Scholarly conference focuses on Ukrainian Catholic Church (12/25/88)

Scholarly conference focuses on Ukrainian Catholic Church

by Markian Bilynsky

WASHINGTON - The improving climate in East-West relations does not necessarily augur well for the situation of the Catholic Church in Ukraine. This was the gloomy conclusion reached by Archimandrite Lubomyr Husar of the Ukrainian Catholic University in Rome.

The Rev. Husar based his remarks on the experience of a fellow priest in Italy whose weekly column focusing on the plight of religious groups in the Soviet Union was discontinued by its journal publisher because of pressure from Moscow. The Italian newspaper, a subsidiary of Fiat, agreed to cancel the column as a necessary pre-condition for a lucrative business contract with the Soviet Union for the parent company. It is this kind of behavior the Rev. Husar fears will move concern about Ukrainian matters further out of the general public's view.

The Rev. Husar was one of three speakers at a recent conference on "The Status of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in the Year 1988" presented by the St. Sophia Religious Research Institute of Washington. The other participants were Dr. Leo Rudnytzky of La Salle University in Philadelphia and the Rev. Alexander Baran of the University of Manitoba.

The event was one of several organized throughout the Millennial year by the St. Sophia Religious Association to focus attention on the continuing plight of the Ukrainian Catholic Church.

Dr. Rudnytzky opened the proceeding before an invited capacity audience. The theme of his introductory remarks was "The Millennium of Ukraine's Christianity: A Miracle in Continuity." After reviewing the history and contrasting roles the Church has played for the Ukrainian and Russian peoples, he suggested that the Millennium of Christianity should be viewed by Ukrainians as "a historic moment to give thanks to God for the continuous existence of the Ukrainian people."

"The Catholic Church," he said, "always acted as a carrier of Ukrainian tradition and as a custodian and protector of the Ukrainian national identity. For the long centuries, when there was no Ukrainian state, the Ukrainian Church was that ark which carried the Ukrainian people onward to their destiny. And the people, in turn, cherished and loved their Church, sensing as it were, that without it they would cease to exist as a nation. Thus, the Ukrainian Church is ultimately responsible for the miracle of continuity of Ukrainian being."

His opening remarks served as an appropriate introduction to the Rev. Baran's presentation titled "New Trends in Ukrainian Theology." The Rev. Baran focused on the new theological expressions in Ukraine and the West. He identified a mystic trend in modern Ukraine, explaining that mysticism has always been a part of the Christian tradition there: "The basic belief that the body belongs to earth and the soul is part of heaven and the only way of reuniting these two disparate elements is through Christ."

The Rev. Baran noted that there was a particularly strong revival following the Bolshevik occupation of Ukraine arguing that these movements represented a more true form of liberation theology than offered by contemporary Marxism. He ended his presentation with his own special vision "that a new theological attitude" might emerge "where Christianity tries to reach the supernatural."

"It doesn't matter," he continued, "what denomination or what group of Christians the believers belong to, but all one day will have the need for union with Christ because only this union can defeat the evil of material atheism."

The Rev. Husar then addressed the audience on the current status of the Catholic Church in Ukraine. Although he explained that his presentation would contain very little new information, the Rev. Husar came up with some very interesting comments during the vigorous discussion session that followed. Having clarified such complex issues as the registration procedure which the faithful must undergo, he suggested that the key to broadening the public's awareness of the state of the Catholic Church in Ukraine was to be found not in any innovative techniques, but rather through persistence with those that have already brought this issue to the attention of the West.

He was especially supportive of lobbying efforts directed at the United States Congress and the White House by many groups and organizations in this Millennium year, and hope that they would not cease in their efforts once the Millennial calendar comes to a close.

Audience response was most enthusiastic: the speakers were besieged with questions and suggestions during the reception that followed the formal portion of the evening.

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