Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Philadelphia, PA

I began sharing the thoughts of our Metropolitan about our Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church in the United States. He went on to state that in order for us to truly become a real Church here in this country, we must strive to develop Church decision-making structures which provide for greater   involvement of laity. Our Church must be less hierarchical and involve the faithful. On the other hand, the faithful must learn to accept decisions made for the larger common good and not look to a hierarchical decision to suit specific desires.

We must, our Metropolitan wrote, radically reorient ourselves within our parishes and communities to give greater attention to the needs of our children and youth. Religious education programs must be offered not just for the understanding of the reception of the mysteries of Holy Communion and Reconciliation. Religious education must be provided at all levels, including Adult Discussion Groups, so that all members have a firm understanding of our faith and worship.

Our Metropolitan further states, our sense of community, of family, needs to be fostered by welcoming committees in every parish. We must be prepared to welcome strangers and assist them in becoming engaged in our worship.

I would add that our worship can be challenging for those exposed to it for the first time. People feel welcome if they don’t feel lost in following the Liturgy, especially if they have never attended one before. In particular, it is probably helpful to speak to them about the difference in our Communion and advise them how to receive.

While our Metropolitan shared many other ideas, I believe these are some of the main points. I would like to share some further ideas about our Church.

One of the principal differences between the Roman Catholic Church and our Church is our relationship to the local people. The Roman Church in its structural organization and in its liturgical aspect is basically a universal, supranational entity. Our Church, on the other hand, is closer to local cultural tradition. Therefore it is tightly united with the destiny of a local nation. Thus, our Church cannot be easily separated from its people and traditions.

Although we are Greek-Catholic and our services and many of our traditions were influenced by the Byzantine experience of Christianity, we have developed a host of customs and traditions which are unique to Our Church. Like all customs, they are quite universal in thought and, if properly presented, can be embraced by all.