As we already reported, on May 12, 13 and 14, 2009, the regular annual Meeting of Eastern Catholic Hierarchs of Europe took place on the premises of the Uzhhorod Seminary of Blessed Martyr Bishop Teodor (Romzha) (CHOCE – Conventus Hierarcharum Orientalium Catholicorum Europae). The theme of this year’s meeting was the sacrament of priesthood in canonical, pastoral, patristic and biblical views.
The meeting began on Tuesday, May 12, with an introductory session. A letter of welcome, sent by His Eminence Leonardo Cardinal Sandri, Prefect of Congregation for the Oriental Churches, who in these days was accompanying the Holy Father on his pilgrimage to the Holy Land, was read to the participants. In the letter, talking about the theme of this year’s meeting, the author, in particular, noted: «I am sincerely glad that precisely this is the theme of your reflection. In fact it is extraordinarily appropriate and relevant, because it brings all the Eastern Catholic Churches of the European continent into the context of the celebration of the year of priestly vocations that was proclaimed for the whole Catholic Church by the Bishop of Rome, His Holiness Benedict XVI.» Later His Excellency Archbishop Ivan Jurkovic, Apostolic Nuncio in Ukraine, welcomed the participants of the meeting.
Then the working sessions started, the first of which included a lecture by Archimandrite Manuel' (Nin), rector of the Pontifical Greek College. The theme of his lecture was the theological and liturgical aspects of the sacrament of priestly ordination. The evening of the first day all the participants of the meeting celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Cathedral of the Holy Dormition of the city of Khust. It was led by Reverend Ihor (Voznyak), Archbishop of Lviv, and a sermon with the eloquent title «In the house of Peter there is room for all» was given by Reverend Bishop Bohdan (Dzyurakh), auxiliary bishop of the Kyiv Archeparchy.
The next day started with a lecture of Fr. Vasyl Cyril, who recently was proclaimed the Secretary of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, simultaneously elevating him to the dignity of archbishop and granting him the titular see of Tolemaida, Lebanon. The reverend official representative of the mentioned dicasterium of the Roman curia read before the gathered participants a lecture about priesthood as cooperation between eparchial bishops and priests. After a lively discussion of this lecture, the participants continued work in small study groups.
The Divine Liturgy was this day celebrated in Mukachevo, the Cathedral of the Holy Dormition. It was led by Reverend Bishop Milan (Sasik), Apostolic Administrator «Ad nutum Sanctae Sedis» of the Eparchy of Mukachevo of the Byzantine rite, and a deeply spiritual sermon pronounced by Reverend Bishop Peter (Rusnak), bishop of Bratislava for Catholics of the Byzantine rite.
On the last day, May 14, a lecture was read to the participants of the meeting about the priesthood of St. Paul the Apostle (Fr. Robert Yager, city of Presov, Slovakia). Consequently the participants welcomed His Eminence Peter Cardinal Erdo, Head of the Council of Episcopal Conferences of Europe (CCEE). The distinguished guest acquainted the participants of the meeting with the structure and activity of the organization headed by him and answered the questions of participants of the conference, and consequently pronounced a lecture on the theme «Freedom, religious support and reciprocity between Christian confessions.»
In the afternoon the participants of this year’s meeting were present at the opening in the city of Uzhhorod of a monument devoted to the anniversary of the exit from the underground of the Mukachevo Eparchy. Consequently in the local cathedral a Divine Liturgy took place, led by Reverend Bishop Jan (Babyak), Archbishop Metropolitan of Presov (Slovakia), and Reverend Bishop Vasile (Bizau) of the Curia of the Major Archbishopric of Blazh (Romania) preached.
This year’s meeting gathered a record amount of participants, 37, from 13 countries of Europe. Thus, present were:
1. THE PARTICIPANTS:
1.1 Ukraine
His Beatitude Lubomyr
Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Halych
The Most Reverend Bishop Ihor (Voznyak)
Archbishop of Lviv for Ukrainians
Reverend Bishop Yulian (Voronovskyj)
Bishop of Sambir and Drohobych for Ukrainians
Reverend Bishop Milan (Sasik)
Apostolic Administrator «ad nutum Sanctae Sedis» Eparchy of Mukachevo Byzantine rite
Reverend Bishop Stepan (Meniok)
Exarch of Donets’k-Kharkiv of the Major Archbishopric
Reverend Bishop Vasyliy (Semenyuk)
Administrator of the Ternopil-Zboriv Eparchy for Ukrainians
Reverend Bishop Volodymyr (Viytyshyn)
Bishop of Ivano-Frankivs’k for Ukrainians
Reverend Bishop Sofron (Mudryj)
Bishop-emeritus of Ivano-Frankivs’k for Ukrainians
Reverend Bishop Mykolay (Simkaylo)
Bishop of Kolomyja and Chernivtsi for Ukrainians
Reverend Bishop Hlib (Lonchyna)
Bishop of the Curia of the Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Halych
Apostolic Visitator for Ukrainian Greek-Catholics in Ireland
Reverend Bishop Vasyliy (Ivasiuk)
Exarch of Odesa and Crimea of the Major Archbishopric
Reverend Bishop Bohdan (Dziurakh)
Auxiliary bishop of the Kyiv Archeparchy
Reverend Bishop Yaroslav (Pryriz)
Auxiliary bishop of the Sambir and Drohobych Eparchy for Ukrainians
Reverend Bishop Josaphat (Hovera)
Exarch of Luts’k of the Major Archbishopric
Reverend Bishop Taras (Senkiv)
Auxiliary bishop of the Eparchy of Stryj for Ukrainians
Reverend Father Dmytro (Hryhorak)
Apostolic Administrator «ad nutum Sanctae Sedis» of the Eparchy of Buchach for Ukrainians
Reverend Father Yosyf (Milyan)
Auxiliary bishop-elect of the Kyiv Archeparchy
1.2 Italy
Reverend Bishop Erkolye (Lupinacci)
Bishop of Lungru of Italo-Albanians of continental Italy
Reverend Bishop Soter (Ferrara)
Bishop of Piana Delli Albanesi Sicily
Reverend Bishop Dionisiy (Liakhovych)
Apostolic Visitator for Ukrainian Greek-Catholics in Italy and Spain
Highly Reverend Archimandrite Emilian (Fabricatore)
Abbot of the territorial abbey of Saint Mary in Grottaferrata
1.3 Slovakia
The Most Reverend Bishop Yan (Babyak)
Archbishop-metropolitan of Presov for Byzantine rite Catholics
Reverend Bishop Milan (Khavtur)
Bishop of Cochise for Byzantine rite Catholics
Reverend Bishop Peter (Rusnak)
Bishop of Bratislava for Byzantine rite Catholics
1.4 Czech Republic
Reverend Bishop Ladyslav (Huchko)
Apostolic Exarch for Byzantine rite Catholics in the Czech Republic
1.5 Hungary
Reverend Bishop Philip (Kichis)
Bishop of Hajdudorog for Byzantine rite Catholics of all Hungary,
Apostolic Administrator «ad nutum Sanctae Sedis» Apostolic Exarchate of Mishkoltsu for Byzantine rite Catholics in Hungary
1.6 Greece
Reverend Bishop Dumitros (Salakhas)
Apostolic Exarch for Byzantine rite Catholics of Greek descent in Greece
1.7 Cyprus
Reverend Bishop Yussiph (Suiph)
Maronite Archbishop of Cyprus
1.8 Bulgaria
Reverend Bishop Christo (Proykov)
Apostolic Exarch of Sophia for Byzantine-Slavonic rite Catholics in Bulgaria
1.9 Romania
Reverend Bishop Virgil (Berchea)
Bishop of Oradei Mare
Reverend Bishop Alexandry (Mesian)
Bishop of Liugozhu
Reverend Bishop Vasile (Bizau)
Bishop of the Curia of the Major Archbishopric of Blazh
1.10 Germany
Reverend Bishop Piotr (Kryk)
Apostolic Exarch for Byzantine rite Ukrainians in Germany and Scandinavia
1.11 Poland
The Most Reverend Bishop Ivan (Martynyak)
Metropolitan of Przemysl and Warsaw, Byzantine Ukrainian rite
Reverend Bishop Volodymyr Roman (Juszczak)
Bishop of Wroclaw-Gdansk, Byzantine Ukrainian rite
1.12 Serbia
Reverend Bishop Yuriy (Dzhudzhar)
Apostolic Exarch of Serbia and Montenegro
1.13 Byelorussia
Highly Reverend Archimandrite Jan Serhiy (Gayek)
Apostolic Visitator for Greek-Catholics in Belarus
2. Guests:
His Eminence Peter Cardinal Erdo
Head of the ССЕЕ
The Most Reverend Bishop Ivan Jurkovic
Apostolic Nuncio in Ukraine
Reverend Bishop Sviatoslav (Shevchuk)
Auxiliary bishop of the Eparchy of the Protection of the Virgin Mary in Buenos Aires
The Most Reverend Fr. Cyril (Vasyl)
Secretary of the Congregation for Oriental Churches, Archbishop elect of the titular see of Tolemayida, Lebanon
Reverend Fr. Vasyl Hovera
Delegate of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches for Greek-Catholics in Kazakhstan
Highly Reverend Archimandrite Giovanni (Skarabelli)
Archimandrite of the title of Mercy of God
Reverend Fr. Ferentz Yanka
General vice-secretary of the ССЕЕ
At the conclusion it was decided that the next meeting of the Eastern Catholic hierarchs of Europe will take place on October 7–10, 2010, in Bulgaria.