His Beatitude Sviatoslav Thanks Clergy for Their Service and Encourages Them to Embrace New Challenges

All four bishops leading the UGCC structures in the U.S. joined the discussion: Metropolitan Borys Gudziak (Philadelphia), Bishop Paul Chomnycky (Stamford Eparchy), Bishop Bohdan Danylo (Eparchy of St. Josaphat in Parma), and Bishop Venedykt Aleksiychuk (Eparchy of St. Nicholas in Chicago).

The meeting began with a joint Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. In his homily, delivered in both Ukrainian and English, His Beatitude Sviatoslav expressed gratitude to the priests and sisters for their service, emphasizing its missionary nature:

“I want to thank each and every one of you. When the Lord called you to the priesthood or religious life, you responded, ‘Yes.’ Thank you for being mediators of God's presence among us.”

He also encouraged them to remain open to the Church’s call:

“If today the Church calls you to a new task, a mission, a parish, or a monastery—do not refuse.”

Reflecting on the war in Ukraine and the daily dangers of death, His Beatitude Sviatoslav urged those present to view their lives and ministry through the lens of eternity:

“I invite you to look at yourselves, your work, your life, and everything you do from the perspective of eternity. All our efforts—whether episcopal, priestly, or even civic—take on a different meaning in that light.”

Following the Liturgy, the gathering continued in the cathedral hall with an open conversation. His Beatitude shared reflections on the situation in Ukraine and how the Church continues its ministry despite constant danger, air raids, power outages, and the deep trauma affecting all aspects of society.

He also spoke about the crucial role of chaplaincy:

“Chaplaincy is a demanding service that requires great sacrifices. A priest who becomes a chaplain must leave his parish or even his home and dedicate himself entirely to this mission.”

Metropolitan Borys Gudziak expressed gratitude to His Beatitude Sviatoslav for meeting with the clergy and religious, as well as for the two previous days of prayer and presence among the faithful of the Archeparchy.