«I am looking for priests who have a missionary spirit»: Bishop Sviatoslav (Shevchuk) on ministering in Argentina

«Our Church in Ukraine is stepping into a fully new stage of its existence and development. Thus, the Church in Ukraine is starting to be the root of our Church, which is shared with the entire world. Moreover, it is becoming able to help our eparchies abroad. Up to this time such help was carried out at the level of the clergy… Now, at this new stage of our church life, presumably, the turn has now come to the episcopacy.»  So Bishop Sviatoslav (Shevchuk), auxiliary bishop of the Eparchy of the Protection of the Virgin Mary in Buenos Aires, said in an interview for Radio Resurrection, speaking about how he estimates the circumstance that a candidate for episcopal ministry abroad has been appointed from Ukraine. This, according to Bishop Sviatoslav, is proof that the Church in Ukraine, as the mother Church, now can help organize church life not only on parochial levels but also at the eparchial level.  Consequently in the interview the speakers discussed the main problem in the life of our Church in Argentina, the shortage of priests. Today in Argentina, according to parish lists, there are 160 thousand Ukrainian Greek-Catholics, who are spread over all the territory of Argentina, which has an area four times greater than Ukraine. For such an amount of our faithful there are only 17 priests, although there are approximately 50 parishes. «There are very many young boys who want to become priests. There are many vocations, but no one is ‘calling’ them. Therefore, my task is to call, and consequently it will be considered very seriously so that these vocations can be realized.» So said the auxiliary bishop of the Eparchy of the Protection of the Virgin Mary in Buenos Aires speaking about the measures he will take to correct this failing. One such measure there is the creation of our own seminary in Argentina. In addition, according to Bishop Sviatoslav, after a certain period of education of seminarians in Argentina, they can be sent on to study in Ukraine or to Roman colleges and institutions. «Considering such great pastoral needs, I have applied, am applying, and will continue applying for help to our bishops in Ukraine and I am looking for priests who have a missionary spirit and are ready to start such missionary work in Argentina,» noted Bishop Sviatoslav. Among other first priority tasks which need to be decided already now, according to the auxiliary bishop, is familiarization. «I have set the task for myself to visit every Ukrainian community, every Ukrainian association,» said Bishop Sviatoslav.  The interview of Bishop Sviatoslav (Shevchuk) for Radio Resurrection can be read on our web page at: www.ugcc.org.ua/677.0.html. Information On Tuesday, April 7, 2009, the Feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Mother of God, in the Cathedral of Saint George in Lviv the hierarchal ordination of Reverend Bishop Sviatoslav (Shevchuk), auxiliary bishop of the Eparchy of the Protection of the Virgin Mary in Buenos Aires, took place. The decision to appoint Father Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Ph.D., rector of Holy Spirit Seminary in Lviv, as the auxiliary bishop of the Eparchy of the UGCC in Argentina, giving him the titular see of Castra de Galba, was promulgated simultaneously in the Vatican and Ukraine on January 14, 2009. The following came for the ordination in Lviv: His Beatitude Lubomyr, Head of the UGCC, Apostolic Nuncio in Ukraine Archbishop Ivan Jurkovic, Apostolic Nuncio in Georgia Archbishop Claudio Guggerotti, 18 bishops of the UGCC from Ukraine and from abroad, bishops of the Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine, and priests and laity. Participating in the general prayer were regional and city authorities.

Information Department of the UGCC