship
4. awareness of the wholeness of life and personality
5. concern for humans
6. desire to do good

Short Term Evangelization:

• Help those who are in need
• Sacrifice
• Pray more for those who fallen away from Church
• Take a friend to the Church
• Thank founder of our community for being example of Christian living
• Volunteer
• A special secret only known to God!

We can accomplish this through more involvement and cooperation among youth in the existing church societies, youth gatherings, conventions, Ukrainian heritage organizations, such as: PLAST, SYM, dances groups, Ukrainian clubs, etc. The Ukrainian Catholic Church of tomorrow must help bring young people into full understanding of life, equip us with faith, love, loyalty to live life at its fullness. http://stamforddio.org/