03.05.2007, [14:46] // UGCC // RISU.ORG.UA   

Lviv – “The strength of the individual and the whole people is in their sobriety…” These words of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytskyi, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) from 1901 to 1944, became the motto of the open conference “Problems of alcoholism: State of affairs, treatment and pastoral help,” devoted to the Day of the Sick, which took place on 27 April 2007. It was organized by the Commission on Matters of Health Ministry of the Lviv Archeparchy of the UGCC and supported by the Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU).

According to Dr. Oleh Turii, director of UCU’s Institute of Church History, the historical experience of the UGCC in this sphere should not be neglected in modern conditions. The activity of Metropolitan Joseph Sembratowicz may serve as a bright example of the active participation of the church in the struggle against alcoholism in the late 19th century, in particular his pastoral message “On high human dignity,” given to western Ukrainian clergy in 1874. It analyzed the state of the problem, clearly explained why alcoholism is a sin and to what other sins it leads, and how to solve the problem, among other things by establishing sobriety societies at parishes, which effectively opposed the spread of alcoholism.

Source:

• http://www.ugcc.org.ua/ukr/news/article;5137/