Fr. Ruslan Borovyi Represents the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia at the General Assembly of the UGCC Pastoral Council in Lourdes, France

From September 21 to 25, 2026, the General Assembly of the Pastoral Council of the Patriarchal Curia of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) took place in Lourdes, France. The five-day gathering focused on key challenges facing Church life, particularly how to translate the decisions of the Synod, documents of patriarchal commissions and eparchial experience into concrete actions at the parish level. Special attention was given to vocations, families, youth, the renewal of canon law and the improvement of communication.

The assembly brought together His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the UGCC; Bishop Kenneth Nowakowski, Chairman of the Pastoral Council; Bishop Andriy Khimyak, Deputy Chairman; bishops who chair patriarchal commissions; pastoral advisors from eparchies and exarchates; and leaders and representatives of the UGCC's patriarchal structures. Fr. Ruslan Borovyi, Vice-Chancellor of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia, represented the Archeparchy at the assembly.

The gathering also provided an opportunity to coordinate efforts among eparchies and parishes. Key priorities include supporting new initiatives to foster vocations at the local level, assisting families, engaging young people and strengthening communication among Church structures so that every member of the faithful experiences the Church's pastoral care.

The program combined daily communal prayer, Divine Liturgies, presentations and group discussions. Participants explored practical steps for implementing synodal decisions, preparing for the Week of Prayer for Vocations, supporting families facing crises and improving internal communication.

"I am particularly pleased to see our unity, because today it is the foundation of our strength and our ability to fulfill the mission that the Lord God entrusts to us in the modern world," His Beatitude Sviatoslav said during his meeting with assembly participants.

Participants expressed their sincere gratitude to the Secretariat of the Pastoral Council, led by Bishop Kenneth Nowakowski, for organizing the gathering.

The next stage will focus on putting the assembly's conclusions into practice at the local level, including preparations for the Week of Prayer for Vocations, which will begin on November 21.