Priest Formation Training Courses for Apostolic Exarchate Held in Germany and Scandinavia
On October 23–26, formation courses for priests of the Apostolic Exarchate in Germany and Scandinavia took place in Kevelary (Germany). Thirty-seven pastors worked on a parish pastoral plan, mastering and utilizing forms and methods of prayerful reading and preaching of the Holy Scriptures, the press service of the Exarchate reports.
The formation course began with an online meeting of the priests with Bishop Bohdan, Apostolic Exarch for Ukrainians of the Byzantine Rite in Germany and Scandinavia, who is currently participating in the Synodal Assembly in Rome.
The bishop highlighted the importance of the role of priests, who are also the voice of the people of God when traveling with their faithful. The Apostolic Exarch then pointed out the three levels of ministry in which the priest participates: parish, exarchal, and local.
While discussing the war in Ukraine, the bishop shared his thoughts on a recent prayer with the Pope focused on migrants and refugees. During it, the Holy Father said four words: “Accept, protect, foster, and integrate,” which Bishop Bohdan subsequently discussed with the clergy during an online meeting. The bishop called on the pastors to open parish communities to newly arrived refugees from the war in Ukraine and then, taking spiritual care of them, to create together a Church that would be at the center of the life of the Ukrainian community.
As part of the formation course, Fr. Andriy Onuferko, Protosyncellus of the Eparchy of Toronto and Eastern Canada and Advisor to the Pastoral Council of the Patriarchal Curia of the UGCC, guided the priests of the Apostolic Exarchate through the pastoral planning of the parish, taking on board the pastoral strategies of the UGCC. Subsequently, the participants formed a plan for pastoral ministry.
Among other things, the priests learned and practiced the forms and methods of prayerful reading and preaching of the Holy Scriptures, led by Fr. Myroslav Lopukh.
At the end of the formation course, Bishop Bohdan addressed the priests and thanked all the participants for their active participation and exchanges.
