Metropolitan Borys at the Conference for the Clergy in Chicago: “The world needs our love and authenticity”
From October 13 to 16, a conference for the clergy of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in the United States took place in Chicago, bringing together priests from all four eparchies — the Archeparchy of Philadelphia, and the Eparchies of Stamford, Chicago, and Parma.
At the beginning of the gathering, Metropolitan Archbishop Borys Gudziak of Philadelphia greeted the participants on behalf of Bishops Paul Chomnycky, Benedict Aleksiychuk, and Bohdan Danylo, expressing gratitude for their fraternal presence and for the efforts of the organizers. In his address, he emphasized: “Christ desires to share His joy with us completely. It is a great gift to be a priest, even amid challenges. We are called to share the love that transforms the world.”
The theme of the conference was the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea. Over the course of three days, the clergy reflected on the theological, historical, and pastoral significance of Nicaea for the contemporary Church.
Among the speakers were Fr. Yuri Avvakumov, who explored the historical and ecclesiological aspects of the Council of Nicaea; Fr. Andriy Hlabse, SJ, who spoke about its theology; Dr. Donna Dobrowolska, who presented on humanity and the medicine of virtues in light of patristic thought; and Maria Trakalo, a guest lecturer from Ukraine, who spoke about the condition of the clergy during the war in Ukraine.
Throughout the days of the conference, the priests prayed together, listened to presentations, and shared their experiences of ministry, supporting one another in their vocation. The gathering concluded with prayer and the words of Metropolitan Borys: “We are members of the Body of Christ — crucified, risen, and ascended. The world needs our love and authenticity.”
