"Riches are not a misfortune"

Tuesday, 28 October 2008, 10:08

With that title, an interview with His Beatitude Lubomyr, Head of the UGCC, was published in the latest issue of the business weekly "Contracts" (№ 42, October 20, 2008). The main thought of the dialogue of the Head of the UGCC with Yanina Kud', a journalist of "Contracts," are the words of His Beatitude Lubomyr that riches and poverty are not virtue or misfortune, but only a possibility. "Riches and poverty are only an opportunity using which we can be virtuous or not. The renunciation of riches can be called a virtue. For example, monasticism, when a person practices self-renunciation and consciously renounces any property. But, I repeat, life in poverty by itself cannot be a virtue," the Head of the UGCC said. Elsewhere in the interview His Beatitude Lubomyr explained the above-noted idea: "Riches need to be used reasonably. However, it should be remembered that riches are not a curse! Not seldom are there cases when a child from a well-to-do family demonstrates the ability to use the wealth of the parents nobly and reasonably. At the same time, it may happen that a child from a poor family who acquires wealth does not know what to do with it. And he or she begins to abuse the money." In the interview in "Contracts," the Head of the UGCC expressed also the following key thoughts: great wealth is not a curse; the best method of using wealth is the creation of workplaces, and also philanthropy, help for the needy; the Lord God also rewards those who unselfishly help their neighbors materially, and the best proof of the existence of God is the life of such a person. The Ukrainian-language text of the interview of His Beatitude Lubomyr can be read on the official web page of the UGCC: www.ugcc.org.ua/361.0.html.

Information Department of the UGCC