print this page

New Provincial Superior of Redemptorists Sees Mission as Priority

02.03.2005, [19:26] // UGCC //

Lviv – Father Vasyl Ivaniv was sworn in as the new protoihumen (provincial superior) of the Redemptorist Order on 22 February 2005. The chapter of the Lviv province of the Redemptorists of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) then took place at the Monastery of St. Alphonsus in Lviv on 23-25 February. In an interview for RISU, Fr. Ivaniv spoke of the priorities he will set for the order, in particular, missionary work.

The chapter discussed the province’s internal life, formation and seminary education, the order’s missionary work, and other topics. Missionary work is a focus for the new protoihumen. The Redemptorists hope to make the work of their missionary post in southern Ukrainian Berdiansk (Zaporizhzhia region) more effective. They have received an invitation to work at the Odesa exarchate of the UGCC. They also minister at a center for Ukrainians in Madrid, Spain.

Fr. Ivaniv told RISU that he wanted to give more attention to the charism of the Redemptorists, spiritual care for people who, for various reasons, cannot fully participate in the life of a congregation. “Most of our churches have no accommodations for people with wheel chairs, for the disabled. Such people are often unable to be present at religious services, but they need special attention.”

Father Ivaniv has great hopes for youth work, another key area of the Redemptorists’ activities. He plans to start organizing retreats for youth and to introduce them to the work of the order.

RISU note: The Ukrainian branch of the Redemptorists was founded by Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky in 1913. Today it numbers 120 monks, about half of whom are also priests. The order has given the UGCC many of its bishops.

Father Vasyl Ivaniv was born in the Ternopil region in western Ukraine. He entered the monastery in 1986, studying at an underground novitiate and seminary. He was ordained a priest in 1991. He served in Ternopil from 1991-1999, when he ministered to youth and led the Faith and Light community for the developmentally delayed and their friends and families. Between 1999 and 2001, he was the chaplain at a monastery in Lviv. He studied for his licentiate in Rome in 2001-2004 and was elected protoihumen of the Lviv province of the Redemptorists on 8 December 2004. He has conducted 35 missions in the course of his clerical career.