“Mudra Sprava” team presents activities at the 100th session of the UGCC Hierarchical Synod

The main theme of this session of the UGCC Hierarchical Synod in Ukraine was “The Humanitarian Situation and Social Service in Ukraine”. The UGCC Department of Social Ministry, headed by Bishop Vasyl Tuchapets, prepared the topic for discussion. During the session, bishops heard a key report from Pavlo Frolov, People’s Deputy of Ukraine and head of the Provisional Special Commission of the Verkhovna Rada, on protecting the rights of internally displaced persons and war-affected individuals. Additional reports were presented by Father Serhiy Tryfyak (Syncellus for Social Service, Kolomyia Eparchy, and Director of Caritas-Kolomyia), Ms. Tetiana Stawnychy (President of Caritas Ukraine), Ms. Mariana Kashchak (Director of the Ukrainian Educational Platform), and Mr. Mykola Mostoviak (National Delegate of the Knights of Columbus).

The hierarchs received with alarm and sorrow information (mainly from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs / OCHA Ukraine) that out of the 32.9 million current residents of Ukraine, 16.3 million are chronically affected by the war (≈50 %), 12.7 million need assistance, and over 4 million have lost their homes. To repair the damage caused by the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, a sum equivalent to 524 billion US dollars is needed. All bishops agreed with the words of His Beatitude Sviatoslav that “in Ukraine, we are experiencing a huge humanitarian crisis. But together with people from all over the world, each of whom has contributed their share, we managed to avert a humanitarian catastrophe. Unfortunately, people are dying from shelling and missile strikes, but thanks to our joint efforts, no one has died from hunger or cold.”

The synodal fathers deliberated on consolidating efforts to overcome the challenges of wartime hardship and the need for a special manifestation of the Church’s maternal face while considering the main topic of this jubilee session of the Hierarchical Synod. They adopted a series of decisions aimed at ensuring the effective response of the UGCC in Ukraine to the humanitarian crisis caused by military aggression.

In the section of discussion topics, the pastoral situation in the UGCC in Ukraine was considered, on which the hierarchs of the Donetsk, Kharkiv, and Odesa Exarchates and the Kyiv Archeparchy of the UGCC reported.

His Beatitude Sviatoslav informed the hierarchs about the current state of Ukrainian — Polish relations, the beginning of the exhumation and reburial of the victims of the Volyn tragedy, and the positive impact of this humanitarian act on understanding between our peoples, as well as the participation of the UGCC in this process.

Mr. Taras Dobko, Rector of the Ukrainian Catholic University, reported on the mission and activities of the Ukrainian Catholic University. He spoke about plans for academic development, namely the establishment of the UCU Faculty of Law; the bachelor’s program “Robotics”; the bachelor’s program “Physical Therapy”; the School of Holistic Development; and UCU-Online — a platform for distance learning that provides access to quality education regardless of location.

Mr. Andriy Kostiuk, Head of the Advisory Board, UCU Senator, lecturer at Lviv Business School and UCU School of Law, provided more detailed information about the UCU Faculty of Law as an academic community where intellectually independent lawyers are formed who are aware of their potential impact on society and capable of directing this impact to serve good, truth, and beauty—a community that contributes to the transformation of the legal system in Ukraine based on respect for dignity, freedom, and the rule of law.

Members of the Synod heard a report on the activities of the UGCC Bureau of Ecology compiled by its head, Mr. Volodymyr Sheremeta. The hierarchs noted the high activity and effectiveness of this church structure, thanked Mr. Volodymyr and all eco-referents of the eparchies and exarchates for their diligent work, and blessed them for further service.

Kateryna Ebel, a representative of the German Catholic Church’s organization for aid to the Church in Eastern Europe “Renovabis,” reported to the synodal fathers on its activities in Ukraine.

The Patriarchal Econome of the UGCC, Father Lyubomyr Yavorskyy, reported to the Synod on the state of affairs of the UGCC in Ukraine in the financial and economic sphere and presented to the hierarchs a report on the activities of the Patriarchal Foundation “Mudra Sprava.”

The 101 st session of the Hierarchical Synod of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in Ukraine is scheduled to be held in the fourth quarter of 2025.