“Don’t Let Others Define Your Worth”: Bishop Maksym Ryabukha Meets with Teenagers in Vienna
On September 3, Teen Day was held at the Church of the Holy Family in Vienna. As part of the event, Bishop Maksym Ryabukha, Exarch of Donetsk, presided over the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy and met with young Ukrainians.
This was reported by the Center for the Pastoral Care of Ukrainian Youth in Austria.
Bishop Maksym was joined at the service by Fr. Lyubomyr Dudka and Fr. Damian Haboriy. Teenagers, young adults, and members of the Ukrainian community in Vienna participated in the Liturgy. During the service, prayers were offered for the teenagers and their spiritual growth.
In his homily, Bishop Maksym addressed the youth, urging them to make their own life choices, take responsibility for those choices, and pursue their own vocations.
“Do not be afraid to be yourselves, and do not let others define your worth. Not everything that is popular is good, and not everything that is difficult is wrong. Learn to make your own choices, take responsibility for them, and always keep room for God in your lives. It is only with Him that you can truly understand who you are and where you should go,” said the bishop.
After the Liturgy, Bishop Maksym blessed the participants and spoke with the teenagers.
Father Damian, who is responsible for youth ministry in Austria, noted that one of the goals of Teen Day is to foster ongoing contact between the Church and young people.
“Celebrating Teen Day has given us an opportunity to emphasize the importance of the Church’s constant presence alongside the younger generation—in prayer, dialogue, and spiritual guidance. Indeed, young people are already an active and important part of the Church community,” said Fr. Damian.
The UGCC Department for Information
