Formation Seminar for Students of the Catechetical-Pedagogical Institute of UCU

On June 6, 2026, the Religious Education Ministry of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia organized a formation seminar for students enrolled in the Catechetical-Pedagogical Institute of the Ukrainian Catholic University. 

Before the seminar began, participants gathered at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Philadelphia near the relics of Blessed Sister Josaphata Hordashevska. Together, they prayed for God’s blessing, fruitful learning, and the successful completion of the seminar. 

The program consisted of three educational sessions. The first presenter was Mrs. Olena Peniazieva, Director of the Catechetical Commission of the Odesa Exarchate, who delivered a presentation on “The Vocation and Mission of the Catechist.” In her talk, she emphasized the importance of a personal calling to the ministry of handing on the faith and highlighted the catechist’s role as a witness to the Gospel of Christ. 

The second speaker was Mrs. Viktoriia Marko, who presented a lecture entitled “Methods of Assessing the Knowledge of Children Preparing for First Confession.” She shared practical tools and experiences for evaluating children’s readiness to receive the Holy Mysteries. 

Following the first part of the seminar, participants enjoyed lunch together and had an opportunity for fellowship, sharing the joys of their ministry, their studies, and the challenges faced by catechists today. 

A special highlight of the day was the visit of Archbishop Borys Gudziak, Metropolitan Archbishop of Philadelphia, who joined the participants during lunch and offered words of encouragement. He thanked the students for their dedication to catechetical ministry and emphasized the importance of forming mature witnesses of faith for the future of the Church. 

After lunch, the seminar continued with a practical workshop led by Mrs. Uliana Dziurakh on the topic “Catechetics: Contemporary Methods of Catechesis.” During the session, participants not only learned about modern approaches to teaching the faith but also experienced these methods firsthand by taking part as students in a catechetical lesson, allowing them to see the effectiveness of these approaches in practice. 

At the conclusion of the seminar, Fr. Mykola Dziurakh expressed his gratitude to all participants for their dedication to the ministry of passing on the faith and for their ongoing commitment to formation. He offered special congratulations to the students who successfully completed their studies at the Catechetical-Pedagogical Institute of the Ukrainian Catholic University this year. Fr. Mykola also encouraged everyone to continue their professional and spiritual growth and to participate in similar formation opportunities in the future.