The National Executive Board of the Society for the Promotion of the Patriarchal System feels responsible to voice its position concerning the July second announcement from the Vatican, that the Holy See has nominated three new members for the hierarchy of the Ukrainian Catholic Church. The same document creates a new diocese in New Westminster, British Columbia. The nominees are:
Dr. Ieronim Chymij OSBM, rector of the Pontifical College of St. Josephat for Bishop of the newly formed diocese, Dr. Myroslav Marusyn, Apostolic Visitor – for Bishop of the Ukrainians in Western Europe, and Pr. Martin Groshchuk, pastor in Calgary, B.C., Canada – for Auxiliary Bishop in Edmonton, Canada.
This is the third time in the last three years that the Holy See by-passes His Beatitude Patriarch Joseph I, and the Synod of Ukrainian Bishops, and issues appointments outside of its actual jurisdiction. While ignoring the protesting voices of both clergy and laymen, in the past, the See actually chooses to disregard the historic decrees and rights which were legally obtained from Rome. Trampling its own obligations, the Roman Curia has once again shown its ruthless intentions to destroy the effectiveness of the Ukrainian Catholic Church as a religiously independent and socially viable institution. In this same action the Roman Curia proves beyond doubt that it refuses to acknowledge the Constitution of the Ukrainian Catholic Church which was presented to Pope Paul VI last November by Patriarch Joseph I, on behalf of the Synod of Ukrainian Bishops.
The harmful intentions behind the Curia’s tendencies become even more distressing when seen in conjunction with the intensification of repressions against the Ukrainian Church in the Soviet Union – the Church which “has sacrificed mountains of bodies and shed rivers of blood for its faith and. for its fidelity to the Holy See.”
Believing that the nominations out rightly break the legal rights of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, the National Executive Board acted in two ways.
First, it sent a letter of protest to pope Paul VI. And secondly, during its meeting of July sixth, the Board initiated. a series of protest actions.
In Rome action was initiated by those members of the World Board and of the National Board who are presently abroad.
A press release and a Statement of Protest were issued to international press agencies.
The Council of Ukrainian Organizations for the Promotion of the Patriarchal System, in Canada, sent statements of protest to the Congregation for Eastern Churches in Rome, to the Papal Delegate in Canada, and to the press.
Since the Ukrainian Church is so closely tied to the whole social structure of the Ukrainian Community, any action of the Curia against one, will have repercussions on the other. Calling to mind the critical state of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, the Executive Board of the Society for the Promotion of the Patriarchal System appeals to all clergy and laymen, and all community organizations to continue and intensify the struggle for our rights within the Catholic Church, for Autonomy (Pomisnist) and for the Patriarchate.
Leo Rudnytzky Creamridge NJ 08514
This mailgram is a confirmation copy of the following message:
INTL LT TDMT CREAMRIDGE NJ 44 07-22 0905P
EDT INT LT JEAN CARDINAL VILLOT SECRETARY OP STATE VATICANCITY (ITALY)
YOUR EMINENCE UKRAINIAN CATHOLICS WILL TAKE MEASURES TO PROTEST ILLEGAL NOMINATIONS OP BISHOPS STOP WE SHALL SAFEGUARD THE INTEGRITY OP OUR CHURCH
SOCIETY POR PATRIARCHATE MYROSLAV NAVROCKY PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR PROCIUK SECRETARY 1618 LINDLEY AVENUE PHILADELPHIA PENNSYLVANIA.
COL 1618
