Vice-Chancellor Fr. Ruslan Borovyi Joins UGCC Pastoral Council Assembly in Rome
From September 15 to 20, 2025, the General Assembly of the Pastoral Council of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church took place at St. Josaphat College in Rome. More than forty representatives from various eparchies, exarchates, and countries came to the Italian capital to reflect together on how the Church today can better serve people. Fr. Ruslan Borovyi, Vice-Chancellor of the Archeparchy, participated in the gathering on behalf of the Archeparchy of Philadelphia.
This year’s main theme was the Christian family. The Synod of Bishops had also focused its reflections on the family this year, and now representatives from different corners of the world—priests, laypeople, and scholars—joined this conversation. They shared their experiences, spoke about the challenges families face today, and sought answers to how the Church can support families in their daily lives.
For several days, participants prayed together, listened to lectures, and worked in small groups. They discussed a wide range of topics: how to help families during wartime, how to raise children in the Christian faith, the role of men in parish life, and how to prepare young people for marriage. Other discussions addressed new liturgical developments, the expectations families have of the Church today, and the growth of lay movements.
Among the speakers were:
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Bishop Arkadiusz Trochanowski, Head of the Patriarchal Commission on the Family and Laity;
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Mr. Roman Prokopiv, Head of the Christian Families Movement;
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Ms. Olesia Kuka, Director of the Institute of Family and Marital Life at UCU;
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Fr. Vasyl Rudeyko, Deputy Head of the Patriarchal Liturgical Commission;
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Dr. Olena Shust, psychologist;
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Mr. Yuriy Pidlissnyi, Deputy Head of the Patriarchal Commission on the Family and Laity;
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Mr. Yevhen Hlibovytsky, Director of the “Frontier Institute.”
A special gift for the participants was their meeting with Pope Leo XIV, the festive Divine Liturgy in St. Peter’s Basilica, and a pilgrimage through the Holy Door.
They also had a warm online conversation with His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Head of the UGCC.
The Pastoral Council is a permanent advisory body to the Head of the Church. Its task is to help implement the decisions of the Synod of Bishops in the life of parishes so that pastoral ministry remains vibrant, responds to contemporary challenges, and touches people’s hearts. Once a year, the Council brings together its members from different continents to learn from one another, share experiences, and seek ways to make the Church’s ministry even closer to people.
