“I Share in His Joy Today!” — His Beatitude Sviatoslav on Bishop Mykola Bychok’s Elevation to Cardinal
After the Angelus on Sunday, October 6, 2024, Pope Francis announced a consistory on December 8 to celebrate the installation of the new cardinals. The list also includes Bishop Mykola Bychok, Eparch of Melbourne of the UGCC (Australia).
On this occasion, we had a brief conversation with His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. We offer you to read his comments on Pope Francis’ decision.
Read also:
Pope Announces the Names of New Cardinals, Including Bishop Mykola Bychok
— What was your reaction to the news of Bishop Mykola’s elevation to the cardinalate?
— Naming new cardinals is a personal and sovereign right of a pope. By nominating someone as a cardinal, he invites that person to become his assistant.
I received this news with great joy. We always rejoice when our bishops grow. Bishop Mykola is one of the younger bishops of our Church, and we are only happy that the Pope has noticed him. This signifies that our Church is nominating new candidates for the episcopal order with great dignity and responsibility, representing the best of the Catholic episcopate in the world.
— What is the significance of this announcement for the UGCC?
— Our Church rejoices because it will gain another bishop who, apart from the Head of the Church, will competently appeal to the Pope and defend our Church and the people of Ukraine. Today, our episcopate, convened in the UGCC Synod of Bishops and comprised of bishops from around the world, is more united than ever. We have shown this through various crises that have emerged since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, and we speak with one heart and one voice to Pope Francis, to the Catholic Church in the world, and to the international community. To have another such speaker with the possibilities of cardinal dignity, also in Australia, is not only a significant benefit for the UGCC, but also a wonderful grace of God for our nation and state.
— This means that we are getting another apostle of truth, doesn’t it?
— For any community, diversification of speakers is always a high priority. It’s just wonderful that different people in different parts of the world will unanimously spread the truth about our Church and our people. Thus, as the Head of the Church, I receive a wonderful assistant for this cause, whom I fully support and trust. I share in his joy today!
Interview by Fr. Ihor YatsivPhoto on the eve of Bishop Mykola’s ordination, June 6, 2020
