UGCC Synod of Bishops Analyzes Church Communication During Times of War
On September 5, 2023, the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC, which is taking place in Rome, worked on the central theme “Pastoral Support for Victims of War.” As part of the main topic, Fr. Mykola Motruk delivered a report on “Church Communication of the UGCC in the Time of War: Recent Experience, Current Needs and Challenges, Recommendations.”
Concerning previous experience, Fr. Motruk noted that “the impetus for the revitalization of church structures and integration into the digital space” was the active phase of the coronavirus pandemic. “Through rapid digitalization, the UGCC already had some experience meeting future challenges. Such crises only created additional opportunities for the Church to regain its rightful place in the public space,” the speaker said.
The priest noted that “the Church already had a solid basis for establishing communication in times of crisis.” “That is why, in the first days of the war, the UGCC’s communication did not halt but was promptly reorganized. The Church and its structures became even more media-present than before,” emphasized Fr. Mykola.
The speaker noted the daily video messages of His Beatitude Sviatoslav, which he began recording from the first hours of the Russian invasion. The average number of views on YouTube is 9135, Instagram — 4500, Facebook — 5300.
Father Motruk noted that “through social networks, the UGCC managed to unite people who are now scattered around the world.” “Moreover, broadcasts of divine services, programs discussing current topics, radio broadcasts, and the online prayer ‘Vervytsya Yednae’ (‘Rosary Unites’) have become the main ones in overcoming barriers across borders. The effect of virtual presence allowed the Church to keep the community affected by challenges in unity,” the speaker stated.
Communication with the world was an equally important step. Interviews with foreign publications, mailings with important information, participation in television programs, and personal conversations with the Head of the UGCC, bishops, and priests played a pivotal role in uniting the countries. They helped to represent the situation in which Ukrainians found themselves comprehensively.
The speaker assumed that a full-scale invasion, hypothetically, has built new media channels for the UGCC, both of national and global importance, as the issue of Ukraine has become relevant to the whole world. Moreover, the tools of mass communication that used to alienate people from God have been transformed into a means of ministry that brings them closer to the Church and the course of events unfolding in Ukraine.
“In conclusion,” said Fr. Mykola Motruk, “we should pay due respect to the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, which, in a critical period, successfully entered a new space for itself to raise its voice and evangelize. However, there is still much work to be done in the virtual field.”
The speaker gave his recommendations for improving church communication in times of war. Among them, in particular, to become “one step closer to young people” by joining the Tik-Tok network with social topics, creating a brand book of church structures, and developing a convenient mobile application for the UGCC.
The UGCC Department for Information
