The Patriarchal Organization has a custom to hold a General Meeting of Laymen once during the two year term of each, elected board. It was decided, that the next General Meeting of Laymen is to take place on September 29 of this year in New York City. At a recent meeting of the board and two committees, /on organization and program/ matters of topics, speakers, policies and procedures for the General Meeting were decided.
Although the General Meeting of Laymen is one of an advisory capacity, its deliberations become binding in planning and conducting the activities of the board. This binding power of the General Meeting and its resolutions stems from the nature of the Meeting and participation of the most active and devoted members of the organization, distinguished guests, founding members and clergy.
The subject of the meeting encompasses usually reacent problems of the Patriarchal Organization, present status of church affairs as well as laymen’s aspects of social and religious life. This time of particular interest will be the triumphal conclusion of the Patriarchal visitation of our churches and a resulting general recognition by the laity and Ukrainian Church Hierarchy of the patriarchal system of our church, as well as his Beatitude Josyf Cardinal Slipyj as tie first Patriarch.
Por the successful conduct of tile Meeting’s agenda in this issue of “Za Patriarchat” topics an some texts of addresses have been printed in Ukrainian, so that participants can become acquinted with them and prepare for the Meeting’s procedures.
There are many important factors to be considered at the reacent Meeting to come, one of which is general popular recognition of the Patriarchal system and the first Patriarch, His beatitude Josyf I. This recognition has to be incorporated and practiced in everyday life of the faithful. Also several centers of opposition to this system must receive our special attention.
In view of the importance of the matters on the agenda great participation of the faithful in the General Meeting is anticipated.
