Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia Convenes Strategic Session on Evangelization

April 24, 2026

The Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia held a Strategic Working Session on April 22, 2026, bringing together 138 clergy, religious, and lay members to chart the Church's pastoral direction. Of those gathered, 115 attended in person at the Chancery Office in Philadelphia, while 23 joined remotely via Zoom.

The gathering opened with the Divine Liturgy, during which Metropolitan Archbishop Borys Gudziak urged participants to see faith not as separate from daily life, but woven into its very fabric. "It is not a life where spiritual things are in one place and material things in another," he said. "The Son of God entered our reality in a concrete way."

Invoking Pope Francis's image of pastors who carry "the smell of the sheep," the Archbishop called on all members of the Church — clergy, religious, and laity alike — to embrace co-responsibility for its mission. "The Church calls all of us to be co-responsible," he said, before turning to the session's central theme. "We have to move… we have to embrace one another and work together." He posed evangelization as both a collective obligation and an open question put directly to those assembled: "What is evangelization for you? What new methods of evangelization can we use?"

The session focused on reviewing the Archeparchy’s 2021–2024 strategic plan and establishing priorities across four key areas: evangelization, communication, pastoral life, and stewardship of resources. Representatives of the Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU) took part in the session. Sophia Opatska helped lead the discussions, while Taras Dobko, Yaroslav Prytula, Yaryna Boychuk, Volodymyr Tyrchynovskyy, Anatolii Babynskyi and Anna Tyrchynovska participated.

Following the liturgy, Archbishop started the session by walking participants through events and documents that brought us to where we are today. This included The UGCC 2020 strategy, "From Heart to Heart" week as the start of the Archbishop's service in Philadelphia, the four sobor sessions held in the Archeparchy, the UGCC 2030 strategy, the strategy for the Archeparchy from 2021 through 2024, and the Jubilee Year of Hope.

Fr. Volodymyr Radko, Director of Vocations, presented a comprehensive review of the Archeparchy’s evangelization and pastoral initiatives developed since 2021. Key developments included the establishment of the Social Outreach Office and the expansion of youth, vocation, and religious education ministries. He also highlighted the continued growth of the Healing of the Wounds of War Fund, which has to date distributed $11.3 million in support of humanitarian and pastoral assistance in the context of the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Fr. Radko also drew attention to the work of the Good Samaritan Pantry, which provides weekly assistance to between 150 and 200 families and supports up to 500 individuals experiencing homelessness — an effort sustained by approximately 80 dedicated volunteers.

Sofia Zacharczuk, Chief of Staff to the Archbishop, presented on the Archeparchy's communications and outreach efforts, reporting significant growth across digital platforms. The Way, the Archeparchy's bilingual newsletter, now reaches more than 2,100 subscribers and maintains an open rate more than double the industry average.

She noted that the Archeparchy has expanded its presence across Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and LinkedIn, and continues to develop educational video content for broader audiences. Among forthcoming projects is a documentary on vocations, anticipated for release in fall 2026.

Her presentation underscored the strategic importance of bilingual communication, diverse content formats, and active collaboration with Church institutions at both the national and international levels.

Monsignor Peter Waslo, Vicar General and Chancellor, addressed pastoral structures and the state of parish life across the Archeparchy. His remarks focused on the need for renewed engagement at the parish level, calling for greater participation from both clergy and laity. He emphasized the importance of personal initiative, active invitation, and a genuine openness to others as essential conditions for building vibrant, mission-driven parish communities.

He also reviewed recent personnel developments, including priests who have begun serving in the Archeparchy, deacons preparing for ordination, seminarians currently in formation, newly arrived sisters, and additions to the chancery staff.

George Mykytyn, Chief Financial Officer, presented on the stewardship and development of the Archeparchy’s temporal resources. He highlighted the establishment of the Development Office and reported growth in donor engagement, with increased fundraising through annual appeals and grant initiatives.

He also outlined a range of improvements to the Archeparchy’s financial management practices, including the expansion of donor databases, enhanced annual reporting, and ongoing evaluation of financial structures — all aimed at ensuring the long-term sustainability of the Archeparchy’s mission.

The session's second half shifted from review to forward planning, with a dedicated focus on developing new approaches to evangelization. Working in small groups, participants reflected on what evangelization means within the specific context of the Philadelphia Archeparchy and identified practical ways to strengthen and expand this mission. Their proposals were recorded and displayed on flip charts, fostering open discussion and shared reflection across the full assembly.

Archbishop Gudziak reminded participants that a missionary identity lies at the heart of the Archeparchy's calling. "We are a Church of Ukrainian tradition for all people," he said.

Participants were encouraged to carry the work of the session back to their home parishes, contributing to what organizers described as a renewed and mission-oriented Church.