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Cardinal Leonardo Sandri Visits Lviv Seminary

16.07.2008, [16:52] // UGCC //

The second day of the visit to Ukraine of Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, started with a visit to the Lviv seminary, where he met with rectors, teachers and seminarians of five seminaries of the UGCC in Ukraine. At the beginning Cardinal Sandri examined the building of UCU’s Theology Department and the premises of the seminary. And then a conference began.

In the name of all those present, Bishop Yaroslav (Pryriz), Auxiliary Bishop of the Sambir and Drohobych Eparchy, greeted the honored guest. "Modern times and the specific Ukrainian religious situation put before us challenges and tasks from which we have no authority to deviate. In particular, we understand very well our role in the matter of the search for methods and ways of achieving Christian unity. This year we celebrate the 1020th anniversary of the baptism of Ukraine, which reminds us of the status of the undivided Church and puts in the heart melancholy for this lost gift. But we do not wish to stop our looking into the past or only to complain of the modern situation. On the contrary, with great hope in the Lord we desire to do everything that we can to remove the wounds of division and hostility from church life." So said Bishop Yaroslav. In addition, the speaker named two more important tasks: confirming our own ecclesial identity and responding to pastoral challenges.

Then Fr. Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Ph.D., presented the guest with statistical information on the activity of seminaries in Ukraine and conducted a comparative analysis.

In his speech, on the basis of the words from the First Letter of Saint Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians: “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks…The one who calls you is faithful, and he will also accomplish it,” (1 Thess 5:16-24) Cardinal Sandri called the seminarians to be always glad, to be thankful and faithful. "Always be glad. Christian gladness is necessary for love, which we constantly receive from Christ crucified and resurrected. Your task is also to preserve this, because for us, Christians, it is always important to be on the side of gladness. Be thankful. With heart and mouth thank God, the Church, brothers and sisters, beginning with the family, with the seminary. Gratitude is the most important Christian word; in fact the source and culmination of all gratitude to Christ and all Christian life is the Eucharist, which is a display of gratitude. Thus, be faithful. If you will always have gladness and gratitude, you will be faithful, because loyalty comes from Christ, He is faithful, He is our joy, He is gratitude," the Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches said.

Then Cardinal Sandri added that we have another certain guarantee, life in true Christian gladness, gratitude and loyalty. This guarantee is a permanent prayer. “He who does not pray constantly has neither joy nor the spirit of gratitude or loyalty,” noted the speaker.

The conference ended with the answers of the Cardinal to question of the seminarians.